The MBC Korean Film crew, who are making a documentary on Antarctica, are provided with support from Mawson station staff when filming away from the base. Station staff are rostered for 3 to 4 days to accompany the film crew each day while they film.
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| MBC filming emperor penguins at Auster rookery. |
Tim and I departed the station in a Hag on 20th July at 6:30am to relieve the second support team. The film crew was out for 12 days, 3 support groups were involved. Group1 took the film crew and their gear out to Macey Hut and then each day to Auster Rookery (30 minutes Hag drive from Macey hut) on day 4 the support crew were relieved by the next crew. And on day 8 Tim and I arrived to replace the second support crew and would bring the film crew home.
Hag bringing fuel for generators.
The welcoming party inspects the Hag. We also brought 2x200 litre drums of fuel for the generators, loaded onto a sled that was towed behind the Hag. We arrived at Macey hut after the others had already left for the Auster Rookery. So we unhooked and parked the sled then went on to Auster. We swapped over from Lisa and Cotty who headed back to base.There was no wind and the temperature was around -20 degrees C.
The overcast sky made for a flat light on the surface however the blue colour of the icebergs and the pinks and greys of the sky was very distinct.
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| Film crew patiently capturing every move of a small number of penguins in the huddle. |
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| Huddled to keep warm. Chicks had started hatching. |
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| Photo opportunity! |
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| Sastrugi and blue iceberg. |
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| Macey Island field hut, portable apple and Hag |
By mid afternoon the sun was setting, the light was poor and the film crew had run out of batteries, so it was back at Macey Island for the night. Tim and I shared the Apple hut which is mounted on a skid and was towed out from Mawson for the support crews. The apple has 2 bunks and is best described as a very basic caravan. Easily warmed but soon freezes inside once the heating is turned off. The three Koreans stayed in the more substantial Macey Hut which can accommodate 4 and is palatial by comparison to the apple.
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| Living in an apple - Gas for cooking and heating and candles and a generator for light. |
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| Apple - small table and bunk. |
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| Cooking area and 2nd bunk. |
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| Many large icebergs at Macey Island. |
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| Nights at Macey had terrific auroras. |
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| Sunrise behind iceberg. |
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| Coming to see what is happening. |
The second day (21st July) was calm and the overnight temperature was around -24 degrees C. The sky was clear and we enjoyed the a magnificent sunrise and some real sunshine. The colours of the rising sun showering gold’s, pinks and yellows over the landscape was stunning. The thin layer of stratospheric cloud added colour to the light and made the horizon bronze coloured.
