
Antarctica - Davis Station and the Vestfold Hills II
More images of the 70th ANARE (Australian National Antarctic Research Expedition) at Davis and surrounding Vestfol Hills.

D126 - Setting sun over iceberg in the sea ice off Davis - May 2017

D127 - Aurora australis over Bandits Hut in the northern Vestfold Hills - 9:03am mid June 2017

D128 - Polar stratospheric cloud at mid winter twilight - 11:27am early July 2017

D129 - Wind scour around Watts Hut after overnight blizzard conditions - August 2017

D130 - Adélie penguins head into the drifting snow towards their ancestral colony - October 2017

D131 - Spectacular jade berg near Wyatt Earp Islands - October 2017

D132 - Heading down Long Fjord towards Platcha Hut - May 2017

D133 - Milky Way over the Meteorological Building, with a weak aurora australis on the horizon - 8:00am early June 2017

D134 - Beautiful cathedral iceberg in the mid-winter twilight near Lucas Island - June 2017

D135 - After a huge blizzard and snowfall - July 2017

D136 - Walking alongside Trajer Ridge - August 2017

D137 - On board the Aurora Australis making or way through iceberg alley towards Davis - November 2017

D138 - Adélie penguins make their way across the windswept sea ice to the ancestral colony - October 2017

D139 - Adélie penguin colony at the southern end of Magnetic Island - October 2017

D140 - Cathedral berg near Lucas Island in the twilight of mid winter - June 2017

D141 - During a strong blizzard, snow found its way into the Aviation helicopter shed - July 2017

D142 - Taken from the bow of the Aurora Australis as we slowly make our way through the se ice - November 2016

D143 - Sørsdal Glacier around 10 km south of Davis - September 2017

D144 - The clear, blue fresh water ice of the beautiful Lichen Lake - October 2017

D145 - The dykes of dolerite provide a contrasting pattern all through the Vestfold Hills - this was near the Trajer Ridge melon - January 2017

D146 - Snow falling on the helideck of the Aurora Australis while several expeditioners participate in a training exercise - November 2016

D147 - During the year there were many extreme blizzards and snowfalls - August 2017

D148 - Refuelling of Davis Station with the Aurora Australis 'parked' in the sea ice around 3 km from the station - November 2016

D149 - Large iceberg in the sea ice near Lucas Island - October 2017

D150 - Adélie penguin colony at the southern end of Magnetic Island - October 2017

D151 - After another extreme blizzard - July 2017

D152 - Golden hour at sunset over the station - August 2017

D153 - Sørsdal Glacier around 10 km south of Davis - September 2017

D154 - Jade iceberg offshore from Davis Station - October 2017

D155 - The clear, blue fresh water ice of Lichen Lake - October 2017

D156 - Adélie penguin colony on Zolotov Island to the south of Davis - October 2017

D157 - Arrived back in Hobart on a bleak December day after being away for 14 months - December 2017

D158 - A clear starlit morning - 8:26am late July 2017

D159 - Aurora Australis over the Meteorological building - 6:34am mid July 2017

D160 - Refuelling Davis from the Aurora Australis parked in the sea ice 3km from the station - November 2016

D161 - Small icebergs in the sea ice with a storm approaching - December 2016

D162 - Late afternoon sun on a iceberg not far offshore from Davis - October 2017

D163 - Stunning shades of blue in this iceberg not far from Bandits Hut - October 2017

D164 - Weddell seal with its newborn pup at Pintado Island next to the Sørsdal Glacier - October 2017

D165 - Jagged iceberg in the Southern Ocean seen from the Aurora Australis on our way back to Hobart - November 2017

D166 - Spotting for icebergs during the voyage to the Antarctic - November 2016

D167 - Wind sculptured snow in the lee of the SMQ (Sleeping and Medical Quarters) - August 2017

D168 - Sørsdal Glacier around 10 km south of Davis - September 2017

D169 - Iceberg in the sea ice near Davis Station - October 2017

D170 - Iceberg just north of Bandits Hut - October 2017

D171 - The soon to be replaced Trajer Ridge Melon - January 2017

D172 - Large iceberg viewed from port side deck of the Aurora Australis - November 2016

D173 - Aurora Australis while I was working outside the Meteorological building - 7:25am late July 2017

D174 - Huge snow drift behind the SMQ (Sleeping and Medical Quarters) - August 2017

D175 - Emperor penguins on the sea ice near the station - September 2017

D176 - Trapped bubbles in the fresh water ice of Lichen Lake - October 2017

D177 - Snow ridge near Deep Lake - October 2017

D178 - Distant snow showers viewed from the deck of the Aurora Australis - November 2016

D179 - Sunset colours on the wind sculptured snow in the lee of the SMQ (Sleeping and Medical Quarters) - 3:50pm late July 2017

D180 - Ice breaking viewed from the bow of the Aurora Australis - November 2016

D181 - Sunset through the snow on the lee side of the old Meteorological balloon building - August 2017

D182 - View across Shirokaya Bay to Brookes Hut and the criss, cross pattern of Dolerite dykes in the Vestfold Hills - December 2016

D183 - Davis Station as viewed from Gardner Island - October 2017

D184 - Beautiful iceberg just north of Bandits Hut - October 2017

D185 - Adélie penguin wandering across the ice in front of a jade iceberg near Wyatt Earp Islands - October 2017

D186 - Twin Weddell seal pups in Shirokaya Bay - October 2017

D187 - Selfie on the deck of the Aurora Australis as we make through the sea ice - November 2017

D188 - Sunrise over the Davis helipad - 10:48am late July 2017

D189 - Aurora australis over snow over partially cleared snow mound in front of the station - 10:19pm late August 2017

D190 - Lone emperor penguin - September 2017

D191 - The Hägglund parked near a big snow drift - October 2017

D192 - Arrival of the first plane (Ken Borek Air twin otter) after the winter - late October 2017

D193 - Passing icebergs on our way to Davis - November 2016

D194 - Solar Pillars, caused by light reflected by tiny ice crystals in the atmosphere and usually associated with very cold clear air - 5:50am late August 2017

D195 - Brookes hut with tide cracks forming in the warmer summer temperatures - December 2016

D196 - Boulder Hill Cache at the end of Crooked Lake - October 2017

D197 - Permanent wind scour near Snezhnyy Bay - October 2017

D198 - Coming in to land at Davis Station - January 2017

D199 - Wind and wave affects on a small iceberg - January 2017

D200 - Close pass by a huge tabular iceberg - November 2016

D201 - Sun dog caused by the refraction of sunlight through small ice crystals - September 2017

D202 - Blizz tail in the lee of the Operations building effected by wind and temperature changes - September 2017

D203 - Christmas at Davis - December 2016

D204 - Adélie penguin colony on Gardner Island - November 2017

D205 - Penguin tracks on the sea ice - from the deck of the Aurora Australis - November 2017

D206 - Adélie penguins near Plough Island - October 2016

D207 - A pair of emperor penguins on the sea ice just off Davis - September 2017

D208 - Leucistic adélie penguin is quite at home amongst it's cousins on Gardner Island - November 2017

D209 - Low cloud research experiments set up on the monkey bridge of the Aurora Australis - November 2017
During the 2017/18 summer around $14 million worth of scientific equipment was installed on the Aurora Australis. Scientist studied low level ‘super cooled’ clouds over Antarctic waters.

D210 - Aurora australis over the station buildings, with the full moon lighting up the scene - 10:03pm early September 2017

D211 - Adélie penguins on the sea ice during resupply - November 2016

D212 - Near Barratt Island - adélie penguins making their way to their ancestral colonies, - October 2017

D213 - Leucistic adélie penguin on Gardner Island - November 2017

D214 - Huge iceberg off Davis - January 2017
I suspect it was the same iceberg called the 'barn' that was grounded off Davis when I first went there in 2005

D215 - Beautiful iceberg near Plough Island - September 2017

D216 - Adélie penguin on the sea ice - October 2017

D217 - Voyage 1 of the Aurora Australis for the 2017/18 summer season arrives at Davis - November 2017

D218 - Macro image of the laminated windows of the Bridge on the Aurora Australis - November 2017

D219 - Deep Lake - September 2017
Deep Lake is a hypersaline lake which makes it about 10 times saltier then the ocean. Because of this the lake remains liquid even though the ambient temperature of the air is -40°C. Regular measurements have shown the water temperature has been measured at -20°C. Deep Lake is unique amongst the hypersaline lakes, as its surface is located approximately 51 metres below sea level, despite only being around 3 km from the ocean. The shores of Deep Lake are the lowest accessible point on the Antarctic continent.

D220 - Weddell seal with its new born pup in Shirokaya Bay - October 2017

D221 - Landing at Davis Station - January 2017

D222 - Iceberg sculptured by the wind - January 2017

D223 - 'Lego Land' - Davis Station buildings - September 2017

D224 - Weddell seal and her newborn pup in Shirokaya Bay - October 2017

D225 - Ken Borek Air basler coming in to land on the sea ice in front of Davis - November 2017
This basler was contracted to the Chinese Antarctic Program. It is a remanufactured and modified Douglas DC-3.

D226 - The afternoon of our departure from Davis: smooth mirror seas and no wind - November 2017

D227 - The amazing clear, blue fresh water ice of Lichen Lake and the sharp contrast of the Vestfold Hills - October 2017

D228 - New, blue Hägglund delivered by The Aurora Australis during resupply - November 2017

D229 - Tranquil Deep Lake - September 2017
Deep Lake is a hypersaline lake which makes it about 10 times saltier then the ocean. Because of this the lake remains liquid even though the ambient temperature of the air is -40°C. Regular measurements have shown the water temperature has been measured at -20°C. Deep Lake is unique amongst the hypersaline lakes, as its surface is located approximately 51 metres below sea level, despite only being around 3 km from the ocean. The shores of Deep Lake are the lowest accessible point on the Antarctic continent.

D230 - Permanent wind scour near Snezhnyy Bay - October 2017

D231 - Iceberg seeming to float in the air - November 2017

D232 - Ozone radiosonde balloon launch - December 2016

D233 - The amazing geology of the Vestfold Hills at Lichen Lake - October 2017

D234 - In front of the webcam - My first grandson born in New Zealand - January 2017

D235 - Tranquil Deep Lake - September 2017
Deep Lake is a hypersaline lake which makes it about 10 times saltier then the ocean. Because of this the lake remains liquid even though the ambient temperature of the air is -40°C. Regular measurements have shown the water temperature has been measured at -20°C. Deep Lake is unique amongst the hypersaline lakes, as its surface is located approximately 51 metres below sea level, despite only being around 3 km from the ocean. The shores of Deep Lake are the lowest accessible point on the Antarctic continent.

D236 - Walking on top of a wind scour near Lichen Lake - October 2017

D237 - Parked in the sea ice for resupply - November 2017

D238 - Aurora australis just after sunset - 9:53pm mid September 2017

D239 - Vestfold Hills near Lichen Lake - October 2017

D240 - Lichen Lake clear, blue fresh water ice - October 2017

D241 - The fresh water ice of Lichen Lake and the dolerite dykes of the Vestfold Hills - October 2017

D242 - Weather balloon launch during resupply - November 2017

D243 - Reflections - November 2017

D244 - Leaving Davis - November 2017

D245 - Aurora australis over the station - 10:43pm mid September 2017

D246 - Farewell Davis - 21st November 2017

D247 - Davis Mid-Winter band poster - June 2017

























































































































