The Logistics of changing Fire Extinguisher's

 Was given 2 hours notice to prepare for a mission to check the Gas installation at a field hut on Hop Island and change the fire extinguisher's .

Taking off in the chopper from Davis.

 On the way to Hop Island about 20 minute flight with the weather looking a bit ordinary.

 Straight ahead Hop Island.

 Heading to the field hut armed with some new Fire extinguisher's

The field hut called a Smarty for obvious reasons. As you can see it has started to lightly snow. 

 
 Inside the hut going about my work.

 The snow stated to get heavy with little viability so we had to stay for a couple of hours for it to clear.

 Frank the Helicopter Pilot next to his machine covered in snow.

 Frank is clearing the snow from the chopper while Barbra and Nobble the temporary residence of Hop Island studying Penguins are getting a lift back to station to prepare for a other trip a bit further south. May sounds a bit glamorous but if you smelt the Penguins in mass you may chance your mind, They have been attaching little camera's to some of the Penguins to record there movement's.

 Flying past the edge of those clouds full of snow

Coming in for landing after a hard day at work.

Brocks Hut 2

 After a late night with Tim cooking up a storm pasta dish with a few little hot numbers i acquired from the Hydroponics (Chilli's) for tea, a few drinks and a intense time playing poker we sleep in to a reasonable hour.
Wake up fresh had pizza, bacon, bake beans, cheese and toast for breakfast and in my case a splash of hot chili sauce. Beautiful.
Of we went after cleaning the hut on our hike back to base. Not long into our walk we come across Deep Lake in the picture above.

 Deep Lake.

 The Lake is 50m below sea level and is so salty it does not freeze.

Tim and Brad

 
 A penguin that drunk to much salt water from the lake.

 The beach made up of fine clean gravel.

 Tim and Brad taking in the scenery.

 Just a other lake.

 The beginning of the other lake about half a hour from Deep Lake.

Negotiating a few boulders still heading in the right direction. Finally got back after 4hours on foot with sore leg muscles nothing a few beers could not fix. Great weekend was had by all.

Trip to Brocks Hut 1

My first hiking trip with a great bunch of guys to Brock's Hut about 12 km as the crow fly's from station. Had organised our food and beverages to be dropped of by helicopter the night before. That was to be realised being smart utilizing fossil fuel to ease the burden of the weight in our back sacks.
We also cheated a little by being given a ride about 3 km up Dingle road  to Dingle Lake in the picture above.

 Off we go walking  under are own steam eager with the adventure ahead.

 A view from a hill.

 Tim tearing apart a rock with his super human strength.

 Life is good only early days legs doing just fine.

 The team plotting our course. From right Brent, Brad, Tim and Rod confirming our exact location by checking the map against surrounding features.

 Putting on ice chains to negotiate our travel safely over blue ice.

 Spirits are high we are nearly there.

 Staying focused as we approach the shore line navigating away from the holes in the ice close to shore.

 Our Boodwha for the night with all the modern con's

In for landing the feeling of taking that back pack off after some 3 hours was uplifting. Was a great afternoon starving hungry, very thirsty so we started  getting some structure quench that thirst first.

Trip to Watt's Hut

 A camp site about halfway to Watt's Hut.

 Our destination about a 1.5 hour ride doing around 25km a hour on Quad Bikes along frozen sea ice and lakes. Was a different sensation having the feel of the bike skating across the ever so slippery blue ice. At times it was like being a ballerina on a bike.

 A view from the hut at Watt's Lake. The lake is 5 meters below sea level if you look at the line in the rock   just  above the water line of the lake you can see the level of the ocean. The lake is still frozen the colour you see is the blue ice.

A view of the party walking back from having a leak in a tide crack. The simple pleasures in life.

About to jump on board to head back. Did not take that many pictures but have some  great footage on my Go-Pro camera which was fixed to the front of the bike. To large of a file to down load.

Beaver Lake 5

On the way home was a great day out in adventueland.

Some scenery on the way home.

 Davis station from the air.

The Twin Otter strapped down adjacent the ice air strip for the night.

Beaver Lake 4

 Leaving the field hut heading back down to Beaver Lake. This time with Frank flying John in the front and Jerry next to me in the back.

 Flew up through the valleys via the scenic route pictures don't really do it justice.

Refuelling the Twin Otter for the trip back home.

 Part of the team from left me, Bob the Twin Otter pilot, Frank the helicopter pilot and cousin Dan a plant operator.

 The lake apparently the ice is 10m thick.

Inside the Twin Otter with some of the rubbish from the clean up.

Beaver Lake 3

Heading up the hill from Beaver Lake to the field hut so we can begin work.

 The reason for the trip was to evaluate and if possible start removing full drums of aviation fuel frozen in the lake and clean up around the field hut.

On the left is one of many barricaded area's with old camping and survival gear including food left over the year's. We collected this stuff and placed it in the yellow nets to be slung back to Beaver Lake  along with the fuel drums.

 Getting sum drums ready to be slung.

 It got pretty busy.

 Up and away it goes.

At the end of the day all drums had been removed from the lake and three bags of debri brought back down from the field hut ready to be taken back to base by the Twin Otter.