We arrived at Lake Hoare this morning. The flight was about 50 kilometers west of McMurdo over the sea ice that formed over the winter. Trapped within the sea ice were icebergs that had broken off from the ice shelf and froze in place before making it to the open water.
Fly time
tight fit
McMurdo
Seaice and active Erebus
Trapped iceberg
Canada glacier and Lake Fryxell
Lake Hoare and Canada Glacier
Lake Hoare is an established camp that usually serves up to 15 scientists in the peak of the season. After we arrived the number is closer to twenty but many exceptions to the rules are being made in this condensed field season.
Lake Hoare Camp
There are a lot of nice things about this camp that make it a desirable destination. First is the natural beauty of the Taylor valley. We are surrounded by glaciers and jagged peaks. We are sitting right next to a frozen lake with ice and snow taking shapes and colors I have never seen before.
On the Lake
Signs of life
Lake Hoare
Doing it
After arriving and meeting our fantastic camp hosts Rae and Ericka, we were shown around the camp and all of the amenities. The camp runs almost entirely on solar power, water is all sourced from the glacier (the best thousand year old water I have ever tasted), one main building serves as the kitchen and main dining area, three small buildings serve the various scientific missions, one building serves as a project room and shower, two small sheds complete the permanent structures. Tents are set up to provide sleeping quarters for all the visitors. The last noteworthy features are the rocket toilets. I'm not sure about all the details but since there can be no human waste left in these sensitive research areas it is burned and the ashes taken away with the rest of the trash. On our first day we spent the afternoon hiking to field sites and determining the readiness of the area for collecting samples. It looks like we will be able to begin our collections tomorrow.
Deep Blue
Sampling pond
Vertical glacier
Taylor Valley
Blue