The weekend at last!

It is now Saturday morning, just after 8am, and I'm surprised that I woke early today after last night! The BAS team decided to have a barbecue and a ceilidh in one of the buildings at Grytviken and we all gathered at around 6.30pm for 3 different stews (cooked earlier and heated up on the fire) and rice, mulled wine and punch - ghurka stew, chicken and chickpea tagine and chilli con carne - which we ate standing round the fire in the cold wind. The musicians went in to tune up so a few of us less hardy mortals ate inside, listening to the music. At around 8pm the ceilidh started. Jon called the dances, explaining the steps, and it was so funny watching them all crashing about till they got the idea. Unfortunately I couldn't join in (more later) and reckon I had the best entertainment sitting watching. The dances were performed with great skill and enthusiasm (and by Richie and Tommy with much leaping and bounding!) and by the end of the evening I was exhausted from laughing so much. Thanks to Rob and George, the fiddlers, on fiddles they had made themselves, and to Jon on bhodran (? - celtic drum - no Lynsey, not the tambourine!!), and George also played on his home-made digeridoo. VERY talented young men. I walked back round to KEP with Ruth and Keiran with one headtorch between us - and it's not easy spotting grey/black fur seals in the darkness. Fortunately we didn't step on any and none jumped out at us.

Now back to Wednesday night. We went down to see the elephant seal weaners at the jetty - large grey torpedoes of cuteness, and sat with our wellies in the water whilst they carefully sniffed and chewed at our boots. There is a minimum 5 metre rule for approaching wildlife here, but we can't help it if THEY come up to us!!! They spent ages peering at us with their lovely large round watery eyes, rolling round on their backs, splashing us with their back flippers - it was such lovely interaction with very wild creatures. The weaners eventually got bored with us and swam off so we walked along the beach, and suddenly a young male fur seal shot out of the water and chased us. I panicked and ran, and tripped over, but he was chased off by one of the others who saved me from being bitten! We stopped off for a drink and a natter before heading back to our home in Larsen House, by which time my knee was very painful, and when I checked it was very swollen. I went to bed but couldn't bear the weight of the duvet on my knee and it was painful all night and kept me awake. I was really worried I might have done something really bad to it and was terrified that it would mean the end of my stay here on South Georgia. In the morning I asked the doctor to have a look at it, and she said there was nothing broken, no infection etc., so gave me painkillers and a painkilling gel to rub on, and I went back to bed to sleep and rest it. I got up later to hobble around - the paracetamol made it possible!, and Ruth called round to say we had been invited for supper on the cruise ship "Vavilov" - I had missed seeing all the passengers in the Museum and shop that afternoon - and as I wanted to see the presentation some of the scientists were giving on board and also Ruth's fundraising talk, I dosed myself up and hobbled down to the boatshed to be fitted for a boat suit. This is a thick, warm, waterproof suit with wellies on the end of the legs which I had to struggle into + lifejacket, and fortunately the BAS people almost lifted me off the jetty into the Zodiac for the trip out to the ship, and out again when we got there - poor old dear! We had to mingle with the passengers (99 of them) and then joined them for their Thanksgiving supper, before gathering in the bar for the presentations. I now know all about the Antarctic food chain - algae, phytoplankton, zooplankton, krill, fish, penguins, seals etc., and how they check their diets by looking at stomach contents and (I hope you are not eating ...) poo! More mingling, then back into my boatsuit and into the Zodiac and home. More paracetamol, then a good night's sleep!

I walked on my own round to the Museum (about 3/4 of a mile) and swept and mopped all the floors in readiness for the next ship on Monday in penance for having the day before off sick. Made soup for lunch while I was eating my breakfast in Larsen House, so we had that with the bread we make in the Museum every morning, did more work in the Museum, then walked back to KEP to get ready for the ceilidh.

Sorry if I have confused you by jumping from one day to the next. Today I'm going to take it easy although my knee is just about better, just a little wobbly. Lynsey and I are going to make Scottish tablet as we found a big stash of condensed milk in the food store and have a birthday present to produce! Last night at the ceilidh Paula brought in a lovely chocolate cake for one of the men's birthdays - she had made chocolate fudge frosting to go on top and had put it in a pot in the fridge, but one of the other scientists had been clearing out the fridge and thought it was some old sauce from a few nights before and poured it down the sink ... thinking at the time, mmmm - that smells like chocolate!!! I'd made some of my chocolate spread/sauce for Ruth earlier in the week, and when Paula went to see her in distress about the lost frosting Ruth gave her the choc spread so the cake was saved!

Another glorious day in paradise

Today the clouds are low over the mountains and it is raining gently, but a yesterday was really stunning - bright blue sky, hot bright sun, and gentle breeze. The bright contrast between the white buildings and their red roofs, the turquoisey blue sea, the green of the tussock was so vivid it almost hurt your eyes - might have actually done that as we are directly under the hole in the ozone layer so have to be really careful about sun exposure - no bikini for me then! No swimming either, with the temperature of the water and all those fur and elephant seals around.
My first job was helping to stain the steps leading up to the Museum front door, then I decided to try and shake the huge coconut mats in the porch there, but they were far too heavy, so I put them over a fence and tried to beat the dust out with a large piece of wood. A heap of fine grit appeared below them, and the fine grey dust blew all over me, but there was no chance of getting it all out so I put them back in place and hoovered them well. (Gripping stuff, this!)

In the afternoon I helped prepare envelopes for sending out certificates to people who had paid £90 to sponsor one hectare of land for rat eradication - the rats in some areas of South Georgia eat the eggs and the young of the ground nesting birds (which is all of the species who breed here ... no trees on South Georgia!!) and are a huge environmental problem. The rats were brought onto the islands here by the whaling ships early last century. In the New Year there is a programme of rat eradication beginning, with helicopters dropping bait to get rid of this huge problem.

It was my turn to cook yesterday. I generally cook EVERYTHING at 180degC for 2 hours, so it was a bit of a challenge for me. Also, we eat when it is ready - whatever time that is - and Ewan and Katie used to say they came for meals when the smoke alarm went off!! I made potato wedges and roasted them in the oven, grilled gammon steaks, and we had grilled asparagus and tomatoes and rock hard peas (not my fault!) I forgot the pineapple rings on top, so we just had to have them with ice cream for pudding afterwards. The rule here is that whoever cooks doesn't wash up, so I had a rest before going across to the BAS bar for a drink and a natter. I was tired (all that beating this morning!) so didn't stay long, but it is lovely to spend time with all those great young folk chatting and teasing one another. They are a funny lot!

Settling In

I arrived here only four days ago and have been so busy ever since. But very happily so! I now know my way around the Museum, have dealt with customers in the shop, know where most things are on the base where the Museum staff live (KEP) and am getting quite used to the fur seals - they are very fierce if you get too close, and have only just started coming ashore to breed and are still in low numbers. Apparently the place will be crowded with fur seals before too long, huge big males, very fierce and protective mothers, and tiny pups (who are aggressive from the word go!)
My first task in the Museum was to spring clean two of the rooms and exhibits, with a couple more to do this coming week. It gives me a good chance to look around at all the exhibits and get to know a lot more about Grytviken and its history. It is lovely to see photographs of old friends and people I worked with in the British Antarctic Survey in Cambridge in the '70s - Nigel Bonner, Peter Prince, Inigo Everson, Duncan Carse, Sir Vivian Fuchs and lots of others - a real nostalgia trip for me.
Every Saturday night there is a big meal at the BAS base at KEP, to which all the 'residents' on the island are invited. This week it was the turn of the Museum staff to cook a meal and we chose to do a 'carvery', with three different roasts, lots of veggies, and puddings. Tony (Museum manager), Julia (the other Museum assistant like me) and Hugh (who maintains everything in and around the Museum) prepared the meat and all the vegetables, and Lindsey (curatorial assistant) and I made two different crumbles (and custard) and two big trifles. No trifle sponges in the big food store, so I had to make the sponges (and we had enough left over to make a small Victoria sandwich cake for afternoon tea with raspberry jam and butter cream ... mmm!) Everyone dressed up for dinner in the base dining room, lots of posh glasses on the table and wine, and the food was soon enjoyed and demolished, and we all retired to the bar except the washer-uppers. They are all really friendly here and do everything they can to help when I am lost, or can't find something or need to find out anything!! There are about 30 people here, including the new incoming scientists and staff for the next year, but after a couple of weeks' handover some of the 'old' ones will be leaving and numbers will be greatly reduced. That's a shame when people like me are just getting to know them!
The food store is wonderful. Imagine being let loose in a small Tesco store, with a basket, and being able to help yourself! Of course it has to last the year so we can't go crazy, and things like chocolate and crisps are rationed (the base doctor has responsibility for handing them out!!), but there is a mind-boggling choice of foods to use. It is my turn to cook for the Museum staff (only 5 of us, thank goodness!) on Tuesday so I'm trying to think up something impressive to cook - but might start off simply with my favourite - shepherd's pie. We only have a certain amount of fresh veg at any one time, so I'll have to use Smash for the potato topping!
As it is Sunday, most people have gone off walking in the hills around KEP and Grytviken. I needed to download my photos from my cameras and catch up with lots of bits and pieces (still sorting myself out) and do some laundry, but I'm just about to go out with a picnic and my camera to walk round the base and take photos of all those beautiful animals out there. I'll sit quietly somewhere and just soak it all in. This is South Georgia to me - the wild snow-capped mountains surrounding the bay here, and the amazing wildlife living so closely to us. It is not quiet here, with the sound of the seals and seabirds, the waves and the wind, but it is so very peaceful.

South Georgia at last!

No posts for a while (sorry!) as I had great connection problems in the Falklands, and then the long ship journey, but I have arrived at King Edward Point/Grytviken after four glorious days at sea (instead of the five gruesome days I was expecting!) The weather was perfect, just a gentle roll of the ship that only served to help me sleep so soundly at night! Sunshine and blue sky all the way - it was amazing. Stopped just off Bird Island to drop off a scientist, fresh eggs, fruit and veg, and their mail, so I had a long distance look at where Ewan spent the last 30 months. We then steamed halfway along the northern coast of South Georgia and into Cumberland Bay to King Edward Point, the British Antarctic Survey base which is where I will be living for the next four months. The scenery was stunning - conditions were so good - and the wildlife amazing. Saw near Bird Island a humpback whale and calf, and later the blow of another whale - probably a minke. Everyone on the ship has been so kind and friendly and I was sad to get off, but even before I did, a man from the base (Hugh) rushed on and gave me a big hug and said "that's from Ewan!!" and then helped me get all my stuff to our accommodation. It has all been a bit of a whirl and I'm really tired now, but wanted to get something written. Everyone here is lovely too, and so helpful, and my head is in a whirl with all the people and places I have to remember, so I'll have to finish this tomorrow. I feel a bit as if I've been dropped off at a new boarding school, but it is very exciting. The views from our 'house' are stunning, there is a large group of king penguins right outside the kitchen window, and there are seals all around us ... bliss!

A grand day out

Mid-morning, Ailsa took me out for a drive around the northern part of East Falkland. Last time I did this (with Chris in 1980/81) there were no roads, just tracks across the land, over grass, rocks, bog - but after the 'conflict' (Falklands War) new gravel roads were built making most journeys much quicker. We visited three settlements - Johnsons Harbour, Port Louis and Green Patch, and called in to see some of Ailsa's friends in all three. To an outsider their lives seem incredibly hard and I don't think I could cope as well as they do, even though I would love to live down here. But the sense of community is great and they all help each other when help is needed. I had forgotten just how remote the Falklands are. Imagine something in your house breaking down and having to order a new part from the UK which then has to come down by ship. Everyone is resourceful here - old things are kept for spares and nothing is wasted. It is a truly green society. In the UK we just chuck things away and trot along to the shops to buy a new one. What a horribly wasteful way to live.
This is a photo of Estancia - the lovely cosy house is centre right and the big green shearing shed is centre left. In the foreground and background is the pasture for their sheep and cows and you can see in the distance the peat banks for their fuel. The tidal water beside the farm is actually 23 miles from the open sea.
We're off to the bright lights of Stanley tomorrow ... how will I cope?!

Snow and sunshine

So hot when I went to bed last night I turned off the radiator in my bedroom - woke up early a bit cold, looked out of my window to see a covering of snow - brrrr! Heavy snow showers now alternating with bright sun and blue skies! Ailsa is going to take me out for a drive in a while, but until then we are staying indoors in the warm!

If you want to see where I will be living on South Georgia, and information on King Edward Point, look at:

http://www.antarctica.ac.uk/living_and_working/research_stations/king_edward_point/index.php#Location

The museum staff (and 3 builders) are living in Larsen House.

The builders are working on museum living accommodation round at Grytviken, beside the Museum, and once that is finished we will probably be moving there.

Beautiful day!

I don't think you can beat a lovely sunny day in the Falkland Islands anywhere else on Earth! Still breezy, but that just means the Proven wind generator is spinning frantically, and the washing dries quickly. It is lovely that they can get all their heat and light here with peat and wind. I haven't been doing much, just helping out where I can. The three farm dogs were off their chains today so I've been able to talk to them - it is so good getting my hands on a collie or two again! There have been a few visitors here today so it has been good getting to know a few more folk. This is such a lovely place!

A Falkland Islands traffic jam. The shorn sheep being returned to their field.

Ailsa and Tony's sheep farm is over 13,000 acres and they have 1,900 sheep - all farmed by just themselves.

Today we have had a quiet restful day, Ailsa baked 3 lots of biscuits, a chocolate cake, chocolate brownies, and a tray of flapjack this morning. I was chief washer-upper. I went for a short walk up to the gate on the road but it was windy and cold so I rushed back into the warm house.

Sheepy day

I woke up at 6.15am to the sound of the generator going for the men to start shearing in the big shed. Ailsa had said I was to lie in and get up when I'd had enough sleep, but as they are 3 hours behind GMT (so 9.15am at home) I felt fine, so got up and showered, and then had breakfast with them all when they came in for a break.

I went out to 'help' with the shearing - just did whatever I could to help out. Did a bit of fleece sorting on the big table, pulling off any stained fleece, before rolling up and putting into wool sack. The wool is fantastic, so fine, and I chose a few fleeces to take to South Georgia with me to spin and look forward to working with such lovely fleece. Two shearers clipped 300 sheep - they dragged these huge sheep in, clipped them, and then pushed tiny ones out down the chute! They have such huge fleeces on them.

We then had to drive the sheep along the road back to their field, probably over a mile, with one Landrover in front and one behind.

You can't imagine just how quiet it is here. I love the isolation, the smell of peat smoke from the kitchen range, the wind generator whizzing round, the sound of the sheep. It is lovely to be back in the Falkland Island again after seven years, with old friends.

Long journey

Train from Aberdeen to Oxford on Thursday ... 10 hours, flight from Brize Norton to the Falkland Islands on Friday ... 18 hours. Flew with Air Seychelles (courtesy of the RAF!) and had my summer holiday during 1.5 hour stopover on Ascension Island, a balmy 26deg C with palm trees and bouganvillea. So relieved to arrive at Mount Pleasant Airport outside Stanly in the Falkland Islands and meet up with Ailsa who took me to their home - Estancia - a sheep station about half an hour's drive out of Stanley. I was shattered and crumpled from the long journey and it was great to sit and relax in their lovely cosy home and catch up with all the news, drink a big glass of cold spring water then go to bed!

Nearly there!

Twenty-four hours before I set off on my big adventure. Very excited, but also very nervous - for so many years I have been the anchor at home whilst my family have ventured away on very long trips, I still can't believe this is my turn! I've got lots to do today - finish my packing, charge up cameras, netbook and toothbrush, burn copies of my favourite CDs, and tidy up the chaos I have left around me. I'd better go and get on ...