What a busy place Casey station has been over the past ten
days. The AAD’s resupply vessel Aurora Australis left Hobart on the 17th
of December steaming towards Casey with their estimated date of arrival to be Christmas
eve. This sent the current residents
into a slight panic with the declaration that Christmas was to be celebrated
after resupply and new years. As always
plans were formulated to prepare the station for the handover from the outgoing
crew to the 2013 winterers and so the
emotional roller coaster began. There
was a mixed bag of feelings across the board with a few of the old winterers
clambering up Reeves Hill desperate to get the first sight of the AA while
others stayed close to station reminiscing over the past twelve months.
Predictably the AA was held up in sea ice approximately 100
nautical miles off station so everybody went into hurry up and wait mode. Christmas eve was a quiet celebration because
the 25th was to be a normal work day, so a few carols were sung and enjoyed by the majority. It was a good time for everyone to stop for a
moment and think of families and friends at home. The theme park opened and the emotion roller
coaster continued for another loop.
13.8 tonnes of frozen goods.
A new haggland gets lifted ashore.
IRB crew retrieving ropes which hold back the sea ice.
Gav as usual was the last of the winterers to depart for the ship.
The AA leaving Newcomb Bay crushing any ice in sight.
After six days of
hard work resupply was completed successfully with everyone on station lending
a hand when needed. The AA steamed out
of the bay at 8pm on new year day and was farewelled by an impromptu gathering
at Reeves Hill. The following day a
group of lucky punters were chosen to go on a joy flight on a Bassler DC3 up to
the ice runway at Wilkins, then fly around the station surrounds including the
spectacular Vanderford Glacier. What a
fantastic way to mark the beginning of the new year.
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