Yesterday we had the day off as there was a lot of boating last weekend for those who weren’t camping and this weekend there will be boating. I pulled a pulk over as there was a bunch of items we wanted to leave in the hut.We skied over to the hut and had some lunch in the sun before donning snow shoes to Evans Lake.

Ali, Sam and I had been wanting to climb onto Spencer peak for a while and as Ali also needed to collect the monthly fur seal faeces samples we decided to stay over the night in Maiviken. Just above Evans Lake we removed our snow shoes and took out our ice axes to use as a walking stick more than anything. The snow was quite soft so we went for the scree slope with a small amount of snow it was hard going at some points as the snow would slide over the unconsolidated scree making the footing unstable at times. We came back down a gully full of the soft snow with Ali trying to bum slide a little. Check out Ali’s interactive panaroma of the ridgeline at http://www.amwphotos.co.uk/360panoramas/20110809-Spencer_ridge/20110809-DSC_2738_Panorama.htm

Sam’s picture of me surveying the amazing view out Cumberland Bay from the ridge

View down over Maiviken Lakes from the ridge. Picture by Sam.

When we got down we were just a little too late to see the penguins jumping out of the sea but we still saw them heading to their rookery for the night. Picture by Sam.

The sun setting behind the mountains on the Busen peninsula and the many mountains inland to the west of Thatcher Peninsula. Photo by Sam

Sam’s picture of the hut lit up by the tilley lamp with an almost full moon. We use the tilley for light but it also creates a lot of heat making the hut warm and drying off your socks and gloves after a day in the snow.

The wind howled all night and we were up early to get the collections done and get back to base. The morning light was spectacular. We put on snow shoes for the trip from the hut down to the beaches where there were quite a few skittish young males furries.

On the way back after getting Ali’s poo the gusts of wind were strong – blowing the snow around and unbalancing us on our skis. The overnight wind had created large strastrugi icy sections and deep drifts of soft snow. The pulk was difficult to manage on the traverses as with rope leads instead of a solid lead and no runners it went sideways down the slope trying to pull me over. With a small load it didn’t matter too much though.

We left the hut planning on possibly climbing an unamed peak from Deadmans however, when we got there there was blowing snow from the plateau below the summit and the sky looked a little ominous and with a forcast of 30 knot winds we decided to head on home. Well the sky cleared to beautiful blue and there was no wind but by then we were back at Grytviken having snowshoed in deep snow from Maivaten.

This is Rob and Andy next to the remains of the old ski jump at Grytviken.

The cove was full of pancake ice in the tidal area but pretty solid thick ice covered the rest of the cove.

As it was Sarah’s birthday I made limoncello cookies and we presented her with her gift made by Rob, Tommy and myself. The present is made with recycled materials – the ice tongs are an old baking tray, the glasses and ice bucket from Navy Rum and London Gin bottles and the wood base from an old bedstead and mahogoney from the fishing vessel wreck. (Picture by Pat Lurcock)

There is nothing better than climbing up a steep tussock slope first thing in the morning with an almost 60lb rucksack on your back! The views were stunning across Cumberland West Bay which made up for it though. The tussock is also strong enough that you can use your arms to help pull yourself up the slope.

We made our way from the beach to the summit of Camp Peak which was one of the nicest summits that both Rob and I have done since getting to South Georgia. This is the view down into Maiviken with the frozen Maiviken Lake to the right and Spencer Peak with Repeater Ridge.

The view from Camp Peak out the entrance of Cumberland Bay to the Southern Ocean.

From Camp peak we waded through a lot of snow up to a Col which had to precipitice of a drop to Maiviken for us to contemplate with our full winter packs on so we retreated a small way down and went back up to the ridge and over another Col. This dropped us into the top end of Boulder Pass.

From there we donned snow shoes as the snow was very deep and we worked our way through the plateaus and lake once more towards the shore and round the North end of Maiviken Lake to the hut. We got to the hut in time to have a civilised cheese and biscuit break in the sun while sitting on the bench I made at the beginning of the year.

Rob went out onto the lake with a shovel and ice axe to see how thick the ice was under the blanket of snow. It was very solid good quality ice and took a lot of twacks to finally get through in a small 1 inch hole! It was about 8 inches thick 200 feet from the shoreline.

We had a great dinner of soup for starters and custard sponge for dessert each with a different main course. After a few games of cards it was time for another good night sleep.

This is the RIB after Rob, Andy and I were taken over to the North side of the Thatcher peninsula and dropped off for two nights camping on Friday afternoon. Tommy and Matt Holmes wrapped up warm and decided to stick it out the whole trip on the RIB after saying jet boats are for ‘girls’!! The RIB and jet boat then headed across the way to Busen Peninsula to pick up Robert and Maureen which was the reason for the trip after their five day holiday over there. It was -8C on Friday not warming up even during the day.

We left our overnight kit and firewood in the cave on the way past and got dropped off further down the coast to walk back with day packs only up Papua Valley and down Curlew Valley to the cave on Friday evening.

It was snowing and quite windy as we walked around the base of Stenhouse and up to the col between Stenhouse and Camp Peak. With just our day sacks it was easier to get through some of the snow drifts which were at some points were up to my waist level!

We didn’t hang around the Col for long as the wind was blowing the snow all over the place and we wanted to drop down into the lee of the ridge line.

After 2.5 hours walking we made our way to the beach down the last steep tussocky snow covered slope and enter the cave through the small slit in the rock.

The cave goes back quite a distance and in the back it is sandy and dry. There were a few icicles hanging from the roof that had formed ice domes on the ground beneath. So we sent up our bivvy bags in the back with our down sleeping bags inside and it was a really good nights sleep listening to the waves lapping in the enterance off the cave.

We were able to dry our gloves and socks next to the fire which burnt till we went to bed at 9pm. As Rob says he loves camping as you get to go to bed at 9pm and gets lots of sleep!

Saturday morning was beautiful and sunny with blue skies it had snowed overnight and with high tide you had to nip out of the cave between the waves so as not to get wet!

I will put Saturday’s pictures up in a few hours but must nip off for Sunday roast dinner at Carse House. Hope you all had a great weekend.

This is Sam’s guide on how to make a movie in 48 hours with all the out takes from our attempt at Popeye! Enjoy.

We got yet more snow last night and today the wind gust over 50 knots. Unfortunately this made the snow slabby so the sking wasn’t great today however, the skinning was a hard workout as the tracks were covered by the wind driven snow on our return.

Rob made the track to Grytviken and I made it back. The pancake ice covers the beach at low water in this picture and as you can see there is sun over there so each lunch time I try to migrate to the sun at Grytviken.

Yesterday I did a bunch of small jobs I have been meaning to do for a while. I made and installed a bracket for one of the lifebouys over at Tijuca jetty at Grytviken as well as making a throwline bag for each of the bouys.

As it was going to snow again I shovelled all the snow off the jet boats so they wouldn’t become overloaded and installed a new anode holder on one of them.

Other than that I have been in the chippy shop making a tool for Ali’s science that he will be doing again in the spring time and a birthday present for someone on station.

After lots of hard work by everyone on base we present to you our 48 hour movie entitled ‘Popeye the Whaler Man’. The 5 elements this year were Popeye, a chocolate bar attached to a shirt, the phrase imbibe rapaciously, a saw and the sound of a dripping tap. Enjoy!

To see the entries from the other Antarctic Stations see http://blog.cupojava.net/?page_id=123

Stunning blue sky today – picture of my kit with Sugar Top behind (large mountain to the left)

Today was too beautiful to stay inside with a headache so I took paracetamol and headed for Gull Lake. Unfortunately for the movie makers they ended up staying inside editing on the computer so I was on my own on the slopes overlooking the cove. I stopped at Shackleton’s grave to soak up some rays of sun.

I skinned up alongside the waterfall and then had to remove my skis to front point up a very steep portion. Once up to Gull Lake which is frozen over I did a circuit along the shore of the lake which was beautiful snow conditions.

Skinning self portrait!

While sitting in the sun having lunch looking over the pancake ice covered cove Pat and Sarah skinned by on their way to Penguin River.

Pat and Sarah far below. The next person tempted out was Tommy for some snow boarding to the left of the track. The conditions were absolutely beautiful and I did two runs before the sun went below the mountains leaving the slope in the shade. I decided it was time to retire to the boatshed ramp where the sun stayed a a while longer. Tommy kept up the snowboarding.

What a stunning day.

Not a lot to report today. Yesterday we had some boating in the morning with an inspection to do and then after a skin had boat school in the afternoon. I taught a session on electronic nav aids and the use of radar, GPS, RDF, AIS etc. after a session in the dining room we went down to the jet boats and everyone had a play with the instruments.

Sam’s picture yesterday when we were skinning from Grytviken looking out of the Cove. With the settled weather we have quite a bit of pancake ice and nilas in the cove.

Today was blustery and cold (-7C) with snow showers however, at 2pm I forced myself out into the driving snow and limited visibility for my daily skin. I only went as far as the museum and not onto the hydro. It was a day of paperwork filling in people’s training logs and rewriting the syllabus. I have also been writing up boat school notes for the next boating officers to use or delete!

Matt will be staying on for another year as will Tommy, Al and Katie who will not have left the island for 26 months by the time they leave. In a bid to save money BAS and the South Georgia government have decided not to replace me until April and at that point Paula (boatwomen I replaced) who was here for 26 months will return for an 8 month stint. So Matt and Paula will be training the three people who are coming to base in October/November – a new base commander, mechanic and docter.

Tomorrow I am on earlies again so it is time for early bed I shall make fish and chips. I pro

Today started off slowly with a bunch of emails regarding orders to come in at first call (that is when the BAS ship comes in with our supplies for the year) and also some risk assessments to check over (pretty boring stuff). Then the fun started 🙂 Sam, Tommy and I took off with the new SAR sledge to test the adjustments that I had made as well as see if crossing the hauling bars helps with steerage and control. So two hours of energetic man hauling along the track and up and down Gull Lake track taught us quite a bit. We loaded the pulk with some books to leave at the museum and then some heavy harpoon heads to pull back to base.

This evening we had a little bit of night boating action where Tommy was thrown in at the deep end as cox. He did a wonderful job despite anchoring the jet boat to a kelp bed – which to be honest was hard to see in the dark covered in sea ice. A little bit later after knifing the kelp (cold water to put your arm into!) and pulling some large strands out of the jet unit we were out of there and on our way to pick Ali up off the ship. Matt Boat has stayed aboard to do the trawls for Katie as she is still out on the San Aspiring (fishing vessel).