At the moment we have around 80 residents at Rothera Station. With the ship coming in two times in the last month, two Dash 7 flights and numerous field parties coming back in we have a constant turn over of people.

As you can see from the picture with in a 1km radius there is a boatshed, wharf, hanger, runway, apron, fuel farm, accomodation blocks, garage, electrictian, carpenters, docter, science lab, mountaineering equipment store, sewage treatment plant, library, laundry, gym, post office, shop, IT department, darkroom, sauna, music studio, bar, movie theatre… etc. So basically anything you might want or need.

The station sits on Adelaide Island to the west of the Antarctic Peninsula. Temperatures have risen to +7C in the summer and drop to -20C in the winter. In an average year gale force winds are recorded for 70 days with snow or sleet 200 days a year. It very very occasionally rains otherwise it is a very dry environment. Sunshine averages at 1100 hours per year.

After John Rothera and Peter Gibbs surveyed the point in 1957 working form the UK Horseshoe Island Base there was an attempt to establish a base in 1960/61. Due to sea ice this didn’t happen so a station was established at the southern tip of Adelaide which remained in use until 1977 when it was made into a Chilean Base.

In 1975 the skiway up at Vals was used by BAS aircraft and the first building was erected with four people overwintering in 1976. This building is now the joiners workshop. In 1977 Old Bramsfield was erected and it served as the main building until 2007/2008 when new Bramsfield was opened.

At the start of the 1990’s the gravel runway was built up to this point everything had come in by ship making stays at base a lot longer than currently! The runway enabled a direct air link to and from the Falklands and the Dash 7 was purchased for this purpose. Also the fuel farm and Biscoe Wharf was constructed allowing ships to moor at the station and easier unloading of relief.

The last sledge dogs were removed from base in 1993 in accordance with the Antarctic Treaty. They had been replaced by skidoos for a number of years – the dogs were for recreational trips. The last two teams were Admiral and Giants hence the naming of the two accomdation blocks. In 1996-97 the Bonner Lab and Giants were built. In 99/2001 Admirals was built which is where I live it is a really comfortable accomodation block with two beds per room every room is en suite and has a window.