Cover image of show The Coldest Shift

The Coldest Shift

Podcast by Hat Trick Podcasts

English

Culture & leisure

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About The Coldest Shift

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.

All episodes

9 episodes

episode 8: King Edward Point artwork

8: King Edward Point

In the final episode - Rachel finds herself unexpectedly the G.P. to one of the most beautiful places in the world with only penguins, and multitudes of seals (and a small team) for company. As the pandemic's days seem numbered we learn about day to day life on South Georgia for its human and wildlife populations. Life, death and cooking. -- 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 (who went above and beyond to make sure you heard this series). Follow Rachel’s adventure on Instagram @coldestshiftpod --- Music blue dot sessions - www.sessions.blue [http://www.sessions.blue/] 'Goodbye Fare Ye Well' by Gibb Schreffler and the Claremont Colleges Chanty Singers and 'The Windlass Project' used under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (international): creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ [https://gate.sc/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcreativecommons.org%2Flicenses%2Fby-sa%2F4.0%2F&token=ea2331-1-1770507321162] © 2022 by Gibb Schreffler (Dept. of Music, Pomona College) Original Material - https://soundcloud.com/gibb-schreffler/goodbye-fare-ye-well [https://soundcloud.com/gibb-schreffler/goodbye-fare-ye-well] --- Excerpt from Boris Johnson's statement to the nation, used under the Open Government Licence - https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/ [https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/] Original statement - https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/prime-ministers-statement-on-coronavirus-covid-19-10-february-2021 [https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/prime-ministers-statement-on-coronavirus-covid-19-10-february-2021] --- With thanks to the British Antarctic Survey and the British Antarctic Survey Medical Unit. Learn more about their crucial work at www.bas.ac.uk [http://www.bas.ac.uk/] --- Image credit - Rachel Varnam. ---  ‘The Coldest Shift’ is a Hat Trick Podcast. A huge thank you for everyone who has made 'The Coldest Shift' possible.  Thank you for listening.

8 Feb 2026 - 1 h 20 min
episode 7: Vernadsky artwork

7: Vernadsky

Covid-19 finally reaches Antarctica. But with British Antarctic Survey bases safe and isolated the crew of the Rachel and the crew of the James Clark Ross can ring in the New Year together. Not only that they can bring relief to others stranded and isolated in some of the most remote places in the world. But not everything goes to plan for Rachel. --- 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 - www.sessions.blue [http://www.sessions.blue] --- With thanks to the British Antarctic Survey and the British Antarctic Survey Medical Unit. Learn more about their crucial work at www.bas.ac.uk [http://www.bas.ac.uk] Learn more about the National Antarctic Scientific Center of Ukraine [http://uac.gov.ua/en/about-en/] and their work at Akademik Vernadsky Station at http://uac.gov.ua/en/about-en/ [http://uac.gov.ua/en/about-en/] --- Image credit - Rachel Varnam. ---  ‘The Coldest Shift’ is a Hat Trick Podcast.

31 Dec 2025 - 35 min
episode 6: Icebreaker artwork

6: Icebreaker

Island Hopping closer to their final destination, Rachel and the crew visit Bird Island, Deception Island, travel through stunning channels and bash through sea ice before Glaciated mountains tower above us. Of course all this is shot through with Secret Santa plans and emergency crafting with medical items from the onboard hospital before we celebrate Christmas in the most remote region of the world. ---  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 - www.sessions.blue [http://www.sessions.blue] --- With thanks to the British Antarctic Survey and the British Antarctic Survey Medical Unit.  Learn more about their crucial work at www.bas.ac.uk [http://www.bas.ac.uk]  Or learn more about the history of the British Antarctic Survey - https://www.bas.ac.uk/about/about-bas/history/history-of-bas/ [https://www.bas.ac.uk/about/about-bas/history/history-of-bas/]  ---  Excerpts from Boris Johnson’s Statement used under the Open Government Licence - https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/ [https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/]  Image credit - Rachel Varnam. ---  ‘The Coldest Shift’ is a Hat Trick Podcast.

19 Dec 2025 - 1 h 3 min
episode 5: We're Very Nearly There artwork

5: We're Very Nearly There

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 - www.sessions.blue [http://www.sessions.blue] --- With thanks to the British Antarctic Survey and the British Antarctic Survey Medical Unit.  Learn more about their crucial work at www.bas.ac.uk [http://www.bas.ac.uk]  --- Image credit - Rachel Varnam. ---  ‘The Coldest Shift’ is a Hat Trick Podcast.

17 Dec 2025 - 32 min
episode 4: Crossing the Line artwork

4: Crossing the Line

How do you beg to King Neptune for leniency?  As the J.C.R. crosses the equator on its final voyage down south old sea faring traditions take hold. We meet Mandy, the Third engineer about the J.C.R. who teaches us more about how the ship works below decks. And Rachel adds another meteorological string to her bow and yet another responsibility on her shoulders! --- 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 - www.sessions.blue [http://www.sessions.blue/] --- With thanks to the British Antarctic Survey and the British Antarctic Survey Medical Unit. Learn more about their crucial work at www.bas.ac.uk [https://www.bas.ac.uk/]  --- Image credit - Rachel Varnam. ---  ‘The Coldest Shift’ is a Hat Trick Podcast.

3 Dec 2025 - 26 min
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