Snow block goes into melt tank for freshwater
Base H - Signy Island Antarctica

  ©Copyright W. Townsend - picture taken 1963

Freshwater in liquid form can be a difficult thing to obtain in Antarctica. In the winter months one way of doing this without too much difficulty was by "snow-blocking" cutting deep snow banks into large but readily handled blocks which were dropped into a melt-tank which was usually heated by being next to the exhaust from the generators. It meant that fresh water for washing was in short supply so a quick weekly shower was all that the people were allowed, drinking, cooking and cooking implement hygiene coming first.