Work and Leisure at PEA

Take a look into the lives of station staff both when they're hard at work and when they're enjoying their leisure time!

Engineer Nicolas Herinckx upgrades the Programable Logic Controller, the brain of the station with new components.

© International Polar Foundation
Meachanic Yann Perillot is pecialized in Prinoth tractors. Here, he's doing maintenance of the Hilux pickup trucks equipped with caterpillar tracks that can handle any Antarctic terrain or conditions.

© International Polar Foundation
Yohan De Muylder checks the stock of batteries available to equip mobile power units or living containers equipped with solar panels.

© International Polar Foundation
Plumber Bernard Polet and his son Simeon are working with a series of filters to concentrate the organic matter collected at the end of the water treatment system. With the help of Timothée Stassin, the next step will be to dispose the organic waste on a newly installed dryer to reduce volume and weight for storage and repatriation to a waste treatment facility.

© International Polar Foundation
The south annex of the station will soon host a brand new water treatment system unit better adapted to the station's current needs. Carpenter and field guide Paul Dudas insulates new a compartment to build a laboratory.

© International Polar Foundation
The new water treatment system's bioreactor will be higher than the annex's ceiling, so it was necessary to put in a vertical extension to the room. Tom Sage-Segard and Paul Herman work on "raising the roof."

© International Polar Foundation
The technical lab of the new water treatment unit is quickly taking shape. The room will be ready on time for the assembly of the new system during next year's BELARE expedition.

© International Polar Foundation
All that work deserves a bit of relaxation! On the evening of December 31st 2021 the team had a festive time where our two cooks Thomas Duconseille and Christine Mattel treated the crew and scientists with an excellent New Year's Eve Dinner!

© International Polar Foundation
During their stay at the station, it is a tradition that the scientists explain to the IPF crew and other scientists what their work is about. Here, Andy Delcloo (RMI) is presenting his work for the BELSPO-financed CLIMB project

© International Polar Foundation
The south annex of the station hosts a fully-equipped gym where people can do any kind of physical exercise from lifting weights, rowing, running or even rock climbing to stay in shape!

© International Polar Foundation
When the wind blows in Antarctica, we need to shelter anything that can be protected. For the past weeks, we've been experiencing heavy snowfall and wind at PEA. Each time it happens, we collect all the skidoos in the garage.

© International Polar Foundation