ship's log - Part 4 -
Saturday, December 4 I debuted a new important task today about which I have been worrying a lot. When I checked the different equipment, during my first day on the island, I noticed that the satellite antenna tower was deeply eroded by rust. It needed quick and picky repairs. This task will probably take me many hours of hard work. To some extent, outdoor work needs to be done during the austral summer, when temperature is mild. This evening, I felt so exhausted that I did not even have dinner. It dawned on me that I have not slept for thirty-six hours; no wonder I instantly fell asleep as soon as I lay down in my bed.
Sunday, December 5 Today, there were no wind and no clouds but a glaring sun which provided mild heat from the start of the morning. Unfortunately, we did not take advantage of the opportunity to walk in the neighborhood, because we had too much work. Indeed, the ship "Marion Dufresne", en route for Crozet Islands, is expected to arrive tomorrow in the early hours. We just rested one hour at the edge of the cliff overhanging "Sailor Beach". Tomorrow, we will wake up at 6:00 am to make the new scientific staff welcome.
Monday, December 6 Bad weather this morning! By the hour, it worsened so much that around 4:00 pm, we stopped working. There was too much wind and it was raining cats and dogs. We could not work safely anymore. We will make up for lost time tomorrow! The most important thing, what everyone has been waiting for, arrived first to the base, namely mail. We had to sweat it out not to open letters and parcels on the spot, when they arrived at our post office. We knew our job was to be done first.
Tuesday, December 7 Today's milder weather eased the unloading operations. Unexpected people also landed, namely tourists. French territories' administrations are used to organizing package tours in order to pay off the ship's operating costs. Sightseers who visit this kind of country are old, rich, and a real pain in the neck in spades! When they left the island, it was a great relief. At 4:00 pm, when six among our counterparts who were on the verge of finishing their wintering, boarded the helicopter and embarked on the ship, the emotion was a far cry from what we felt when the tourists left. Most of those who had been wintering with them pulled long faces, and averted their gazes to hide their tears they could not contain. This evening, we partied in the hope to mitigate our sadness.
Wednesday, December 8 The last two workdays were particularly exhausting, so we adopted a comfortable tempo. Thursday, December 9 I took advantage of this sunny day to work outside on the satellite antenna tower. My face is as suntanned as if I would have spent all day skiing.
Friday, December 10 I kept my nose to the grindstone to finish repairing the tower. As I gave it the last coat of paint, I was literally frozen from head to toe, but at least, the tower was as good as new.
Saturday, December 11 Today, all the staff stopped its usual tasks and gathered behind a brand-new building. Inside, state-of-the-art electronic equipment is constantly working. It intends to record the tremors caused by possible nuclear tests. Although international agreements ban these tests, unscrupulous nations surrounding the Indian Ocean transgress the rules and secretly equip with nuclear weapons. Recorded data are sent thanks to a dish antenna that is three meters in diameter. The task for us was to assemble a shelter all around and above the dish to protect it from the consistently brutal weather of this island. Early in the afternoon the job was done and some of us set off on an expedition toward a secluded wild creek bristling with umpteen different species. This walk was a real sight for sore eyes!
Sunday, December 12 This morning, I could do cross-country running outdoors since there was almost no wind. I set off on the gentle slope opposite the beach. It might be reckless to run on such a rock-strewn ground, but crossing the beach bristling with thousands of penguins was quite impossible. In the afternoon, six volunteers among the staff met with the doctor in order to organize a team which will be assisting him in case a surgery would be needed. Although it would be a great experience, I hope I will never have to go through that, neither as an anesthesiologist, what I was chosen for, nor as a patient. Once again, we planned to repair the radio relay that does not work very well.
Monday, December 13 We postponed our departure because of the nasty weather. As often, there was too much wind, and the temperature dropped down around 0°Celsius overnight. As a consequence, I was a bit idle today, so that I went to the hospital to have my first physical examination. It consisted of a quick check up followed by an informal interview that allows the doctor to assess our acclimation to this particular life. The diagnosis was simple - I am fit for service! - Tuesday, December 14 No wind this morning and milder temperature! Gilles, Yvan, Dominique and I did not hesitate and, at 7:00 am, we set off on the way to the relay. Unfortunately, once we arrived, the weather completely changed. The wind suddenly rose and we were gripped by the cold. The wind chill factor hindered us even more to carry out the repairs. After two hours of hard work, the transmitter was in working order. We hurried down the slope to reach the shelter located in "pointe basse." Although it was not the closest in terms of distance, it took the easiest path along a twisting river flooding in the bottom of a deep valley sheltered from the wind. The more we progressed, the better the weather so that we arrived at the shelter at sunset. The sky turned pinkish colors as the sun was disappearing slowly behind the skyline. In the sweet heat of the chalet, Dominique cooked a typical spicy meal from his native island. We ended the evening by playing cards in the flickering light of some candles.
Wednesday, December 15 Despite the bad weather - drizzle and fog - we decided to go back to the base. We set off early on the way back although the weather forecast was becoming worse hourly. Indeed, after only one hour of walking through the swampy banks of the river, where we sank into the muddy ground with each of our steps, we decided to cut across a pass through the mountain range north of here. It turned out it was the worst decision we made. Once we have deeply gone into the slope, the wind doubled in intensity and the fog thickened so much that we could barely distinguish anything around us. We had to face the fact that we were lost. Later, during a brief bright interval, we finally located a valley that looked like a path we had already taken in the past. After three hours of hiking exhaustedly, Yvan, the most experienced among us, talked us into taking the path into this valley. We obviously gave up our project to rejoin the base, and we decided to find the shelter located in the US bay. Easier said than done! The valley we crossed for two hours, was not the one we had taken in the past. As the mist cleared slightly, we became aware of our mistake! At least, we were not lost anymore and we knew that we were safe. So, we kept going straight ahead on the slope despite our fatigue. Nevertheless, thinking about the comfortable chalet in US bay, helped us endure the latest stage. From the top, a quick descent took us to the shelter which we finally reached after one hour, soaked to the skin but relieved that we arrived before the falling night!
Thursday, December 16 Gilles and Dom left at 8:00 am while Yvan and I decided to stay for a while, just the time needed for us to sort the food stored in specific containers so that it remains edible as long as possible. The problem is that people do not eat canned food regarding the best before date. They are used to eating the first can which falls into their hands, even if others should be eaten first. It was such a mess that we were not finished until late in the afternoon. As thick, laden with water clouds were looming in the distance, we decided to pack our backpacks and go back to the base.
Friday, December 17 I dedicated the biggest part of my work day in making the Christmas gift for Dom. Everyone has been picked at random to make a gift for someone else for Christmas. Nobody obviously was supposed to know about who others would work for. Although everyone was on the look-out for the slightest indiscretion, all the comings and goings of the staff were shrouded in mystery. I assume the days up to Christmas will be terribly exciting! As Dom was keen on scuba-diving, I welded nails, screws, and bolts together in a Cesar or Rodin like metal sculpture that resembled more or less a diver hanging a harpoon at arms length. I was proud of my work, hoping Dom would like this gift.
Saturday, December 18 Erick left the base this morning for a two-day hike, so I will be alone in the radio station. Fortunately, there generally is less work to do during the weekend. A lot of people visited with me about whether to give a call to their families or to send faxes or simply to take a break and sip a coffee in our bar adjacent to our office. Time finally went quickly, and just after supper, I went back to my bedroom to play a video game.
Sunday, December 19 Today was special for diverse reasons. First, it was Guillaume's birthday that we justly celebrated. Second, we had a succulent meal cooked by our creole friends. It generally is very tasty and extremely spicy. Obviously, we drank a lot but only in order to quench the fire in our mouths. This feast was organized to celebrate the anniversary of slavery abolition in France's colonies. Last but not least, we saw the first killer whales that have just arrived into the cold water of our archipelago. They will be hunting in the neighborhood as long as seal elephants will give birth to their babies, which are their favorite quarries. To put an end to this tremendous day, we had a last drink with Guillaume. Tomorrow will be the beginning of a pretty exhilarating week. Indeed, in five days, we are going to celebrate Christmas!
