It's Mawson, It's Home!





IT'S MAWSON, IT'S HOME!

So, after 17 days at sea, with not one case of projectile or other form of vomitusness (I'm sure that's a real medical term), more than 3100 nautical miles ( 5741 Kms ) on the Southern Ocean, and who knows how many hours waiting for the next meal ( highlight of the day often on board Nuyina ) we arrived at Mawson Station on March 4th 2024. We cleaned our rooms and made our way to the smaller than I was expecting transfer boats, donned the lifejackets, and were unceremoniously dumped into the water beside the Nuyina. The watercraft operators might have been late for breakfast or something for despite the 25 knot wind and what I considered to be not insubstantial waves, they put the foot down and launched us to the wharf at the Station in about 5 minutes or less. It wasn't a big journey but it was memorable. Several of the members of our 77th ANARE crew lost headgear that wasn't well bolted to said heads and apparently the worst place to sit in these rubber red rockets is at the very back.... the only bonus about getting wet is that the water freezes on you quickly and you can just shake the ice off when you get to shore!

 



Leaving Nuyina in less than salubrious style....

We arrived to be greeted by very friendly and helpful members of the resident but soon to be replaced 76th ANARE Mawson crew, who carried our bags to a waiting ute for transport to the big Red Shed which is our new home.. sleeping, eating and entertainment quarters. It took three trips to bring the 20 members of the 77th ANARE crew from the Nuyina to Station and as I was one of the first 6 to arrive I made myself at home with a cup of tea and a bikkie and found a comfy spot with a great view as I waited for them. This was followed by a quick tour around while our bags were unloaded and taken to our rooms for us and then lunch.. so far I was really liking the place! 


      The last Boat load of 77th ANARE arrives              Putting my feet up with a new dining room view

       

Above Left: On entry to Mawson Red Shed ( Living quarters ) you are greeted by Vida, former Husky and sled pulling team member. Sadly all Huskys were removed in the late 1990's ending a great travel tradition and a great group of friends to go talk with when everyone else on station is wrong about everything!
                                                                        Above Right: My room for the next 12ish months.


Above Left: Mawson Station from the West Arm of Horseshoe Bay       
                                                                                                         Above Right: Dining Room

For the rest of the day we settled into our rooms and met our opposite numbers from the 76th team. From that first day we have been shadowing them to learn where everything is, what we will be dealing with over the next 12 months ( as far as they have experienced in their 12 months ) and assisted with unloading containers from the ship holding everything from full pallet loads of chocolate to milk powder ( no fresh milk here.... ) and all sorts of foodstuffs as well as equipment to keep the station running. 

    We have also had the opportunity to explore a little within the Station Limits whilst getting used to the constant wind and cold temperatures. Currently a warm day is -2C and a cold day is -10C. But here at sunny Mawson the one constant is the wind. Each morning Katabatic winds flow down from the ice plateau at speeds ranging from 25 to 70 knots. Sometimes we have Blizzard conditions which are defined by wind speeds over 40 knots and with visibility below 30 metres.     These winds mean the air temperature may by a balmy -5C but with the wind chill the effective temperature is closer to -20C. 

We have three operational weather conditions. Green where operations are normal and you move about with no restrictions. Amber where we must exercise more caution when moving around outside. Red when we must have the Station Leaders' permission to go outside, travel in pairs and also make radio calls when we leave a building and when we arrive at our destination. 

    When moving we must also maintain a hold on the "Blizzlines", which are ropes strung up between buildings. The ropes help you find your way in low visibility and are also handy to hold onto to stop yourself being blown away down the hill into Horseshoe Bay, which is apparently not highly recommended. Lastly we have condition Black, where no movement outside the living quarters is permitted at all i.e get out your knitting and make an extra big cup of tea.




Above Left: Not sure if this is a spelling mistake or someone just asking for me to do this...

Above Right:  Weather status board in the Dining Room. The green circle on the map is the forecast area for auroras to appear.

The weather since we arrived has been good for half the time and very blowy the other half. It has meant that the full unloading of all cargo from the Nuyina has been delayed several times, and combined with crane breakdowns on board we aren't sure if everything will make it off the ship before they have to leave for Hobart. We have everything we need but there are a few things that will be nice to have not onshore yet including the parts for a new water treatment plant. If that doesn't get off, there may be a few plumbers looking for something to do over winter!


Above Left: Evening sky over the bay                Above Right: Sunrise on the local iceberg



The local Weddell slugs,I mean seals, don't do much at present, including move..at all. What they can manage if pushed is to raise their heads and look at you with their " Please peel me another grape and then go away and stop bothering me" eyes.... if they can bother to open them that is.


    So this weekend will mean the end of all the handing over work. We will hold an official handover ceremony before the 76th ANARE crew leave for the Nuyina and then head for home. I have this afternoon finally taken my bagpipes outside ( the wind has miraculously disappeared this afternoon ) and worked out that I can in fact play them when the effective temperature is -10C. It takes them about 5 minutes to warm up to sound anywhere near Ok and then I can play for another 5 minutes before the fingers get temperature dyslexia and decide they have no idea how to move in a co-ordinated fashion any more.. and they hurt.. so I stopped.
     Ten minutes should be enough time to send off the 76th crew with an Irish tune for their departing Doctor of Irish descent and a Scottish tune for their Chippy of Scottish descent... whose nickname is.... Scottish....what else would it be.

    Next time I write our 77th ANARE team will be the custodians of Mawson Station... and all alone.









 


 

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