Gallery from the start of the 2019-2020 season

The 2019-2020 season is off to a great start. Thanks to the hangar the BELARE team built last season at the Winter Park just 3 km form the station, it was possible to start up the vehicles stored inside and get to work immediately. We saved three days' work thanks to the new hangar!

The first order of business was to clear snow away from the entrances to the station and its technical areas, and to clean snow off of the soalr panels so they can be used to heat water and produce electricity!

Thanks to practical solutions and forward-thinking investments, we got a lot done in the first few days of the season!

More construction projects planned for this season, including a new garage. We're really looking forward to getting things done!

Departure from Cape Town in the Russian Illushyn 76 cargo plane. In less than six hours, we will be 6,400 km south of Cape Town in Antarctica! Temperature at our destination is - 25°C with a windchill of -35°C!

© International Polar Foundation
The DC 3 first flies over the PEA site before landing. One can see that snow has completely covered the back side of the ridge and the rows of sledges that contain mobile equipment that has been put in position for overwintering.

© International Polar Foundation
The station upon arrival on 5 November 2019 at 7:00 pm. Access to the technical areas of the station is blocked for the moment as snow has covered them completely during the winter.

© International Polar Foundation
The first order of business was to clean the snow out from in front of the hangar that we built last season. Inside the hangar are the excavator and tractors, which we will use to clear snow away from the station.

© International Polar Foundation
The new hangar is 3 km from the station on a blue ice field. The wind is strong there, which minimizes snow accumulation, so its easy to open the doors when we arrive!

© International Polar Foundation
The DC 3 in the background is how we reach the princess Elisabeth Station from the Russian Novo Station. The plane is equipped with skis on its landing gear since it needs to land on snow.

© International Polar Foundation
Mechanics get to work checking over a Prinoth tractor and making repairs soon after we arrive.

© International Polar Foundation
The satellite station’s location leads to a strong accumulation of snow on the northern side of the garages. It will be rebuilt this season in order to avoid this problem from now on.

© International Polar Foundation
We'll always have to clear away snow on the higher side of the station due to the turbulence caused by the wind there.

© International Polar Foundation
All this snow is pushed by the tractor towards the west, which is a huge, gently sloping plain.

© International Polar Foundation
It’s the end of the second day and already the door to the garage containing the snow melter has been cleared and the “little bull” tractor has just finished filling up the snow melter, now inside the building and safe from inclement weather.

© International Polar Foundation
It’s midnight on the day after our arrival, and already the work platform in front of the station is taking shape.

© International Polar Foundation
After only 2 days, the station is free of snow! Now we will have to install all equipment in front of the station for operations.

© International Polar Foundation
Taking advantage of the good weather, Paul replaces the solar thermal panels on the roof, which heat water produced by the snow melter.

© International Polar Foundation

Gallery from the start of the 2019-2020 season

Press Officer