Leaving Macquarie Island and the 1979 expeditioners was a mixed bag of
emotions. I witnessed the grieving of some of the expeditioners from the loss one
of their mates, a biologist. I felt for them and wondered what wintering on the
Island was going to be like for them. I was pleased to finally go home Aboard the
Danish ice breaker, Thala Dan. 15 Months was a long time away from home on an
isolated Australian Scientific Research Station. I boarded the ship after she
serviced the other Australian Stations in Antarctica.
Seeing Australia for the first time in 15 months was going to be an unknown, as I
had changed and wondered where life takes me now. Approaching the Australian
mainland, I could smell the burnt summer air which I no longer take for granted.
In 1980, I reapplied to go south again to Antarctica with 1981 Expedition, this time
to Casey, Another story unfolds and is told in this book, along with the Macquarie
Island story.