Shakedown camp setup, with Mt Erebus (right) and Castle Rock (left) in the background.
Monday morning the team headed out to do a shakedown. In a shakedown we camp for one night near McMurdo to do a test-run for the field, making sure all our tents and camping equipment are in good order and training us how to set up and take down camp.
The shakedown also gave us the first opportunity to take our snowmobiles out for a spin. After gathering and transporting our gear from McMurdo, we loaded our gear into large plastic “Siglin” sleds, learning the proper way to pack and tie down the sled. This is a prelude of what’s to come for our mid-season traverse, when we will change camps and transport our gear sleds in tow to a new search area.
A Skandic snowmobile with Siglin sled in tow. The vestibule tent is packed up like a christmas tree. (editor’s note: the vestibule tent is one of two Scott tents we redesigned to include an extra few feet of outer wall at the door. I am guessing the lack of a windshield on the snowmobile is because they’ve already been packed away for the field to avoid breakage during loading)
The team was more than excited to drive the snowmobiles, especially amid the awe-inspiring antarctic scenery that included a fantastic view of Mount Erebus. We took the snowmobiles for a short drive from near Scott Base out to the ice shelf. First we set up the tents, then took the snowmobiles out.
The team takes the snowmobiles out for some practice driving, with Mt. Erebus in the background. From left to right are Lauren, Robert, Minako (obscured), Brian, and Jon.
Since we camped close to Castle Rock, we drove the snowmobiles close and hiked up to the top, where the team gained an introduction to navigating ice-rock terrain and were treated with awesome views of the surrounding terrain. McMurdo is located on Ross Island, at the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf. Brian pointed out where you can see the ice shelf (glacial ice that flows off the coast onto the ocean surface) meet the sea ice (frozen sea water).
Top of Castle Rock, with Mt Erebus steaming prettily 34 km away. From left to right: Brian, Erin, Jon, Minako, and Lauren.
After the hike, we got situated in our tents for the night to get our first taste of antarctic camping. Here we were able to see how the tents would be arranged and brainstorm how we would set things up for the much longer camping stints to come.
Minako and Daniela enjoying their first night in the tent, which casts a characteristic yellow hue on everything within. Pringles for dinner?
In the morning we did a couple practice meteorite sweeps on the snowmobiles before heading back to base. At McMurdo we tagged all the cargo we could to put it into the cargo system. Each bag has to have its weight and dimensions recorded to organize its eventual loading into the Basler flights to the field.
The team capped off the day with trivia night at Gallaghers, where the ‘Meteorwrongs’ took 2nd place!
-Robert Citron from McMurdo
-Additional note from Ralph: it is always a good sign when the team posts a blog immediately after the shakedown and doesn’t mention the weather even once. Either the weather was gorgeous or the people are hardy of some happy combination of both. I’m blown away (pun intended).