VP8SIG - Signy Island

Position: Latitude 60°43' S, Longitude 45°36' W, Factory Cove, Borge Bay, Signy Island, South Orkney Islands.  AN-008.

Chief activity: Biology.

Occupied: 18 March 1947 - 13 April 1996. Austral summers 1996-97 - present.

Signy Island is a small sub-Antarctic island, 6.5 km long and less than 5 km wide. There is permanent ice cover over a large part of the island, which rises to 288 m. In the summer, extensive areas of moss and some grasses are exposed, and there are numerous freshwater pools and lakes.

Signy station was established in 1947 primarily as a meteorological station. It was then developed in 1963 into a major biological station with new living accommodation, laboratories and diving facilities, together with a launch and inflatable craft for work at sea. Signy was the centre of BAS biological science until 1995, when the marine component was transferred to Rothera. In 1995-96 the station was rebuilt for the third time for a new role as a summer only station supporting studies in terrestrial and freshwater biology. The new main building, Sørlle House, has living accommodation, laboratories and offices.

The station is open from November to April with a maximum population of eight to ten. Throughout the year an automatic camera records sea ice conditions in Factory Cove in order to maintain the 50 year record obtained when the station was continuously occupied.

The HF Radio equipment was removed from the base in late 2005 and as such I will not be able to operate from the South Orkney Islands.

04/12/2007