Settling in to Life on Macca

...The Aurora Australis left Macquarie Island just over two weeks ago. So that left only 24 of us left on the island. The first few days after the AA's departure most had some R & R, after the busy and hectic time of re-supply.

Then it was time to familiarise ourselves with our various jobs and how to organise the running of the station and living in a small community, through briefings and inductions.

In the first week I explored the station and area around the station that is considered station limits.
Station limits is a region on the isthmus that we are free to wander around and its limit is essentially where we should be able to hear the station fire alarm. It extends roughly southward to the base of the rise to the plateau.

A couple of young elephant seals practicing their fighting

Wave cloud formation over Buckles Bay, caused by moist, stable air moving over the topography of the island

"Shar Pei" seal near the helipad

The elephant seal wallow near the helipad on the isthmus

Young ele seal resting in the grass and sunshine

Around the Isthmus and also down the island, there is many places where you can see the presence of past human activity. Just walking along the beach, one can find many pieces of old timber. There are several places on the island with obvious signs of a bygone era of sealers, whalers and penguin harvesting. This was mainly for the oil and skins.

Throughout the late 1800's and early 1900's thousands upon thousands of penguins were fed into these steam digesters and boiled down for their oil (about 0.5 litres per bird)

Rusted remains of a winch near Landing Beach

Elephant seals rule the island - going where they please and are able. The station area and most buildings are fenced off 

Finally being able to get out and explore enabled us to discover many other wonderful sights, sounds and smells, even within station limits.

The Gap in Razorback ridge - the wind really funnels through here

View north towards the Isthmus, station and North Head from the lookout at the top of the steps (220 of them) which is at the station limits

Elephant seal wallow on the western side of Razorback Ridge (from the lookout)

Another walk along East Beach, and then back to the 'Golf Tee' on the Wireless Hill track, which is the northern end of station limits, reveals many more wonderful things to see and do.

View south from the 'Golf Tee' at the northern end of Station Limits (taken with a wide angle lens)

As with my experiences on continental Antarctic, there is some amazing geology here

View to the station and North Head from East Beach (Buckles Bay) just down from the fuel farm

Lone Gentoo penguin on East Beach

There were just a few King penguins amongst the Gentoo penguins on this part of East Beach

East Beach at station limits - view south with the Nuggets visible beyond the headland

West Beach of the Isthmus is more windswept and seems to have more wildlife. It is also the beach that experiences most of the prevailing winds, so plenty of kelp and bits of driftwood are washed up. You are also more likely to find human rubbish washed up on this side - plastic bottles, caps and pieces of nylon rope. This is mainly from fishing vessels in the Southern Ocean.

Most of the flighted birds can be found on this side of the Isthmus.

Southern Giant Petrel (GP)

 Great Skua

Many and various birds in flight over Hasselborough Bay overlooking North Head

Kelp Gull on the helipad

Formation flying of sorts

Apparently this is a white mottled version of the Southern Giant Petrel

As already mentioned - elephant seals are plentiful. Typically the male reaches a length of 5 metres (around 16 feet) and weigh around 3000kg (6600lbs), though a large male can be just over 6 metres (20ft) and weigh up to 4000kg (8800lbs) - That's bigger then most cars. Many of the adult seals on the island are moulting- shedding their outer layer of fur and skin.

Seal wallow on East Beach

Moulting elephant seal

Young Fur Seal resting amongst the kelp

Along with the human population there are several working dogs needed to sniff out and catch the pests - rats, mice and rabbits. It is thought that these pests have been eradicated, however we have a team of 11 MIPEP people (hunters and dog handlers) who will scour the entire island over the next 12 months.

MIPEP's Dean and Patty training Joker near the station

It is a windy place and it isn't hard to see which way the wind is blowing when it just starts to rain

Next - Beyond the Station Limits and more wonder......