Intro

I've created this blog so that friends and family (and anyone else who's interested!) can keep track of my upcoming adventures and to give everyone a flavour of what life in Antarctica is really like. As it's my first time (both blogging and going to Antarctica) I can't say what exactly this blog will entail although be sure to expect lots of photos of snow, ice and wildlife (although I am quite certain there will be no pictures of polar bears or the northern lights (the southern lights are quite possible)). In the mean time I'll use this first post to try and explain where I'm going and to dispel a few myths that people have about living in Antarctica (based off many of the questions I have been asked).

I will be based at Rothera research station (which is run by the British Antarctic Survey, BAS, for loads of info about Rothera and BAS click here), which is on Adelaide Island just off the Western Antarctic Peninsula. But where is that I hear you cry, well it is 2500km away from the South Pole (7500km away from the Equator) and it's roughly halfway up the bit that looks like it is trying to grab onto South America. Because it is so far away from the equator it tends to be a bit chilly (hence why Antarctica always seems to be pictured as a snowy, icy, desolate wasteland… because it is), in summer Rothera can be as warm as 5℃ but in winter it can drop below -20℃. This brings us to myth no. 1: won’t you be freezing cold the whole time? Thankfully BAS has been kind enough to fit the buildings with central heating, so as long as nothing breaks I will be warm when I am sleeping in my bed at night. As for being outside, there is no such thing as bad weather just bad clothing… The kit we get to wear and use is built for the cold and can do a really good job at trapping warmth around your body although it is inevitable that at some point I will be cold, although it is unlikely to be for the entirety of my time down south.

Another question I get asked a lot is: won’t you be really isolated and lonely? Well Rothera is actually quite big (by Antarctic standards), in the summer 120 people are able to live and work on the base. Thanks to its runway people are also constantly coming and going, either moving off to do research in the field or to other stations around the continent. But once the runway closes and the last ship leaves for the winter, there will be just 20 of us to keep the station running and to continue with the ongoing research projects. So how it will feel to live with only 20 people for 6 months is impossible to say, but one thing is for sure I will not be in a tiny shack on my own! Also the internet is surprisingly good so keep emailing and messaging me!

The fact that nobody comes or goes over winter leads to the impression of us slowly wasting away as we eat our way through an ever dwindling supply of tinned food. This may have been the fate of early explorers to the region but BAS now has decades of experience as to how much food us winterers like to eat. We will also have a chef wintering with us who will undoubtedly be serving us up some amazing food even when the fresh supplies have gone.

So Hopefully you now feel a little bit more informed about where I am going? If not don’t worry (I don’t think I truly know where I am going) there will be loads of information to follow, but in the mean time here is a flying tour that someone from the current wintering team has made so enjoy and stay tuned!