Amanda Barry, 63, has fulfilled her father's lifelong ambition to return to Antarctica, where he worked as a base leader in 1948. George Barry died suddenly of a heart attack when Amanda was nine, but she discovered his trunk of photographs, letters and journals in her mother's loft, inspiring her to follow in his footsteps.
Barry, who grew up in Essex, worked as a publicist before building her own PR company specialising in environmental issues. In her 30s, she closed her business, wrote a book, and later enrolled with the Open University to study environmental science. She volunteered with walking tours and a museum in Ullapool, Scotland, to strengthen her application to work in Antarctica.
The UK Antarctic Heritage Trust offered her a two-month stint as museum manager at Port Lockroy. Last November, she travelled to Ushuaia, Patagonia, and joined a cruise ship to Antarctica. She arrived at Port Lockroy on Goudier Island, a tiny, snowy island inhabited by gentoo penguins.
Upon entering Bransfield House, the original hut where her father lived, Barry saw his photograph on the wall. She later found the beach where a treasured photo of her father was taken and stood on the same spot. 'It was amazing,' she said.
Barry returned to Scotland in January, describing the experience as liberating despite the lack of running water and camping toilet. She says the trip gave her confidence and a sense of resilience. 'When you've lost a parent when you're young, you're always hankering for that connection. Going there was the closest I'll ever get to it.'
