Midwinter on Bird Island

Midwinter in the Antarctic is steeped with tradition, some starting with the early explorers who celebrated the shortest day which marks the slow return of the sun over the coming months. Nowadays winter isn't quite as extreme, we live in nice, comfortable heated bases with showers and internet that can even handle downloading pac-man via satellite. Despite these modern comforts, winter can take its toll on body and soul, so it is important to take some time off and midwinter is the perfect excuse. It is the main holiday for those South, as Christmas is the busiest time of year for our fieldwork, and personnel movements for those on the continent. This year midwinter fell on a Tuesday, so we took a week off, Saturday to Saturday. The only fieldwork that needs to be done at this stage is my leopard seal round, which others on base were kind enough to take on for the week, giving me some time off. I still had to go out when a seal is seen, but it is great to have a break from the daily 2-3 hour walk I do whilst looking for them.

Beach party
We started off the week with a beach party. On the icy beach outside we played frisbee, boules, did unconventional 'ice swimming', and hit a ball around. At the end of summer when we played french cricket, we had to chase down the ball to stop snowy sheathbills and skuas from stealing it, a problem which isn't as prevalent in winter. We moved inside to have dinner: a starter of vegetables and dips, followed by a very tasty sausage roll and chips in rolled up paper! For dessert we hopped in the outside hot tub and ate fruit juice ice lollies under the stars and an almost-full moon.

Ice-swimming is tiring...

Beach party games

You can't have a beach party without kicking a ball around

Hot-tubbing

Mid-winter Olympics
We returned to the beach on a foggy and windy day to play more games. This time we went curling (with 'stones' made from saucepan lids frozen into the top of a ball of coloured water), did welly whanging, bodger tossing, and a spot of 'archery'. Ian won, I came second, Tim followed, with Lucy taking the wooden spoon.

Curling stones and food colouring to paint a target on the ice

Ian showing us how it's done

Whanging a wellie

Tim expertly throwing a bodger

Mid-winter day
Most of us managed a lie-in whilst Lucy (winter station leader) got up early to make sure the generator hadn't grown unhappy overnight, and to start an amazing breakfast. It's tradition for the SL to make breakfast for the base, which can be a bit of an undertaking for larger bases like Rothera, and I think Lucy put in a similar amount of effort, creating some very tasty items. Over the preceding days, we had been receiving midwinter greetings cards from other bases, from many different countries. We even got an email from the Minister of Science in Japan, and Barrack Obama.

We spent the day cooking several courses. I was in charge of desserts, so had done the majority the day before, but had a few bits to finish so joined the others when there was space in the kitchen. We were all organized, and managed to sit down for a board game before dinner.

After dinner, we sat down and listened to the midwinter broadcast, where family record messages which are introduced by celebrities, specially for those wintering South. It was broadcast on BBC World Service, and is available on Iplayer. We also opened a surprise package from home, which was amazing to receive. I got a 'Marine Biologist because Badass isn't an official job title' t-shirt, and an 'I love counting seals' mug. Presents are always great, but even more so when South as there are no shops, and for some unbeknownst reason, Amazon doesn't deliver. <3 always="" amazon="" and="" are="" as="" but="" counting="" deliver="" doesn="" even="" it="" lovely="" more="" mug="" no="" options="" other="" p="" presents="" receive="" s="" seals="" shops="" so="" south="" t="" there="" to="" when=""><3 always="" amazon="" and="" are="" as="" br="" but="" counting="" deliver="" don="" for="" great="" more="" mug.="" no="" presents="" reason.="" seals="" shops="" so="" some="" south="" t="" there="" unbeknownst="" when="">

Pouring champagne for dinner

Appetizers

Starter accompanied by exchanging cards

Enjoying a feast which created leftovers for a week

I was happy with the outcome of the desserts

Happy with my new t-shirt

We also made presents for one other member of base, drawing the recipient out of a hat during our 'winterers night' at Fairy Point Hut in March, before the summer crew departed. Everyone has been working hard in the workshop, and all of the presents were wonderful, showing some very talented woodwork.

Ian made me a brilliant box, with fold-down front and a drawer

My present to Ian, a box / stand with a carving of BI on the top

Tim gave Lucy an Albatross coat hanger

Lucys' presents for Tim: A barometer, thermometer and clock

After dinner had settled, we danced the night away, spending a good 4 hours on the 'dancefloor'. We may not have a club, or a bar, but we do have a living room with a partially functional disco ball and strobe light, and no neighbours to annoy.

Group mid-winter photo

Listening to the broadcast

Wigs have a habit of coming out when dancing occurs

The day afterwards was spent huddled under duvets watching a variety of films, until I had to brave the elements and do the leopard seal round.

Fieldwork FIDS
Falkland Island Dependency Survey (FIDS) was the precursor to BAS. Earlier in the year we had a FIDS food night, sampling some of the old emergency field rations that had gone out of date (by 10 years in some cases) and had now been replaced with newfangled field food. Apparently punishing ourselves with camp food wasn't enough, so we decided to have a fieldwork FIDS day, wearing itchy flannel shirts in freezing winds. Ian and Tim went out to do the lep round together, and myself and Lucy headed up the ridge to check on the wanderers.

Apparently these are FID poses.

Shocked to see a wanderer chick, and feeling quite cold

Who needs a sledge when you can slide down a frozen stream on your bum?

It was a brilliant week, one that will keep us happy for a while.