This afternoon I made a swift journey from College to the British Antarctic Survey in Cambridge. I paused only to lift out the bundle of samples sitting in my freezer. I have very deliberately avoided disturbing these since my return but now was the moment to pass them on.
Crammed into Pete Convey's small office we had Steve Bull, Peter Fuchs, Sandra McInnes and Richard Wyllie with his camera; filming every moment for posterity!

Almost certainly a Xanthoria species, but which one?

It was a wonderful experience to see Pete and Sandra genuinely excited at what we had to show them. Equally Steve and Peter were keen to see the results of the first Antarctic expedition. Here were samples from an area never before investigated and the very real possibility of generating new knowledge about the Biology of Antarctica.
I found all the excitement of exploration revived in me and it brought back vivid memories of all the hours that Amy, Carolyn and I had spent hunting down these samples and collecting them. The laborious care taken to bring them back safely now seemed completely worthwhile.

I think this one might be Candelariella flava?

After I had passed on my photographs and Sandra had stored the samples in a suitable freezer, I gave one last interview to Richard in the foyer of the main Survey buildings. Images of Antarctica displayed all around me.

Now I am left with lots to do over the next few weeks to make sure that we can get as much as possible from the whole expedition. I need to be ready for the talks scheduled for the SPRI on March 1st.