Peter Keage

Glaciologist, Casey 1976

How to start and where to stop – re the big bloke we called Skurge.

He spread his wings across every part of society, mixed with all so very well.  A superb host, fully supported by Di in all his endeavours.

Skurge and I did both Traverses out of Casey in 1976, spending around 7 months together in some very harsh conditions.  We never had a cross word, he was the boss as we were there for Science.  I was in charge of the Mechanical gear and he respected my decisions when we needed to work/service the equipment.

I fondly remember the written traverse notes on the notice board at the base.  Punctuation, especially commas, were not used much at all. not part of my Uni training he would say.  He was all of 22/23 years on this earth at that time.

He did a few big traverses at home also on Big Red, one of his motor bikes.  Up to Darwin and across to Perth were the long ones, intermingled with very many shorter ones with the bike clubs he belonged to.

It has been mentioned that he was the glue of our friendship group, I suggest a very sticky glue.  He would organise a coffee, pizza, wine get-togethers with ease of thought.

He loved making pizza’s and was very good at it, testing his skills on us and others at home.

So the big lad has taken his last Traverse.  May the snow be dry, the sastrugi level and the wind at your back dear Skurge.

Thanks for the memories.

Your mate Shonkey

– from Robin Regester