Photo album: "New year"

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At the end of the year 1974, Marion Dufresne is back. A few days later, the 1975 New Year festivities take place. Afterward, we begin a visit of Port-aux-Français base.

On December 26th, Marion Dufresne is back. She comes to supply the base with gas-oil, food and different kinds of materials. The most important ones for us, after fresh food, fruit, etc. is, of course, the mail.

A team of people who has just participated in the unloading of the ship, is coming back from the pier.

"Beware, elephant seals crossing!" says the panel. A young elephant seal is reminding with insistence our friend Patou (Pierre de Chateau-Thierry), from the GRI team, that it is him which has the priority for crossing.

The goods unloaded from Marion Dufresne are, at first, put onto a barge which will transport them to the pier. The shallowness of the water non permit the ship to go near the pier.

The Kerguelen roads are not very suitable to walk for a man with a leg put in plaster!

Patou multi-talented man improvise himself as a barber for a friend who wants to be ready for the feast of the end of the year.

On the evening of December 31st, 1974, in the restaurant dining room, we have just finished the excellent midnight supper of New Year's eve.

We are waiting for the official time of passing into the New Year.

That's it! We are in 1975 and everyone wishes the best to the other members of the expedition.

I have taken advantage of the new year to change face! A lot of people had difficulties to recognise me. Behind me the orchestra of the personnel from Réunion.

The orchestra of the personnel from Réunion.

Carried away by music, a few people try some dance steps… alas ladies are lacking.

The Soviet team's cineaste puts souvenirs in a box!

An evening, in front of Fort-aux-Français base.

In the sunset horizon, we perceive, at the centre of the photo, the outline of the chapel.

But, if we visited the base! From the imposing background on Mount Ross, going forth, we perceive the chapel, the light-grey laboratory buildings of the International Geophysical Year (a few are still in activity, others have been converted into storehouses or workshops) and the blu-grey Hall Transit where boxes of material, to be sent back to France, are prepared or where the boxes just arrived with the ship are open.

On this photo, from left to right, we can see the hospital (it is the only one, thousands of kilometres around), it is not used only by Port-aux-Français base, but also by every ship being in the neighbourhood, particularly the fishing fleets. Two physicians officiate there: a confirmed doctor-surgeon and a young doctor from the voluntary service. We perceive, then, some of the lodging buildings and finally the restaurant.

Close up on the restaurant: the dining room is on first floor and the kitchens are on ground floor.

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