February 11

We arrived in McMurdo station yesterday morning (picture below). We left the ship around noon and were assigned rooms in McMurdo Housing. By early afternoon, we had our bags moved and we became tourists.

McMurdo Station is at the end of the summer season. Many of the science camps are closed and people and equipment has moved back to the station. The current population, according to a bulletin board is about 1000 people. The supply ships will be here in a week or so. And then, most people will leave the station, except those who overwinter.

One of the first spots to visit is Scott's hut, which was built the first time R.F. Scott came to this place. It was used several times by other groups coming to Antarctica trying to reach the South Pole. We were able to go inside (Dennis arranged for the guide to come unlock the hut). Some food and equipment is still inside.

Scott's Hut.

About 3 in the afternoon, the Palmer left (picture below) to return to Punta Arenas to get the next science party who are going to the far south of the Weddell Sea (far south Atlantic on the east side of the Antarctic Peninsula).

The ice pier was in bad shape. Apparently, the previous winter was not cold enough (or a storm caused it to crack). In any case, they decided to separate it from the land and rebuild it (picture below). (There were a number of other stories of what was going on so I am not sure of the truth). In any case, much of the station came out to watch.

Ice pier being separated from land.

As part of being a tourist, I walked around Observation Hill (yesterday) and climbed Observation Hill (today). From the south side of the hill, you can see Scott Base which is the New Zealand Antarctic Base. It is a cluster of green buildings on the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf. I took several pictures of the Ross Ice Shelf, but it is too vast to capture in a photography. It is a wide, flat expanse of white that fades into the distance. I don't know how Scott and his party could look into that distance and continue south to the Pole.

Scott base.

In the picture below I am enjoying the hike, with Scott base in the background.

John on Observation Hill.

From the top of Observation Hill, it is possible to see most of McMurdo Station. It has all of the charm of a mining town. It is all snow, ice and dirt. There are vehicles everywhere and they raise dust when they move around. One truck is used to spray water on the road to keep the dust down.

McMurdo Station.

On the top of Observation hill is a cross as a memorial to R.F. Scott and his party who died on the return from the South Pole. The wooden cross (picture below) was erected in 1913. In spite of being 100 years old, it is not the least damaged by time.

Scott cross.

Tonight we take our luggage to the post office to surrender it to the airlift folks. We can keep one bag, along with our cold weather gear which we need to take on the plane.

We are supposed to fly out tomorrow. There are two flights leaving. We will go on the C17 military transport. There is a Boeing 757 which is taking another group. The planes will fly in tomorrow and return to Christchurch, New Zealand in the afternoon. It all depends on weather. We will see how it works.