We arrived in McMurdo Station, Antarctica. woohooo!! The ride on the cargo plane was extremely nice, even nicer than the commercial flights because we had a lot of room to roam around. The plane landed so softly on the ice that it seemed stopping on Antarctica was still a dream, but oh no! it was as real as the cold air that flooded the airplane as soon as the doors opened. People got up in a hurry and covered themselves with the large red parkas.
Getting ready to step on to the white continent.
We stepped out to meet the white continent. Amazing, just amazing. Even though am used to seeing snow by living in Wisconsin, realizing that the huge plane landed on ice and then see the mountains and volcanoes stare at us was amazing. We came out like good tourists, taking pictures of the plane and everything else, trying to soak up the whole experience. Just wonderful!
Here we are! the huge C-17 on the ice landing strip. Pretty amazing to think that we landed on a huge chunk of ice.
Tourist picture of me with the C-17 on the background. The most unique airport on which I have ever landed.
From the airstrip we traveled to the station on the ''Deltas'' and the Ivan the Terra Bus''. I felt like in a Star Wars movie, where instead of the sandy dessert we are on an icy dessert ,and with wired looking forms of transportation.
People boarding the crazy looking Ivan the terra bus.
Inside a delta. We traveled through the ice to the station. Our windows ended up frosted from our perspiration. It is hard to believe we are really in Antarctica.
The Deltas in McMurdo. Funky looking vehicles with the most extreme clearance.
We arrived to the station some 40 minutes later. We went to a briefing (again) and then to find our rooms. Apparently McMurdo is at capacity, so the gentlemen where assigned to the ''Men Camp'', better know by some of us as ''Men Cave''. About 10 bunk beds in a reduced space. It is actually not too bad. Here is Thomas preparing his bunk.
The man camp, where about 20 of us are staying in McMurdo. A bit cramped, but great to be here. Here is Thomas getting his bunk ready.
We had dinner at the cafeteria. The food was pretty good with lots of choices. They have a lot of healthy non-traditional offerings that signal the life-style of a big section of the people that decide to work in Antarctica. Some of us went for a little hike on a nearby mountain, Observation Hill. The trek is on very loose dark, extrusive volcanic rocks. Lots of pyroclasts with ashes, for those versed in geology.
The ground is made out of igneous rocks like these.
The views up there are spectacular, with the station on one side, the airport on the other, and wonderful snow covered mountains everywhere. Here are some of the pictures from the hike.
Hiking observation hill is an easy introduction to McMurdo and its surrounding.
One of the tags for the hiking paths in Antarctica.
I am enjoying the view from Observation Hill.
An amazing Antarctic view of a glacier behind the station.
Our group on top of observation hill.
I watch this picture and I find it hard to believe it is me on Antarctica. The kind of picture I would see of Antarctic explores on the TV, and it is actually me!
And that was it for the day. We finished the hike at 10 pm, and the sun was almost as high in the sky as when the day began, just in another position. As we approach the end of the summer here, the next sunset will be on February 20! Here is the sun at 10 pm.
The Sun close to midnight