Day 13 - Cape Evans, Ross Ice Shelf and Mcmurdo Sound

30 January 2014

The outside decks were covered in snow as I woke this morning anchored up at Cape Evans as we had passed through a snow storm last night. It felt like Christmas and I was super excited as it felt like I really was in Antarctica now.
In Antarctica you have to make use of ideal landing conditions while they exist as the weather changes quickly so at 3.45am we landed at Scotts hut(Shakeltons also used).

I was keen as anything so I jumped in the first boat where we were greeted onshore with Adelie penguins and a weddel seal. It felt so good to finally land and the high fives came out.

I had not expected to be so moved by the history of this place but scotts hut blew me away. Everything was so well preserved in this giant freezer like they left 10 years ago rather than 100. It was -4C onshore with a wind chill of -20C? so it was freezing cold and apparently this was typical summer day here. I felt nice and snug but I had all the layers of clothing I could get on. It was also amazing to think what the guys went through especially in winter when they stayed here for 2 years.

We had some spectacular views of Mt Erebus standing 3794m high. It was hard to appreciate the scale of it until you realise a return trip would take 4 days rather than 1 day (which is what I would have thought). The landscape was so harsh and rouged with glaciers, snow, ice, and mountains all around.

I caught my first glimpse of an emperor penguin at the edge of a patch of snow and to here it call in real life was mind boggling with the volume of it.

Next stop was Cape Royds which where we couldn’t land due to the strong easterly winds. The boat drifted in wait for better conditions allowing me to spot several Minke whales, weddel seals, and adelie penguins. The water is full of life and now I never know what is going to pop up in front of me.
Conditions did not clear so we headed along the edge of the ice shelf looking for wildlife. I was worried the Russians would hold back after previously getting stuck in ice as they looked nervous and all hands were on deck but we pushed right up alongside the ice for a fantastic encounter with minke and orca whales surfacing between ice sheets having a look at the emperor and adelie penguins, and weddell seals.

At this time of year the ice shelf usually extends well into Mcmurdo Sound but this year all the ice has broken out to sea as far as Scott Base. It is so bad that the runways are threatened at present.

We got the furthest South 77.53.93?? that any trip gone before. While ice conditions change year to year this shows that global warming is a real thing.

It is so cold here now. Everytime I go outside its like jumping into a freezer and the wind chill is 100 times colder again. When I go outside I need to layer up and wear almost all the warm stuff. Despite this I managed to spend almost all day on deck and missed nothing.

Its 11pm and the sun is still shining brightly. This is crazy.

Arriving at Cape Evans to a boat covered in fresh snow

My first steps on Antarctic land at Cape Evans, Ross Island at 4am in the morning.

SCOTTS HUT

Bunk beds(Photo by Greg Oliver)

The sledges the dogs used to pull supplies(Photo by Greg Oliver)

Stack of seal blubber preserved for 100 years

Supplies around outside corridor of hut

Kitchen inside the main hut

Sugar

Science equipment

Dining table

Scotts corner of the hut. Preserved penguin

Looking across at the Hut right on the waters edge from Wind Vain Hill

One of the dogs still on its lease from 100 years ago.

Old storage crates

The outside of Scotts hut recently fully restored

The hut was close to water water although normally this was frozen and supplies had to be transported across the ice.

CRUISING ALONG THE MCMURDO SOUND ICE EDGE

Mt Erebus

Cross at Wind Vain Hill erected by the Ross Sea Party for the 3 men that died crossing pack ice that broke up from Hut Point.

I spot the first emperor penguin of the trip - a friendly juvenile male who posed in front of erebus for me. The most amazing thing was hearing him call, an unbelievable sound.

Looking across at the dry valleys (I think) - magical ice free spots in Antarctica highly protected that very few have ever had the chance to see.

If you look closely in these pictures you can see the three mirages.

Heading further south. A barrier of sea ice recently broken off heading north.

More and more ice the closer to the ice edge we go.

Every few ice sheets had some penguins or seals

Pushing through broken ice sheets

Hercules waiting on the main airfield - Pegasus Field

First glimpse of Mcmurdo Station

A hunting minke surfaces for breath between ice sheets

Pushing through ice to make the ice edge

Big pieces of sea ice breaking form the ice edge

The white void looking south out towards the main runway.

A weddel seal jumps out of the water and suns itself on the ice edge

Some emperors on the edge of the ice keep me entertained

1.5m thick along ice edge. Nathan did some investigating to see if we could get on the edge of the ice sheet but it was too thin and not 100% safe for landing. Inside I couldn’t help but feel really disappointed but their will hopefully be another chance at the other side of the Ross Ice shelf.

Furthest South that I have ever been. Its also the futherest south this boat has ever been

Beautiful view of the edge of the ice in Mcmurdo Sound looking up to Mount Erebus

We didnt another loop in the boat and got a few metres further south after ramming the ice. The start of a frozen white desert extending for hundreds of kms.

With a big day visiting Scott Base and Mcmurdo station tomorrow we anchored up right in front of Mcmurdo Station. I felt amazing to finally be here at what for New Zealanders is the heart of Antarctica.