I moved to... Antarctica

24-hour darkness and temperatures that can reach -89 centigrade: Daniel Edmunds describes life in the freezer

Migration is something that many people consider and some people eventually do. It opens up possibilities and ushers in new experiences. But when you move to Antarctica the experiences are out of this world. I am a Briton who did just that.

For many people the thought of moving to a country without a shop – never mind a town or city – would be enough to strike fear through their hearts and put doubt in their minds. Add to that a potentially fatal climate and you begin to see why few choose the most southerly point on the globe to relocate to. With a native population numbering nil, Antarctica is a long-term destination for scientists, researchers and skilled adventurous types looking for a real challenge.

Only the brave

Although it is possible to get here through other means, the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) accounts for the biggest influx of visitors from the UK. Joining BAS on one of the research stations is not something that should be done lightly, and the required training and preparation only goes some way to ensuring those brave enough to try are truly ready.

When I first came to the region I worked on a cruise ship, but now I call Rothera Base home. It’s the largest of the British bases, and is located on Adelaide Island, south of the Antarctic Circle. There are around 100 personnel here in the summer, but this drops to around 20 in the winter months.

During this period Antarctica is in 24-hour darkness, and recorded temperatures have reached as low as -89C in the past. If people struggle in the inhabited Arctic during winter, imagine life on a landmass dedicated to research. An entry in the BAS Rothera diary from June 2009 reveals the impact the winter has when it arrives:

"June, a pivotal month in the Antarctic. The sun, our friend, has deserted us and lies out of sight, blocked by the mountains and then even disappearing below the horizon to the north. It shows its presence though by casting colourful skies as it illuminates high, shapely clouds, tingeing them pink. Concomitant with this the temperatures also dropped this month with sub -10°C spells. The sea responded by freezing, cutting itself off from the cold world above."

Maintaining the fleet

Working primarily with a Marine Science Team, my role is Boating Officer: I am charged with overseeing the maintenance of a fleet used for various research operations. Unlike some I am stationed here for over 12 months at a time, meaning I have experienced the winter. We haven't had any severe weather since I've been here – the peninsula we are on is known as ‘the banana belt’ to the continental stations. It's only dropped to -20C for a very brief period, though to outsiders I’m sure that seems very cold.

The trick to surviving the long night when we don't get any sun is to keep to a routine. Get up at the same time every day, have breakfast, go to work and so on. I've been keeping much the same routine as I do during summer when we have sun for 24 hours a day. I didn't think I was missing the sun at all until the first time we saw it again after about four weeks. Feeling the sun on my face made me realise how much I'd missed it. 

The weather is not the only thing that makes operations here harder than they could be. We are always mindful of the wildlife that inhabits the region, but certain Antarctic natives play on our minds more than others. Regular marine visitors include Minke, Humpback and Orca whales; Crabeater, Leopard, Elephant, Antarctic Fur and Weddell seals. All are welcome other than Leopard seals and Orca whales when we're in the middle of diving operations. When they arrive we respect them enough as top predators to stop those operations.

The eternal darkness

Things have changed dramatically since the film The Thing told us to be scared of research bases (for fear of losing our minds as much as what lies in the eternal darkness of the Antarctic winter). That said there is still a potential to feel isolated after moving yourself to such a place.

Having a satellite link that can be used for the Internet and phone calls means that we aren't anything like as isolated as we were ‘back in the old days’. I don't tend to ring home often but keep in touch with people through email. I check the Guardian and BBC websites daily and download Radio 4 podcasts. When there's a Test match I can even listen to TMS. Others choose to isolate themselves much more, while some are never off the phone – the choice is really a personal one.

But that’s not enough to occupy all of the free time we have. If the weather is poor then there is a gym that I ought to visit more often than I do. We also have a TV room with DVDs and videos and a lounge with a pool table and dartboard. A lot of people down here are photographers of varying degrees of expertise so there is an informal camera club. And this year one of the mechanics is running a ‘doo school’ (riding Skidoo engines)

The Antarctic band practice

Skidoo engine lessons and workouts aside, and in addition to the photographic element, there is a surprisingly creative side to life at Rothera. We have a room full of musical equipment and a base band of which we're fairly proud. They will usually do gigs every few months, and a couple of years ago the then-base band Nunatuk took part in the Live Earth series of concerts. This year a subset of the current band took part in the World Busk organised by the charity Musequality.

For the last couple of years all the bases down here have held the 48 Film Contest. The idea is that each base has a weekend to make a film containing five specific components that aren't announced until the beginning of the competition. Then all the bases vote for the best in a number of categories.

Weather permitting, the outdoors features heavily in our activities. We can go skiing up the glacier when it’s fine, although we still have to be careful - there is a safe area marked out that’s free from crevasses. There’s also a walking route that provides stunning panoramas, though breathtaking views are not hard to find down here.

Most of the action takes place during the summer months, and things get surprisingly hectic. During this time I also cover the aircraft whilst they’re landing and taking-off, cart scientists and VIPs to and from the islands in Ryder Bay and run recreational trips out for other base staff.

To many people it would seem crazy to move out here, and perhaps it is. It’s important to remember though that whilst it isn’t a permanent move, it is one that will stay with you permanently. Not for the faint-hearted, if you want a real culture shock then this might be for you. After all, you don’t get many places that are so different from the UK.

To find out more about the British Antarctic Survey, visit www.antarctica.ac.uk