Jeremy is a Mechanic with the Cape Roberts Drilling Project. He has spent several seasons in Antarctica including wintering over at Scott Base in 1994.

Jeremy comes from the farming town of Darfield in Canterbury. His parents owned a cropping farm and Jeremy attended the local primary and Secondary School. During his first years out of school he completed an apprenticeship with an agricultural machinery business in Christchurch. This background in the maintenance of heavy machinery was what enabled him to apply for the position of Scott Base Mechanic for the summer of 1993/94. Just before he was to leave for Antarctica he agreed to stay on for the remainder of the winter. The Scott Base Mechanic has a wide range of responsibilities including the maintenance of all the vehicles (bulldozers, Hagglunds, skidoos, ATVs and trucks) as well as chainsaws and sledges.

During that summer Jeremy accompanied Alex Pyne from Victoria University of Wellington, on a traverse to the Cape Roberts area by skidoo, where Alex was investigating the site of an ambitious drilling project. So started Jeremy’s association with the Cape Roberts project.

Since 1993 Jeremy has made several return trips to Cape Roberts. In October 1995 Jeremy was one of several people on a bulldozer train from Scott Base to Cape Roberts transporting the containers and heavy equipment required for the drilling which was to start in September the following year. He was also at Cape Roberts in January 1996 for the off-load from the Italian ship Italica, of heavy drilling equipment including the drilling rig itself.

In August 1996 Jeremy was all set to leave for Cape Roberts for the start of drilling when he received word that the sea ice was not thick enough to enable drilling to begin. The project had to be postponed for twelve months. He did however, join several other Antarctica New Zealand staff at Cape Roberts in the summer of 1996/97 to check over the camp and drilling rig in preparation for drilling this year (1997).

At Cape Roberts, Jeremy is responsible for the maintenance of the vehicles and generators although he is quick to point out that everyone works together to ensure that the project runs smoothly. The Cape Roberts Project Manager, Jim Cowie says "besides being able to deal with a wide range of engineering/mechanical problems, Jeremy’s adaptability, flexibility and initiative are a real asset to the CRP team".

Jeremy is a keen sportsman, playing touch rugby and skiing in the winter. One of his interests is drag car racing. He races an altered dragster although summers in Antarctica have recently curtailed that interest. When asked about why he continues to return to the Antarctic he mentions the people. "You get to know a wide range of people incredibly well. There are Italians, Americans, Military types, scientists, all sorts. The other thing is the trust you build up with people. We have a small team that relies on each other to a large extent. At times it’s really important, like when crossing sea ice. You completely rely on people’s judgement and common sense."

The Cape Roberts project has a particular fascination with Jeremy. "I was involved from the start and am keen to see it through. It’s also the co-operative nature of the project. There are so many people involved: so many people depending on us to make it work. It’s also the challenge of keeping things going in harsh conditions. Last summer I had the flu and felt pretty burnt out at the end of the season but there was a great feeling of satisfaction knowing the job had been well done. It’s great having a job that you have a strong interest in."

Jeremy says that his involvement with the Cape Roberts Project has been disruptive to his own employment back in New Zealand. "I have had to resign and go looking for work as a result of Cape Roberts but then again there are other opportunities opening up as a result of it".