Research Stations Parallels

I quickly realized that, in many ways, research stations are very similar to ships.  

At all times, you can notice the awareness of remoteness, the need to be prepared for anything because no one is near to help you. Whether it’s for a fire, an equipment failure or a medical emergency, the tools are there. Vernadsky is even more equipped than we are since they have a full dentist room… although having one on Europa wouldn’t make much sense; probably no one would want to sit in that chair for any operation on a rolling sea.  

The “reduce-reuse-recycle-repair-rethink” way of considering objects is also at its peak in both the station and the ship. There is simply no “taking the trash out” and have it disappear from mind and sight; you are stuck with it until you reach, or send it to, a less remote area. As it might involve high costs, you become really good at evaluating whether you need the thing or not.  

Like Europa’s deckhouse, the station has a common area, not too far from the kitchen, which includes a bar and where people can sit, meet and relax. In isolated environments, the social connections are essential, and once in a while it doesn’t hurt to be forced to have them in person rather than behind telephone screens. The station did have some Wi-Fi, unlike us, and many of our crew could plead guilty of using it.  

Just like the many pictures of legendary ships on the walls of Europa, Vernadsky displays an impressive collection of memories; some of the station itself, even going back to the time it belonged to the United Kingdom, and of Antarctica’s important events. Because there are very few things more inspiring than thinking about the explorers and pioneers that dared sail or walk on unchartered bits of the map to get us to where we are now. 

There is a proximity to nature that is hardly achieved anywhere else and a capacity to coexist with wildlife that many populations could learn a thing or two about. Just like we slow down and take a moment to admire whales and dolphins swimming by us, the humans of Vernadsky live alongside thousands of Gentoo penguins. They are pretty noisy and smelly neighbors, and seem absolutely unbothered by the buzzing activity of the station. It even looks like they understand the multiple and very humoristic signs around the station saying “No penguins allowed inside”. 

We finish the visit of the station with our guide showing us his office view, which he qualifies as “the best in the world”. Although the very scenic display of Lumiere Peak makes a compelling argument, I think the many landscapes we see from Europa’s deck are hard to beat. The thing we can all agree on is that we share the same delight to be working in such a unique environment.