October 4: Storm damage

We watched the southern ocean pound the Isthmus throughout Saturday afternoon, and heard it roaring into the night. As we all awoke on Sunday morning we feared the worst for the elephant seals of the Isthmus.
Lone figures roamed around the station, quietly processing the extend of the damage, both on infrastructure, but on the wildlife. Pups washed away from their mothers bleated out, and female elephant seals cried out to try and find their pups. Many of the pups were  stuck in holes or erosion gullies and unable to reach their mothers. The little pups most only a few days old were so small and still quiet helpless, hat they were unable to  work their way back to the harem after being washed away the day beofre.  Some were already falling victim to the Giant Petrels, and others lay alone on the beach, facing certain starvation over the coming days. Macquarie Island is a nature reserve and we are not permitted to interfere with the wildlife, regardless of the circumstances.  Most of us found this very confronting, and heartbreaking.
Whilst we'd held out little hope for the seal harems on the west coast, which bore the brunt of the 17 metre seas, we were thrilled to discover that may of them and their pups had managed to seek higher ground up in the tussock.

Erosion on the Isthmus from the storm surge overnight: Photo: Jacque Comery

Injured seal. Photo: Jacque Comery

Newborn elephant seal pup washed away from the harem. Photo: Jacque Comery

Erosion on the Isthmus. Photo: Jacque Comery

Abandoned pup. Photo: Jacque Comery

Giant petrels waste no time in feeding on abandoned pups. Photo: Jacque Comery

Expeditioners taking in the destruction. Photo: Jacque Comery

Seal pups huddle together. Photo: Jacque Comery

Makeshift breakwater wall of our cage pallets took the brunt of the waves to protect our buildings. Photo: Jacque Comery

October 3: The Storm

At 0515hrs on Saturday, most of us were awoken by the first strong gust of the storm. The buildings shaken so hard it was difficult to tell if it were the wind or an earth tremor! The weather due to build throughout the morning had arrived early. Throughout the morning gusts exceeded 60 kts, then 70 kts, topping out with a gust of 83 kts around 0900hrs. Around lunch time the seas began to build, lashing the west coast beaches with walls of whitewater. Elephant seal harems huddled on the highest ground they could find, but were soon at the mercy of the sea. Even two hours before high tide waves were washing over the Isthmus with such force that entire groups of seals, pups and even the big 3 tonne Beachmasters were washed away. Our concrete breakwater was washed out into the bay and the Isthmus slowly eroded under the relentless force of scouring surf. One large set washed through the Green Store and through market square, draining down between Cumpston’s Cottage and the Mess. 

Waves breaking over the elephant seal harems. Photo: Justin Chambers

Seal harems being smashed by the high seas. Photo: Justin Chambers

Seals on the Isthmus during storm. Photo: Jstin Chambers

Waves breaking over the isthmus. Photo: Justin Chambers

Storm surge washes over the Isthmus all day. Photo: Justin Chambers

October 2: Snowflakes....

A September project started by my friend Justin on Station was to capture the beauty of some Macquarie Island snowflakes. After watching Justin trying to scurry back and forth between the Market Square and the freezer during snow flurries for a few days, I couldn't help but join in the fun, appointing myself  assistant snowflake catcher.
Let's be clear, these snow flake images were hard fought.
Snow storms pass in fronts here so just trying to collect them on glass plates during 30 to 40 knot winds was the first challenge. It snows at around minus 1 C here, so the next challenge was to run with the captured snowflake, without it sliding off the glass and before it melted, into the freezer. Justin would then be at the ready inside the minus 18 freezer, with his camera poised. A ridiculous but ingenious set up was devised for mounting his camera and lights using bunsen burner stand and tripods that I found in the science laboratory. Then Justin would have to find the tiny snowflake on the glass plate, all whilst his fingers would be freezing. Then finally we'd stand and hold our breath and be really still and then.....click...
.....wonderful sub-Antarctic snowflake crystals. We ran out of time to perfect the set up, but these images capture the beauty of the delicate and intricate crystals of our Macca snowflakes.
Thank you Justin for sharing your project with me! (Especially in face of my incessant over-enthusiasm!)

Snowflake. Photo: Justin Chambers

Snowflake. Photo: Justin Chambers

Snowflake. Photo: Justin Chambers 

Snowflake. Photo:Justin Chambers

Snow crystals. Photo:Justin Chambers

Snow crystals. Photo: Jacque Comery

October 1: The Beachmasters!

The bull elephants seals, The Beachmasters! Three to four metres long and  up to 3 tonne. Despite their big sluggish appearance these fellas can move. Avoiding getting between them and the water, then and the female seals, and them and pretty much anything else that they may be interested in, is highly recommended.
More amazing pics from Justin Chambers. Thanks jj.

Beachmaster on east beach. Photo: Justin Chambers

Beachmaster in the tussock. Photo: Justin Chambers

Beachmaster. Photo: Justin Chambers

Beachmaster . Photo:Justin Chambers

September 30: Seal harems on the east coast

The elephant seal harems are growing on the beaches around the isthmus. Each harem has a Beachmaster, a big male, and a posse of female seals who chose the harem that they wish to join. The Beachmasters then battle it out to take control of each others harems, winning the rights to mate with  all of the females. First though the females need to finish having their pups. As the harems get bigger the  Beachmaster has a greater area to cover to ward off sneaky suitors. If a rival male sneaks up on the harem, the Beachmaster will often charge through the seals, crushing females and pups to ward off the challenger. These battles can be a fight to the death, and the sight of two 3 tonne seals smashing against each other with tremendous force is a sight to behold.
To perch up in the tussock and watch this unfold has been likened to watching a soap opera of sorts.

Elephant seal harem on east beach. Photo: Justin Chambers

Seal harem on east beach. Photo: Justin Chambers

Beachmaster and his harem. Photo: Justin Chambers

Thanks for the photos jj.

September 29: Power house engines

Lionel our Station Mechanic, invited me to help out on a service on the  engines in the main power house. He has been kindly  tutoring me  on engine maintenance  to assist in my study towards my Marine Engine Driver Course (MED3).
On this day Lionel taught me how to undertake a valve adjustment.
The engines which power our station are marine diesel engines, and so I am able to complete many of the tasks required of my course here on Station with Lionel.

Valve adjustment. Photo: Lionel Whitehorn

Maintenance on the engines in the power house. Photo: Lionel Whitehorn

September 28: Furries in Garden Cove

After a Sunday afternoon counting elephant seals with Justin, on the east coast and in Garden Cove, the light brightened up presenting the perfect opportunity to capture all of the cheeky character of the local furries. Justin had the camera (I left mine at home).  I did however contribute with what I consider to be the helpful incessant begging and pleading to shoot more and cries of "Check out the light, shoot that way, look at that guy...etc etc....".

Thanks Justin for the pics. They are great!

Fur seal surfacing. Photo: Justin Chambers

Fur seal guarding its rock stack. Photo: Justin Chambers

Furries doing their best Meerkat impression. Photo: Justin Chambers

September 27: Milk face

Milk face. Photo: Lionel Whitehorn

September 26: Gadgets Gully

The trades team had been replacing the ladders up Gadgets Gully over several weeks of work. On a beautiful but cold day the boys finished the job and needed extra hands to help carry the old ladders and tool caches back down the Station. I was happy to lend a hand, and take in the beautiful view to be had from up in the gully at the same time. I seem to have scored a lighter load than Justin who is in the distance with a pack and two generators!

Carrying gear down Gadgets Gully. Photo: Rich Youd

September 25: Seal pup

Elephant seal pups are just gorgeous little bags of furry skin with big eyes and whiskers.

Elephant seal pup. Photo: Lionel Whitehorn

Elephant seal pup. Photo: Lionel Whitehorn

Elephant seal pup. Photo: Lionel Whitehorn

September 24: Skuas stealing milk

Skuas are a very intelligent and opportunistic scavenger. They recognise the rich elephant seal milk as a worthwhile food source. Bold and not easily spooked, they will sit beside the feeding pup ready to catch any milk wasted.

Skua ready to sneak in a drink. Photo: Lionel Whitehorn

Waiting reaps its reward for this Skua, who gets a free meal. Photo: Lionel Whitehorn

Looking for a sneaky feed. Photo: Lionel Whitehorn

September 23: When your admirer is bigger than you....

There's no getting away from a male elephant seal that wants some lovin'.

These shots are from Sandy Bay just to the north of Brothers Point. You can see the red googie shape of Brother's Point Hut in the rear.
Thanks Ranger Andrea for the great pics.

Beachmaster and seal at Sandy Bay. Photo: Andrea Turbett

Beachmaster with his captured seall at Sandy Bay. Photo: Andrea Turbett

September 22: Sand bath

The elephant seal is throwing sand over herself to assists with temperature regulation. On warmer days the seals nuzzle down into the sand and throw piles of it over themselves. As always the Skuas are never far away.

Elephant seal sand bath. Photo: Lionel Whitehorn

September 21: GP and the seal pup

Such is life on a small island, that everyone has to eat, and nothing is wasted.

A dead seal pup makes a meal for a Giant Petrel. Photo: Lionel Whitehorn

NGP eating a seal pup. Photo: Lionel Whitehorn

Guarding the meal. Photo: Lional Whitehorn

September 20: Elephant seal pup

Sleeping elephant seal pup. Photo: Lionel Whitehorn

Sleeping seal pup. photo: Lionel Whitehorn

September 19: Ele seal pup feeding time

The rick milk that the elephant seals are fed allows them to grow rapidly. The female seals almost appear to 'deflate'  in a matter of a few weeks as a result of the body mass lost in feeding their pups. The pups on the other hand, quickly fill out their baggy little black fur skins!  Skuas are always close at hand to sneak in and take advantage of milk squirting from the nipple after feeding. They sometimes will even try and harass the pups off the nipple so that they can feed on the milk themselves, such is the value of such as high energy source.

Elephant seal pup having a feed. Photo: Lionel Whitehorn

Feeding elephant seal pup. Photo: Lionel Whitehorn

A Skua moves in to steal the milk. Photo: Lionel Whitehorn

Thanks again to Lionel for great pics.
** My foot is on the mend and I shouls be up and about with my camera again soon!**