365 @ 54°30' South

June 28: Window cleaning....even in paradise we do chores

I have probably the best view I will ever have in my life, from my bedroom and office windows. However so much salt blows in on the wind that I can't see.
Today I took advantage of belting westerly winds to clean my leeward easterly facing windows. Now when the Orcas turn up I will actually be able to see them playing in my front garden in the Garden Cove. Yah!

Window cleaning my way to a world class view. Photo: Andrea Turbett

June 27: Hydro update - we have produce!

Hydro success continues! The hydro shed is smelling glorious. The smell of the tomato plants transports me straight to a summer garden.
Until now we had grown some really nice tomato bushes, alas they are not very edible. Finally I spotted little tomato fruits on them.
The cucumbers are also finally producing, after we started putting in a much more intensive effort with the paint brush pollinating.
This week the chillies also finally fruited, and the celery is getting taller, and maybe almost ready for picking, as we don't think it will ever turn out like market bought celery.
Ready for harvest as we need it is rocket (which appeared at Midwinters Feast), pak choy is close, and basil which is always a nice addition to the kitchen.
Last week we seeded silverbeet, lots of new lettuce types, and eggplant.
Not bad considering that our hydro supplies didn't arrive so we are pretty much just improvising!
Big shout out to my hydro partner Louise!

Celery crop. Photo: Jacque Comery

The greenery of the hydroponics shed. Photo: Jacque Comery

Chillis. Photo: Jacque Comery

Chilli bloom. Photo: Jacque Comery

Tomatoes! Photo: Jacque Comery

Curly cucumber. Photo: Jacque Comery

Burgeoning cucumber. Photo: Jacque Comery

Cucumber ready for harvest. Photo: Jacque Comery

June 26: A fishy visitor

This morning this guy showed up in Garden Cove just behind Station.
After much perusing of books and the internet, our best guess is that it might be Notothenia coriiceps, or Black Cod. It may have been around 650 mm long.
It is typically found in the Southern Ocean: probably circum-Antarctic on the continental shelf. So far, known from the western Ross Sea, Balleny islands, Adélie Land, Antarctic Peninsula and associated islands, islands of the Scotia Arc to South Georgia, Weddell Sea, Bouvet, and the sub-Antarctic islands of the Indian Ocean sector. Ref: http://www.fishbase.org/summary/4702
Either way it has very pretty yellow fish lips.
Any species ID tips are welcome.....

Fish head in Garden Cove. Photo: Jacque Comery

June 25: Feathers

Quill in the snow. Photo: Jacque Comery

Lone feather. Photo: Jacque Comery

Colours of the beach on a snowy day. Photo: Jacque Comery

June 24: Cleaning the boats.

Awaking to a gentle 6 knot breeze, today was declared boat cleaning day. We stripped down the IRBs, removed the speed tubes and flushed all of the stones out of them, repacked the survival bags, and gave them a good once over so that finally we are ready to hit the water, when we get some boating weather.

Inflating the IRB. Photo: Andrea Turbett

Working fast to beat the rain. Photo: Andrea Turbett

Hosing out the IRB. Photo: Andrea Turbett

Installing the floor. Photo: Andrea Turbett

Locking in the floor. Photo: Andrea Turbett

June 23: Low flying birds

On windy days (so essentially everyday!), the sea birds perform low flying maneuverers over Station. You feel as if by stretching up high enough you could touch their bellies on the way past.
Whilst flying into the headwind slows them down, they are still evading my lens! At least I have 9 months to practice.