Midwinter’s Day (21 June) is celebrated by the South African National Antarctic Programme (SANAP) overwintering teams on Antarctica (SANAE 61), Marion Island (Marion 79), and Gough Island (Gough 67). 

Midwinter is the shortest day, and for those on Antarctica, the darkest day, of the year.

Overwintering teams from all over the world send greeting cards to each other, to family and friends, and to their national Antarctic program communities. We received greeting cards from the three SANAP overwintering teams, wishing all of you a happy midwinter! 

Midwinter greetings from the 79th overwintering team on South Africa’s sub-Antarctic Marion Island. 

Midwinter Greetings Card from Marion 79.

On Antarctica, Midwinter is the midpoint of a time of darkness and extreme isolation and the SANAE team will also celebrate this today!

Midwinter greetings from the 61st SANAE Overwintering Team, on Antarctica.

Midwinter greeting from the 67th Gough Island Overwintering team!

We asked the teams what their plans are for today:

 

Marion Island: “We are having a nice braai and midwinter games”.

Gough Island: “We have actually already started our own midwinter tournament knockouts (with our semifinals and finals today)! We have a number of events including pool, table tennis, darts, fuzzball, checkers, chess and Mario Cart (TV game).
Quite an exciting lineup”.

SANAE IV: “We will celebrate with some midwinter games”.

 

Do you want to know more about the teams?

Click here to meet Marion 79! Click here to meet Gough 67! Click here to meet SANAE 61!

 

Thank you for the greeting cards SANAP teams, have a great day!

Anche Louw, Antarctic Legacy of South Africa, 21 June 2022.

© South African National Antarctic Programme • Managed and administered by Antarctic Legacy of South Africa • Photo Credits
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