Lessons from the End of the World: Life in Antarctica

I boarded the plane at London Heathrow like I have for many other trips, but this one felt very different. I was flying  to Buenos Aires to begin my journey south to the seventh continent, Antarctica. It had long been a dream of mine to go to the Antarctic; as an aspiring marine biologist, it’s a true paradise, unlike anywhere else on Earth. This expedition had been months in the making. After all, the entire purpose of the trip is to educate myself as best as possible for  a module on my degree (MSc Marine Mammal Science), which will involve intense fieldwork and long hours of wildlife surveys. 

As the plane took off, though, it began to hit me just where I was going and what I was about to do. And aside from all of the whales and penguins, I realised that I was heading to perhaps the last great wilderness, and I knew I was sure to find out just as much about myself, and everyday life, as I was going to about this very special place.

Sure enough, that’s exactly what I did, even though I never could have guessed what those lessons would have been. Sure, seeing orcas up close and newborn penguin chicks is an incredible experience (and something that my poor friends have heard about quite a lot), but it’s also quite a unique one. Rather than just stories, I wanted to share some of the lessons that Antarctica taught me about life that I have brought back with me to St Andrews, and can benefit anyone.

Lesson 1: Focus on what is right in front of you

In Antarctica, there are so many landscapes that are constantly shifting and changing. One minute, you look outside to see a beautiful ice arch, seconds later, it has dropped and the iceberg looks totally different. It feels very special to know that when you look at a scene there, nobody else will ever see it as you did. Whilst the rest of the world is not quite the same, it’s an important way to think. We live in such a fast-paced society that we are constantly on the move and thinking about the next thing to do. It’s important to slow down and appreciate what you already have, focusing on what you are doing right now. 

Lesson 2: Prepare for the best as well as the worst

If you’re anything like me, perhaps you spend a lot of time planning and preparing, often to avoid or deal with the worst case scenario. This is our anxiety speaking to us, so it’s also great to prepare for the best case. This way, you can truly enjoy how it turns out. Antarctica is known for its extremes- from the wind and cold to the massive mountains and vast ice fields- so you do have to prepare for that, but even in preparing for the worst case weather, we were going out into this extreme environment hoping for the best encounters. Of course, we were spoilt with plenty of whales, but not stressing about what could go wrong next allowed me to properly enjoy every single one. 

Lesson 3: Sometimes you get to Plan Q, and that’s ok

On the other side of that, though, when Antarctica is as extreme as its reputation, it really can be unpredictable. It’s great to prepare for this so that it doesn’t take you by surprise. However, when the conditions do show their full force, the original plan usually goes out of the window, and everyone has to pivot. 

The infamous Drake Passage is a great example of this. For our journey south, we’d scheduled all of our surveys on the boat and worked out all of the timings for everyone, but in true Drake Passage form, we had to contend with some pretty choppy seas. This meant that some team members were unable to work, and once we’d rescheduled everyone, fog set in, making it impossible for us to even see the biggest of whales. Instead, we used the time that we couldn’t survey to begin prepping for our first landing once we reached Antarctica. 

We weren’t the only ones making backup plans for backup plans; the boat’s expedition team had to do it constantly, accounting for any ice or weather that might have stopped us from achieving Plan A. Of course, it’s great when it all goes well, but this way of life and planning for three weeks taught me that there’s nothing wrong with getting down to Plan Q if you have the confidence in yourself to deal with it. 

The orcas we were lucky enough to see are seasoned professionals at this. Hunting for seals and penguins in a land of ice can raise some challenges, with plenty of places for the prey to escape. In an ideal world, Plan A is simple; the seal is in the water, the orcas catch it, and they feed. It’s rarely that easy, and so orca pods have to work together to make the hunt a successful one. If the seal escapes to a piece of ice, type B orcas will work together to reach it, making sure that no place is inaccessible for them.

Lesson 4: We need to look after our home

We know that the climate crisis is threatening our way of life worldwide, but Antarctica is quite literally feeling the heat the most. We are seeing the most change in this region, with warming waters altering food chains and ecosystems, and fishing activities impacting important marine predators. More recently, Antarctica and Subantarctic islands have made the news as the targets of US tariffs, but received less publicity when it comes to the real problems that the region is facing.

It would be wrong of me to say that my presence in Antarctica had no effect; we know that this simply isn’t true. In the same way, it can be easy to feel pressure to do everything perfectly to protect our planet, but in reality, it takes lots of us doing a little bit every day. My trip was done mindfully, ensuring I followed biosecurity protocols and was considerate about where I walked and what I did in the environment whilst I was there. In doing this, I hope that my visit had a net positive impact in being able to share my experience with others and collect important data for the region.

Wherever you are in the world, you are not helpless. Antarctica might feel far away, but the impact it has on our everyday lives is vital. Read, watch, and learn as much as you can about this incredible frontier, and make conscious choices to support its health, such as avoiding krill products. As Greta Thunberg so rightly says, ‘no one is too small to make a difference’. You don’t have to have been to Antarctica or be a scientist to be an Antarctic Ambassador; this planet is our home and it matters to all of us. 

It was a very strange feeling landing back into my homeland of England, seeing green grass fields and livestock. Suddenly, though, Antarctica didn’t feel so far away anymore, and everything I learnt there will stay with me for life. I hope that this incredible place will remain as it is for many years to come, for many more to experience and learn from it. And whether you ever experience the Antarctic or not, I hope the lessons it taught me can help you too. And if you’re slightly saner than me and choose not to ever do the Polar Plunge, I hope you’ll dive right in to doing your bit for this special place and our beautiful planet!

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