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Although the days aren't very bright (or long), Rothera is buzzing with activity. Midwinter is fast approaching and everyone is being very secretive in various workshops around the base, building or making winter presents and frantically hiding them under coats when the "wrong" person walks in. It's all very amusing, with heresay and rumour evolving into legend and disbelief.
Midwinter is a tradition that goes back to the early pioneering days of Antarctic exploration, and it is a major celebration for wintering communities of all nationalities. It is celebrated on June 21st, the shortest and darkest day of the year.
Over the years, the significance of Midwinter may have diminished, but the tradition hasn't. In research stations throughout Antarctica, Midwinter is widely celebrated as a way to mark the fact that the people who winter-over just went through half their turn of duty.
Unlike us,with our modern technology and comfortable surroundings, the early Antarctic explorers were well and truly isolated. They would have had no knowledge if the ship which had dropped them off had even made it safely back home. They were completely cut off with no contact or communication with the outside world.
It also means that the darkest days are over, and we can look forward to the return of our dear friend, the Sun.
Depending on the station the celebrations can last from a day to a week and are typically marked by parties, team games, redecoration of the premises and days off work.
We also make presents to give to each other, after all, we don't have any shops down here, This also explains the cloak-and-dagger style secrecy in the workshops.
We draw a name out of a hat, the the rest is up to the individual. The time-honoured Antarctic tradition of effort, skill, originality, enterprise and skullduggery that goes into these gifts is truly exceptional.
I've almost finished my gift, but I can't tell you yet what I've made, or who I've made it for in case that person should happen to read this (we all read each other's blogs. It helps to pass the time, you know), but all will be revealed in due course.
The days may be getting shorter (five hours of actual daylight and diminishing fast, at the moment) but we are still getting spectacular sunrises and sunsets.
This is at 11:00am. Stunning, isn't it?
We also get spectacular sun halo's, formed by ice crystals high in the atmosphere.
And this is the sun setting behind Reptile Ridge.... at 4:30pm!!
I completed my stint on nightwatch without any incidents or dramas, which is always a good thing. The last thing anyone needs is for a pipe to freeze and burst, or for the generators to get stroppy at three in the morning. Other nightwatch duties include keeping an eye out for potential smouldering fires, ensuring safety equipment and fire-fighting equipment is intact and where it should be, and monitoring the HF radio, as we still had three teams out in the field on their winter trips.
Nightwatch is a solitary existence; you get up just as everyone is going to bed, and you go to bed just as everyone is getting up.
It is dark when you get up and still dark when you go to bed. I didn't see any natural daylight for the whole week. It is a foretaste of the days of midwinter darkness.
If the night is clear, you get a chance to admire the night sky whilst walking around the base. The air is so clear, clean and unpolluted down here, and it makes the stars appear so bright.
And there's so many of them in the sky, too.
We all take a turn on nightwatch. Some don't deal with the solitude too well, but I quite enjoyed it.
The winds are getting stronger, now. And colder. It can be hard work getting round the base sometimes. But at least the winds are stopping the snow from settling properly. And that means we don't have to dig....for now!!!
The cold also means that the sea is starting to freeze. It's still early in the season so the ice is quite thin and breaks up, but it won't be long until it is thick enough and strong enough for us to venture out onto it.
We keep ourselves amused by organising our own entertainment. This week it was the Rothera International Open Entry Mixed Doubles Pool Competition.
There was a disapointing lack of international entrants, due, I suppose, to the fact that no-one else can get here, so us residents were the only official entrants. There was fierce competion and ferocious vocal support for the teams, but in the end the prize of a cheap bottle of plonk was won by "Team Big Tone & The Power", better known as Jonny Mech and me!!! What a turn-up for the books that was! Our potting skills at the table was only surpassed by our dazzling Hollywood-style good looks....!!!
We've also had "Out Of Africa" night...(?) wth some worryingly bizarre costumes being proudly displayed.
Doctor Matt as The Lion King, and Jonny Mech as a rather dodgy-looking zebra were pretty impressive. I daren't show you some of the others!!! Well.... maybe when I come home....!!
And we also had a BBQ for James' birthday.
Hmmm.... a barbie in sub-zero temperatures. Interesting concept....
There's a saying that goes: "If you're gonna be stupid, you gotta be tough."
I'll leave you to decide which category we fit into.
Right...
Anyone wanna see some penguins?
Aw...ok then.
Here you go....
