We are still stuck in McMurdo waiting for weather and issues at camp to be resolved. However, "stuck" has some plus sides! Over the last week, we have had a grand time exploring the hiking trails, observation tube, and other entertainment that McMurdo has to offer. Here in McMurdo there is a coffee house, craft room, library, and a full gym with a rock climbing wall.
However, the recent recreational highlight was visiting the pressure ridges near Scott Base, the home of the Antarctica New Zealand program. The pressure ridges are over 3 miles long this year. They form as sea ice buckles under pressure that forms as the sea ice comes in contact with Ross Island and the Ross Ice Shelf. These ridges of ice are constantly changing as tidal action, winds, increasing summer temperatures and sunlight alter their appearance and shape.
The buckling ice also serves as a way for seals to get through the sea ice. It isn't uncommon to see seals and the young pups that were born about 6-8 weeks ago. We were lucky enough to walk right by a seal pup and its mom lounging on the ice. We also saw evidence of other seal lounging. Be sure to check out the photo below to see a seal "footprint".
Ross Island and the sculpted ice of the pressure ridges.
The pressure ridges take on several different shapes and sizes.
A frozen pool where seals can push through the thinned ice and reach the surface, or get back into the Ross Sea.
The seal pup and its mom near the pressure ridges taking a nap. We could even hear them snoring!
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