Yours truly taking a lap, lunch in hand, as captured by Ioannis. James is convinced I lost a lot of weight since 2011 given the bagginess of my jersey (in the absence of the goalie gear underneath).

John, Ioannis, and James (at the top, of course) examine the “frost-shattered block” feature discovered on our attempted foray into the bowl/amphitheatre.

It was one of those days you dream of, especially on those cold windy nights at Nodtvedt. Not a breeze to be felt, not a cloud in the sky. It was, by all accounts, a perfect Antarctic summer day.

Our helicopter trip was pushed to tomorrow (Tuesday), presumably due to delays getting a group out/in at Shackleton that is ahead of us in the queue. With most of the blue ice here searched in the previous three days, we decided to further search in the direction of a scenic luncheon spot.
Our ECW (extreme cold weather) gear was packed in our skidoos in case the winds tried to catch us by surprise. This meant Big Red was packed away and it was time for some lighter gear (no, James did not wear his triathlon swimwear… yet). Our balaclavas and masks were swapped for sunglasses and sunscreen. The only breeze we felt throughout the whole day was the result of our relative motion on the skidoos with respect to the still air.
We covered approximately 12 miles today, searching to and back from our lunch spot. Similar to our spots described in the preceding posts, we aimed for a bowl (or amphitheatre as John referred to it) nestled in the mountainous cliffs of Lonely Ridge.
It was a bit of a challenge getting to our planned destination. As we got closer the terrestrial rocks became more and more abundant and larger in size. At a couple instances John hopped out of his skidoo saddle to kick a rock or two out of the path of our skidoo convoy. Eventually, we stopped near a “frost-shattered block” (credit to James for the description – see included photo for a visual) for a good view and to regroup; we weren’t going to be able to make it all the way to the bottom, the rocks were just too large and plentiful.
After a photo or two thousand (we’re all convinced Ioannis is going to run out of storage space soon given the rate at which he is taking photos and videos), John lead the way to another possible lunch stop. Meandering through more terrestrial rocks we came to stop with a smooth ice patch visible in the distance. We’d make the remainder of the journey on foot.
With the lack of wind and the beaming sun, our trek to the smooth ice patch took us over some rugged terrain that even included a small trickle of water flowing from melting ice/snow uphill. It was a strange sight to see, with everything around you frozen (even the snow is nearly as hard as the ice), the sight and faint sound of trickling water really stops you in your tracks. Eventually we made it to the edge of the smooth ice, found a seat on one of the many large flat-faced rocks lining the edge, and took it all in.
Thankfully, unlike past Scott, I remembered my skates. It has been some time since I “laced them up”, not since 2011 or so when I was with the University of Guelph (UG) Men’s Hockey Team. I was fortunate to play competitive hockey into my mid-20s, and with all the rinks and venues I’ve been to, nothing compared to this.
Where the cliffs of Lonely Ridge meet a vast sheet of blue ice, lay a flat and smooth sheet of ice that likely has never been visited before. There were a few slushy patches, some rocks sticking up through the ice, and other rocks below the ice that caused holes of melt water to open up due to the strength of the sun. But there, in the most picturesque of settings, far removed from the modern world, in the calm and silence that blessed today, I took a few laps around. Wearing the UG hockey jersey from my final year, I dodged a slush pile and some scattered stones James added as obstacles as I made my way around. It is amazing how time flies, 2011 feels like only yesterday. Time surely accelerates with age.
As we were finishing eating, John, sitting on a rock in the middle of “the rink”, commented something to the effect “It is amazing the athleticism of pro athletes.” James, without missing a beat replied “Scott skating really shows how good THEY are doesn’t it?” No argument here, I suspect John came to realize just how good of skater Jim is in that moment as he watched me making my way around.
Prior to packing up, we grabbed some water from one of the melt holes in the ice. I drank several cups from my thermos lid, it was crystal clear, refrigerator cold, and extremely refreshing. Also, it was devoid of food residue and/or tiny bits of rock that accompany the water made from ice melted at camp. James filled an entire thermos and brought it back to camp. Ioannis took more photos and videos.
On the ride home, continuing our search on an offset trajectory back to camp, I think we all had a similar feeling. Today was one of those perfect days. One of those days where the weather and setting frame moments you share with a select few close friends/colleagues and remember for the rest of your life.
-Posted by Scott from Amundsen Glacier on 2018-01-08 at 16:30 local.