July 20: Mysterious creature on the beach

Today I came across this mysterious creature on the beach.  Perhaps some kind of strange invertebrate?  I  also got to thinking that it looked like a small Port Jackson Shark style of egg. Sea cucumber? Moulted mollusc?
After firing off about 20 shots in macro mode on the camera, feeling that I had sufficiently documented the  creature for science, and adequately captured an artistic interpretation of the moment, I thought perhaps I would poke the creature and see what it felt like.
Then it dawned on me.
Oh yes!  I recognise you!
This strange and rare sea creature of the sub-Antarctic is indeed a piece of pasta from last night, that has washed back up on the beach.....
ooohhhhhhkaaayyy then.....
Moving right along..... too hilarious not to share.



Mysterious sea creature otherwise known as Spiralis pastaiensis. 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 18: Another day at Brother's Point

 Day two at Brother's. I awoke to a splendid day of sunshine and a snow covered beach.  I seized the chance to explore down around the water line, catching glimpses of colour on the black pebbles.
By mid morning though, the cloud and snow rolled in and again I retreated to my spaceship to finish my book, cook some food, do my radio sched with VJM (Station),  and had a nice sit by the light of my candle, just appreciating  how wonderful it is to be able to  sit in a hut, read, eat , sleep and daydream in the sub-Antarctic.

Sitting on the beach at Brother's. Photo: Jacque Comery

Lichen on the rocks. Photo: Jacque Comery

Shell on the beach. Photo: Jacque Comery

Critters. Photo: Jacque Comery

Snow covered beach, looking back to Sandy Bay to the north. Photo: Jacque Comery

Jac vs Giant Petrel. That is the footprint of a very big bird! Photo: Jacque Comery

Daydreaming in the hut at the end of the day.  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 16: More fur seals on station

Another cold and windy day has brought another of these fellas in for shelter.....



Sleepy fur seal outside Hass House. Photo: Jacque Comery



All snuggled into the tussock. Photo: Jacque Comery



July 15: Crabs!

These little guys were all along the beach.



 

Crab on the snowy beach. Photo: Jacque Comery

 

Moulted crab. Photo: Jacque Comery

Crab shell. Photo: Jacque Comery



July 14: Rye bread!

Chef Justin has been teaching me new more new tricks...
Presenting....
RYE BREAD!!!!

Clearly the fact that these loaves of bread are the subject of post of the day demonstrates how excited I am to make bread!
Perhaps I shall leave here and start an artisan bakery.  It will need to be artisan so as to accommodate my unpredictably shaped outputs! ...or maybe not...



Rye bread. Photo: Jacque Comery