Today I woke up with my bags packed at 5AM. By 8AM I was at the USAP terminal having my bags weighed and checking in for a boarding pass for the transport plane to McMurdo Station. After and orientation video, two delays, and lunch it was pretty clear that we would not be leaving today.
A group of intrepid Antarctic scientists preparing to embark.
Oddly enough, the problem seems to have been with the weather on the New Zealand side rather than on the Antarctic side. It seems that the mountainous terrain of New Zealand makes for some highly variable weather patterns (according to one of the military pilots that I spoke with) and there was some concern about icing at altitude.
A group of intrepid Antarctic scientists preparing to return to their hotel.
It was a disappointment but this is a fairly regular part of going to Antarctica. Antarctica is remote in every sense and getting there is not exactly routine. Keep in mind that for transport you are wearing a parka, bib overalls, and the rest of your ECW kit, just in case. So the wait got a bit sweaty. But everyone seems to be in good spirits despite the minor inconveniences. One first timer (not me) left his street shoes in his checked luggage. This is a problem because once they check it, you don't get it back. They leave it palleted for the flight tomorrow so you are sent back to the hotel with your carry on and boomerang bag. Luckily, a veteran suggested that he look in the Skua Room. The Skua Room is like a lost and found where antarctic travelers leave things that they no longer need for the next guy.
Skua Room SWAG!
I asked what SKUA stands for but its not an acronym. A skua is an antarctic sea bird renowned for its scavenging abilities. Anyway, the first timer found a pair of shoes that would be more comfortable than tromping around New Zealand in ECW bunny boots. Wish me luck for tomorrow.
A lonely boot that knows that it will not tread antarctic soil this day
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