East Pilbara
2013-10-14
2013-10-14
Some photos from work.
The border between the Northern Territory and Western Australia.
Camp.
Drillers’ accommodation. Satellite internet, satellite tv, palm trees, Polaris buggy, free weights, barbecue, fire extinguisher. What else do you need?
Our donga finally arrives. Took three days and three trucks to tow the loader 40 kilometres through the dunes. Two out of four air-conditioners are working. Can’t wait for cross-swing to arrive next week.
An unprotected grade 12 layback is required to access the rooms. We’re told the steps will arrive next week. The WA desert is much like Indonesia; things don’t happen at city pace.
Temperatures consistently above 40°C. Lots of fridges needed to keep food from spoiling. The Engel we hired for our Cruiser stopped working the day we arrived. We suspect it dates from the 1970s.
Four more fridges. For a camp of seven there is a lot of meat storage capacity.
The sun setting behind the diesel wagon and generator. So much serenity.
Drill rig in the desert.
The rig at full noise. The cyclone yields either dust or mud. Today was dust. Thankfully the wind direction was consistent.
Shooting x-rays at bags of rock dust.
The traffic on the way to work is getting worse.
Corrugations. Très boring.
More corrugations. Très exciting.
Camp, as viewed from an oblique aerial perspective.