baie nice kaart ,,,julle n warning gekry .om .ni in die see te swem .nie???
Hoop jy het toe goeie nuus gekry

Hi Zet, no issues at all. You know I am sure the guys (brass) at HQ must have a heart and knows that it is not the avg office jockey that applies to spent a year on a remote site expedition. I mean seriously, most of us have a lot more adventure back home than here due to the limitations. By limitations I mean 'confinement'. We can only go to 'so many places' on the island if/when the weather allows. Then we still need to function and do our work, solve problems and so on. So it is not just: pack the back packs and see you in 2 days time! Nope...when the medic hikes the rule is that no one is allowed to use any power tools, or do any potentially dangerous things. (that while the medic and the team leader do a 'potential dangerous hike'

) So what I am trying to say is this; we are not windgat but we also have lives. If we ask for permission to do a hike like this the changes is good that it would not be granted because of HSE - Potential risks. Keep in mind Santjie is the Senior meteorologist and I the medic, so both of us hike for recreation an not in the name of science. Should anything go wrong we would have been in trouble, but yes the bosses got heart and understanding I would like to believe so as long as there are no official complaint we should be fine to do a nice hike here and there. Zach will join me on the Edinburgh peak hike, and I am looking very much forward to it. Now the weather must give us a break and Zach must have time off, but I trust well get a change. To be honest, my Gough bucket list is ticked. Every extra thing I do from now on till end is a bonus. Standing on Edinburgh peak (few meters higher than South peak) is not going to be much different. I just make up plans for future hike already

Prof Marthan Bester (rock solid legend) has confirmed today via e-mail while looking at our route that I mailed him that we to a hard route....actually a non existing route till we have completed it.

He pointed out how we should have hiked, and now at least we know. Still there is no easy way in or out the Glen. In Winter when the seals are not on the beaches the coastal route will be ok but then you still need to swim atleast 3 x to go past rocks.
I have tested my 'back up camera' today, and learned how to operate it on full manual.
The entry level dslr cameras makes it almost hard for you to override the pre set auto settings but if you are familiar with Nikon already it takes only a few minutes.
Since the camera came with a real plastic kit lens included (no extra cost) I decided it must be crab. Well....yes it is nothing like the F2.8 Tamron which still is my favorite lens, but I was still rather impressed with the images it produced. The pro-camera is however just so much better and easier to use, as everything can be accessed and changed while you shoot. It is just a good feeling to have a back up camera on hand now and all the lenses are compatible.
On the crane: The department will sent us a small hydraulic pump and motor which we can then tap into the system. That way we will be able to use the crane next year although it is going to be very very slow. Speed does not really matter all that much on Gough though
Good night