Live From Antarctica: Wednesday 24 December

This afternoon the weather changed completely within the space of 20 minutes. Even though we know very well that's how the weather is here, it's still impressive to witness. First there's a strong wind, then it becomes overcast with reduced visibility, then the wind dies down and the temperature suddenly rises to a more comfortable level...and then BAM! Violent winds attack the wind turbines. The worksite foreman recruited two guys from Laborelec to help put up two more wind turbines toady. The landscape around that station is taking shape nicely

At base camp, Christmas Eve festivities are being organized. The cook recruited the doctor to give him a hand today. Both he and his helper whipped up wonderful dishes having very little to work with: various kinds of snacks (hummus, tuna mousse, pea mousse finger sandwiches, toasts with carrots and cream cheese), an appetizer that had everyone asking how the cook concocted such things: salmon mousse mille feuille, shrimp scampi carpaccio and salmon feuillantine drizzled with a sauce made from peas, and tartiflette with huge chunks of potato. (I know you're asking yourselves "But what happened to the turkeys brought in during the last delivery of provisions?" The Turkeys are for Christmas Day, not for Christmas Eve - we're trying to prolong the pleasure.) For dessert we had caramel sorbet with red berry sauce served with almond crisps. And then we can't forget about the chocolates with mixed nuts and raisins we had with our after-meal coffee. Everyone ate well.

Nathalie Pattyn