Christmas in Antarctica: Celebrating the end of the year in the world’s most remote outposts
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How do you celebrate Christmas in the most remote outpost on Earth, where the nearest supermarket is a five-hour flight – or four days by boat – and the penguins outnumber 12,000 people?
This is the challenge facing a few thousand international employees who spend this Christmas in Antarctica, working the short summer season on scientific and research bases.
The answer? It’s all a matter of logistics.
âWe’re on an ice shelf at this station, so literally all you can see is snow and ice everywhere, and there’s 24 hours of daylight, which is very. strange and a little confusing trying to get used to it, âsays Millie Bond, a doctoral researcher with the British Antarctic Survey at Halley Station in Antarctica.
Britain is one of twelve European countries that maintain research stations in Antarctica in summer or winter – including Germany, Norway, France, Spain, Russia, Italy – and a crowd from other countries like China, United States, New Zealand and Argentina.
“It’s a pretty difficult situation, especially at this station,” says Millie, who arrived at Halley station in November, after spending two weeks in quarantine in South Africa.
“They haven’t had a ship to drop off cargo for a long time, so the cargo we can bring is very limited to what a plane can bring and how many flights they can do,” adds she does. .
If the 33-strong contingent at Halley is lucky, cargo arriving from a larger UK base at Rothera station could contain Christmas presents on board.
Christmas Day is mobile in Antarctica
Since much of the work of scientists in Antarctica depends on good weather to operate outside, they can’t afford to spend a day celebrating Christmas if the weather is good.
âNormally I would have a very family-friendly Christmas, whether it’s just at home with my parents or visiting other family members in other parts of the UK,â says Millie Bond.
“This Christmas, I think, will be quite different.”
âFirst of all, Christmas Day itself is quite mobile, as we are at the mercy of the weather, so if there is a day with bad weather when no one can actually do the job, it is It makes sense to move Christmas to that day and have a big Christmas dinner all together if people can’t do a lot of work anyway, âsays Millie.
Halley Station, first created in 1956, is a modular base on the 130-meter-thick Brunt Ice Shelf near the Weddell Sea. The resort is built on skis, so it can be moved as the pack ice gets closer to sea. It was here that scientists first discovered the ozone hole in the 1980s.
Temperatures at this time of year can drop well below freezing, even reaching -50 ° C in the middle of winter.
âAs for the temperature, I think today is relatively warm,â Millie told Euronews.
âIt’s -1 ° C, but since the wind is quite strong, it’s -10 ° C,â she says.
What will Christmas day be like in Antarctica?
When the crew at Halley Station celebrate Christmas, they will look traditionally British, but without any fresh ingredients.
âI think we have Christmas dishes that haven’t arrived this year, let’s say, but the chefs here are absolutely amazing and I know they’ll always make a really great meal,â Millie laughs.
âI think we’ll have turkey and Brussels sprouts, because unfortunately we don’t have any fresh vegetables at the moment. But there’s definitely some turkey that’s been here that’s been frozen for a while. I feel like I don’t make it look very appetizing but I’m really excited because the chefs here are so good!
Researchers are also expecting stuffing, sausage, bread sauce, tarts and Christmas cake.
âWe should still get most of the traditional Christmas dishes, but nothing particularly fresh unfortunately,â Millie said.
Although it was not possible to bring much of the festive luggage from home, Millie found space to pack a few items, including small gifts, an Advent calendar and Christmas cards. .
âIt will be nice to put them in my room at the base as well. “
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