A McDonalds/KFC run

Camp B. The new camp..!
2 years old. No real vegetation
and bluestone everywhere. Desolate
and clinical. Terrible.

RDO Sunday and a minibus is made available.. A quick shopping run into Karratha. 45 minutes each way. The priority is to get a feed of McDonalds or KFC for lunch....! Eating the same food everyday gets tiring. This is one of the advantages of working near large towns rather than on a remote mine. I am heading home in 2 days so I decline the offer which I would have accepted willingly. I am looking forward to the food served up by Qantas.. Seriously.... Because it is different..
On two occasions, as a treat, the company that I work for has ordered KFC for lunch. Boxes of chicken, with gravy, coleslaw and buns for 300 blokes... And it is goood..!
One thing that is different up here is the lack of animals. My camp has lots of native plantings and this makes a lot of difference. I hear birds in the morning... A sound that is not common in this dry tree less land.

A Brand new Stacker. To the left is the first mountain
of iron ore, ready for loading a ship in about 2 weeks.
1 ship holds enough ore to build 3 Sydney Harbour bridges.

Camp A. The old camp.
My Donga is on the left.
Small trees, bushes, small plants,
red dirt and small grass patches. All
with sprinklers to keep the alive.




 

Weeks and weeks fitting a drainage system

The car dumper is running but we are still fitting a multi million dollar drainage system.. Involves 10 men, a crane and weeks in a 3 EWP's (Elevated working platforms)... Mixed with a bit of dust as iron ore is being dumped from above... 3 different machines in the air. Each requires a spotter.. someone on the ground watching barricaded drop zones.. and making sure that you are not running over or crashing into anything and capable of lowering you down if you are hurt... Remembering that we cannot drop anything... or big trouble, possibly a 'window seat"

The Gym

The Gym.. Another big demountable building...

 Impressive large gym that gets crowded straight after work. I go at 3.30am about 3 days a week to beat the crowds.... Boot camp does not exist here, so it is a rowing machine or a bicycle....Kinda boring.. Cannot do the cross-trainer or treadmill... Too noisy for me..

These is not a proper Gyms. There are trainers running classes and will advise if needed, but, they will not write programs or explain much. They look after staff on camp. We just sign a disclaimer stating that we are fit and injury free and will not sue them if we hurt ourselves.

So, YouTube and observing ot5 hers and I am an instant expert... Warm up and then start lifting things.. I am getting there. After 5 months, I am almost comfortable being here.

Consumable run

The township of Wickham is only a few kilometres away from camp. A population of about 2000+. It

Every Laundry has one. A breath test machine.
A quick check in the morning before you head
off to work if you think you may be close.

has a small shopping centre with a chemist, Post office, 2 take away shops and a Safety clothing shop...! There is a proper Safeway supermarket with a BWS bottle shop attached. The only bottle shop for miles.... With 3000 cashed up miners nearby, it is a winner...
 I decided to join in with "the usual suspects" on the twice weekly run. The bus roster is reconfigured on Tuesday and Friday afternoon so one minibus is dedicated to the consumable run.  Absolute genius...... The reason is to beat the 6 other minibuses, plethora of utes and private cars and one coach loaded with thirsty miners. The moment the bus stops, we all walk quickly to the bottle shop which is similar in layout to any other. Clean and well lit. The only difference is the verandah is steel security meshed with a staff member who controls numbers like a night club bouncer letting a person in as one exits. Yellow shirts with cartons move through swiftly as the line outside grows. As we walk out, the line inside is 30 deep and the same outside with more to come. It is a little frantic but controlled as workers triumphantly exit with their spoils.
A few head in to the supermarket to grab small items as some knock back 3 cans & 2 cigarettes and we are back in the bus. The selection of boutique beer is not as broad as at home.
Not a place for Beer Snobs like me...
Beer, mixed cans & wine can be bought at the wet mess in camp. The wet mess is usually open from 7 to 8 am (Night Shift) and 5.30 to 9.00 (no alcohol is sold between 6.45 to 7.30 so drinkers will have a break and get some food in their stomach. The rule of thumb is 9 before 9 (mid strengths) and you will blow zeros in the morning. I have not tested it as I know I would not be able to stand up.....
The only down side of buying at the wet mess. A six pack a day limit... Costs do not come down if you buy a six pack... So it gets expensive....

Feels like a holiday in the Tropics



A steel work bench cooking up in the sun

 It is starting to warm up. A week of 30 degrees and getting hotter and the heat is radiating off the rock walls and steel work benches. After two months of sipping water it is time to start drinking again. No more yellow water......... Must be clear..

2 umbrellas. Pina Colada please....!