KNOWING what the weather holds for the day ahead is particularly important when snow flurries and 100mph winds can stop work even at the height of summer. It is lucky, then, that Charlie Keating has a good view of the beach from his office: it lets him see what the penguins are up to. “If there is really bad weather ahead, the penguins come and stand on the shore,” he said.

Keating, 41, is the site agent for Morrison Construction International on the remote island of South Georgia, 750 miles east of the Falklands. He and his team of eight are responsible for refurbishing a hydroelectric power plant that, when complete, will mean the island will be the first British overseas territory to be completely powered by renewable energy. It is not a huge project - depending on the time of year, there are only about 30 people on the island - but it is complicated by the fact that Keating, who earns £35,000-£45,000 in Britain plus significant allowances when overseas, and his team can only work on it during the southern summer.

“The problem is getting there,” he said. “If you do not come at the right time of year, the sea is frozen and you could have icebergs blocking you.” On another trip he spent five weeks stuck in ice, entertaining himself by watching the whales that surfaced in the holes being cut in the ice to free the ship.

Once at the site, he and his team live in dormitory-style accommodation and work seven days a week to make the most of the time available. “We do try to take breaks, though. If the weather turns nice - that’s anything that’s not snowing or blowing a 60mph wind - we have a barbecue.” Eating is a big feature of life on South Georgia; the cold means that the men need double the calories they would usually consume, so a second breakfast, afternoon tea and plenty of snacks are normal.

As the site manager, Keating’s main job is to make sure that work is progressing. Sometimes that means hands-on work assisting technical specialists, but he is also the person who gets the satellite internet connection working, makes sure there are plenty of DVDs and helps his colleagues order flowers for their girlfriends.

Keeping his team happy is important, he said: “It is a bit like being a babysitter. Sometimes they seem like trivial issues, but down here something that plays on your mind really plays on your mind.”

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