Electrician heads back to the antarctic
AN INTREPID electrician from Ipswich is today preparing to pack his warmest clothes again as he heads off to one of the coldest places in the world.
AN INTREPID electrician from Ipswich is today preparing to pack his warmest clothes again as he heads off to one of the coldest places in the world.
Asa Downing returned from Antarctica in February after spending three months there carrying out electrical testing as part of a contract with the British Antarctic Survey.
Having loved his experience in Rothera, he jumped at the chance to go to another BAS research station on Signy Island, one of the South Orkney islands, near to Antarctica, for a two-month contract and claims he is not put off by the chilly climate.
The 25-year-old, who works for Inviron's building systems eastern division, based in Portman Road, will be responsible for an eight-week programme to test and inspect all the fixed electrical systems at the station.
He will be embarking on the trip at the end of October.
Mr Downing said: “I'm really looking forward to going out to Antarctica again, although with Signy being smaller and not so near the South Pole it will, no doubt, be different from Rothera.
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“Also, I'm going out from the Falklands by boat this time, stopping off in Chile on the way, so the journey too will be a new experience.”
Around half of Signy Island is covered by a permanent ice cap and the lowest recorded temperature there was minus 39.3C.
Athena Dinar, from the British Antarctic Survey, said: “We are delighted to be working with Inviron again, and to use their expertise to service all our electrical systems at Signy Island.”
Are you planning on taking part in an exciting trip? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk
