Sunday, December 07, 2008

A 'Dingle Day' at last!
When the sun finally comes along and lights up this place after days spent under a giant white blanket of cloud and snow, it feels like the curtain has been lifted on a world inconceivable only hours ago. Days like today are beyond description in English but in Antarctican we call them 'dingle days'. When the snow sparkles and each face of a mountain is glowing in a different shade. The sea shimmers and, around the base of icebergs, takes on an incredible turquoise colour that could never be mixed. When everywhere you look, you find yourself staring transfixed and unable to take it in. When the thin strands of high ice cloud appear as if they are trying to frame the view. When nothing quite looks real. When the scene in front of you is so breathtakingly beautiful that you can't think beyond the present moment.
I set off from the base, below, to marvel at the raw beauty that surrounds it...

A lonely penguin dwarfed by the icebergs that act as a safe haven for it to escape the lurking leopard seal.
A seal sunning itself on a lazy Sunday afternoon.
After a day out enjoying the stunning weather, including carving some turns on my board at the local ski resort - Vals, I prepared for a night spent weather watching. The recent bad weather has left us with a back logs of field parties to fly out so today 24 hour operations were called for. I'm duty met tonight and it suits me just fine as I can enjoy a few more shades of magic as the light slowly shifts and the clouds start to roll in. Soon the splendour will be hidden behind a veil once again so I'm happy to catch every moment.

I'll try and write a bit more about my job here soon.

29 comments:

Brett said...

Well, your photo make the small amount of snow we had last week look very poor. Love your shots they take me to a place i would love to visit but don't think i will get the chance. Keep up the good work

Christ's hippie said...

They have a ski resort out there? Or was that a joke? Anyway love the pictures, looks like a great place to work. Where do I apply?

Sicilian said...

Wow! Just beautiful. Enjoy your writings.
Ciao

fiona said...

Hi, nice pics. Wow.. a meteorologist.. sorry for my ignorance, basically what does that mean?

And.. how do you survive the icy cold weather there? I am in SG and it's hot all year round, minus the rainy days.

Nonna said...

Breathtaking photos ! Good eye !

BTW, I'm still worried about someone stealing your photos and putting their name on them. They are just too beautiful (and maybe profitable in the future)to let that happen !

Barga said...

tell me that the seal ate the penguin, please!!

Leenie said...

Thanks for taking the time out of your busy day to share your photos of a magnificent place!

Wibbo said...

Stunning photographs!

tireegal68 said...

HI - I found your blog at Blogs of NOte or something on Google blogger.
I love the pictures. It sounds truly otherworldly - even the life you lead there plus the scenery.
My dad ( who died in April) was fascinated by antarctica - and he never got to go, but I have a special place in my heart for that wilderness because of him. He was really into the explorers and all their histories and stories.
Fond memories. Keep up the great work and your photos are breathtaking!
Tireegal:)

Steve said...

Your blog is really cool! I like reading it.

Raph G. Neckmann said...

What stunning photographs! I imagine it must be awesome in the fullest sense of the word, walking in that landscape. Also the juxtaposition of the grandeur of the scenery with the quirkiness of the penguins and other wildlife is fun. (I notice you have a photo of giraffes too!)

Katie said...

Incredible. I can't imagine the beauty that you have seen.

John said...

Hi Tamsin,

Congrats on getting the Blogs of Note :)

You have a lovely blog... great pictures, nice writing, beautiful blog owner, and I am really super-duper-impressed by many of your posts on what you had seen and experienced. Keep that up - you are brightening the lives of many people who are reading your blog!

By the way, I didn't know seals actually sun-bathe!? :p

John

Arnold said...

Hey could you take some pics of penguins doing some weird stuff. Great pics by the way. Antarctica looks stunning!

colleen said...

Incredibly stunning photos. May you stay warm, safe, and kept in frozen cheese....

chefpremier said...

Are you really there so far? Cant think of it as real

Jen Jen said...

I love your blog....the photos are amazing

Angie said...

I love reading thru your blog and seeing all your beautiful pictures! :)

CalvaryGirl said...

Beautiful, BEAUTIFUL pictures!!

Ron said...

Wow, your work is absolutely amazing to me! I thought I had it rough, but you have it even worse, it seems. But hey, we all do what we do because we love it. Great blog, I realy enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing!

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John said...

Merry Christmas Tamsin :)

Anonymous said...

I love the way you write:)
This is amazing. I would love to experience something like this someday.
Thank you for doing this:)

Anonymous said...

WOW!! PICTURES ARE INCREDIBLLY BEAUTIFUL.

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wow,
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Unknown said...

Anyways like the pictures...Well done!
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