Mid-Winter and first snows - 20 June to 26 June

A skua patrolling for stragglers.

This has been a good week, the weather has been good, the skies have been mostly free of clouds and there have only been two days that the weather has forced us inside for the entire day.

Swemgat filled with fresh snowmelt water.

Tuesday, the 21st, was the Winter Solstice or Mid-Winter's Day which, as it marks the start of longer days, is party time all across the Antarctic continent and its islands. The island's inbox has been overflowing with tongue-in-cheek invitations to attend Mid-Winter parties at all the bases scattered across the white south. Sadly due to slight issues with transport we were not able to attend any of the parties and had to be content with enjoying ourselves here. To celebrate we all went for a swim at Swemgat, a large pool in the river near base. The water was only two degrees above freezing and after our swim we all unanimously decided that it was a really stupid idea and something that we should never, ever repeat! To warm up we returned to base and had a fondue and a large pot of Glühwein.

A light dusting of snow on the Rowetts

We had our first snowfall on Monday night (or at least the first snow we have been able to see from base) and Michelle, Robyn and I went up South Peak on Wednesday to see it. I also used the chance to visit Gonydale and check the Tristan nests. Sadly, many have failed as the mice become more hungry and start attacking the nests. So far, about a quarter have failed and more will follow as winter continues. Words cannot convey how sad it is to see the damage that mice do to these magnificent birds. Chick carcasses lie next to the nests, consumed from the inside out. It is horrific.

An Albatross chick, rather the worse for wear because its nest was in a stream. Rather poor parenting.

The weather has been so kind to us that we even managed a fishing trip yesterday and caught several large Five finger all around three kilograms. The fishing here is marvelously easy, just bait your hook, cast and wait a couple of minute until the fish take. If you don't have something after about five minutes, your bait is gone. The fish made a magnificent sushi starter for last nights braai.

Otherwise, life continues in the usual fashion. Minor disputes lead to sulking and hiding in rooms but that is island life for you. Not all sweetness and light unfortunately. Hopefully they will get over themselves or at least pretend (for everyone else's sake, if not their own) that everything is ok.

Family interest: This is the Gough Scientific Survey team who spent a year on Gough from 1955 to 1956. My grandfather's cousin Roger Le Maitre is the second from the left in the middle row.