After all the wildlife and landscape photos, this post will be a little different. Base W, which I have mentioned before in a few blogs, is a British Scientific Base that was used during the International Geophysical Year by the British Antarctic Survey. It was subsequently abandoned due to conditions that didn’t allow for supply ships to reach it for two years in a row and is now a Historic Site and Monument. Today it’s preserved as it was then – the freezing Antarctic temperatures slow the rate of decay immensely – so we can get a glimpse into what life was like for polar scientific researchers back then! It’s a seriously fascinating subject for me, being passionate about both science, history, and Antarctica.

When the men left, they took only the most important things with them on dog-sleds. So left behind are things that were too heavy – like radio equipment and a washing machine, or unnecessary – like excess food, clothing, and recreational activity (as well as a few bottles of alcohol!). Base W has been cleaned up and restored and is maintained by the Antarctic Heritage Trust of the United Kingdom, who exist to preserve and promote engagement with Antarctic history. 

What I loved the most was seeing all the field notes and photographs that were left behind. All hand-drawn and written meteorological charts, stacks of equipment lists that were typewritten, boxes of old ink and photographic paper. They made meteorological observations every three hours, and sent them to Britain via the Falkland Islands using Morse code.   

The base was built for around eight to ten people, and its purpose was to carry out geological and meteorological surveying. You can find out more about it and other British IGY bases here.

All the food that was left behind has…matured. The glass bottles of Heinz Mayonnaise are a little terrifying, but most of the rest is in cans, which have just rusted a bit.

It’s interesting to see how some things have changed, and some things haven’t. It’s been 56 years since Base W was abandoned, and technology has progressed a lot, but board games are pretty much the same! 

I really enjoyed walking through Base W and getting a feel for what life must have been like for Antarctic researchers in the 1950’s. It’s a time capsule, and will only get more precious as time goes on.