Christmas at Cape Royds
The Trust’s on-Ice conservation team spent Christmas Day at Cape Royds, the site of Shackleton’s Nimrod hut. Lizzie Meek, Trust Collections Conservation Manager, tell us what Christmas in Antarctica was like for the team.
Dreaming of a white Christmas? People often ask us that when we tell them we’ll be in Antarctica for Christmas. Surprisingly, snow at Christmas here is not that common at the height of the austral summer.
But this Christmas was different – snow arrived Christmas Eve, and so did Santa! It was fantastic to have a day off for Christmas, the team all enjoyed a much-deserved sleep in before getting up for coffee, brunch and presents. One of the day’s highlights was a walk up the coast in the sunshine for a bit of iceberg spotting, and much to our delight, some Adelie penguins swimming in the calm water off the beach. They are so graceful when seen swimming underwater, and endlessly entertaining to watch as they attempt, fail or succeed to leap out onto an iceberg. About the only thing that could top that was the other Christmas highlight – a Christmas steamed pudding made by Lead Heritage Carpenter Zack Bennett’s mum – thanks Jill!
