Catch Up 3: The Summer is Over

All things must come to an end and the Halley 2010/11 summer build season had wound down.  Although there was still some tasks to accomplish like tidying up the sites and readying them for their winter slumber the main bulk of the work had been completed. To celebrate the end of the season Field Assistant and documentary film maker Kirk Watson put together a 'Folk Night'. Although only recently resurrected by Kirk, Folk Night was an occasion at which the Halley staff would regale each other with song, poem, story or any other form of 'acceptable' entertainment. At Halley the occasion had fallen by the wayside many, many years ago but Kirk saw fit to get it going again just as he had resurrected it at Rothera, BAS's station on the Antarctic Peninsula. It is a time for everyone to let off a little steam, relax and consign the tensions and stress of the season to the place where all that kind of stuff belongs….in the past.

It was an absolute privilege to be asked to host this years event and I thank Kirk for the opportunity. The show opened with Richard and I performing a version of Carol King's take on 'Natural Woman' which was a kind of apology to all those lads in the audience who were used to having 'Met Babes' instead of 'Met Men' around. Kirk was kind enough to post our performance on YouTube.

The rest of the show included; poetry that reflected on the build season with the prose being, at times, a bit 'savage' though always insightful and comical, sketches of comedy and drama were performed and this years wintering Halley Doctor, Jenny, even managed to put the Folk into Folk Night by playing a couple of traditional tunes on her fiddle. The night finished with a collection of films by Kirk that detailed the best and worst of the season. Phil Moneypenny's filmic review of the Halley VI team doing their stuff was also a standout moment.

So with the Folk Night show over it meant that the show otherwise known as the Halley 2010/11 build season was finally over as well. Also, for the 2010 winterer's, it meant that their time at Halley was coming to an end.

With the Halley VI modules finally installed at their new home some 16 kilometres away towards the continent, the Morrison tradesmen were tidying up for the winter. The BAS staff busied themselves with mothballing the build machinery and winding down the summer buildings. The summer BAS staff and the 2010 winterer's then readied themselves for their journey home. There are two main routes out of Halley; by air or by sea. Most of the Morrison tradesmen who had already finished their tasks were placed on flights out of Halley which saw them basically retracing their steps back to South Africa (Basler DC-3 to Novo. Ilyushin from Novo to Cape Town).

Basler DC-3 arriving at Halley International Airport to pick up it's Morrison's cargo (Original Photo: James Goby)

BAS staff and the rest of the Morrison staff would be taken out on the RSS Ernest Shackleton with the last of the BAS staff going out on the RRS James Clark Ross.

Departing wintering chef, Anthony Dubber making his way to the RRS James Clark Ross

The Shackleton was the first ship to arrive (followed by the RRS James Clark Ross a few days later). The remaining waste which was to be transported to the Falkland Islands and other items to be shipped to Cambridge were loaded while last minute supplies for Halley V were unloaded. It's arrival also afforded an occasion that is something of a tradition on the Shackleton, the Winterer's Meal. Every year the Shackleton's Captain cordially invites that years winterer's to join him for an evening of food and socialising aboard his vessel. Again this was an opportunity for the 2011 winterer's to relax and enjoy each others company. Something that the busy summer schedule had not really allowed us to do more than once. The welcome afforded to us by the Captain, his officers and his crew was greatly appreciated by us all. It was a smashing evening and it's memory will remain with me.

The Captain, officers and crew of the RRS Ernest Shackleton made us feel very welcome 

These were emotional times for the previous years winterer's. After spending such a long time with their wintering pals strong bonds of friendship had formed. Some winterer's also form an attachment to the base itself. After all Halley V had been their home for nearly 18 months, their life support, their social life and the base itself will remain in their minds as an icon of their time in Antarctica. Whilst some of them may have been feeling a tinge of sadness about leaving their excitement regarding their trip home was tangible as the loved ones they had not seen for such a long time would be waiting for them.

The 2010 winterer's were an honest bunch and I for one greatly appreciated their candour. I was about to undertake my winter at Halley and their ability to tell it how it was and not just dress it up as something 'which is really great' or 'absolutely the most amazing thing in the world' was greatly appreciated. Knowing the highs and lows that are in store helped me to prepare for my journey through the Antarctic winter. A journey that I shall be sharing with my ten fellow winterer's. I shall continue to write this blog in that vein, detailing all the highs and the lows so that anyone considering a winter trip to Antarctica  knows exactly what to expect. Being something of an optimist I have found that in the past my 'glass half full' approach can sometimes blind me to the actual realities of the endeavours I undertake. So, again, I thank ALL of last years winterer's for all of their opinions and their advice.

So it was with great sadness that I wished Richard a final farewell. He is such a talented nae gifted lad. He has the world at his feet and the energy to make the future his very own. I wish him all the very best. I say 'Cheers, Aye!' to the outgoing Doctor, Mike Ramage. A man who lives just over one mile away from me in Glasgow but whom I have only just had the pleasure to meet in Antarctica. The sometimes crude but always entertaining banter I entered into with the 2010 wintering chef and all round 'cracking lad', Anthony Dubber could maybe have been a prelude to a lifelong friendship. Who knows? My respect for Tim Gee and Ed McGough knows no bounds and it's the quiet ones like Jack Parker and Matt Hooper that you've really got to watch ;-). Craig Brown was as pleasant a guy as you would ever want to meet and Ian Sisson's impending adventure touring his Honda C90 through Europe says more about the man than I ever could. Winter base commander Paddy Power kept them in line the best a true Irish man could and to my pal Mark Green I can only say, 'COOL BEANS!'

Saying farewell to Richard

I say a fond farewell to all the 2010 winterer's all of whom I would have liked to have known better. A few may return to Halley later this year but the majority I will probably never meet again.

I will however probably meet the summer staff next season (this November). Their trip south is an annual one so to them, Au Revoir!

There are now only eleven left at Halley V and this is now our Winter. Indeed, what follows is my Winter.

Halley Summer Build Season 2010/11