Survival training, the wording says it all, ignorant to the extremes of what the title insinuates, we prepare for a 24hr trip to Watts Hut by Heli and return on foot approx 19k's sounds easy doesn't it?
We started by having a 1 hour brief on Thursday afternoon where we were issued with our survival pack, shovel, stove ect. Friday see's us muster in the mess at 7.45am to continue the brief, get radio's organised Eperb ect, then over to the green store (main store area) for a weigh in for chopper. Carrying a total of 134kg's (about 25kgs in the backpack :)) of course I was the heaviest, something to do with the extra clothes I think.
Up to the Davis International Heli station, where we waited in the lounge for our flight, 4 in the first flight and 3 in the second we load our gear in the basket and set off, flying over Ellis Fjord where will be walking back to Watts Hut our destination approx 7 mins flying time.
With the second party organised we get our shit together and head off on our orienteering training through the Vestfold Hills to Rubber duck lake a round trip just for lunch about 1.2k's, Mark is given the task of leader. Up hills down again we, having a general idea as to where we should be heading I had to ask the question "why did we just come back down this hill?" upon my question he decides to reevaluate his orienteering skills where he discovers that we should've stayed high as the lake was on the other side of the hill, so back up the hill we go. After much piss taking and new nick names like Mathew Flinders ect we reach the ducks arse where we were originally aiming for.
Lunch time, 20 knot winds -5 not looking real good for shelter we decide to execute the giant bivy, those unfamiliar with the bivy concept, this is a large dome shaped cover which we all hold a section throw it over our heads and sit on the sides inside. Now those familiar with my athletic abilities and frame size and structure, will appreciate the subtlety in which I sit and crossing the legs is just out of the question, I haven't been that flexible since the 4th grade, and to top it off we are very close inside like way inside each others space, so it's about as comfortable as having your mother law sit on your lap.
But, we are out of the wind and warming up, Directions from Anthea FTO , (Field Training Officer) "right lunch time" what the F*&k do you mean I have to get back out again and get my lunch, "I'll go" so off we go one at a time to get our lunch out of our back packs, settled in again we eat lunch and plot our path back to the hut.
After a brief drink and piece of chocolate we don the ice spikes and head out to the sea ice for a 4.6k walk down the fjord to Marine Plains where we will spend the night. An amazing thing to be walking on the sea, after drilling a test hole which reveals the ice is approx 1m+ in depth, 200mm is all that is required for safe foot traffic, we head off.
Stopping to re evaluate our position at intervals along the way, it can be very deceiving with the cold weather, changing landscape ect. We arrive at Marine Plains approx. 6.00pm, we are allowed to get our packs off and warm up in the apples, now you have to ask yourself why would you sleep in a bivy in
-15 to -18 when there are perfectly good, warm apples to stay in.
A sleeping area is built out of Ice blocks cut out of the snow as a wind break, fairly substantial as the forecast is for winds to increase to 30knots from the NE with snow. Bedded down for the night 10.00pm.
The night or rather, PM as it's daylight all the time, is spent tossing and turning trying to get comfortable, thinking f*&k my feet are killing me, my thigh is sore, my shoulder is now aching, this is F*&^%n ridiculous and ice forming on the inside of the bivy and dropping on your face every time the wind gusts was not the most pleasant experience I have had.
5.00am I am lying in the bag quite warm, thinking how the f*^k am I going to get out of this warm bag and pack my back pack without getting ice all over me? conclusion I can't, so with beanie pulled down over my ears I proceed to sit up and start getting organised.
The day reveals temps around -8 + NE winds around 25knots taking it to about -18, Opting not to have a shit in a plastic bag and carry it back to camp, I throw my pack on ready for another days slog, slog was an understatement.
Before we left we checked everyone was comfortable, Mark's gloves were wet from the night before, he had packed his mits in his pack, and therefore had cold hands. Not the way to begin a 10k walk back to the station, we stop and kindly Craig, lends him his mits. This was an indication of what lay ahead.
First waypoint was Ellis Rapids where we left the sea ice and hit the land again about 4ks from Marine Plains, now it's my turn to navigate to the next waypoint which is about another 6ks through the hills. We start our trek down the side of the fjord to get around a large ridge/cliff. About 50m walking I decide to step on some ice, arse over tit right knee not quite but nearly driven up my arse, like i said earlier I am not that flexible so it hurt like shit, I though that's fu%$#d it's going to be a long haul now, and I was right I was now in a fair bit of pain, but onward and upward we must go.
Hitting the top of the ridge we stopped for another evaluation on the party and direction, at this point the crew are still not to bad, Mark's hands have warmed up everyone is in reasonable spirits knowing that Davis is probably about another 1hr 30min away. Direction is determined course set off we go again, we are now in terrain of small boulders 300mm, snow and ice so walking is rather difficult. After walking for about 30 mins we stop again for a re evaluation, things aren't as rosy now the Doc looks like she is ready to conduct major surgery on anyone who speaks, I'm really hurting getting cold and thinking WTF am I doing here, Anthea is trying to keep us interested when all we want to do is get home, but we have reached my waypoint, over to Craig for the final leg.
Davis in sight, thank F*&k only another 1.2k's to go, feet aching I tread in another hole and fall on the other knee into a rock, just great now I'm about a -5 out of 10, I decide that if I don't change my attitude this last k is going to be hell, so I get a bit of chocolate out of my pack, shove it in my gob struggle through it and hit the sea ice again for the last leg home.
Finally at the shed we remove our packs, as the saying goes "that's a weight of my shoulders" how true it was, 1 litre of water sculled another piece of chocolate and hit the bed for a nana nap.
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| Mark enjoying the lounge before departure |
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| Ellis Fjord from the chopper |
Craig, Anthea, Rob, Chris, Mark, "The doc" Judy
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