I am writing this post 40 days after leaving the UK, Time really does act very strange down here in Antarctica…Life moves super fast yet so slowly, it’s beyond a chore to find space and time for yourself amongst the hustle and bustle of station life.

I’ve completely immersed myself in life on the station! Some highlights: 3 boat trips, 2 gruel refuelling shifts, rediscovering the joy of skiing, participating in an Antarctic quidditch match,more on that later, one ‘gash’ shift, all while basking in the perpetual midnight sun!

During the austral summer, when the continent experiences continuous daylight, the sun appears to linger on the horizon, casting a perpetual golden glow. This phenomenon, known as the “golden hour,” bathes the landscape in warm, soft light, creating ethereal scenes that seem almost surreal in their beauty.

The walls here are adorned with pictures of travels past, Shackleton and Scott are just a small number of the endless monotone exhibits. I often ponder what they would make of the comfort we have down here, the 5 daily meals, central heating, and electricity…and of course, starlink internet! Conversing with many Antarctic veterans on base, it’s clear that things are changing here, evidenced by the endless construction noise and the erection of huge, new buildings. These pictures and stories make the base feel like a living history museum of the last frontier, one that’s surprisingly comfortable for us in 2024. We are a microcosm of British society, hidden away at 68 degrees south, and I feel beyond privileged to be here, regardless of my comfort levels. We are a port,an airport,a logistics hub for science further south and a community all working together to keep things running smoothly, well as smooth as possible, after all, THIS IS ANTARCTICA.

With the chaotic,temperamental Antarctic ‘summer’ the seasons can be experienced all in one day, more often than you may think,we’l wake up to a blanket of snow and by the evening the station has fully transformed. Snow melt happens rapidly and plans for recreation after work,are often spontaneous and without set plans.

Sat here, 55 days into this huge adventure, blown away by what I’ve already seen, I’m looking forward to seeing whats to come.. the sun is slowly starting to disappear and the dark nights are rolling in. The nights are packed full of activities to bring us altogether – We’ve had ceilidh’s and film festivals,endless bingo nights with Julie and many days of films,science talks and presentation.

Despite the challenges, many people find working in Antarctica to be a profoundly rewarding experience.. I’ve been interrogating outgoing winterers on their experience of long term antarctica life and the obvious pro’s and cons of life down south