<div>Rachel and the crew of the RRS. James Clark Ross cross the antarctic convergence and the ship celebrates her (are all ships 'she's?) 30th birthday, and at last Rachel sees mountains looming on the horizon.  --- Presented by Dr. Rachel Varnam and Dr. Jenna Plank. The series is produced by Rachel Varnam and John Wakefield.  The Executive Producers are Claire Broughton and Laura Varnam.  The Studio Engineer was Alex O’Donovan.  Follow Rachel’s adventure on Instagram @coldestshiftpod  --- All music blue dot sessions - <a href="http://www.sessions.blue">www.sessions.blue</a> --- With thanks to the British Antarctic Survey and the British Antarctic Survey Medical Unit.  Learn more about their crucial work at <a href="http://www.bas.ac.uk">www.bas.ac.uk</a>  --- Image credit - Rachel Varnam. ---  ‘The Coldest Shift’ is a Hat Trick Podcast.</div>

6: Icebreaker


Top 20 podcast of 2025 - 'The Atlantic'

Start with Episode 1. Complete series out now. 

In 2020 at the height of the pandemic, only one continent remained Covid free - Antarctica. And it was the job of the British Antarctic Survey, and Dr. Rachel Varnam, to keep it that way.  

'The Coldest Shift' follows Dr. Rachel Varnam, the ships Doctor on board the Royal Research Ship James Clarke Ross on her final voyage to the Antarctic before being replaced by the RRS Sir David Attenborough.

This series casts a unique ear on the oft-unseen realities of Antarctic medicine and life at sea on an polar vessel: from the engineers who deal with rodents to prevent environmental contamination to the electricians maintaining the systems that predict space weather to keep the satellites above us flying. And of course, the scientists aboard the ship that has found multiple new species and undersea volcanoes as well as supporting research essential to humanity’s survival. 

