John, Kim, Ashley and Lyn are at the front line when it comes to safety at sea. They have ensured that we all added an extra layer of fat to keep us safe in the event that we found ourselves exposed to the extreme Antarctic elements for any length of time.
We were warned at the outset that the first precaution before heading outside is to have a hot meal, the second being to dress appropriately for the cold. I have been meticulous in following this advice and feel confident that if I was stranded outside for any length of time I’d do nearly as well as an elephant seal.
As part of their strategy to keep us safe, John and Kim have finely honed the art of temptation. The meal queue forms a line that snakes past the dessert display. Many use this waiting time weighing up whether to have the excellent sticky date pudding again, go for the berry cheesecake or opt for a simple fruit and award winning gourmet ice-cream combination. Even those who decide against a dessert at this point are likely to weaken when they drop off their used plate at the galley hatch and pass the display a second time.
After desserts you pass the refrigerated Bain Marie. This is a real treasure trove. There might be a large bowl of king prawns, spicy mussels or thinly sliced Tasmanian smoked salmon amongst the cheeses and olives, cold cuts and salads. A find like this can make you momentarily anxious - until you remember the concept of an entrée.
Soup is on the hob at all hours so a favourite brew can always be returned to but mains often has you in such a quandary that the smorgasbord approach is the only solution; a little pasta AND a mustard crusted lamb cutlet AND ginger scallops with herbed roasted root vegetables on the side…
There are two miracles of this galley. The first is that the crew of four have kept 75 people fed and watered for three hot meals a day over two 12 hour shifts without missing a beat. And there have been morning and afternoon teas, occasional dainties, birthday cakes and special occasions to cater for.
The other is that lettuce still appears into the sixth week. There may be some disintegration on the outer leaves but with careful peeling of layers and attentive washing the last good hearts are seeing us through.
Margot Foster is a journalist currently on board the Australian Aurora Australis, an Australian research vessel currently participating in the Census of Antarctic Marine Life (CAML, IPY project 53). She works with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).