April 11: Refuelling the station and the beautiful Aurora Australis...not the ship

Jacque Comery and Ben Golden on the isthmus admiring the Aurora Australis (the southern lights). Photo: Justin Chambers

 A whisper went around the mess that there was an aurora starting to appear.  With my tripod still in cargo I ran outside to try to get some shots...to no avail.  Thankfully Justin our chef was prepared armed with his tripod and mad skills, and caught this great shot of Ben and I.  Longest I have stood still not breathing in my life and not giggled!

Aurora Australis over the isthmus. Photo: Justin Chambers

 The Aurora danced around the sky  for over an hour.  It gave us curtains, and halos and all sorts of colours.  I couldn't believe that in just the 2 days since we landed I had been treated to so many amazing sights.

A Gentoo penguin supervises refuelling of the station.  Photo: Jacque Comery

 Refuelling is one of the biggest events on the resupply calendar.  It requires nice cooperative weather to move over 200,000L of fuel from ship to shore by  floating pipeline.  Our successful resupply was the highlight of the day....well until the show stealing Aurora came along.

Transferring a years supply of diesel fuel from the ship to our station via over water pipeline. Photo: Jacque Comery

This picture shows the IRBs (inflatable boats) patrolling the fuel line checking for any signs of leakage, and the helicopter still sling loading cargo from the deck of the AA to keep operations running. Resupplying a sub-Antarctic station is an impressive logistics feat.