This one has been a while coming and I do apologize for that but I've been busy. Boating, completing some little projects after hours in the workshop and much watching movies/relaxing. In other words I've been plain slack! But putting this aside i have a ripper of a blog this time for you.
Firstly there was Australia Day where back home many of you would have been at the beach and playing cricket. Well not too different here to be honest, many of the expatitionars went for the traditional Australia Day swim. I digress momentarily but me on the other hand am still recovering from a swim I did more than 15 years ago in Canada. Mary (Canadian Mum) decided is was a good idea for me to do something called a Polar Bear swim in the annual Bon Soo winter festival in Sault Ste Marie. Only after I had finished talking to her I had talked her into doing it too. The Air temp that day from memory was a balmy -27c. After lunging into the water grabbing the pole at the other side my head went under and I really didn't know which way was up.
Getting out on the other side wasn't a problem with the exception that I wasn't wearing any shoes. There was a nice covering of snow on the ice but what had happened, all the people that went in before me had dropped water onto it turning it into ice turning it into razor blades. So a short ouchy ouchy hobble later I was in a out door spa warming up with the exception of my head. Now back then my heir was a little more healthy, full bodied and down to my shoulders and being wet and -27c it quickly froze. I distinctively remember the cracking sound as i was trying to squeeze the water out of it. Not to mention the brain freeze for the next 3 hours that incurred. So in short i didn't think I needed to do the swim unless I have the opportunity to do it in worse conditions that that. Instead i was in a boat circling offshore taking photos, which none turned out!
I was able to get a couple guys to set their gopros up and wear them into the water and here is a video of the day!
Video Michael Goldstein
Here are some stills from the day..............There was the compulsory life guard............
Pic: Bob Heath
Of course you have to swim between the flags...........
Pic: Bob Heath
As they go in..................
Pic David Barringhaus
Pic David Barringhaus
Brett one of the other Gold Coasters taking a plundge...........
The new Australians even if they are temporary ones at that. From left to right are Big Al, Perry and Bob the Canadian Twin Otter Pilots and Engineer..................
Pic: Bob Heath
Preparing the pitch...................
Pic David Barringhaus
See that cloud of dust..........yep thats me.........
Pic David Barringhaus
The good old appeal only difference the backdrop.............
Pic: Bob Heath
And the spectators...............
Pic: Bob Heath
Pic: Bob Heath
And more spectators these ones didnt watch as much though and snore hummmm.....................
Pic: Bob Heath
Rowdy and Bob showing what they are getting up to for the day............
Pic: Bob Heath
One of the fans...........
Pic: Bob Heath
Skipping a fair bit here as I have cant remember what I have done but last week we had a little bit of a blow (40knots over a couple days) and to our surprise there was a Jade Berg/Stripped Berg arrive with the grounded bergs off station. Jade Bergs are quite rare and CLICK HERE to find out more.............But here are some pictures that I took.....................
From the back side of the burg you can see the stripes.........
Pic Michael Goldstein
From the side you can see the different colours................
Pic Michael Goldstein
Pic Michael Goldstein
A sma peice of Jade Berg had broken off and was quite prity...........
Pic Michael Goldstein
Pic Michael Goldstein
Pic Michael Goldstein
Some wicked caves................
Pic Michael Goldstein
Amazing designs in Bergs and some little mates getting some rest...........
Pic Michael Goldstein
Then there was the Captain............hummmm no comment!
Pic David Barringhaus
Its hard not to smile when your crusing around down here!!
Pic David Barringhaus
While boating every now and again we would notice these sometimes very long snake looking things in the water. I was told that they are something called Salps. There are pictures and a story from Dr Clive who he wintering Doc from my first season. Youll also notice a couple familiar faces also there!!CLICK HERE............. and more info can be found HERE................
Also in the news is a long time coming, 20 years to be exact. They have now cored 3,769m into a lake under the ice. They are hopeing to find all sorts of things that havent seen the light of day for
a long time. Very intresting article for you to read HERE................
Also intresting news happened on one of the science voyage where a rare whale was sighted and the article can be found HERE............
So all going well here thanks for email Jo and Jeff im fit and well just been lazy.
Hope everyone is well better save something for the next one.............
Michael
P.S.............. Nobody can make you feel inferior without your permission.
Eleanor Roosevelt
P.S.S...........In the first blog entry you might remember me talking about the Dwarf Minki Whales
I am going to be doing a talk about them next week so I have made this little video
I though i might as well chuck it on!!!
Enjoy!!!
