Camping in Antarctica

Thursday 20th November 

Tonight I will be camping out overnight on Antarctica ice. Not just any camping though, i have opted to sleep in  bivvy bag rather than a tent. Friends at home think I'm mad 😂

We left the ship at 20:30 after dinner to head to an island in Leith Cove.

Before we got to the zodiac we were given an enormous dry bag backpack which had all our equipment inside.

Arrived at the landing site and it was a very steep landing and hill to get up to the top of the island where we would camp. Thank goodness I lost so much weight or I would never have managed.

At the top a Member of the expedition team met us to show us where to set up.

First step was to dig a hole big enough for the bivvy to lay within to have some shelter from the winds. It really felt like digging my own grave!

Next was to set up the bivvy and the mat/inflatable inside it before putting in the sleeping bag & liner. All whilst not kneeling or sitting on the ground.

Once set up I looked at the opening and wondered how on earth I was going to get in, let alone out again! 

We had a briefing on how to use the porta potty toilet facilities (for number 1s only) and that we needed to be in bed and quiet by 11pm to avoid disturbing any wildlife.

There were a couple of weddel seals playing in the water wondering who on earth we were.

Getting my boots off without the aid of the steps to my bathroom was a challenge,  but thankfully managed.

Getting into the bag felt like trying to slide a folded duvet back into it's plastic bag. It was not a glamorous entry!

I decided to leave the bivvy open so I could see the sky all night - turns out I did see it all night as I didn't sleep at all 🤣

I took a photo of the view from the bivvy on the hour right through the night - shown below in order from 11pm through to 3am. It did not get dark at all.

I lay awake listening to the sounds of ice calving in the next bay, Antarctic Terns circling overhead and the blows of whales passing by. Then the silent moments in between which felt a real immersion into the isolation and vastness of our planet without humans.

I was up at 4am as needed the facilities and then started packing everything up.

A cold hard freeze had started about 3am, so all the ice around the pegs and shovel were frozen solid. Before leaving we had to refill in our holes with the snow/ice we had dug out. This is to make sure there are no holes that penguins could fall into.

The zodiacs came to collect us at 5.45am, so we had to carry our massive backpack of gear back down the very steep hill.

When we got onboard we were greeted by one of the ships officers with a mug of hot chocolate which he poured the most enormous glug of baileys in- needed to warm us up apparently. 

We then dropped stuff off at our cabins before heading straight down to the restaurant for a celebration campers breakfast where the restaurant staff greeted us with a glass of pink fizz.

A lovely way to end the adventure which was much needed. And a certificate to prove i achieved it!