Scotland and the Antarctic

Section 7: The legacy of Bruce ... British Antarctic Survey

Working for the British Antarctic Survey

Every year the personnel changes at BAS bases. Some people only go south for the Antarctic summer, others overwinter and some may stay for a second or third year. Most of the people working for the BAS have certain skills - builders, cooks, doctors, diesel mechanics, radio operators, meteorologists, divers, research scientists, field assistants (with mountaineering skills, navigation skills, the ability to ski). All help with unloading stores, washing up and cooking in the kitchen on the cook's day off.

There are other ways of going south - for example as a tourist - but this can be very expensive, whereas workers for the BAS get paid. Since the 1970s women have also been employed by the BAS.

There are 185 scientists out of a staff of 425 working for the BAS in the Antarctic summer.

Scientist surveying at Port Lockroy with GPS and laptop computer.
The Adelie penguins later came up and pecked the keyboard.