August 15: Waterfall Bay Hut to Brother Point Hut

Today I covered the 16 km to Brothers Bay Hut, leaving Rich back at Waterfall Bay to go check out the penguin chicks at Lusitania Bay.  A steady uphill climb to Pyramid Peak was followed by the relief of some undulating track. I ducked off to visit the waterfall to the south of  Green Gorge, which was  a spectacular sight on account of the swollen creek. The climb out of Green Gorge, broke my heart a little, but lots of rest stops and some steady stomping finally got me up and out of the Red River Valley and to the Brothers Point track junction. I was all tucked up in the hut and had another nap whilst I waited for Rich to arrive later in the afternoon. Pasta dinner and some games of crib rounded out the last night of the trip. Early to bed ready for the  final day of walking back to VJM.

Atop the waterfall jump up looking north along the east coast. Photo: Jacque Comery

View south east over Waterfall Bay. Photo: Jacque Comery

The tarn at Pyramid Peak. Photo: Jacque Comery

The waterfall near Green Gorge. Photo: Jacque Comery

View to the north down into Green Gorge. Photo: Jacque Comery

The southern slopes of Brothers Point. Photo: Jacque Comery

July 19: Leaving Brother's Point, headed to Station

After a lovely last night, of listening to the wind whistle around the hut, I decided to make an early break for Station, to try and get  up and over the plateau before mid morning winds were expected to  build to around 40 kts (50 kts up on top).
I set off at around 0700hrs, in the very early dawn light and snow. The walk in flat light was pretty, and the snow got deeper as I walked, with some of the drifts getting up around mid-thigh depth at times. The fog closed on just as I got to the last part of my walk, making navigation a challenge, especially as most of the track markers were blown over! A fun surprise was finding penguin footprints up the track almost all the wat up to the plateau. How (and why) those little guys waddle all that way in snow up steep hills on their little short legs is a mystery to me.
A wonderful 3 day solo trip, exploring this beautiful and wild place.



The RAPS unit at sunrise, with The Nuggets in the rear. Photo: Jacque Comery



A snow flurry on the beach, as I am leaving the hut. Photo: Jacque Comery



Giant Petrel footprints in the snow. Photo: Jacque Comery



Sandy Bay Track looking back to Sandy Bay. Photo: Jacque Comery



Sandy Bay track looking up towards 4-Ways track junction. Photo: Jacque Comery

Snow drifts hiding the track markers. Photo: Jacque Comery

 

On the trail home. Photo: Jacque Comery

July 17: Trip to Brother's Point

I had planned to walk to Brother's Point Hut and rendezvous with Ranger Anna to assist her with Petrel burrow searches. Overnight snow falls buried many of the burrows, so Anna cancelled the hunt. I was happy to walk out to the hut anyway, and so began my three day Brother's Point Hut trip.  My plan was read, eat, check out the beach for cool stuff, read, etc, walk on the beach... you get the picture.
 

Brother's Point Hut with Brothers Point in the background. Photo: Jacque Comery

This hut is one of two that were actually moved from their original location at the former research station on Heard Island, to Macquarie Island. (The other is at Waterfall Bay). Imagine living in a whole village of googies!  How very Jetsons! The cold porch on the side has shelves for stores and is where we leave wet gear and boots. The green wooden box on the balcony is the fridge. ( It IS just a box, but Macca temperatures are usually pretty fridge like.

The googie or spaceship hut. Photo: Jacque Comery

 





I arrived at the hut in good time, and put on dry clothes, made a cuppa,  and had a relax after my hike out. The water pipe to the hut was frozen so I scooped water out of the top of the tank to fill the kettle and get water for the night. It was so cold that ice was freezing on the jug between scoops!

Inside the hut. Photo: Jacque Comery

Cosy bed! Photo: Jacque Comery

View back up to the plateau. Photo: Jacque Comery



View from Brother's Point to the north. Photo: Jacque Comery

The googie window. Photo: Jacque Comery

Frozen jug. Photo: Jacque Comery

Scooping water from the hut tank. Photo: Jacque Comery

 

My cosy little spaceship hut was warm and toasty in no time, and after taking advantage of the short-lived sunshine I bunkered down to read for the whole afternoon. 

The winds built throughout the day and by nightfall the hut was shaking on it's foundations. I wondered if I actually might experience flying in the  space ship!





 

July 4: Memorials and more marine debris

Today is the anniversary of the death of Charles Scoble on the posthumously named Scoble Lake. Mr Scoble broke through the ice on the lake whilst skiing in 1948.  I decided to go and pay my respects on behalf of the 68th ANARE, on this suitably icy and cold day.
Having left so much marine debris uncollected at Bauer Bay, I further decided to walk on to Bauer Bay again and spend my weekend completing the beach clean up solo.
I arrived at Scoble Lake in a snow storm, to find the Lake partially frozen. Had it looked like this in 1948 I doubt that the party would have attempted a crossing.
Onwards to Bauer Bay, and I embarked on the 'treasure' collecting immediately to make the most of the light. Another 215 lengths of green string, 60 plastic fragments and 12 bottles later, I prepared a dinner of miso soup, cheese and pickled vegies, had a read of my book, practiced some Spanish did my Sched with VJM and dried my gear.  All cosy in the hut, I was asleep by 1930hrs.

Charles Scoble memorial. Photo: Jacque Comery

Scoble plaque. Photo: Jacque Comery

First view of Bauer Bay. Photo: Jacque Comery

About to drop down into Bauer Bay. Hut is centre of frame. Photo. :Jacque Comery

Footprints on the beach. Photo: Jacque Comery

Plastics from Bauer Bay. Photo: Jacque Comery

Green string. Photo: Jacque Comery

Marine debris. Photo: Jacque Comery

Hooray for hut dinners. Photo: Jacque Comery



Drying off my gear. Photo: Jacque Comery



Tucked in for the night. Photo: Jacque Comery

July 2: Bauer Bay to Station via the Northern Featherbed Special Management Area

Today rather than return to Station via the plateau and retrace our steps we thought we'd go around the west coast and see if we could collect some more storm debris. This route crosses over the breeding grounds of the Giant Petrels, and so is considered a Special Management Area (SMA). The access to the SMA ends at the end of July, so it was wonderful to experience this part of the coastline, especially as there was little wildlife to disturb. We were still investigated closely from the air by a number of Giant Petrels squawking like pterodactyls, who call this part of the island their home.
We picked up plastic bottles, fishing marker buoys, another 130 pieces of green string, and many pieces of rope.
We carried what we could, and the rest, especially the buoys were left at caches along the way for collection at resupply when we can get a helicopter.
We took a small detour to visit Eagle Cave where the survivors of a shipwreck once spent an entire year before being rescued!
It was a great day of walking along beaches and the featherbed, a floating peat and moss bog that bounces up and down as you walk on it. We had a few near bogging events with both Andrea and I stuck up to our knees a few times.
We arrived back on Station tired, but no too late to tuck into hot soup and shortbread. (Thanks Chef!)A huge thanks to Ranger Andrea Turbett, for showing me this part of the island, and allowing me to join in on the marine debris action. A great day.



A fishing buoy and piece of boat that was washed up. Photo: Andrea Turbett



Taking photos at Eagle Cave. Photo: Andrea Turbett



Looking towards home. Photo: Andrea Turbett

Thanks so much for the pics Andrea (Turbo) Turbett!

June 4: Trip to Green Gorge - Day 3: Heading back to VJM

Our weather forecasts down here typically don't include a temperature as it is pretty much always the same and largely irrelevant anyway.  It is always cold.
The official weather forecast for the day of our trip home was "Very cold".  That had Louise, a BoM Forecaster, mildly nervous / bemused or both. After rejigging our clothing layers we set off early after a 0730 sched with VJM to make the trip home. It was cold. The snow that hampered out trip on the way south had partially melted, and refrozen into ice. The mud on the track was frozen solid into chocolate gelato like peaks, and even the floating bogs were easy to walk on as they had a crispy ice layer on top meaning that we could scurry across them quickly without the usual sinking and subsequent wet cold feet. The peanut butter cookies that were baked in the hut provided plenty of fuel for the whole way home, and our Comms Technician back on station had the sauna going ready for our arrival back on Station before dark. Another beautiful walk through this dramatic landscape, left me once again with many more memories than photos.

View back to Brothers Point. Photo: Jacque Comery

Icy creek. Photo: Jacque Comery

Jacque with Finch Creek Valley in distance. Photo: Jacque Comery

 The two sandy bare patches that you can see behind me in this photo are the Royal Penguin rookeries, which during breeding season will be full of thousands of Royal Penguins and their chicks.  They travel a surprising distance inland to nest, considering their little legs!

Lakes between 4 Ways and Mt Blair. Photo: Jacque Comery

Icy patterns. Photo: Jacque Comery