I'm putting off thinking about the inevitable, the imminent departure from Davis, which is now approaching at an ever increasing pace. Aurora Australis is currently off Mawson waiting for a weather break to commence fly-off operations. Everyone has been busy packing their boxes for cargo, making beds for the summerers, shovelling snow and repairing damaged vehicles (see below).

As if to remind us that summer is not yet here, we had our strongest blizzard so far on 26 October with wind gusts up to 101 knots and ~70 knots sustained. Davis gained a huge amount of snow and some truly handsome blizztails. Again a reminder of the insignificance and fragility of humans in the scheme of Antarctica.

Our feathery friends are as busy as ever with a full population of penguins now present in most rookeries. We spent some time with these darlings out on Gardner Island last Sunday and I managed to get some excellent footage excerpts of the daily life in the colony. The nest preparations and breeding being in full swing, the colony is regularly disrupted by bouts of blazing neighbour fury. These squabbles often start with two or three birds on neighbouring nests finding that the carefully measured pecking distance is no longer adequate to keep the peace, and soon the brawl spreads around with all the nearby birds becoming engaged in the action. Feathers fly as the furious birds bump their bellies against each other and direct exquisitely aimed pecks at each other. Mad dashes, loud flipper flapping and furious squawking accompany these arguments that can last for some time. Whilst all this goes on, a group of penguins next door goes about their daily business of stealing nest rocks, preening, breeding and waddling around for a beakful or two of snow. Skuas keep an ever watchful eye on the colony, and now and then make a half hearted effort to tug on some long dried carcasses.

Again the looming shadow of the approaching departure makes me avoid thinking about all the things I will have to face again back in the real world. On one hand I am ready to go home to see my family and friends but on the other hand I already miss Antarctica and feel that dark and tearful depression slowly but surely descending upon me. When I went to McMurdo someone said to me that you should treat every trip to Antarctica as your last. I was depressed for months when I returned last time and I dare not to think what the after effects will be this time. I will miss the serene peace, the incredible breathtaking beauty and the daily feeling of awe that I have felt here. Denial of what is about to happen is definitely setting in.