Jim doing some “gear-splaining” in front of ANSMET’s cage in the BFC.

We had a great second day in McMurdo!

The day started at the Berg Field Center (the “BFC”) to sort through our sleep kits, kitchen boxes, and tent boxes to make sure we’re ready to eat, sleep, and survive in the field! The sleeping bags are rated to minus 60 F, and they are extra cozy.

Robert gettin’ cozy.

It was also fun to see a bit of ANSMET history as we prepared our kitchen boxes and saw the names of some previous ANSMET team members adorning the boxes. Speaking of food, Daniela and I brought some avocados from Christchurch, so at breakfast we got to enjoy the last of our “freshies” for the next few months.

The look of love on Daniela’s face, immediately before going “Shiva” and devouring, is frankly alarming.

Then the team attended an outdoor safety lecture to make sure we’re prepared to enjoy some of the local trails around McMurdo.

In the afternoon we did snowmobile training, to learn the ins and outs and maintenance tips for our trusty skidoos. After training we went back to the BFC to prepare our daypacks, full of thermoses, safety equipment, hand lenses, hand warmers, etc. We’re really looking forward to testing everything out in the field for our shakedown test (hopefully next Tuesday into Wednesday).

Hut Point, with Mt. Discovery in the background on the right. The cross on the left memorializes George Vince, who fell off a nearby cliff during Scott’s 1901-1904 expedition. From left to right are Jon, Erin, Daniela and Lauren (I think).

At the very end of our day, and with some knowledge of the local trails, a few of us decided to head down to Hut Point, to take in some history, enjoy the spectacular views, and say hi to a few seals. It was extremely windy and a good reality check for some of the conditions we might be facing in the field soon!

Under the Midnight Sun. This looks suspiciously like a promo for a “Girl’s Night Out” movie. Will hijinks ensue?

And we made it out to see the midnight sun shining over McMurdo tonight. Time for bed!

-From Lauren in McMurdo (some editing and horrible captions by rph)