Now that we’re pretty officially headed for Elephant Moraine, which is accessible from McMurdo by Twin Otter, we got to see all our gear again, get it out of the big triwalls, weigh it, measure it, and put it back into the cargo stream. It was satisfying to get out and work, to lift, carry, heft, and move things around. And we kept ourselves entertained with making each other guess how heavy the boxes were or how long the tents were. I loved hearing all the Antarctica-specific words, like isopods, crash pads, sledging boxes, poo tent and ice chipper. We’re getting excited. Kids – we even had some sightings of Christmas elves in the cargo yard, busily moving boxes of gifts around to help out Santa! We can’t figure out why they’re working way down by the South Pole instead of North Pole, but we figured time travel messes everything up.

Yesterday, a few of us also got out on one of the new hikes around McMurdo, around Ob Hill. It takes you past the helo pad, around the sea ice side of Ob Hill, down kind of close to the ice, pressure ridges and seals, then back up towards the top of Ob Hill, around the side close to the big road and back down. It was really beautiful. This shot is of town and Hut Point from around Ob Hill.

We hope you’re all enjoying as beautiful of winter weather as we are summer in McMurdo!

Jani Radebaugh 14 December 2016