Halley Bay - 1992

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1993->

Notable events/features of the year

  • Lowest monthly mean temperature: -36.7°C, in August
  • Highest monthly mean temperature: -2.5°C, in January

People

HunterE.S.(Ewan)WBC,Steel Erector
BadgerR.D.(Robin)GA, Tractors
BurkeyS.(Shaun)Physicist
ClarkD.N.(Dave)Electrician
CoatesH.(Howard)Plumber
EvansJ.D.(Jonathan 'Wookie')Meteorologist
GunningM.P.(Paul)MO
HeronS.R.L.(Simon)PACE Eng, Physicist
LawtonM.W(Mike "Mr Nido")Diesel mechanic
LeachM.J.(Mike)Electronics engineer
LensP.C.D.(Pete)Communications Mgr
MasonD.H.(Derek 'from Berwick')GA
MorrisonS.J.(Stuart)Meteorologist
RobbC.K.(Charlie)Meteorologist
RosterN.P.(Neil)Chef
SwalesR.J.(Richard)Builder
ThomasC.G.(Chris)AIS Engineer
YeoR.F.(Richard 'Naff')VLF Scientist

Pictures

Base photo:
Halley base photo, 1992
Left of table (front to back): Dave Clarke, Shaun Burkey, Charlie Robb;
Behind table (back): Robin Badger, Stuart Morrison;
Behind table (middle): Ewan Hunter, Neil Roster, Howard Coates, Mike Lawton, Paul Gunning;
Behind table (front): Simon Heron, Pete Lens, Chris Thomas, Richard Swales;
Righr of table (back to front): Mike Leach, Jonathan Evans, Derek Mason, Richard Yeo.
Photo by Mike Leach

Z5 1992 Winterers Reunion, RRS Discovery, Dundee, 23rd June 1992:

Reunion photo, 20122
Rows left to right from back: Morrison, Robb, Hunter, Heron, Lawton, Gunning, Coates, Clark, Burkey, Leach, Evans, Mason, Yeo
Photo by Charlie Robb
Charlie says: I managed with some effort to contact all 18 1992 winterers and assemble 13 for a reunion this year (being 20 years). Most travelled from the corners of England & Wales but Howard came from Thailand, Derek from Australia and Richard from Iceland, all specially for it. We had a fabulous dinner in the wardroom of RRS Discovery in Dundee and the majority made a debauched weekend of it, camping a night or two at my house. It was great to get together. 1992 was a pretty happy year as Halley winters go I think and by inviting winterers only it brought the winter family feeling back quite pleasantly, to the surprise of some perhaps. We attempted to recreate the scene of the base photo taken on the open platform of Z5. We disappointed a few summer & winter folks from around that time who heard about it and would have like to have come along, and there was talk of doing it again but bigger in the next few years. I don't know if that will ever happen, it sounds like a nice idea but I know it would be a mission to organise - even this small one seemed to take over for several weeks.

Skidoo in tidecrack
Photo by Charlie Robb
Charlie: "The photo is of us winching my skidoo out after a 30-foot dive into a tide crack in the Hinge Zone. I jumped off just as it was going in but of course got fired in after it anyway. It was a soft landing for both me and it fortunately. I have a good excuse for my incompetence in riding it into an obvious hole, we were instructed to never use the brakes on the base skidoos because they would jam on. So when I actually needed to use the brakes in this instance my subconscious stopped me! Honest!"

Other information, anecdotes etc.

Shaun Burkey writes:
Seeing the Big Red Bus (Bransfield) weaving its way through the bergs on a sunny December afternoon, filled with fresh fruit, fresh beer, fresh conversation and of course the post, gave an overwhelming sense of euphoria similar to that of a 5 year old on Christmas morning. [4 November 2002]

Richard Yeo:
A wonderful time, with a great bunch of guys, and almost certainly to blame for me moving to Iceland! [12 April 2004]

Links

Summer 1991-92

ArberM.C.E.(Maurice)Tractor Mechanic
FinneyJ.V.(John)Builder
LawrenceS.J.(Stuart)Captain, Bransfield
SmithA.J.(Andy)HQ Physicist

Maurice Arber says:

A great experience with a lot of fun, fortunately only a few grey moments. I hope the rest of you managed to use your experience with 'Z', to step forward and upward in life. It was the first large "stepping stone" to climb for me, the biggest problem was the "leap" to the next boulder, this took several attempts. So from 'Z' I became a Motorman on the "Branny", then 5th Eng and ending my spell with BAS as a 4th Eng................time has passed (Eight Years With BAS) with Global travel and diving adventures since leaving, managing to spend time at Warsash Maritime College. I finally obtained a Chiefs ticket along with unlimited 2nd Engineer, I hope others have progressed as well. It's not over yet, theres still more "boulders"!!!!!!!!!. [03/10/2005]
Also Motorman, 5th Engineer and 4th Engineer on R.R.S. Bransfield and J.C.R., with several trips to Z5 on Skidoo from ship (1993-1999 Period). [08/12/2021

8 Dec 2021
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