Happy Birthday Mrs. Wheeler
Local Posting Day and Time- 1-13-08 11:14PM
Central Standard Posting Day and Time- 1-13-08 4:14AM
McMurdo Weather
Temperature- 28F Wind Direction- East Wind Speed- 9 MPH Wind Chill- 21F
Answer to Yesterday’s WATIZIT
Yes Mike, it is being developed as a possible lunar habitat. It is inflatable and will be left here at McMurdo over the winter. It will have numerous electronic sensors and cameras monitoring its condition.
Today’s WATIZIT Picture
What is the white foggy stuff above Mt. Erebus, and what is causing it?
WATIZIT
Today's Events
Wow, what a gorgeous day!!!!
The weather is beautiful. Now that we have incredibly clear skies you would think we could fly out to some weather stations and do some science. But it’s Sunday and McMurdo basically shuts down.
So, this morning I hiked up Observation Hill, well most of the way. The wind at the top was howling and the snow was hard, crusty and slick. Once I got into the steeper section near the top I decided coming down the steep slick slope with the wind pushing me, wasn’t a good idea. So I just sat down and enjoyed the view. To the north Mt. Erebus towered above McMurdo, as the wind ripped fog over the ridge and whipped it down the slope.
Mt. Erebus
Down at McMurdo the Oden had worked its way up to the onloading pier.
Oden at McMurdo
To the northwest, the sea ice in McMurdo Sound eventually gave way to dark blue liquid water.
McMurdo Sea Ice and Open water in the distance.
To the west the TransAntarctic Mountains, filled with its glaciers, jutted up from McMurdo Sound.
TransAntarctic Mountains
Later in the afternoon Jonas and I caught a shuttle to a rugby game. Yes you read that correctly.
Rugby Game
The annual New Zealanders of Scott Base vs the US McMurdo team. It was one of the most surreal experiences I have ever had. Last year, I watched one of the first ever football games in Barrow, Alaska. But that was no comparison to driving out onto McMurdo Ice Shelf, stepping out onto the snow and seeing a rugby match in progress.
Rugby Match
I’ve never watched rugby before so I really didn’t know what was going. But, with the teams playing on the featureless and seemingly endless ice shelf produced an incredible experience.
Rugby on Ice Shelf
Although flat and featureless in one direction, in the opposite direction Mt Erebus and Mt. Terror seemed to stand guard over the game.
Rugby, Erebus and Terror
Spectators watched from the sidelines and from the tops of the tracked vehicles that brought them there.
Rugby Spectators
What an amazing venue!!!! I wonder when Antarctica will host the winter Olympics???…. during the summer.
Sportsman Ship at the Game