We're going after all!

After long, tough and nerve-consuming negotiations with the Department of Conversation, we finally have all permissions and green light for the Snares Islands Project. At least for this year; any further permits will certainly depend on the outcome of this year's expedition.

Of course, all organizational engines are now steaming at maximum speed: we need tools, work clothing and communication hardware (radios, satellite phones), the transfer on the ferry needs to be arranged, we have to get a generator - and most important, testing the new, flash GPS loggers we received a few days ago. More on them a little later. Meanwhile the dates of our expedition are confirmed - we'll be leaving for the Snares out of Bluff on the 25. September (at the rather unholy departure time of 6am); we'll reach the Snares approximately 6 hours later. The return date should be the 13. November, but we can be flexible. That means, we can come back earlier if all works out ideally (or really bad) or we can extend our stay by a week if things are running so-so or we get stuck because of a storm.

A few words about the GPS loggers. Since Wednesday we've got the waterproof prototypes of Sirtracks GPS logging units. Dave and I played with the devices for a couple of hours and after initial problems setting up the software on my computer (which unfortunately lacks a serial port for the connecting cable) we managed to test the GPS capabilities of the things. The logging units work just fine, the position fixes appear to be pretty accurate (although... you have to trust the device in any way, as it's rather tough to determine your actual position without the GPS...). Overall, the functionality of the devices is pretty satisfying.

However... personally I think the devices' epoxy casings are a bit of a drawback. It seems as if Sirtrack just wanted to seal all components with epoxy and forgot completely to give them an hydrodynamically optimized shape. The units are covered with dents and humps. What is especially disappointing, is that some of the GPS loggers' undersides are slightly bent upwards so that they sit like a tiny seesaw on an even surface, not to mention the bend back of a penguin. I thought about building epoxy masks for the units to improve their hydrodynamic features but found it rather hard to do so, without adding more weight to the 120g devices. I guess we just have to live with that.

***

Meanwhile the works at the Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony went on. The whole project of building the new grand stands started off in July at a rather snail like pace. But in the past two weeks structures started to mushroom. As soon as the fundaments for the new grand stands were laid the carpenters started their work with an incredible enthusiasm. After a week the wooden skeleton of the new grand stands towered above the makeshift grand stands that were in use for the last couple of years. And as if the carpenters pace had given a push to the masons, all of a sudden there was a white stone wall. Although... I don't get the purpose of that bare wall - maybe the architects just like Pink Floyd?

The new grand stands should be finished by November and will have room for up to 300 visitors (tell me if I'm wrong, Denis). In comparison the old stands seem to be not much bigger than a penguins' nest box. So, when Dave and I get back from the Snares, the new podiums will already be in use and visitors may enjoy the Penguin Parade from a comfy wooden semi-circle...

***

Yesterday, I accompanied Dave on one of his "official DOC excursions". He took Alison, an insect scientist from Christchurch, to the Shag River estuary. Unfortunately, Alison was more interested in finding a rare moss species (which in turn is the habitat as an understandably equally rare moth species) than taking a closer look at the spoonbills that (possibly) were wading through the shallow waters of the estuary. Since the desired moss is found on the steep cliffs along the shore, that was were we were went.

Have way along the beach a fat lazy sea lion was sleeping on the beach. When we got closer, he half-opened one eye and greeted us with a mixture of yawn and burp. When Dave decided to take a closer look at the furry blob, the sea lion decided that it would be more impressive to sit himself up and to give Dave a terribly frightening yawn. The two guys were facing each other: man and sea lion, the ultimate duel. Nobody moved. Electricity seemed to fill the air. No breath was drawn. It was silent enough to hear a needle drop on the sand (!) and only the light breeze sang a sad song. Alison and I were paralyzed and just gazed at the two duelants. And than... suddenly...

... the sea lion decided it was time to get into a horizontal position again and drift off into lala-land.

And, to cut a long story short: eventually we found moss, but not the moth.