WHAT?  The South African base in Antarctica, or Sanae IV (South African National Antarctic Expedition). The South African National Antarctic Programme, or Sanap, oversees Sanae IV, as well as the year-round scientific programmes at Gough and Marion Islands.

WHY? South Africa was one of the 12 original countries to sign up to the Antarctic Treaty on December 1 1959 – almost 50 years to the day. Thanks to this far-sighted piece of legislation, Antarctica belongs to no one and is the only continent dedicated exclusively to peace and science. As a treaty signatory, South Africa must maintain a permanent presence in Antarctica and conduct scientific studies. The treaty does, however, expire in 2041. What will happen to this mineral-rich, unexploited Eden then is anybody’s guess.

WHEN? The reincarnation of several former Sanaes, all of which were crushed by the Antarctic ice shelf, Sanae IV was built about 180km inland between 1993-97. The first Sanae base was built some three decades earlier, after the Norwegians had left it to South Africa.

 WHERE? Stationed at 71°S in Queen Maud Land, Sanae IV sprawls across the Vesleskarvet nunatak like a pimped-out orange and white caterpillar. Sanae IV is perched a woozy 50m from a sheer 210m cliff – the idea behind this was not to furnish expedition members with well-appointed views (although there are many), but to prevent snow build-up and ensure the base doesn’t get sucked into mounds of the white stuff. Sherry-sodden, midnight perambulations near the cliff edge are not encouraged, although, on clear days, perambulators can see 200km into the distance.

WHO? Built at a cost of R64-million, the 176m Sanae IV is a model of architectural achievement and was the most advanced in the Antarctic at the time of its completion in 1997. Balanced atop 4m stilts drilled into rock and comprising three linked, double-story units, Sanae IV also contains a sauna, a gym and a hospital equipped for brain surgery. Sanae IV has room for 100 people and, during summer, thrums with nearly as many engineers, mechanics, helicopter pilots and scientists. During the Long, Dark Night, as the brooding Antarctic  winter is known, Sanae IV accommodates a small team of about 10 scientists and engineers. 

BASE AT THE END OF THE UNIVERSE: Antarctica is a desert, which means the air around Sanae IV is so dry the excessive static inside the base can devastate electronic equipment like iPods and flash disks

HOW? A typical expedition lasts 14 months. After a 4 000km voyage from Cape Town through the most mutinous seas on the planet, the summer-relief expedition arrives at the RSA Penguin Bukta coast, 70°S, in December. After the necessary base maintenance and scientific investigations – and before the pack ice closes in – the summer team returns to Cape Town in mid-February, taking the old overwintering team back to civilisation and leaving the new one to spend a lonely year in Antarctica. And a friendless year it will be: the nearest station is the Norwegian base, Troll, some 200km east as the chopper flies  – and only accessible by air. At 290km, the German base to the west, Neumayer, is even farther into the white nothing.

WORK: Invasion biology, geology, geomorphology, climate change,  space weather and geomagnetism.

WEATHER? During winter 2009, the lowest recorded temperature was -35. With the wind-chill factor, the thermometer nose dived to -50, the point at which, said electronic engineer Alan Huan, his eyelashes and facial hair morphed into hoary frost and plastic became as porous as Ouma rusks. According to Alan, the rancorous Antarctic night froze and burst the base’s sewerage system, which must’ve made repair work a bitter and bone-chilling affair. The strongest wind recorded this year was 200km/hour, which rattled the entire 176m Sanae base and sent saucers flying off shelves.

WILDLIFE: Odd mite. Lichen. That’s about it.  

WHAT YOU MAY NOT KNOW: In 2001, South African politicians turned purple over Sanae IV’s  blue, white and orange colouring. Think “ou Suid Afrikaanse vlag” and it’ll fall into place. While the idea was not to turn Sanae IV into the final outpost of the Volkstaat (though don’t put it past Eugene Terreblanche), there was calculating method to this madness. The building’s bottom was blue to absorb the sun’s energy and help melt the snow underneath. The orange roof made Sanae IV more visibile to passing aircraft and white was, of course, not an usual colour for a building’s exterior. By then the manufacturing process had already imbedded the paint into the fibreglass, however, so not much could be done, save for giving the blue base a fresh lick of orange paint.

• For more on the South African National Antarctic Programme and their impressive 50-year legacy, visit their website at www.sanap.ac.za

(Photo, above: © Beneke de Wet)

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