Celebrating the festive season in Antarctica
Researchers, engineers and support staff at British Antarctic Survey’s (BAS) five UK research stations and aboard the UK’s polar research ship RRS Sir David Attenborough mark the festive season at the bottom of the world – where a white Christmas is guaranteed!
While most of us gather around the dinner table with family for the holidays, nearly 300 people from BAS will be celebrating the festive season over 8,000 miles from the UK. They’ll be surrounded by penguins, icebergs and 24-hour daylight on the Earth’s southernmost continent.
Scientists, engineers and support staff at the UK’s five Antarctic research stations – Rothera, King Edward Point, Bird Island, Signy and Halley – along with crew and teams aboard the RRS Sir David Attenborough, are swapping turkey and crackers at home for a unique Christmas experience in one of the world’s most extreme environments.
Despite being thousands of miles from loved ones, teams are determined to bring festive cheer to the ice.
Halley Research Station – the UK’s most southerly station at 75 degrees south
At Halley Research Station, perched on the floating Brunt Ice Shelf, the team will mark Christmas in perpetual daylight. They’ll be celebrating in an ice cave built by the team, competing in a fun run, watching films and putting up as many Christmas decorations as they can, along with flags from other nations.
Station Leader Dan McKenzie described what Christmas is like at Halley VI:
“Because we’re a summer-only station, we don’t have a midwinter celebration, so Christmas is the main focal point for us right in the middle of our busiest period.
“I know that everyone misses home, family, friends, pets and the rest, because I do too. So, we put a lot of effort into making it feel like home, and making it feel like we are with family. It’s a big part of the season here and a time we can really savour being in such an awe-inspiring place all together with a passionate and fun group of people.”
Rothera Research Station – the UK’s largest station
At Rothera Research Station on Adelaide Island, December marks the busiest time of year. As the UK’s largest research station, around 150 people will come together for festive celebrations alongside the vital research and operations in the deep field. For many people, it’s work as normal but the festivities will include a pre-Christmas quiz, and time together decorating the station. On the day, there will be a Secret Santa, a festive Park Run and a big Christmas dinner prepared by the small team of chefs.
Station leader Aurelia Reichardt said:
“We are having a very busy season with science, operational delivery and construction continuing on station. Christmas day is an important time to pause, celebrate as a community and have time to catch up with family. Even if some teams still need to work, we will come together for a special meal.”
Bird Island Research Station – the UK’s smallest year-round station
Christmas falls at a busy time of year for Bird Island Research Station. After a hearty yuletide brunch, the team of six zoological field assistants will head out to do their daily rounds. They’ll be checking and monitoring skua and mollymawk chicks, wandering albatross eggs and fur seals. Back on station, with Christmas tunes blaring, the rest of the team will prepare a festive feast. Once they’ve tackled the mountain of washing up, it’s present time and the team’s Secret Santa creations will be revealed. They’ll finish the day off with games and a Christmas film.
King Edward Point Research Station – the UK’s research station that supports sustainable fishing
Meanwhile, at King Edward Point on South Georgia, the team will celebrate amidst the island’s spectacular colony of king penguins.
Signy Research Station – the UK’s smallest summer-only research station
At our smallest research station, Signy, the team will be decorating, putting a tree up and, on Christmas Eve, enjoying a mulled wine on the decking in front of the station. The Station Leader will cook up a Christmas dinner, while the rest of the team head out for a hike. They’ll finish the celebrations with some Christmas cake baked and nurtured by the station’s Zoological Field Assistant.
Signy Research Station Leader Sarah Clark said:
“There are only six of us on this very small station, so it’s like a little family. We all have family, friends and traditions at home that we miss, but we’ll be introducing some Christmas cheer alongside checking on the breeding penguin colonies!”
The UK’s polar research ship RRS Sir David Attenborough – festivities at sea
The crew of the RRS Sir David Attenborough – Britain’s state-of-the-art polar research vessel – will celebrate while navigating Antarctic waters. In the lead up to Christmas, they’re hoping to join the team from King Edward Point for a carol service at the church at Grytviken, South Georgia, followed by mince pies and mulled wine.
The day itself will usually involve a late brunch, and then it’s all hands to the deck to get the vegetables prepared for Christmas dinner. After lunch, everyone on board gathers in the Lounge to exchange Secret Santa gifts. However, there are always members of the crew who have to work – the catering team, the deck officers driving the ship and the on-call engineers.
Science on the ice – Christmas under canvas in –25ºC
For a team of 12 intrepid researchers, engineers and field guides, they’ll be celebrating the festive season under the canvas. They’re spending four months in the deep field, drilling ice cores that will help us predict our future climate. The work carries on 24-hours a day, with the team working in two 12-hour shifts. In between the hard work, the team hope to find a moment to mark the occasion, and swap out drill suits for a Christmas jumper.
As well as a festive tipple, there’ll be a couple of presents to unwrap that have been stowed at the bottom of bags from loved ones back home. There’s even been talk of a game of cricket.
Supporting science and operations
The people spending Christmas in Antarctica maintain year-round scientific programmes that are crucial to understanding climate change, monitoring wildlife populations and advancing our knowledge of this pristine wilderness and how it is changing. Their passion and dedication ensures that vital research continues uninterrupted, even during the festive season.
Foreign Office Minister, Stephen Doughty MP said:
“The festive season is a time when many of us gather with loved ones, but for some researchers with the British Antarctic Survey, Christmas looks very different. They’ll be thousands of miles from home, working together in one of the most remote places on Earth to carry out vital climate research.
Climate change affects our weather, food systems, and water supplies here in the UK. That’s why the UK government proudly supports these dedicated polar scientists all year round, helping them push the boundaries of knowledge and protect our planet for future generations.”
BAS can offer live broadcast interviews from Antarctica. For interview opportunities with personnel at any of the five research stations or aboard RRS Sir David Attenborough about their Antarctic festive experience, please contact press@bas.ac.uk by Friday 19 December.