Anniversaries and other momentous events - 14 February to 20 February

Well this week has marked two fairly significant events, the 15th of February marked two months since my arrival at Gough and today, the 20th, marks 200 days before the S.A. Agulhas arrives for takeover in September. It was also Valentines Day on Monday and I missed out on the party here because I was away at Gonydale with Prince. I was however, thanks to the wonder of the internet and a favour, able to send some flowers to someone I care about a lot and miss terribly.

Storm coming

Sadly none of the issues I commented on in my previous post have been resolved. I still have not received an updated workplan for the rest of the year and the Department of Environmental Affairs have now decided that no one may venture anywhere further than an hour from base alone, which means that our Tristan Albatross study sites are all out of bounds now. Ironically enough, I could probably make it to both the sites in less than an hour but if I have to take someone else along then it will take more than an hour. A time limit is a strange way to demarcate a limit, or at least it seems strange to me. A fixed distance would be more rational surely?

One of the few flowering plants on the island, I have no idea what it is though

Despite the restrictions and not knowing what I am supposed to be doing next month, I have managed to get some work done this week. Prince was kind enough to accompany me to Gonydale for the two weekly nest checks of the Tristans. I'm not sure that he knew what he was getting himself into because he has not walked on the island much before. His only other trip "far" away from base was with Ross and I up Tafelkoppie in early February. Be that as it may, he did well and we were able to check almost eighty of the nests and mark out around thirty more. We have now got more than 200 nests that need to be checked every two weeks until we have identified both the male and female parents. I have also started the herbicide spraying programme in the walk-able areas where Sagina has been found around the base. I use two herbicides in combination with Rodamine, a red dye, to mark where I have sprayed. I am really glad that they have provided us with work clothes because boy oh boy is it difficult to get that dye off... I am going to be leaving quite a lot of contaminated clothing behind when I go I'm sure!

Sunset over Richmond Hill and Cavern Head, with millions of night birds leaving the island

The general attitude and camaraderie in the base has recovered and should continue to recover and may even reach new heights as Ross's departure becomes slowly more and more distant. It was really quite awkward for the first week after he left and everyone was being very mindful of what they said, particularly around Michelle. Even with the work difficulties it has created for me I am still glad to have seen the last of Ross, the limbo period between his getting fired and leaving was quite difficult. I am really hoping that we will develop a real team spirit in the coming months.

More night birds, every speck on the photo in the middle third is a bird

One other thing worthy of mention has happened this week, Michelle was kind enough to cut my hair for me which was getting really long and irritating. It was, according to some sources (who shall remain nameless), starting to make me look like Tarzan. So now it is all gone...

No longer Tarzan