Macca's ANARE Station

Day 9. Sunday 19 January – Macquarie Island: afternoon at Buckles Bay ANARE Station

  

Back on board, Bruce and Michael had a wonderful selection of pizzas ready for our lunch. At 3.30 we had a briefing in readiness for our second landing at Buckles Bay. Again it was a wet landing requiring sliding over the rear of the Zodiac tubes onto submerged rocks. The Macquarie staff met us at the landing place and kindly gave up a few more hours on their day off. We formed two groups, each with a guide that took us for a walk across the isthmus. 

Lots more Elephant Seals were slumbering in clumps of tussock who took exception to the intruders, snorting or grunting as we walked past.

The wind almost bowled us over as we crossed the isthmus, and it was very difficult walking against it.

On the rugged windblown western shore we saw shy Gentoo penguins on the beach and climbing up to their nests in the greenery. 

Cormorants nested on the rocky islets and a Giant petrel chick in its nest just behind a rock beside the path to the station.

(And my camera lens got covered with the misty rain and sea spray, so apologies for the 'soft focus'!) 

 

 On the right is  a memorial to a wrecked ship, but more interesting is is the pillow shaped rock it is attached to: Macquarie Island has one of the few examples in the world of oceanic crust rocks that originated on the seafloor and have been thrust to the surface.









Elephant seals guarded the station!

 Below is the meteorology dome and radio shed; 'Macca' as the island is nicknamed by all who stay there, has been an important radio and meteorological station for the Antarctic bases ever since it was established by Douglas Mawson.

We very much enjoyed our visit to the station, in the warmth and shelter, where we were treated to scones with cream and jam, along with a cup of tea or coffee. Most of us had our passports stamped and the postmaster took delivery of our post cards. The wall was covered with photographs of the overwintering groups from each year, each trying to outdo the previous years in their costumes and pose.

On the way back to the landing beach we saw some of Joseph Hatch’s steam digesters for penguins, 

 and one of the amphibious landing craft..

 The Station is on the tiny isthmus on the extreme northern end of the island, as seen on the map above.

While waiting for the zodiac we were fortunate to meet the dog handlers with their dogs that have been working throughout the last two years clearing every last rabbit and rat off the island, making sure none survived the intensive baiting program. When the Aurora brought them back to Hobart in March, they officially declared the Island free of introduced mammals.

When we reluctantly began our departure for the ship, the wind had fortunately turned to the north and the sea was much calmer. Back on board we enjoyed a hot shower and a superb dinner with a choice of fish or rump of lamb.

By 9pm we were passing the large King Penguin colony at Lusitania Bay where two steam digesters could be seen in the middle of the colony. As Rodney said in his lecture, the digesters were set up to process the penguins for their oil, however the day will come when they have corroded away and the penguins will again be in charge. By 10pm we were passing Hurd Point and on the next stage of our expedition that would see us traverse the Southern Ocean to the Ross Sea. As we left Macquarie Island, a pair of Orca was sighted along with a large number (perhaps 100+) of Antarctic Prions. Conditions now became a little rough again and following the daily discussion on bird sightings, most of us decided to have an early night to dwell on our marvelous time on Macquarie Island.