Twenty-six people at Australia’s Davis Station in Antarctica cheered as the sun rose above the horizon for the first time in six weeks.
The brief sunrise took place on 10 July, with the sun appearing for just 24 minutes before disappearing again. Bureau of Meteorology observer Gavin Melgaard, who was spending a year working at the station, said the moment gave everyone a welcome lift in spirits.
Melgaard, who was on his fifth Antarctic expedition, explained that the long Antarctic winter did not mean total darkness, as the station still experienced an hour or two of twilight each day. However, the lack of proper sunlight could still affect people’s moods, making them feel more tired than usual. To help everyone cope, the team held regular social events, including a large midwinter celebration in June that focused on embracing the dark winter months together.
Life at Davis Station was described by Melgaard as being like a “big share house,” with no way to leave once winter set in, even in an emergency. Despite being far from his wife and home in Victoria, he said modern technology made it much easier to stay in touch with family back home. The expeditioners kept themselves busy with a small library, a cinema and weekend trips to nearby huts, sometimes camping out in temperatures as low as minus 25 degrees.
Alongside the social side of station life, Melgaard’s daily work involved taking weather observations and releasing weather balloons to help with forecasting and climate research. He also helped support helicopter operations during the busier summer months. Despite the isolation and freezing conditions, Melgaard said the close community and incredible wildlife, including thousands of emperor penguins, kept drawing him back to Antarctica again and again.
SMART Prep | Quick Question 
