King Edward Point Diary – October 2003
31 October, 2003 BAS Bloggers
Pasty off October has seen winter turn into summer here at KEP, with no time for spring in between. John and I went on our long-awaited winter trip during the …
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Bird Island Diary – September 2003
30 September, 2003 Dave Connor
Skiing and pirates!?! I am going to start with a big `HELLO` to all my family and friends at home or abroad. This month has absolutely flown by. It has …
Halley Diary — September 2003
30 September, 2003 BAS Bloggers
Spring by Robert Shortman, Base Plumber Hello to all! This month has been the start of the post winter trips so everybody is getting ready to get away from base …
King Edward Point Diary – September 2003
30 September, 2003 BAS Bloggers
Hello again avid readers and welcome to another issue of the fun-packed newsletter from you very own King Edward Point. This month has seen the finish of all the …
Bird Island Diary – August 2003
31 August, 2003 Dave Connor
Cakes and messages in bottles As I am sitting in my room trying to write this newsletter, an adult male fur seal, having returned from an oceanic trip, is lying …
Halley Diary — August 2003
31 August, 2003 BAS Bloggers
By Stuart Colley, Meteorologist Without a doubt, the most important event this month has been the return of the Sun after 103 days. Over the last couple of weeks we’ve …
King Edward Point Diary – August 2003
31 August, 2003 BAS Bloggers
Food glorious food I’m sure no avid reader of the scintillating “KEP” web diary would be surprised by tales of snow, skis, fish, parties and wildlife. In August there will …
August – Sunrise
30 August, 2003 BAS Bloggers
Rothera Diary – August 2003 written by Andrew Porte August has been a month of mixed emotions. As July ended and August started the base team was still trying to …
August – Snowblowing
28 August, 2003 BAS Bloggers
Blowing snow the Rothera way Written by Chris Jacobs and Iain Airth When clearing a gravel strip runway in the middle of winter it is not without problems. There is …
August – Night shift
15 August, 2003 Isabelle Gerrard
Week on Night Shift written by Issy Gerrard At some point during the winter each base member will do a week on night shift. My turn came around in late …
August – Skiing
15 August, 2003 BAS Bloggers
Skinning Up? It had to happen after an absence of 18 years from skiing I had to give up, giving up. My previous experiences of skiing are not good, for …
Bird Island Diary – July 2003
31 July, 2003 Dave Connor
A varied month This month we lost a friend and kindred spirit when Kirsty Brown was killed by a leopard seal at Rothera. The sudden loss of someone so young …
Halley Diary — July 2003
31 July, 2003 BAS Bloggers
By Annette Faux, Meteorologist This month for all of us wintering in the Antarctic has been overshadowed by the tragedy at Rothera. Our thoughts have been very much with the …
King Edward Point Diary – July 2003
31 July, 2003 BAS Bloggers
Rich’s entirely true diary! All of us at King Edward Point were shocked and saddened when we learnt of the death of Kirsty Brown at Rotherathis month. Nearly all of …
Bird Island Diary – June 2003
30 June, 2003 Dave Connor
Midwinter The true South Georgia winter weather has now firmly established itself on this wee island in the Southern Ocean. As I write, ensconced within the shelter of base, the …
Halley Diary — June 2003
30 June, 2003 BAS Bloggers
By Elaine Cowie, Meteorologist June has been a very busy month as this month we celebrated a very important date 21st June, Mid-Winters Day. So we can officially say that …
King Edward Point Diary – June 2003
30 June, 2003 BAS Bloggers
Midwinter June. Umm, June. Well it’s been very busy and lots of fun and frustrating and sad. To try and leave you with a favourable feeling I am going to …
June – Midwinter
30 June, 2003 BAS Bloggers
June 2003 – Midwinter The month of Midwinter had arrived. The three weeks prior to the big day, the sun completely vanished below the horizon and darkness reigned. But not …
June – Photo Comp.
30 June, 2003 BAS Bloggers
June 2003 – Midwinter Midwinter Photo Competition Photo competitions at Rothera have been traditional, as shown by the number of winning photos that are proudly hung around the dining room. …
June – Presents
20 June, 2003 BAS Bloggers
June 2003 – Midwinter Midwinter Presents On first hearing about the presents that winterers give to each other on Midwinter’s Day, I was full of dread. Why? Because they are …
June – Celebrations
15 June, 2003 BAS Bloggers
June 2003 – Midwinter Midwinter’s Week Midwinter’s week for Rothera base started on the Midwinter’s day (Saturday 21st June). The day started with tea, coffee and toast delivered to those …
June – LIDAR
15 June, 2003 BAS Bloggers
June 2003 – Midwinter Rothera Lidar Facility During the 2002/2003 summer season a new atmospheric research laboratory was installed at Rothera. This facility houses a single piece of equipment, the …
Bird Island Diary – May 2003
31 May, 2003 Dave Connor
Counting birds We spent the first couple of days of May on Bird Island, counting birds believe it or not! The first day was reserved, as is customary on every …
Halley Diary — May 2003
31 May, 2003 BAS Bloggers
By Allan Thomas Hello from the land of darkness and cold! Can you hear me? May has definitely been a month of ups and downs for us all here at …
King Edward Point Diary – May 2003
31 May, 2003 BAS Bloggers
An eventful month Rumour would have it that South Georgia is an island of parties, jollies and love but there is a serious side to life at KEP, which includes …
May – Winter Arrives
30 May, 2003 BAS Bloggers
May at Rothera May brought the true onset of winter with colder wilder weather and darker days. Snow finally started to settle permanently round the base. Towards the end of …
May – Wildlife
30 May, 2003 BAS Bloggers
Wildlife in May A duty that is shared by all those on base is to record the local wildlife. This survey has been continuous for five years and is a …
May – Field Training
28 May, 2003 BAS Bloggers
May Winter Field Training Trips Summary The winter training trips in May started with bad weather, poor contrast and blizzards once again, with two trips bogged down together just south …
May – Centurian Night
20 May, 2003 BAS Bloggers
Centurion Night! Birthdays are a good excuse for a party. The official line, of course, is that we are boosting base moral. So, when it was Adam’s birthday, the youngest …
May – Sun Visions
15 May, 2003 BAS Bloggers
Rothera Diary – May 2003 Sun Visions Sunsets in Antarctica are like no other that I have ever seen. This may be because the sunsets also happen to be part …
May – Plumbing
15 May, 2003 BAS Bloggers
Plumbing…. I’m supposed to be writing about plumbing. There is just one small problem that I can see right from the onset with me writing about plumbing, that being I …
May – Fondue Night
15 May, 2003 BAS Bloggers
Fondue Night Saturdays and Sundays are our days off and as a result Saturday night is always something special. At the very least we have a sit down dinner but …
Bird Island Diary – April 2003
30 April, 2003 Dave Connor
Comings and goings April has been a month of comings and goings. We have seen the arrival of winter snow and ice, and of the first of our most impressive …
Halley Diary — April 2003
30 April, 2003 BAS Bloggers
By Paul Torode April has been a very quiet month at Halley, characterised by a steady decrease in daylight hours as the winter approaches. For many of us wintering for …
King Edward Point Diary – April 2003
30 April, 2003 BAS Bloggers
Ice climbing and egg rolling April started off a very busy month for everyone on base, with the month only just started. The entire base personnel were involved in a …
Apr – Isolation
30 April, 2003 BAS Bloggers
Isolation Isolation was finally complete when the remaining two twin otters and the Dash 7 flew north on the 15th. The moment was captured by a farewell salute to the …
Apr – Diving
30 April, 2003 BAS Bloggers
Diving for Science Rothera Station Diary – April 2003 There was a crisp feeling to the air as it blew over my face. I could feel the start of an …
Apr – Sledge
30 April, 2003 BAS Bloggers
Manhauling Madness’ Preparations for this trip started almost two months prior to departure. One mistimed remark too many about the demonic nature of skidoos and a man-hauling trip was born. …
Apr – Winter
28 April, 2003 BAS Bloggers
Winter Begins. As I’m sure everyone connected to BAS is aware, winter here at Rothera started a little later than usual this year. April the 15th proved to be long …
Apr – Visit
20 April, 2003 BAS Bloggers
Visit by the Almirante Iriza On the 17th April, two days into winter, Rothera received a visit form the Argentinean icebreaker Almirante Iriza. Seventeen personnel came ashore in the Sea …
Apr – Training
15 April, 2003 BAS Bloggers
April Winter Field Training Trips One of the best things about being posted down south is the Winter Field Training Trip. These superb trips offer the opportunity for base members …
Apr – Cooking
15 April, 2003 BAS Bloggers
Can’t Cook, Won’t Cook So, what is the most important job on base? Well, some would argue that it is the science that we are here for and so the …
Bird Island Diary – March 2003
31 March, 2003 Dave Connor
A last word from Jane After 2½ years here this has been my last full month on Bird Island. I’ll be leaving in April, almost 30 months to the day …
Halley Diary — March 2003
31 March, 2003 BAS Bloggers
By Russ Locke (AIS Engineer) Finding things to put into this months diary has been an easy job because we’ve been so busy here since the RRS Ernest Shackleton left …
King Edward Point Diary – March 2003
31 March, 2003 BAS Bloggers
A busy month Another busy month here in South Georgia. Early March saw the departure of Molly Sheridan, Irene Valenkamp and Alasdair Reid. Irene and Alasdair have been assistants to …
Bird Island Diary – February 2003
28 February, 2003 Dave Connor
WANTED – seals, penguins and albatrosses WANTED!! Have you seen this pup, penguin, whale, moth or worm? No sorry we haven’t but we’ll ask our mates! Come on chaps I’m …
Halley Diary — February 2003
28 February, 2003 BAS Bloggers
February has been a whirlwind month with the arrival and departure of the ship RRS Ernest Shackleton on it’s second and final call to the station, the realigning of the …
King Edward Point Diary – February 2003
28 February, 2003 BAS Bloggers
Back to school! February has seen us all go back to school, well actually lots of schools. As well as the ubiquitous Doc School which this month has included a …
Halley Diary — January 2003
31 January, 2003 BAS Bloggers
Gavin Francis (Base Doctor) New Year, new Halley wintering team, and a lot of new faces at Halley (mine being one of them). Jon Seddon, 2002 AIS engineer, has handed …
King Edward Point Diary – January 2003
31 January, 2003 BAS Bloggers
New Year – old friends depart Happy New Year!! Well here we are the start of the New Year and what a start it has been for us down here …
Bird Island Diary – December 2002
31 December, 2002 Dave Connor
Christmas and new arrivals December is traditionally one of the busiest months here at Bird Island and this year was no exception, both at work and at play. The month …
King Edward Point Diary – December 2002
31 December, 2002 BAS Bloggers
New arrivals and Christmas With the arrival of December, we knew our days were numbered. All talk was now of the imminent arrival of the new people – our replacements. …
Bird Island Diary – November 2002
30 November, 2002 Dave Connor
Practice emergencies and a real birthday November usually marks the beginning of summer for Bird Island. However, the winter has stubbornly refused to depart and every time we thought the …
King Edward Point Diary – November 2002
30 November, 2002 BAS Bloggers
Celebrations November has been a busy month down here at King Edward Point. The tourist season started on 1st November, with the cruise ship Explorer coming alongside. We are due …
Bird Island Diary – October 2002
31 October, 2002 Dave Connor
New faces As I am writing these few lines at the end of this October month, spring or summer have yet to arrive. The island is still coated in snow, …
King Edward Point Diary – October 2002
31 October, 2002 BAS Bloggers
RRS James Clark Ross arrives October was the month of scrubbing. This was not because the mess in my office had reached evolutionary proportions but rather because of the time …
Bird Island Diary – September 2002
30 September, 2002 Dave Connor
Spring is in the air Welcome once again to another month at Bird Island. September seems to have brought a considerable amount of change. With winter rapidly heading towards its …
King Edward Point Diary – September 2002
30 September, 2002 BAS Bloggers
The latest newsletter ever!! Well I think the best way to start this newsletter is with an apology for its lateness!! I believe I have managed to get the award …
Bird Island Diary – August 2002
31 August, 2002 Dave Connor
More sketches I can hardly believe that August has already come and gone. It still feels like it should be sometime back around July. Time has flown, as Bird Island …
Bird Island Diary — July 2002
31 July, 2002 BAS Bloggers
Sledging and Sketches Hello and welcome to another month in the life of the Bird Island winterers – Jane, Ben, Nick and Matt. This is my second winter and second …
King Edward Point Diary – July 2002
31 July, 2002 BAS Bloggers
A busy month for boating Midway through the winter fishing season, July has seen many vessels visit KEP to trans-ship catch onto large refrigerator vessels. Here, the krill trawler, In …
Bird Island Diary — June 2002
30 June, 2002 BAS Bloggers
Midwinter Welcome to Bird Island, we are now well into winter, and more and more leopard seals are hauling out on the beaches around base. Yesterday, we had four: two …
King Edward Point Diary – June 2002
30 June, 2002 BAS Bloggers
Midwinter celebrations This month’s web page is mainly dedicated to our midwinter festivities held here over the week around midwinter’s day. There was a whole host of different activities including; …
Bird Island Diary — May 2002
31 May, 2002 BAS Bloggers
Snow and winter visitors Last month we brought you pictures of blue skies, green hills, and a rather summery-looking Bird Island. Some of you have been wondering if we are …
Bird Island Diary — April 2002
30 April, 2002 BAS Bloggers
Last Call as winter begins Welcome to Winter on Bird Island – at last! It has been a very interesting and unusual month here. The last newsletter ended with “under …
King Edward Point Diary – April 2002
30 April, 2002 BAS Bloggers
The first heavy snow April saw the last call of the Ernest Shackleton. However, unlike other bases where this is the last shipping visit of the year, this heralds perhaps …
Bird Island Diary — March 2002
31 March, 2002 BAS Bloggers
The end of the season approaches Bonjour à tous et à toutes, The start of March was punctuated by departures and arrivals. As RRS Ernest Shackleton sailed past, we knew …
King Edward Point Diary – March 2002
31 March, 2002 BAS Bloggers
End of summer approaches The Science team made a big catch: a Patagonian toothfish just over 1m in length. These fish are commercially fished in South Georgian waters and producing viable conservation …
Bird Island Diary — February 2002
28 February, 2002 BAS Bloggers
A busy month on Bird Island February is almost over – and this may be my last ever visit to Bird Island, at least that’s the reason the others here …
King Edward Point Diary – February 2002
28 February, 2002 BAS Bloggers
Ships pay us a visit The science manager, Mark Belchier, visited KEP during February to see how the science is progressing and to pass on some techniques to the science …
Bird Island Diary — January 2002
31 January, 2002 BAS Bloggers
A New Year begins Welcome to another instalment of the life and times of Bird Island and its inhabitants, human and animal. Our newsletter this month actually begins in late …
King Edward Point Diary – January 2002
31 January, 2002 BAS Bloggers
An introduction to KEP The newest British Antarctic Survey station at King Edward Point was opened in March 2001 so we are approaching our first Birthday. However there are still …
Bird Island Diary — December 2001
31 December, 2001 Dave Connor
Fur Seals and Festivities Everyone that I had met before my visit to Bird Island told me that I would love this tiny isolated island and it’s wildlife. A visiting …
Bird Island Diary — November 2001
30 November, 2001 Dave Connor
First Impressions The peaceful isolation of Bird Island was almost shattered with the arrival of the James Clark Ross (JCR) on the 2nd. But as it turned out the shattering …
Bird Island Diary — October 2001
31 October, 2001 BAS Bloggers
Summer Personnel Arrive The island silence of waves and birdcall was shattered by the cacophony caused by fuel barrels being rolled up a steel walkway, and numerous people marvelling at …
Bird Island Diary — September 2001
30 September, 2001 BAS Bloggers
Visitors come to Bird Island With only one month of winter left, September is most definitely a time when winterers concentrate lots of their spare energies on enjoying many of …
Bird Island Diary — August 2001
31 August, 2001 BAS Bloggers
Preparing for Summer, Sledging and a Birthday Hello again from the Bird Island Trio! Here we are in the middle of winter with deep snow and freezing weather. Oh no, …
Bird Island Diary — July 2001
31 July, 2001 BAS Bloggers
Hot Chillies, Fine Wines and Frozen Toilets! “Go on,I dare you to eat a whole chilli.” And so the month started with the utterance of these fateful words. Sure, the …
Rothera Diary July 2001
30 July, 2001 Peter Milner
Rothera Diary – July 2001 written by Pete Milner The Sun Returns With our limited access to email facilities I try and write regularly to friends at home and strangely …
Rothera Diary July 2001 – Historical Menu
30 July, 2001 Peter Milner
Return to Full Diary Jenny and I have been spending a week working through mid-winter dental checks for the crew. With a healthy team not much needs doing, just a …
Bird Island Diary — June 2001
30 June, 2001 BAS Bloggers
Midwinter games June sees us in deepest winter here at Bird Island now. The nights are at their longest, but luckily since we are in sub-Antarctica and relatively far north …
Bird Island Diary — May 2001
31 May, 2001 Paul Cousens
Seals amid the winter’s snow May saw the onset of true blue winter weather, and the much awaited arrival of the leopard seals (leps), two of these toothy beasts hauled …
Bird Island Diary — April 2001
30 April, 2001 BAS Bloggers
What the builders did to us Hello everyone from the inhabitants of the smallest BAS base. We have been in winter mode for one month now, and already we have …
Bird Island Diary — March 2001
31 March, 2001 BAS Bloggers
The beakers versus the builders Hello everybody. This is going to be the builder’s version of events for March. Simon Berry is your host for this exciting and funny newsletter. …
Bird Island Diary — February 2001
28 February, 2001 BAS Bloggers
What we did to the builders The shortest month is now over and has been full of a variety of events. It has also been frustrating at times and with …
Bird Island Diary — January 2001
31 January, 2001 BAS Bloggers
A time of rapid change So what’s been happening this month? Unfortunately for you all, it’s my turn to try and provide a witty commentary on the exciting events of …
Bird Island Diary — December 2000
31 December, 2000 BAS Bloggers
Seals with video cameras and seasonal festivities Bird Island Diary When we were asked who would write the December newsletter, we were told in the same breath that as the …
Bird Island Diary — November 2000
30 November, 2000 BAS Bloggers
Relief, visitors and the wildlife proliferates Bird Island Diary As the newest member on the station I have the honour (!) of writing the newsletter at the end of my …
Bird Island Diary — October 2000 (vagrants)
31 October, 2000 BAS Bloggers
Bird Island vagrants Bird Island Diary Keith Reid (BAS, Cambridge) adds the following on the Bird Island October-vagrants. Chiloe Wigeon (Anas sibilatrix): This drake was recorded in Freshwater Bay, Bird …
Bird Island Diary — October 2000 (new arrivals)
31 October, 2000 BAS Bloggers
New arrivals at Bird Island Bird Island Diary New arrivals at Bird Island mark the transition from winter to summer activities. Where would the human community of Bird Island be …
Read more on Bird Island Diary — October 2000 (new arrivals)
Bird Island Diary — September 2000
30 September, 2000 BAS Bloggers
The birds, the unrelenting wind, and a 19th century calm Bird Island Diary With winter and her easy pace almost through, September is a month of great transformation on Bird …
Bird Island Diary — August 2000
31 August, 2000 BAS Bloggers
An Introduction to Bird Island Bird Island Diary Wildlife on Bird Island: At this time of year the wildlife is nothing compared to the summer. Presently there are seals mostly …