The change of winterers of the 25th and 26th UAE, as well as the work of the 2021 season, has been completed at Akademik Vernadsky station.
It is now late autumn in Antarctica, and the weather is appropriate. Although the temperature is still positive (+1, +3 C), due to strong winds and humidity over 80%, it feels like -15 C, in addition to constant precipitation. Therefore, the rotation took place in rather difficult conditions. Fuel was pumped from the ship into the station tank both day and night; sometimes boats had to push ice floes away from the fuel hose. A new powerful crane helped to unload the annual stock of products and other necessary supplies.
And so, everything is done, all the cases are referred, and the last chord is a symbolic transfer of the key from the station and a box with a secret gift, which should be opened in six months, from the base commander of the 25th UAE Yurii Otruba to the base commander of the 26th UAE Bogdan Gavrylyuk.
After that, the team of the 25th UAE and the seasonal team began their journey home. First, they have to overcome the stormy Drake Passage and to reach Chile.
Winterers of the 26th UAE have already taken over the watch, going on with continuous scientific observations at the station.
We rejoice for those who return home, and wish inspiration and strength to those who continue the noble work of exploring the polar regions and our planet as a whole on the small Galindez island in such a distant and at the same time so close Antarctica!
Photo by Oksana Savenko