Two women to take on Earth’s most isolated and extreme jobs
Two women have been selected to take on some of the most isolated and extreme jobs on the planet.
Bridie Martin-West, 33, from Lambeth, and Laura Büllesbach, 29, from Deptford, have been selected by the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust (UKAHT) to travel 9,000 miles to Base A Port Lockroy, to the west of the Antarctic peninsula.
Throughout their five month stay – which will include Christmas – they will have no flushing toilet, running water or internet, and will be forced to deal with sub-zero temperatures and near constant daylight on the football pitch-sized Goudier Island.
Ms Martin-West will be swapping life as a practicing midwife to become Base Leader at the port.
She said: “Embarking on this trip to Port Lockroy is both a privilege and an exciting challenge for me.
“I’m looking forward to playing my part to protect its heritage and future. Hearing about the role was such a lightbulb moment – I can remember the excitement I immediately felt and was so inspired to apply for a chance to work in the icy wilderness of Antarctica.”
Ms Büllesbach – who recently worked as assistant curator at the Science Museum in South Kensington – will be postmaster and museum manager on the trip – dealing with about 80,000 postcards by hand.
She said: “I’m really passionate about making museums more accessible and have a fascination for the polar regions.
“I can’t wait to experience Port Lockroy’s incredible environment, nature and history and share it with the team.”
The two South Londoners are part of a team of seven who will be deployed to two remote Antarctic islands.
Base A Port Lockroy became the first British base in Antarctica in 1944 during a secret Second World War mission, Operation Tabarin.
It is now home to the world’s southernmost public post office, a museum and a colony of gentoo penguins.
Today it is a protected historic site, rich in artefacts which were left behind when it was hastily evacuated in 1959.
The team will manage the remote museum, post office and gift shop, carry out maintenance of the historic buildings and conduct a penguin count as part of a long-term study of the breeding success of the gentoo penguin colony.
The team will be responsible for upholding the strict protocols and standards that UKAHT sets out, in accordance with the Antarctic Treaty, to ensure the environment is properly cared for.
UKAHT chief executive Camilla Nichol said: ‘This is a unique moment to be working in Antarctica and an important season for the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust.
“We’ve handpicked each team member for their expertise, genuine love and fascination of Antarctica and determination to preserve its rich heritage.
“We know it will be a challenging time for all team members as they will be living in a very remote part of the world, but they’ll play an essential role in bringing our heritage sites to life.”
Pictured top: Bridie Martin-West and Laura Büllesbach (Picture: UKAHT)