‘It’s madness, it’s ridiculous’: expeditioners mark Midwinter with Antarctic swim
Antarctic and sub-Antarctic expeditioners have embarked on a “rite of passage” with a daring dip to celebrate the winter solstice. PICTURES AND VIDEO >>
Tasmania
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AUSTRALIA’S Antarctic expeditioners have plunged into the ice for the coldest of swims in a traditional celebration of the winter solstice.
Crew members wintering at the Mawson research station gathered on Tuesday at Horseshoe Harbour, where an excavator had cut through a metre of sea ice to create the southern hemisphere’s least inviting swimming pool.
Tackling the Midwinter swim at least once was an Antarctic rite of passage, Mawson station leader Rebecca Jeffcoat said.
“This is a tradition in the Antarctic calendar to celebrate the middle of winter and the return of the sun,” Ms Jeffcoat said.
“It’s madness, it’s ridiculous, but it’s what we do here in Antarctica.”
The next sunrise is not due for Mawson, Australia’s most remote outpost, until June 29.
“It was -19C on the ice with a wind speed of six knots, so altogether it was probably about -25C with the wind chill factor,” Ms Jeffcoat said.
“We have a great community of 15 people here at Mawson and everyone had a safe and fabulous time.”
The swims were conducted under medical supervision, with safety equipment and warm towels kept close by.
Midwinter marked what has effectively become Antarctica’s Christmas, with the 90 expeditioners wintering at the Casey, Davis, Mawson and Macquarie Island research stations exchanging gifts and enjoying winter feasts to honour the occasion.
Australian Antarctic Division director Kim Ellis thanked the expeditioners for spending a year away from their families and achieving some “incredible accomplishments”, including the delivery of Australia’s new icebreaker, RSV Nuyina.
“Expeditioners are at the heart of Australia’s Antarctic Program, they keep the lights on and our stations running,” Mr Ellis said.
“Their work is critical in supporting our science and research efforts to understand and protect the frozen continent.”
The Antarctic celebrations came as Tasmanians prepared for Dark Mofo’s Nude Solstice Swim, with more than a thousand people to charge into the chilly Derwent River at Long Beach Wednesday morning.
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Originally published as ‘It’s madness, it’s ridiculous’: expeditioners mark Midwinter with Antarctic swim
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