The Memorial Cross to George Vince, with the Discovery Hut, McMurdo Station and Ob Hill in the background.
From the outset I should say, yes, we have been busy preparing to hunt for meteorites. That doesn’t mean there hasn’t been some time for recreation. This might involve reading a book, watching a movie, or taking some time to reflect. It might also include a bit of vigorous exercise in the ‘Gerbil Gym’, or sinking a beverage in Gallaghers Pub, the Southern Bar, or the ‘Coffee Shop’.
For anyone visiting McMurdo, one ‘must’ is to take a bit of time to see some of the stunning natural beauty and the rich history preserved here. Julianne and Scott have outlined some of this in their blogs about the Ob Tube and other activities.
Scott Van Bommel and Ioannis Baziotis soak up the warm sunshine during a hike of the Hut Point Loop.
I’d like to start with hiking. I really am enamoured with the Ross Island Train System. Not only does it allow me to go some geologising, but the views and exercise from a great hike cannot be beaten. This morning, Scott, Ioannis and myself did the Hut Point Loop hike. This hike starts at the Discovery Hut and Vince’s Cross, and goes to Arrival Heights, returning to McMurdo Station.
Posing on Ob Hill with Castle Rock and Mt. Erebus for company.
After this short 3 mile loop, I tacked on a stroll along the Ob Hill loop (2.7 miles). The views from both these loops were spectacular. From Ob Hill loop I could see a dozen Weddell Seals (including a pup) backing in the wonderful warm sunshine that we were afforded today.
Perhaps the most critical hike to do if you are visiting McMurdo is to the top of Ob Hill itself. At the top stands the cross to Scott and his colleagues, and the views from this peak are breath taking. Barb and Julianne made this trip yesterday, and I am sure we will try and get up there again before we return to civilization.
A view back along the ‘road’ to Scott Base and Hut Point Peninsula, about 5 miles distant. Note the red flag poles used for guidance.
The blog author at mile point 5 at Williams Field with the Surly Ice Cream Truck Bike (4.8 inch wide wheels).
Another great activity here is to take one of the mountain bikes out. These bikes are amazing. They have 4.8” wide tires that grip well to snow and ice and make for a great work out due to the friction with the road surface. I’ve been out and back to Williams (Willy) Field a couple of times.
The bike ride starts at Building 155 in McMurdo Station. From near sea level, you ride up over the Ob Hill pass to Scott Base, offering great views of Windless Bight. After Scott Base it’s 5 miles along ice and snow to Willy Field. Very little traffic comes along the road, so you really get a sense of being separate from the rest of the world as you chug along on the bike.
Even despite the cold temperatures (-17 deg C on the first ride), you stay pretty warm and the 12 mile round trip takes about 2 hrs, with lots of stops for pictures.
In the Discovery Hut with provisions.
Another must is history. The visit to see the Discovery Hut is like taking a step back in time. Materials, provisions, trousers, tools and even the carcasses of sheep and seal are preserved within the hut after over 100 years.
Of course, hanging around in the evenings invariably leads to ‘sporting’ activities. Scott and Jim have turned out to be table tennis ‘terrors’, dominating the table in Building 155. Ioannis has a natural talent for Shuffleboard. A fullsize table exists in the Southern and we have much fun testing our accuracy against visiting Italians there last night.
Scott Van Bommel demonstrating his skills at Table Tennis in Building 155 of McMurdo Station.
We’ve also tested our skills against the best general knowledgers in the pub-quiz at Gallaghers (we can 3rd out of about 11 teams – not bad). During these endeavours I continue to be amazed by the talented people who work at McMurdo and their interesting stories. This downtime has been a lot of fun, getting to know this years team and to soak up the atmosphere of McMurdo Station and it’s occupants.
Posted by James from the Hut Point Peninsula on 2017-12-08 at 16.00 local