• Ski-dooing

  • Brian making it look effortless

  • James taking one of many falls

  • Halley BBQ

  • Inside the centre module of the new Halley base

All Work and No Play

The build is continuing and some of the module interiors are really taking shape, with rooms, stairs and kitchens all going in.

Inside the centre module of the new Halley base

It has to be remembered that for some of the workforce there is time in the evenings and on a Sunday to relax and enjoy the surroundings. The leisure activities include walking, running, x-country skiing, kite boarding and skiing, and being dragged behind a skidoo on skis. Yes, you’re right it looks dangerous and I’m surprised it’s not banned with the prospect of injury quite high.

Ski-dooing

I have found that the technique for x-country skiing bears no resemblance to ski-mountaineering on wider skis with edges and skins, and some of us have picked it up better than others. James, who sees himself as a bit of an all round sportsman had a bruising tour of the perimeter, but like all of us is determined to improve. Brian, who has been doing it for years makes it look effortless.

James taking one of many falls
Brian making it look effortless

We have also had a BBQ for New Year, which although chilly was ok after a few beers!!

Halley BBQ

Series - Antarctic Painting

  1. Polar Painting
  2. Journey South
  3. The Journey Continues; Iceberg Ahoy!
  4. Ice Ice Baby
  5. The Weddell Sea
  6. Nearly there!!
  7. Halley 6 : On The Ice
  8. All Work and No Play
  9. Different Shades of Grey
  10. Racing Penguin
  11. The Move Begins
  12. Moving Postcard from Antarctica
  13. Winter approaches
  14. The Halley Marathon
  15. The Final Week
  16. The Journey North
  17. Antarctic Painting – Year 3
  18. Antarctic Demolition

13 thoughts on “All Work and No Play”

  1. I think the thing in the background is cloud, although we do occassionally get mirages of the cliffs at the edge of the ice shelf. The Ice shelf is really flat, infact the only undulations are caused by the windtails of blown snow behind the buildings and containers etc. If we weren’t here, it would be completely flat……… 😯
    The one consolation is that it a BIG sky, which can be pretty impressive in its own right 🙂

    1. Talking of the BIG sky, I suppose there’s no chance of seeing an aurora as it’s 24hr daylight at this time of year isn’t it. But, will there be any night before you leave and therefore some chance to see the Aurora Australis?

  2. Hey Grim, good to hear from you.
    Any chance of some peguin video? The one in the photo appears to be doing a Micheal Jackson moonwalk and I reckon you could get a bit of cash from the BBC Natural History Unit if you got it on film…

    Keep warm, keep safe…

    & P.S. X-country skiing? How hard can it be?! 😉

  3. Great pictures, Ian, and you’ll be guarant :freeze: eed a long series of talks to W.I.s, etc. for months. It must be a strange type of paint, to dry in such low temperatures – or is it strange??

  4. Hi Ian, great pictures! I gave up trying to invent a heated paint brush for you, so hope the paint’s still flowing. How about fitting temp sensors to penguin’s feet…we need to know the truth!

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