The team on Castle Rock, with Mount Erebus in the background, during the shakedown before we left for the Miller Range. That seemed a lifetime ago!

Sunday. A day of rest for me (as well as for the flight staff here at McMurdo). Sunday brunch also happens to be the best food day during the week here on station. A small carvery station is set up, usually roast beef or turkey, a row of cold cut meats, about 8 different types of cheeses, and assorted cold salads and deserts. There was also a smoothy station. I got a banana and strawberry mix. Yummy! The only thing notably absent was fresh produce such as fresh fruit and veg. Apparently, they’d ran out of that a few weeks back. Although we make up for it with canned fruit, it’s just not the same. But then again, we are in Antarctica, on a base not too dissimilar to a military facility, so I’m just glad I don’t have to thaw out cans of corn beef hash (or hoosh if you were Shackleton) just to have breakfast. Last thing about food. Johnny and I will be spending approximately 10 days at Elephant Moraine. Unlike the previous four weeks, we won’t have frozen meat or fish for dinner. Instead, we’ll be feasting on packs of ‘dehys’ for the entire EET trip. These are camping packets of dehydrated meals, which only needs water to prepare. This greatly simplifies our logistics and cargo out there for a small two man team. We’ll survive, but a Sunday brunch it does not make.

Ross Island has a number of hiking routes. We did the Observation (or Ob) Hill and Loop as a team back in December. Mactown is at the bottom of the map

Afterwards, I took at 3.5 hr hike to Castle Rock. This rocky outcrop is approximately 3.5 miles from the station. Since safety is everything here, I had to file a foot plan consisting of contact details, where I was going, and approximately when I would return. I was given a short wave radio, and if we weren’t going to make it back in time, we’d have to check in and extend our ETA. If we didn’t, they’d start sending out Search and Rescue people and helos looking for you. And if you just forgot, you’d be in a world of hurt. The route has two ‘apples’. These ‘apples’ were red circular survival pods where one can take shelter if you were hurt or if the weather turned ugly. They have stoves, sleeping bags and first aid kits. All the hiking trails around Mactown are clearly flagged. Unlike hiking in the US, departure from the assigned route would almost mean (and has meant) certain death. Crevasses are numerous and deadly.

A room with a view, also during the shakedown.

The hike went well, and was uneventful. Burger and fries for dinner and off to bed. The snow is starting to fall and the likelihood of us getting out as backup will be slim.

– from Con, blogging comfortably in his bed at Mactown.