Fri, Nov 2, 2017 at 20:56 PM
Matthew Ashton (carpenter@antarcticconstruction.co.uk)
To: "Parents" (jashton53@swiftmail.uk.com)
Cc: "Oliver McCabe" (o_mccabe14@swiftmail.uk.com), "Rachel Coates" (rlcoates81@kjgmail.com), "Chris Naylor" (cmnaylor@mpsretail.co.uk)
Subject: Arrival

         Hello everyone, I've finally arrived! It took ages to fly down to Punta Arenas where we caught a lift on a research vessel, which took us down to the work site. The area I'm working in is spectacular. We're constructing the new base on the coast between the Ellsworth Mountains and the Weddell Sea, so on my off time I can go to the beach and watch the penguins playing about amongst the icebergs. Everyone is working hard so we don't get much time off, but since I'm involved in setting up the beds in the accommodation block, I don't really mind. Once we've finished that, we can move out of the tents, which I am really looking forward to. Well, I hope you are all OK and I'm looking forward to hearing from you.
         Matt.

         Hi, We're glad you seem to be getting on OK and hope you are taking plenty of pictures to show us when you get back. Did you pack enough warm clothes? Tomorrow, your mother and I are going to an arts festival in Boroughbridge, so we are keeping our fingers crossed that the weather holds out.
         Love Mum and Dad

         It sounds like you are having an interesting time in the Arctic. What do you do to keep yourself entertained when you're not working? Work is keeping me busy here, but I've been going to gigs quite often. I'm going out with Chris for some birthday drinks later today. Also, in case you haven't been able to keep up with the news, I just thought I'd tell you that Newcastle beat Arsenal 1-0. I'm sure you'll be pleased to hear that :p.
         Ollie

         Happy Birthday mate. Sorry I can't be there, but I hope you have a good one.
         Matt

         Cheers! We had a good night- had a few in the White Horse then moved on to the Rhythm Lounge and stayed until kicking out time. I'm feeling a bit rough today, though. It's a shame you couldn't be there, but we'll have a good catch up when you're back. I hope you're enjoying it down there. Isn't it a bit cold?
         Chris

         Hi, Sorry it's taken me a few days to reply but I've been rushed off my feet at the hospital. It looks like flu season has started now- we've had so many cases over the past week. I'm glad I'm off shift now! I'm so jealous of your job. It must be awesome to see icebergs and penguins whilst you're working. Bring me a penguin when you get back, please! Well, I have to go to sleep now, but keep in touch.
         Rachel

         Hello, I thought I would do a quick update. Everyone here has been busy over the past few days trying to get the accommodation block ready. We've been lucky with the weather so far- clear blue skies, no wind and surprisingly not too cold, but apparently there's a storm forecast to hit the area fairly soon. Annoyingly, there is a supply ship scheduled to arrive at about the time the storm is due, so everyone is hoping either the ship arrives first, or that the storm misses us. It's bringing fresh food supplies, which would be very welcome! A batch of steaks came over on the boat with us but we've eaten them all by now, and apparently, we're not allowed to eat the penguins! I'll send individual emails in a minute.
         Matt

         Yes, I have so many photos already! I hope you had fun in Boroughbridge.
         Matt

         Yes, we have (slow) internet here so I can check the footy results, even without a radio or TV signal. Thanks for rubbing salt into the wound. To be honest, everyone is on 12-hour shifts so there's not that much free time. When I'm not working, I've been taking walks around the base. No one is allowed to go too far because of health and safety, but it's nice to walk along the shore, or go up this small hill just behind the base. Several people have laptops so sometimes someone will set theirs up in the dining room (it's in the same building as the kitchen so it was one of the first places to get the electrics wired up) and a group of us watch a DVD or stuff off an external hard drive. And sometimes we go for that old cliché of just playing cards. ps. I'm in the Antarctic, not the Arctic. The first has the South Pole and penguins and the second has the North Pole and polar bears.
         Matt

         No, it's not that cold because it's the summer down here. It's a lot better now that we have moved out of the tents. I'm glad you had a good night. I'm gutted I couldn't be there but I suppose that's the nature of this job. We'll have to make up for it when I get back. That won't be until after New Year, so we'll have lots of partying to catch up on!
         Matt

         I'll see what I can do about the penguin. I think they will be tricky buggers to catch though. Actually, I saw a news story about the flu. It looks like quite an epidemic is starting up, so I can imagine you had your work cut out. I hope it doesn't get too serious. At least I should be fine isolated way out here.
         Matt

         I hope your ship arrives on time. Don't run out of food! We had a good night out on Chris' birthday, although I haven't seen him since. I was supposed to meet him on Monday for lunch but he backed out because he was still feeling rough from the weekend, the lightweight. Anyway, I have to go now. I'm still at work because loads of people are off sick, so the rest of us have to make up for it :(
         Ollie

         The flu thing is getting quite bad. I went back to work for a day but I started feeling awful and had to go back home. It looks like I'm coming down with it myself. You're lucky that you can avoid it. I hope you do get to catch one of those penguins to cheer me up. And don't you dare eat any of them!
         Rachel

         Hi, I'm sure your ship will arrive on time. Even if it doesn't you must have enough supplies to last in case of a delay. We enjoyed our day out in Boroughbridge. The weather forecast said it would rain but luckily, it didn't start until we were ready to go anyway. We got you a present - six bottles of local real ale called Olde Bridge Brew, so you have something to look forward to when you get back. Your mother and I have both come down with the flu so we are taking a few days off work.
         Love Mum and Dad.

         Hello again, The storm has been hitting us hard for the past few days so the internet has been rather unreliable, so that's why I haven't been in touch for a while. I've seen on the news that the epidemic back home is getting even worse, and that there are even people dying now! Some of you have told me recently that you aren't feeling too well, so please get back to me! I'm getting really worried, especially since one of the labourers has just heard his wife has died. I don't know him very well, but unsurprisingly he's taking it hard. The whole mood of this place has taken a real down turn recently. It used to be a relaxed place to live, but now everyone is tense and there have been several arguments in the past couple of days. The supply ship turning around and going back to Port Stanley has not helped at all. It spent a couple of days braving the storms several miles away but they had some kind of medical emergency onboard. I think several of the crew fell ill, and since they didn't know when they would be able to come in to the base, and we don't really have much of a medical facility anyway, they decided it would be better just to go back. The guy found out his wife had died soon after the ship departed, so of course he's upset that he has to wait before he can get compassionate leave. The base commander tried to get the ship to turn around, but the medical emergency took priority, and of course, it's still doubtful the ship would have even been able to get to us. We have enough food to keep going for a while, but I hope we'll get a re-supply in a couple of weeks, because after that things might start getting a bit tight around here. Please, everyone, get back to me ASAP so I know you are all right.
         Matt

         The storm eased off briefly so I tried to give each of you a ring with the satellite phone but there was no reply. Where are you? Are you all right?

         I just read the news again. Wtf!? National Emergency? Thousands dying of mystery plague? Please, please, please will someone reply and let me know you're OK. I'm going out of my mind with worry. I haven't heard back from any of you since my last email and no one answered the phone.

         I'm sending this to everyone on my contact list. Everyone on the base is doing the same. We haven't had any contact with the outside world for a few days now, and none of the news websites have updated in a while. Could anyone, anyone at all, please reply? The new disease hasn't infected anyone on the base, but we are all alone out here and our supplies won't last forever.

         Please, please reply. We've heard nothing more about what is happening in the rest of the world. The company hasn't responded to emails or phone calls so we have no idea when or if we will get a re-supply. We really can't last much longer out here on our own.