On the ice for the Summer

Leading Steward Bonnie Allott is a month into her deployment to Scott Base, working as a tri-services communicator in a team of four.

It’s only minus-5 degrees C, you don’t need too many layers.

To the average person, that might sound nonsensical. But a few weeks into an Antarctic deployment brings a lot of acclimatisation, said Leading Steward Bonnie Allott.

Leading Steward Allott is a month into her deployment to Scott Base, working as a tri-services communicator in a team of four.

“This will be my home for the next few months,” she said. “I’m surrounded by vast plains of snow and ice, broken into sea ice and ice shelves, with seals, emperor penguins, ice caves, glaciers and isolated man-made shelters from a time long ago. I’m as far south from Auckland as you can get.”

She works with a Navy engineer, an Army medic, and a safety and surface technician from the Royal New Zealand Air Force.

“None of us are communications by trade, but we jumped at the chance to be New Zealand’s voice down on the ice. There is a NZDF contingent of nine at Scott Base and every year, logistics support, communicators and plant operators are supplied to supplement the civilians that work here.”

Her journey started in early September with four weeks of training. It included an Antarctic Awareness programme and a week’s fire training with Fire and Emergency New Zealand.

After an initial delay to Antarctic flights due to storms, they finally arrived. Two weeks behind schedule, the team was in the thick of it, said Leading Steward Allott.

“Life is certainly different in Antarctica,” she said. “Sunlight shines through the windows 24/7, static shocks become an accustomed part of the day and time tends to slip away from you with the days rolling into one — the shift work contributes to that.

“So far in the few weeks I’ve been here I’ve come face to face with emperor penguins, hung out with the seals who occupy our front door step, visited two historic Antarctic huts, explored ice caves in a glacier tongue, climbed rugged Antarctic hills and made the 3km trip to visit our American neighbours at McMurdo station.”

Operation Antarctica deploys around 200 Defence Force personnel for the summer. Leading Steward Allott said she’s glad she put herself forward.

“I’ve definitely learnt in the last few weeks that there are opportunities here you wouldn’t find anywhere else.”