Beyond Station Limits and more

We are now well and truly into the routine of station life and we are now also have our work programs in order. In future blogs I will go into more detail of what each of the expeditioners have programmed for the year.

An advantage of being at Macca is that we are in the zone of maximum aurora activity. The frequent cloud is somewhat of a spoiler. Despite this there have been 6 nights in March that we were able to witness this fabulous event.

My first attempt at taking a long exposure photo of an Aurora Australis - from the deck of the Ham shack

This one was taken from the back of the Met building with the ANARESAT dome in the foreground

All the MIPEP crew and several of the station personnel have been out in the field for a few days doing field training.

Those of us remaining on station have been given a bit more freedom to move beyond station limits, though still close enough to station in case of an emergency. To walk past station limits to extended limits, one has to carry a radio because it is deemed that beyond this point it may be difficult to hear the Fire or SAR alarm.

My first walk into extended station limits was to a king penguin rookery on the East Beach.

A pair of gentoo penguins - mating ritual

King penguin rookery about 1km from the station down East Beach

Hundreds of brown,  fuzzy king penguin chicks - just about as big as their parents

The chicks all bunch together in a creche for safety and conservation of warmth

The King penguin is as its name suggests - regal. Their plumage is so vivid and distinct

Group of king penguins on the rocky beach with the station and North Head in the background

Thick kelp is abundant in the ocean and on the beaches around Macquarie Island

A few weeks ago the Tamanian Parks and Wildlife Service (TASPAWS) ranger Chris showed some photos taken in 2009 before the rabbits were fully eradicated. These photos were taken of an area in the station grounds. I tried to replicate the photos. The results are as follows.

Artefact corral near the green store taken in 2009 - showing the devastation to flora and soil by the rabbits (photo by TASPAWS)

Artefact corral today taken from roughly the same angle - amazing recovery

The following two photos are of the same artefact corral from a different angle.

Artefact corral 2009 (photo by TASPAWS)

Artefact corral today from roughly the same angle and spot of the photo above

Even though we have the freedom to walk within extended station limits, there is still plenty of amazing and wonderful things to do around the base. I carry my camera everywhere I go, even within the station grounds.

The elephant seals are everywhere - On this occasion we had to find another route to get into Market Square

The Weather Station on a misty morning

" If I lie any flatter, maybe they wont notice me "

Ash (springer spaniel) one of the MIPEP working dogs

'The Macca Boys Choir' - baritone section

The elephant seals have fine dexterity in the flippers

The seals on the land spend most of the day (and night) in a state of  blissful sleep or rest

Young male fur seal

Station Limits is the area around the base where it is expected that you can hear a fire or SAR alarm and respond accordingly. If you are on extended station limits, you are required to carry a radio and state your intentions on the Fire board. If you rostered on the Fire/Emergency Response Team (ERT) and you want to go beyond station limits - you have to swap with someone who is not rostered on the team. 

My next walk was to Tractor Rock, which is a little way beyond the penguin rookery and Gadgets Gully on East Beach.

King penguin rookery at the base of Gadgets Gully 

Notice the two headed penguin in the centre (trick photography)

They stand 70 to 90cm high

They have such vivid, colourful and distinct plumage

The island has such an abundance and variety of wildlife. There is also the other side of coin - there are numerous carcasses, skeletons, bones, beaks and teeth. The skuas and giant petrels hang around the penguin colonies and seal wallows just waiting to devour any weak or vulnerable creature.

One of the many penguin carcasses that are scattered along the beach. Most of the time all you find is bones or pieces.

There is also a abundance of invertebrate life on the island. There are many flies, they seem to hang around the decaying kelp on the beach. There is also many signs of a small spider - endemic to the island. Thankfully with all the water lying around the island there is no sign of the pesky mosquito.

At Tractor Rock - a few flies sheltering from the gale force winds on the lee side of a lichen encrusted rock 

The plant life is also varied and luxuriant. One species is called the cushion plant and can be found almost anywhere. 

Cushion plant at Tractor Rock

More cushion plant and lichen

The walk back from Tractor rock takes me back along the rocky beach, past the cacophony of the king penguin rookery, complete with hundreds of chirping chicks, who seem to be forever hungry. Then I leave the beach and climb the 220 stairs to the lookout on the Doctors track. I then walk along the track just in from the beach and cut across to West Beach, through a gap in Razorback Hill. Then its a leisurely stroll along the beach back to station.

The reflective puddles on the track just in from East Beach - often there are elephant seals  on the track

Next - More wonderful things to see and do.....