It started like this. In 1973-1974 I was a member of the SANAE 14 team that over-wintered on the South African Antarctic base. This is a 3-year appointment. One for training and preparing, one year in Antarctica and one back home, preparing and publishing your data.  We were the 14th team at SANAE, the base of the South African National Antarctica Expedition occupied permanently by scientists and support personnel since 1960. 

We were completely isolated. No internet and email. No Google or WhatsApp. No delivery service, Amazon or Takealot. Only radio and telex communication with the rest of the world. Even that was restricted to operational necessary and one personal call home per month.

I took with me my cameras, lenses and equipment to record my experience. The black and white negatives and Ektachrome slides I developed at the base under difficult circumstances, but the darkroom was well equipped and I took the rest.

So I went to the Antarctica, came back, got the Super-8 developed, showed a short slide show for my friends and colleagues, and promptly forgot about it. A lifetime later. 38 years to be more accurate, I discovered that my neurologist, Dr Louis Wessels, has also been there with SANAE 10. That was the impetus to drag everything from the proverbial attic and started a process of digitizing and selecting that resulted in what you see here. Please enjoy the ride.

Gallery of Colour and B&W photos   Still a work in progress.

Members of SANAE 14 and interested parties must please get in touch with me so that stories can be corrected or expanded. We are getting a small group.