June 30: Wild weather

After three days in a row of winds exceeding 55 kts, today we received 73 kts in the early hours.  Swells of 8 metres were predicted, however by the time they were standing up approaching the shoreline, they were such behemoth walls of water that it was difficult to ascertain their size.
There is a large rock (small island) to the west of the beach, at least 20 metres in height, and the waves were crashing over it, sending plumes of spray into the sky.
The waves pounded the beach all night, and in the morning light we discovered out Station Isthmus cut in half. The sea was flowing from west to east with the largest of the waves in the set.
The numerous elephant seals who had taken refuge on the beach were not bothered at all, and continued to wrestle, belch and snort despite the water washing all around them.
The LARCS, our Station centurions that stand guard facing the west, stayed in place or rather they held the helipads that they sit on in place!
Kelp was thrown up around the very edges of the buildings, and water washed into the store building, and under the bunkroom building.
Over the past few days the winds have blown the boat shed door off and the Ionspheric Prediction Service mast (approx. 25 m) collapsed. Luckily, apart from a whole lot of erosion and mess, the remainder of Station suffered no further infrastructure losses.



A wave surges over the Isthmus from west to east. Photo: Jacque Comery

The seals don't seem to mind the new river. Photo: Jacque Comery

Kelp dumped right up behind our buildings. Photo: Jacque Comery

Waves surging up to the buildings. Photo: Jacque Comery