Robbo's hut - a weekend away

Feb 4th, a new month starts and I am off on an adventure to Robbo’s hut. I came here for my field training, but now I get to stay INSIDE the hut. It is nice to get off station. Life is hectic all the time at Casey and if you don’t take care, it is easy to burn out. So RnR down by the Vander ford Glacier with some mates is just what the doctor orders to keep us all going.‘Robbo’s’ is situated on top of Robertson’s Ridge, about a 2 hour Hagg drive south from Casey station. It is a beautiful spot and I love going there.We arrive in the afternoon on Saturday, having completed our Saturday station duties after smoko instead of after lunch. Bit of an early mark.Tricky arrives after with the Challenger and we have a bit of an issue as it gets bogged on the other side of the ridge in the melt that is still very much present. Even the Hagg had some dramas getting through.So we take an hour to get that out and then settle into the hut.Once at Robbo’s and settled in, we stow our gear in the hut and head off for a ski. Over in Sparkes Bay we are greeted by the site of a pod of whales. They are Minke whales and Sparkes Bay is pretty famous for its whales. More often than not you will get a number of them during whale season.After watching for a while we head back to the hut and cook up some dinner, then just while away the evening chatting and having the odd port or three.Morning dawns clear and bright and Lisa and I decide to be Hut Slugs and stay in bed. The boys spoil us rotten with cups of coffee and toast for breakfast, then scones freshly made for smoko. At about 1 pm I decide I really should put my book down, stop snoozing and head outside for a wander. Not long after Lisa joins me and we make our way – oh – about 50 metres away from the hut and just sit and watch the Vander Ford glacier and have a chat. Weekends away are supposed to be relaxing and this one really is. Good friends, good food, and the amazing Antarctic south. What more could you ask for in a weekend getaway spot?