Out and About

Things seem to be settling down here after the busy Christmas rush and there is a little time for other adventures! I set off for my FIRST decent walk the other afternoon, up past the church and over towards Maiviken which is where the higher predator (seal) scientist does his monitoring of the fur seal and penguin populations from KEP. I think folk were doubting my walking abilities, as they had emphasised how 'up and down' it was, but in the event it was no worse than my daily walkies with Tess around the side of Bennachie at home. I left too late in the afternoon to go all the way over to Maiviken and back (we had all been invited for G&Ts with one of the Government Officers at 6pm!) so I just went to the highest point where I could see back down to where I had come from and forwards down to where I will eventually go. (See the photo with sea in it, and you can see the chunks of ice which have calved from a glacier hidden to the left of the photo.) It was gloriously sunny, there was no-one around, and I just sat and enjoyed the seclusion. There are only a few places we are allowed to walk alone, and this is one of them, but I had to take a radio and leave a note of where I was going and when I'd expect to be back. On the way back down to Grytviken I took the photo of the mountains and snow - the clouds over them are stunning, we get the most amazing cloud formations here, including lenticular clouds, which we also see coming over Bennachie too.
Then yesterday I had to walk back to KEP to sort out my laptop, and on the way I stopped to 'talk' to some of the fur seal puppies on the way. They are growing fast, and now that their mums go back to sea to find food and leave them alone for a couple of days at a time, they amuse themselves by playing in puddles on the track, or splash around in the shallow sea water, or sleep a lot. Their 'step-dads' (not their true fathers, but the big males their mums have chosen to breed with this next year) keep an eye on the puppies and can get aggressive if we get too close, but as the pups get braver 'dad' relaxes his supervision and they wander a little further afield. The two pups in the photo were having a great time in the puddle, and when I went and stood in it they came over to me to sniff my boots and legs. I did hold my hand out for them to sniff, but as these puppies are aggressive from birth, I had to watch they didn't bite as they have terrible bacteria in their mouths and it is very hard to treat with antibiotics. I would love to pick one up for a cuddle as Ewan used to, but without thick gloves it would be a bit foolhardy! Further along the track I went down onto the beach and sat whilst another pup sniffed at me and investigated this strange 'seal' when suddenly a big male came torpedoing out of the sea and charged at me, probably in defense of the pup. I managed to leap up and get out of his way in time, thank goodness! The fur seals are a great time-waster, they are great to watch (apart from when they are asleep!)
Last Saturday we had a visit from "The World" - if you haven't seen this ship before, google The World of ResidenSea - it is the world's first purpose-built residential condominium ship, a real floating palace. I was horrified when I saw it anchored way out in the bay, but still looming high above the buildings at KEP, and decided that I didn't want to go on board. But while the passengers were ashore and we got talking to them, I saw what a nice unpretentious bunch they were (I suppose they could afford to be!!) so I decided I would go on board with the others. All afternoon one funny king penguin left his usual haunt way along the beach to stand, facing the Museum front door right in front of the flag pole - people would come along and say "why, isn't that real-looking?!" and then the penguin would move slightly and make them jump!! They posed beside him to have their photos taken, and if they got too close he stretched his neck out and clapped his beak at them. What a poser - but when they all got back into the huge launch to go back on board, he wandered off again.
Whilst I was in the shop I met some of the lecturers who used to work for BAS in the 60s and 70s and it was so lovely to see them again. I also met Jonathan Shackleton who had worked and shared a cabin with Chris on another cruise, so I was glad to go on board, see the rat eradication talk (the woman who did them before is now back doing them, thank goodness), answer questions from the audience, and then have a drink in the very posh bar with those three nice men!! We weren't invited for dinner - probably too scruffy!! So we went back to KEP to the BAS base and had a lovely dinner with them. Much more relaxing!
Now we have got a ship most days, with an odd day free in between, which is a much easier way of working. It also means I can get out for more walks and away from the office, and go out and play with the puppies, which is all why I wanted to come and work here in the first place!