You have a 'Point'

It struck me earlier this week that I hadn’t wandered around ‘The Point’ for a while. This was something I did a lot upon arriving, and enjoyed. A lovely evening was budding, so on with the boots, my timeless fluorescent orange BAS jacket; black shades; orange hat; black gloves… check check check. Go Go Go.

The evening was indeed wonderful, and it seemed that the local wildlife also agreed that it was a good night to chill out soaking in the last of the suns rays. But to be honest, every evening is ideal for the local Point residents to take it easy and relax.

I truly love penguins. They are wonderful birds. They are the only creatures I know that can be both comical and graceful simultaneously. And they really do have such different characters. There are the bold ones who will come right up to you in such a rush, the sleepy ones and the chatty “Quarking” ones. Wing flappers, self-centered constant groomers and finally the all day sleepers.

The huge variety of seals were also taking the night off, many of whom were showing off their brand new shinny coats after spending a few weeks looking very sorry for themselves, as they left massive amounts of seal fur everywhere as part of their annual molting exercise!

A Brief History of Rothera Point is as follows. John Biscoe, Master of the Tula, first sighted Adelaide Island as he was completing a circumnavigation of the continent in February 1832. However, it was not until the British Graham Land Expedition of 1934-37 that Adelaide could be confirmed as an island. Biscoe named the island after Queen Adelaide.

John Rothera and Peter Gibbs first surveyed the Point in the austral winter of 1957, and in true Antarctic style is named after the first person to set foot there. During the 1960-61 season an attempt to establish a base on the point was foiled by ice conditions in Marguerite Bay and as a compromise Adelaide station was built. In 1975, due to rapidly deteriorating surfaces at Adelaide skyway all flying operations were eventually transferred to the Rothera skyway.

By February 1976 a small hut had been built allowing four people to over winter on Rothera Point (now the ‘Chippy shop’). In 1977 the main building was constructed and an extra phase added during 1978-79. Further expansion of the base has been undertaken ever since to cater for the increase in the number of science projects and the necessary increase in personnel to accomplish them.

BAS operations at Adelaide station came to an end in 1977. Between 1977 and 1984 this station was closed but visited by BAS personnel at regular intervals. I will be making a six-day ski-doo trip down to visit the base in early April. Very excited! Anyway during the 1983-84 season the station was informally handed over to the Chilean Air Force. The Chileans formally took possession of the former Adelaide station on 14th August 1984 and renamed it Teniente Luis Carvajal.

But back to today, I steal a quick glance over my shoulder as I round the point and head back to my pit. And there’s Jenny – looking particularly radiant this evening!