* A field guide is one of the most highly skilled and varied jobs in Antarctica. From accompanying scientists on expeditions, training their colleagues to survive on the ice and fixing sledges, there's never a dull day. Polar field guides Ed Luke and Matthew Shepherd talk to Nadia about life on the ice and extreme camping. Produced in partnership with Boffin Media; cover photo by Ed Luke.
* How many people can say they've lost count of their visits to Antarctica? In this special International Women's Day episode, Professor Dame Jane Francis (Director of British Antarctic Survey) chats to Nadia about her journey into science, fossil hunting in Antarctic mud, launching the RRS with Sir David Attenborough, and leading change. Produced in partnership with Boffin Media.
* Imagine cooking for 160 with only frozen, tinned and dried food... for a whole season. We all know the stomach is the route to the heart, so the meals need to feel fresh, nourishing and varied. Chefs might have the most important job at Rothera Research Station! In this episode, Summer chef Sadhbh Moore chats to host Nadia Frontier about food sustainability, pickling and preserving, and channelling Hemsley + Hemsley. Winter Chef Katy talks about cooking with staff as the solo chef on station, her love of skiing, and the instinctive recipe adaptations that are part of being a chef in Antarctica. Produced in partnership with Boffin Media.
* Ryan talks to host Nadia Frontier about the extraordinary experience of living in Antarctica through the dark winter - the adventures, the challenges, and preparing for the arrival of the summer community. Ryan Matthews was the Marine Assistant at Rothera Research Station, where he works on scientific diving in Antarctica's icy waters, and in the on-site laboratory (The Bonner Lab). --- Produced in partnership with Boffin Media; cover photograph of Ryan Matthews by Marek Figielski.
* Stu McManus was the Winter Electrician at Rothera Research Station in 2022 - and due to unforeseen circumstances, he was the only person responsible for electrics across the season. His first Antarctic job was at King Edward Point Research Station on South Georgia. Stu talks to host Nadia Frontier about overcoming imposter syndrome, camping in the Antarctic wilderness, and how his career as an electrician has helped him travel around the world. --- In case you missed them, here's an explanation of some of the Antarctic jargon: __ VIKINGS - an accommodation block at Rothera SKY BLU - a fuel depot used to supply the aircraft carrying field parties N2 - a mountain LAGOON - an island south of Rothera DASH - the larger aircraft BAS use __
* Featuring buried festive duck, the A23a megaberg, and the mysterious 'King Neptune's Court'. What's it like to explore and study the remote frozen places where people have never been before? Nadia Frontier talks to Captain Matt Neill of the Royal Research Ship Sir David Attenborough from the Southern Ocean, and geologist and experienced Antarctic field scientist Jo Johnson.
* Featuring a missing frozen turkey, après-ski cinema, and Antarctic Secret Santa. Nadia Frontier talks to the team at Rothera Research Station about spending the festive season in Antarctica. How does this remote community make Christmas special while investigating climate change in Earth's frozen places?
This episode was conducted live from Rothera Research Station where I had the pleasure of discussing with Joe Clay, an amicable generator mechanic, and the person who made me (and most of us) laugh the most in our wintering team! I wintered with Joe from January 2022- March 2023. I thoroughly being shown the workings of the 'gen shed' and having a tour of an generator engine strewn to pieces.
This episode was conducted live from Rothera Research Station. In addition to discussing Rothera, we also explore what it's like to be a fisheries scientist at another British Antarctic Research Station, King Edward Point, located on South Georgia. I wintered with Alice Clement (Lyss) from January 2022- March 2023 in the Rothera Marine team. Lyss was originally appointed as the Winter Diving Officer. Due to a series of events, winter diving ceased at Rothera. Lyss stepped up and took on responsibilities of the Marine Assistant position in addition to maintaining diving equipment. Later episodes will focus on Rothera winter Dive officers and overwintering Marine Assistants. This episode is more about Lyss's journey into working with the British Antarctic Survey.
It's been a while since we sailed across the Atlantic and into the Southern Ocean. Welcome back to a new series of a day in the life of Rothera's work force. We will begin with a special person, close to my heart, Louis Day. Louis maintained the boating operations at Rothera Research Station during the winter. As I write, he is currently sailing towards the sub antarctic island of South Georgia to join the King Edward Point wintering team. He will continue his position as a winter boating officer, but at a different British Antarctic Survey research station, for the next 12 months. Together with the third member of the team (Alice Clement), Louis, Alice and myself worked closely together towards collecting scientific samples and maintaining a long term oceanographic time series (hear more about this in the life of a Marine Assistant episode) during the 2022 polar winter. I wish Louis the best in helping a new cohort of scientists in South Georgia during the 2023 subantarctic winter.
In this episode, the James Clark Ross facilitates a summer field season at Signy Research Station at 60° SOUTH, squeezes through the Lemaire Channel at 65° S, crosses the Antarctic Circle at 66 °33 S and finally reaches Rothera Research Station at 67° SOUTH. We catch our first glimpses of icebergs, passing seals dozing on sheet ice pass rafts of penguins darting out of the water. There are strong feels of attachment towards the ship that has been home for the last two months but alas, our new home awaits!
The voyage of the James Clark Ross continues as the ship approaches its first stop after four week at sea, South Georgia at 54° South. On the way we hear tales of humpback whales, wandering albatross and excited talks of sighting a blue whale.
The RRS, the James Clark Ross set sail from Harwich on 4th November 2020 with a group composed of the British Antarctic Survey staff and ship’s crew. It was certainly a rare opportunity for those due to take up positions in Antarctic research stations when their first two month of the job begin with being confined to a ship for eight weeks. You can find out more about Antarctic research and logistics by visiting the British Antarctic Survey's Website https://www.bas.ac.uk/ or by listening to future episodes of this podcast 🎵 I hope you enjoy this eclectic mix of short interviews. Such a voyage was an unique experience for many and stands in stark contrast to the familiarity of a casual kayak trip, or a day out on a dingy. Disclosure- I am new to podcasting and this is my first episode therefore the sound is all over the place, clipping etc. sorry if you’ve adjusted your volume many times. This is the first episode of the 2022 series.