This winter's population of 198 is considerably larger
than most station's summer populations (in the summer,
McMurdo can exceed 1200 people at a time).
"Mid-Winter Greetings,The 2010 winter crew of McMurdo Station wish all members of other wintering Antarctic station a pleasant Mid-Winter celebration. We hope your season has gone well so far and continues to be rewarding professionally and personally. If you happen to be in the neighborhood on June 20 please drop by building 155. We may have over planned our Mid-Winter meal so have room for any arrivals. Appetizers start at 1730 local time followed by dinner at 1830. For those of you who can't make it to our celebration, I'm sure you already have plans. If we don't see you here we will at least offer a toast to you. Best wishes to you all for the remainder of your season."
"A big Mid-Winter greetings to all of our friends across the continent. The team at Casey Station (all 23 of us) wish our friends wintering on this big white wonderful continent (and nearby islands) a fabulous Mid-Winters day. I’ve attached your special Casey Mid-Winter party invitation which hopefully may encourage you and your teams to join us on the 21st June. We have plenty of spare rooms and enough good food to feed hundreds so please make your way to Casey - you’ll be in for a real treat. Kind regards and Mid-Winter greetings."
just off of South Georgia) is part of the British Antarctic
Survey and serves as a biological research station.
"Happy Midwinter from the four of us on Bird Island.Best wishes."
The second-largest base on the continent.
"Happy Midwinter. All of us here at the South Pole would like to wish our fellow Antarctic Winterovers the warmest of Midwinter greetings.As always, if you happen to be in the neighborhood we have a spot at the table for you and would love for you to join us in celebrating Midwinter 2010. If we don’t see you though, please have a great weekend and enjoy the rest of your winter season. All the best, from the crew at South Pole. Take care."
"Mid Winter Greetings! All of us at Davis would like to wish all those who are wintering a Happy Mid-Winter! We hope the remainder of your winter goes well and that when you leave you take with you the memories of a lifetime. Be safe and have fun. Best Wishes!"
"Brazilian Mid Winter Greetings! All of us (46) at Ferraz would like to wish you all around Antarctica a Happy Mid-Winter! It's fantastic to receive all of these cards and see how the world can be together and peacefully achieve great goals. And don't forget to support our national soccer team (the best) during the World Cup(rs,rs,rs).
Ferraz Team."
"Mid-winter greetings from the Raytheon Polar Colorado office! This is a time to celebrate your achievements and to share greetings with family and friends at home and at other Antarctic stations. The work you do is important and appreciated. Raytheon Polar is proud of your contributions to the valuable research being done in Antarctica. Spending the long, dark and isolated winter in Antarctica is an experience that few people will have. It is unique and a bond that you share with few who have come before you. Thank you for your commitment, and please stay safe."
"Best wishes for a very Happy Midwinter, from all at King Edward Point research station."
"From all of us at Rothera Research Station we would like to wish a very happy midwinter to all of our fellow winterers on and around the Antarctic continent. It is a great experience to winter in this amazing land and I hope you all have a memorable time celebrating midwinters day. All the best for the rest of your winter season!"
Our Kiwi friends just over the hill from McMurdo Station!
"To all our Fellow Antarctic winter over’s, enjoy this special occasion and the remainder of the winter, before long the sun will be back with us! Have a Fantastic time however you are celebrating, we will be thinking of you all. The Scott Base Team."
"Midwinter Greetings from Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology."
"All of us here at Syowa Station would like to wish all those who are wintering a happy Midwinter! Best Wishes, from the wintering member of the 51st Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition!"
"To all fellow frozen friend Antarcticans, The very best wishes for a fabulous Midwinter, and a safe, happy & successful season!! Warmest Regards the Mawsonites"
"Dear Friends, The Winter Group at Polish Antarctic Station “Arctowski” (all 8 of us) would like to wish all members of other Antarctic stations a fabulous Mid-Winter celebration and a successful, happy and safe season."
"The DC6 winter over Team wishes you a Happy Mid-Winter. All the best for the rest of the winter season. Regards."
"Dear friends, The Gough Island expedition team would like to send their best wishes for midwinter and the rest of the winter season. Kind regards,Gough Island."
"Mid Winter Greetings, The Halley team would like to wish all those who are South a Happy Mid Winter! May the second half of the winter season be as good as first. Stay safe and enjoy yourself. Best Wishes."
"To all of our fellow wintering expeditioners, The 36 of us here at Macquarie Island would like to wish you all a happy and safe Midwinters. May the return of the sun be a swift one and may your football team not get thrashed 4-0 by Germany. Regards, Macquarie Island."
"Mid Winter Greetings, All of the 30th wintering team at Neumayer would like to send best greetings and wishes to all who are wintering in Antarctica this year. We hope that all of you will have a fantastic and crazy Midwinter celebration. Stay safe and succesful for the rest of the winter season- and have fun with your lifetime experience on this great continent...Best wishes!"
"Mid-Winter Greetings to All of Our Antarctic Compatriots. The Palmer Team wishes you all a Happy Mid-Winter. If you are in the Peninsula region on the 19th, please stop in - by boat or aircraft. Our Mid-Winter festivities will begin at 1730 (UTC -4). We hope your winter thus far has gone smoothly and been productive, and trust it will continue to do so. As you eagerly await the return of the sun, as well as the reunions with friends and family, we raise a glass to you on this Mid-Winter day in recognition of all of your efforts on the White Continent - efforts which extend far beyond The Ice. Warm Wishes, The USAP Palmer Station Team."
"Dear friends. The fifth Norwegian wintering team at Troll base, wish all our neighbors at the continent all the best for the mid winter party and for the rest of the winter. Regards."
"Mid-Winter greetings to all of our friends in the Antarctic, The team at King Sejong Station (all 18 of us) wish all those who are wintering a Happy Mid Winter!
I hope the second half of your staying would be as nice as first. Kind regards and Mid-Winter greetings."
A note of thanks to Keri Nelson for her explanations and information on all the stations and greetings. Thanks!
Finally, just before our Midwinter celebrations here at McMurdo, I sent my own greeting to my friends and family back home:
"Midwinter Greetings. That's right. While you all are experiencing your high humidity and 90 degree weather, tanning in those delicious rays of sun and sipping your frozen lemonades, we here in McMurdo are hunkered down in Discovery Hut, shivering in our bunny boots and preparing yet another meal of seal blubber. Well, not quite. Instead we are preparing an epic celebration for the beginning of the end of darkness, or as my friend Robyn so eloquently said today: "the sun is rapidly fulfilling its promise to come back and love us once again, even though it still sends us love-notes all the time in the form of auroras."
Winter thus far has been nothing short of amazing. Sure, there have been times when I have cursed the cold, my coworkers and myself. Times when I felt there was no possible way I could get out of bed and function as a human being. Times when I actually questioned whether or not I would survive winter. And yet.
And yet. When I stop to think about about the scope of experience I have gained, the limits to which I have been pushed, the amazing people I have met, the wonders my eyes have seen and the lessons my heart has learned, I cannot help but be in awe.
Amidst all the chaos and corporate politics (yes, even here), convoluted relationships and seeming lack of compassion, there is something more to Antarctica. Something magical. Something beyond our insufficient little brains. Some form of passion. Passion in the violent beauty of a Condition 2 snow storm. Passion in that one delectable bite from the galley that comes along every few weeks. Passion that is exhaled into the cold night and transformed into a fulfilled purpose. Passion that overcomes all the drama, all the stereotypes and all the negativity and even dark isolation.
On this glorious and momentous occasion, I send you midwinter greetings from the bottom of the world. I am ever appreciative of your continued support, thankful that I have not been forgotten and overflowing with glowing green aurora love for each and every one of you. You are my life, my friends and family. My happily ever after.
Mad Love from Antarctica and Happy Midwinter!
XOXO,
Chelsea"
And that, is how we do Midwinter in Antaractica.
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