Date: Thu, 5 Mar 1998 05:48:33 -0500 (EST)
From: NicoCauchy@aol.com
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Subject: Salut les amis!  Back from the Austral region.

News from the end of of the world, but first, I apologize if anyone receives
this who does not want it; it's simple enough to delete.

My journey to the French Austral islands in the far South Indian ocean was
amazing.  Imagine desert landscapes of volcanic rubble with yellow grass
under grey skies where snow and rain alternate under 80mph winds and temps in
the 30's... that's Crozet island, some 2000 miles south South East of South
Africa.  In this hellish place, a dozen old metal barracks (and one recent
cement building) house some 18 people who are stationned for one year at a
time there.  The surroundings are inhabited with all sorts of Albatross
birds, some spanning 12 feet, orca or killer whales, and royal penguins.  Two
thousand miles due East is the archipelago of Kerguelen, the main island of
which is about 100 miles long and includes a 5000-foot high glacier over a
volcano named Mt Ross. The climate and life are much the same there, except
that the base, which is also the "capital" of all the French Austral islands,
has a crew of about 80 eople there.  Instead of the Bostonian maple trees,
elephant seals weighing several tons line the "streets".

another 1500 miles North Northeast of Kerguelen, we reach the island of
Amsterdam, where I was stationned for two months with another 38 people, as
teh replacement crew overlapped the departing one.  the climate is much
warmer, in the upper 60s to high 70s, and elephant seals are substitued by
fur seals.

My mission, which was to supervise the replacement of 120 windows on old
barracks, was a most challenging one.  I discovered a myriad of logistics
problems when there's no supply store to run to and teh necessary tool isn't
available on site.  Dealing with the French administration which governs
these territories was equally "enlightening".  There is far too much to tell
in a short email, but I am in the process of writing a thourgouh article
which I hoep to submit to various magazines (your referrals appreciated).
 During leisure time, we swam with hundreds of fur seals, picked lobster off
the ocean floor (in 8 feet of water) or spearfished our dinner whenever we
wanted fish, and I was fortunate to visit nearly every nook of the island.

On our return, we were hit full strength by cyclone Anacelle
(cyclone=hurricane in South hemisphere) and I spent one night in the cockpit
of the ship as the captain and upper crew strived to escape 60-foot swells
which jolted our 500-foot ship like a cork: fully strapped to their
commanding post armchairs, they nearly sounded the evacuation on two counts.
 but night gave way to daylight as the storm moved South.

Now I'm back in Paris and I will return to Boston on the 16th of thsi month.
 I hope all of you are well and I look forward to sharing tales and photos
soon.

Nicola
PS If anyone has a request for something specific from Paris, let me know; I
have little space in my bags but I'll certainly try.