Anyone like to see pics not from France?

[WJT]

Wow, what wonderful photos! Along with the gorgeous scenery I too love the photo of the penguin and baby seal, the photo of the cute Antarctic Explorer isn't bad either.[:)]

[Pierre ZFP]

Amazing pictures - worthy of National Geographic! I really like the penguin (can we say 'Happy Feet'? or does that earn you a one-way ticket onto the ice ;-))

Years ago a friend of mine applied for a stint with the Antartic Survey team.  Went for interviews and lots of other stuff.  Decided in the end that it wasn't for him, still, better to find that out before you get there.  It takes a special kind of person to cope with what you do I think. 

[majr]

Morning!
Thanks for the comments, glad you like the pictures. Sorry Pads, I gave the impression that everything was frozen, we do have tinned stuff too but try to keep it to essentials as there is a lot of weight in cans that need transporting back out to the Uk. Most of the food that goes out to the field and when we go on trips is dry.
You are right Pierre, it does take a special person to come down here, bonkers! Only joking, it's an incredible experience, not for everyone though. I have travelled most of my adult life including 6 years running expeditions in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and South America, I'm very much used to lifestyle kind of jobs, have hardly been home in 10 years. My little place in France will be the first thing I've owned, time to stop mucking about and find a wife!

This might be interesting to some of you, we are in the middle of a very bad storm here at the moment, happens a lot, very high winds and driving snow. 3 weeks ago we had quite a bad one and the Chef here, Ant, made a short film of what it's like. You really need to have the volume up to get the idea, it's filmed in the day but is still very dark. It shows us going out to dig snow into the melt tank for water, it's quite good!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smgGCvMTG5M&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Eteeks%2Eorg%2F
Either click on that or paste it into your browser, it's 4 mins long.
Have a good day everyone.
Mat

Link made live

[Christine Animal]

Goodness gracious !  And what sort of temperature was it at the time ?   [:'(]

Have a good day too Mat, if you can in that storm.

 

[majr]

Hi Christine, it's quite mild when the wind is strong, only around -20ish, as soon as the wind stops it can drop 20 degrees in a few hours. That film was 45-50 knots, last night the wind got up to 62, the building moves a lot!

Will post another picture or two later, the internet is too slow at the moment due to the storm.

Mat.

[Suze01]

I watched the videoclip.  It's amazing no one blew away!!

I also watched a couple of his other clips - the one of the tour inside the base was facinating - is that the one where you are?

I love your photos BTW, the penguin one is superb.

[PeterG]

Buying a place in northern France.............. One hell of a journey to nip over for a long weekend!!!!!!!!!

[Christine Animal]

Thanks to Antony, the chef's films we now know the Laws inside out !  Now know the computer room where you send your messages and the beautiful kitchen where he prepares all that good food.  Don't seem to quite understand why you need a freezer !  You even have a garage outside, it's fascinating to see.

 

[Jonzjob]

Is the site visible on Google earth Mat? If so are you able to tell us where???

[JayJay]

Really interesting thread & fantastic photos, thanks Mat. Keep it coming! It's easy to forget the people that put up with such harsh conditions to better our understanding. Stay warm!

[majr]

Hello.

Yes, the videos are from Halley, where I am now. Glad you like them, the Laws Building is the main accomodation building. Halley is on Google Earth, I'm not sure exactly what you type in but I think you put "Halley Bay Research Station- British Antarctic Survey" I think that works. I'll sort out a few more pictures, I have some more penguin ones.

Mat

[majr]

Ok here's a couple more pictures.

The first is a view of an Aurora over the whole base, it doesn't look real in the picture but this is exactly what it looks like!

[img]http://a170.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/63/l_e6bfedff7a6fa19cf0569bb12fd50eb1.jpg[/img]

This is an Emperor Penguin from last year.

[img]http://a446.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/01165/54/44/1165884445_l.jpg[/img]

This is a King again on South Georgia.

[img]http://a854.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/01551/35/84/1551144853_l.jpg[/img]

This is a Fur Seal, they can be very grumpy!

[img]http://a863.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/19/l_0597077763be35e1ed7d825982c69986.jpg[/img]

[Christine Animal]

Breathtaking !  You're more than a professional photographer Mat.

 

They are really wonderful.                             [IMG]http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a363/Bechamel/penguins.gif[/IMG]

 

[Nicos]

Hi there- great to hear from you!!

Can't find you on Google Earth or Mappy...more details perhaps???

Love the photos...keep them coming .

Brolly not much use out there I suppose!!![:-))]

[Alex H]

If you type "75 35'S,26 34'W" into Google Earth Search then a blue dot appears in a sea of white - containing 2 photos of what appears to be the Laws Building - thats all I could find[:(]

Howver more here http://www.antarctica.ac.uk/living_and_working/research_stations/halley/index.php on the base itself.

Great pictures - keep them coming!

[Christine Animal]

Thank you for that link Tandem Pilot, very interesting and plenty more photos too.  Only -33.2°C there today !

 

[majr]

Morning!

Sorry I can't help with the google earth, I type in Halley Bay Research Station- British Antarctic Survey and it whizzes straight there. There is a link to a web cam on the bas page too, in an hour or so you should see a beautiful sunrise, it's a very clear day. The temperature on the main site is always wrong, it's -36.5 right now, wind is only 5 knts and the apparent temperature, i.e. what it actually feels like is -46.7.

Mat

[Christine Animal]

The sunrise, fantastic !  It almost looks as if it's taken from a boat on the sea.

 

[majr]

Today is a special day, if the sun peeks above the horizon it will be the first sun we have seen for 105 days, winter is almost over which is great as I will be able to go home soon! In a couple of months we will be in 24hr daylight, it all moves very quickly down here!

Mat

[Pads]

Matt

Did the sun show ?

Will you do me a favour ? will you go and make me a snow man with a plaque saying "Hello Pamela and Balloo from Cornwall"  in its hands, take a photo of it and post it on here , then when my hubby rings tonight I can tell him there was a snow man saying hello to me in the antarica today and he wont beleive me . then I will email him the picture to prove it. He will be so mistified and give him a laugh as hes along way from home too.

Do you ever have snow fights and make snow men , or are you all to grown up to do things like that ? [:)]

Heres hoping Pamela

[Pads]

Couldnt find you a snow man but this is the closest thing !![:)] Just to remind you what a sunny day looks like[:)]

[IMG]http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z22/pads_03/IMG_3072.jpg[/IMG]

[majr]

[quote user="Pads"]

Matt

Did the sun show ?

Will you do me a favour ? will you go and make me a snow man with a plaque saying "Hello Pamela and Balloo from Cornwall"  in its hands, take a photo of it and post it on here , then when my hubby rings tonight I can tell him there was a snow man saying hello to me in the antarica today and he wont beleive me . then I will email him the picture to prove it. He will be so mistified and give him a laugh as hes along way from home too.

Do you ever have snow fights and make snow men , or are you all to grown up to do things like that ? [:)]

Heres hoping Pamela

[/quote]

Hi Pamela

That's a big favour! I only just got your message, give me a couple of days and I will see what I can do, making a snowman at -35 is not even a tiny bit fun!! Ha! There might be something I can do for you if I can't get a snowman, will see. Nope, the sun didn't show, maybe tomorrow.

Mat.

[majr]

WOW! I didn't see this picture, what a beautiful dog! I haven't seen green grass since the Falkland Islands over a year ago. Thanks Pamela. Let me see what I can sort out for you.

Mat

[Christine Animal]

That photo I copied from the webcam this morning on the previous page is really linked to the webcam as it keeps changing !  See you've lit the fire and got the lights on now.   [:P]

 

[Pads]

What is the time difference there ?

What do you do in the evenings ? Do you do your own thing or get together with the others to watch telly play pool ect ? How many hours aday do you work ? and are those hours adhered to or do you get up when you want and work for as long as you want ? as long as the jobs get done .

Do you work 7 days a week or do you get days off , what do you do with them ?

It must be great now with the internet , but imagine what it was like for the people before , thats being really cut off isnt it . at least you can talk to family friends , girlfriend every day now . and down load music , books ect .

My husband works away from home some times upto 6months and it use to be hard before we had the interent , now we can speak 24 hours aday its a lot better.

If Im not being to nosey.............[:$] how do you manage with relationships do you have a patience partner whos prepared to hang aound till you get home. I thought my hubby and I had a hard time , but at least I can fly to him if I need to and he could get home in an emergentcy if needed , but you couldnt do that even if you wanted to could you ?