Mid Winter Starts Here!

Wow. It's the last Friday at work before we take a week's break to celebrate the Antarctic equivilent of Christmas, Mid-Winter. The Solstice is the major celebration down here for two reasons: 1, Christmas propper falls right at the start of relief operations, when most people are working 12h shifts leaving little time or inclination to party. 2. In keeping with the early Pagan festivals borrowed by the Christian Church, it also marks the end of dark period and a gradual return of the sun. After almost two weeks without kiting, this will be a good thing!



Midday sun light

After a week of total cloud cover and pitch black, I was surprised to see a solid orange glow in the sky at lunchtime. There was enough contrast to kite by, but saddly there was to little wind and it was a bit cold (-39C). But from this time next week, it can only bet brighter!


DJ Pingu takes the stage

Right now we're finishing off the week's work and preparing the Simpson platform for guests to arrive to kick off the holidays with an office party. Ant's provided excellent nibbles as an outside caterer, the girls have put up the decorations, Tom's made a Christmas tree and I'm hiding the photocopier out of harm's way.

Roll on the holiday!