Preparations for Departure

The BELARE team has bene very busy preparing the Princess Elisabeth Antarctica for overwintering while they pack up for the trip home. The station's solar panels have been covered up to protect them from the comign winter and the water treatment system has been drained and prepared for overwintering.

Many of the scientific instruments need to be removed from the roof of the station in order to keep them from being damaged by the rough winter conditions. Here Henri removes the Brewer Ozone-Sperctrophotometer from the Royal Meteorological Institute so it can be carefully stored until next season of data collection.

© International Polar Foundation
Zarges boxes with scientific equipment, safety kits for the flight, and material that needs to be repatriated is piling up in the station's main hall, ready for the flight back to Cape Town.

© International Polar Foundation
BELARE team leader Alain Hubert builds a weatherproof wooden box to protect the backup generators for the mobile living containers, which run using solar power.

© International Polar Foundation
In front of the station the mobile living containers, bulldozers and technical storage containers are being stored in a rows for easy access at the beginning of the next season. This will also prevent significant snow accumulation and make it easy to clear snow when the staff reopen the station after the coming austral winter.

© International Polar Foundation
Tom and Paulo are covering the remaining side of the north annex with stainless steel plates to complete the outside protection of the garage and storage areas.

© International Polar Foundation
All solar panels installed on the station’s annex facade need to be protected with a strong layer of wood.

© International Polar Foundation
A lot of snow will accumulate on the side of the station during the winter, and the team will need to use heavy machinery to remove it at the beginning of the next season.

© International Polar Foundation
The solar panels need to be protected to prevent damage when the team clears snow from the sides of the station.

© International Polar Foundation
Our plumber, Bernard, is working on the bioreactor to drain any remaining sludge that could damage the system during the winter and to save as much of the bacteria used in the water treatment process as possible.

© International Polar Foundation
All the pipes must be drained to prevent any possible damage that may arise in case the station experiences below freezing conditions during the austral winter.

© International Polar Foundation
Bernard must drain the water treatment system's large bioreactor to prepare the station for overwintering.

© International Polar Foundation
The sludge from the bioreactor contains the bacteria responsible for decomposing organic and nitrogenic compounds in wastewater. Stored in the warmest part of the station, these canisters will prevent the sludge from freezing so it can be reused next season to start the water treatment system right away.

© International Polar Foundation
The new surgery/emergency room in the south annex of the station has been finished. It has ell the necessary equipment needed to treat more severe wounds, conduct surgery if necessary, or keep a patient stable while they await medical evacuation out of Antarctica.

© International Polar Foundation
Space is still available in the north annex for development of more storage areas and technical rooms.

© International Polar Foundation
This season, the BELARE team put finishing touches on the new heated garage. A small work bench is available, and all tools necessary to perform maintenance on vehicles and machinery are handy. Next year the team will build a small mezzanine to store more tools and consumables nearby.

© International Polar Foundation