A different perspective
Three hundred and eighty days ago, I stood on the upper deck of the RSV Nuyina as we carved our way through the ice and spied a group of colourful buildings nestled in the Antarctic landscape that make up Davis Station. Today I stand in that same place, looking at those same buildings, but this time having completed our twelve-month season in Antarctica. The view is the same, but the experience is very different.
Although the landscape remains dramatic and awe-inspiring, and still gives me that same feeling of wonder, it now also feels like home. I have shared the last twelve months with an amazing group of people; working hard, having fun and exploring the Antarctic environment, and it is an experience I will remember forever.
We have watched the landscape transform through the seasons, from the endless daylight of summer to the darkness of winter, and back again. We've experienced biting winds, bitter cold and days of remarkable stillness. We've watched the sun disappear below the horizon for weeks, celebrated its return, and marvelled at the auroras dancing overhead. And somewhere along the way, things that once seemed extraordinary became part of everyday life, although never losing their magic.
From the satisfying crunching sound the dry snow makes as you walk, to the delightful antics of the penguins going about their mysterious, but very important business, there are a million moments that will flash back to me in the coming years. There have been adventures in the field, celebrations around the dinner table, unexpected challenges and countless moments of laughter. Some of the most memorable experiences have been the simplest ones, made special by the place and the people sharing them.
There are also the connections and friendships with a group of people brought together by circumstance, who became a community and achieved incredible things. Living and working together in this isolated place has meant sharing the highs and lows, supporting each other through challenges and celebrating successes, both big and small. There is an endless supply of in-jokes, nicknames and catchphrases that will forever make me smile when I hear them.
After wrapping up the last couple of days of operations here at station, the RSV Nuyina will journey northward, carrying us home to our loved ones and the rest of our lives. In two weeks' time we will pull up to the Hobart wharf, smell the greenery, see our families and friends, and I wonder how different it will feel from the day we pulled away from it.
