One of the reasons I enjoy coming to Antarctic is the enormous beauty of the place. Even while in McMurdo Station, the view across the frozen Ross Sea to the Royal Society Range or Mount Discovery and Mount Morning is breathtaking. You would not imagine that a landscape dominated by white could be so beautiful. The camera does not do justice to what the eye sees. The nice thing is that I could go out anytime and take these pictures and they would be different. With the Sun shining 24 hours a day, you get ever changing lighting on the mountains as the Sun makes its lazy circle in the sky.

Of course, today was a continuation of the work of yesterday: preparing for the field season. John and I made good progress getting our gear into the cargo stream so that we can be ready to depart for Elephant Moraine on 24 Nov., and the three of us sorted through gear needed for the main season. Items were added that were missing, and everything was repackaged in huge cardboard boxes – “triwalls” – out in the cargo yard. I had to go to skidoo training, which was basically a refresher on the basics of care-and-feeding of a skidoo.  Also, I promised Tony I would not drive over 40 kph (25 mph) and always wear my helmet. Actually, when we are out hunting meteorites, 40 kph would be way too fast for searching anyway. So I’m good.

Posted by duck (a.k.a. Dave Mittlefehldt)