COUNTING animals, camping on icy glaciers and eating Army rations doesn’t sound like an ideal plan for the holidays . . . but it proved to be the experience of a lifetime for Clare Rickerby. Clare, 23, is back from a seven-week trip to the wilderness of Antarctica — one of the most isolated regions on earth — where she took part in an important climate change study with the British Schools Exploring Society, BSES. She may have been 8000 miles away from the family home in Carlisle, Cumbria, but the former biology degree student was far from homesick, and says she is now even more determined to take part in more expeditions. Clare said: “It was fantastic. I got back just in time for New Year’s Eve and it’s great to be home . . . but it hasn’t taken long for me to want to go travelling again.” Clare had to raise £5500 in fundraising and sponsorship before she could set sail on the BSES expedition, which took in the Falkland Islands and South Georgia. Trekking up mountains and retracing the steps of famous explorer Ernest Shackleton may have proved to be fun, but there was very serious motivation. She and the rest of the 18-strong group were there to carry out scientific research, designed to find out first-hand how climate change is affecting our world. The group carried out the first beach-long penguin survey, one of an eventual five which will hopefully show how the creatures’ natural habitat is changing. And there were signs that global warming is definitely marching apace when they came across the glaciers. She said: “The glaciers of ice looked much bigger on the maps than they did in real life, so there are already definite signs of change. But we won’t know for another five years quite how much climate change is affecting penguins because ours was the very first study. “We found a new colony of king penguins that had never been approached by humans before. “They walked right up to us, completely unafraid, and started pecking us to see what we were. It was amazing. “We also came across gentoo penguins up close. “Our job was to count the penguins, and that will be done for the next five years . . . and when all the figures are put together we’ll be able to tell how much they are being affected.” While Clare’s family was revelling in the warmth of their home in Southwaite, near Carlisle, on December 25, the Edinburgh University graduate was camping out on the Falkland Islands. “I certainly won’t forget Christmas. “It was a beautifully sunny day and we went on a long walk from the military base to the highest mountain — Mount Osborne — which isn’t that high at only 2000ft, but the temperatures were quite fresh at 0C (32F) to -5C (23F). “And for Christmas dinner we had Army ration packs. “Most of us chose chicken and herb dumplings, and chocolate pudding, which sounds much more luxurious than it was, I can assure you!” Now, relaxing back at her home, Clare is eager to build upon her experiences. She added: “It has definitely made me more determined to get involved in further expeditions, so next on my list is looking for a job working within the environment and conservation work. “I’d love to go on another BSES expedition too, maybe as a science leader next time.” | 
