Around the Base

I haven't travelled to any new places outside of the McMurdo area so I don't have too many new scenery photos, but here are a few new ones just around the town.

McMurdo Town shot from the top of Ob Hill.

The helo pad at McMurdo 2 A-stars up in the front, 3 Bell-212s in the back (the one on the far right is the New Zealander's helicopter)

Due to the strong winds and cold temperatures the best way to work on a chopper is to take off the main rotor blade, and wheel it into the hanger.

Aside from penguins, seals, and orcas, Antarctica, is home to skuas. These evil birds are a pest at best, hovering around our town swooping down on unsuspecting folks in the hopes of stealing a bite from those walking from the galley with hands laden with trays of food. They lack fear perhaps due to knowledge that they are classified as "untouchables" under the Antarctic Treaty, whatever the case they won't bat an eye at puncturing your flesh with their beaks, or robbing you of an entire tray of food.

A silouette of a demon

Our radar site

Down at the ice edge you can see pressure ridges forming, caused by sheets of ice colliding as the sea moves.

Another pic of McMurdo