Photos!

It was nice outside again today -- probably a degree or two above zero and hardly any breeze -- so I took a walk after church. (The chaplain opened the service with, "Welcome to the southernmost house of worship in the world." Hmm, I guess that's true.)


This is a view of Observation Hill, commonly called Ob Hill. Hiking to the top is something I believe everyone does sooner or later. (I'll be later, after it warms some more.) I believe it is in January they have an annual race up the hill. I will not be doing that.

Look on the right side, just a little down from the top.

Better yet, let me blow it up for you ...


There, now do you see the cross?

This cross was erected on Observation Hill by the remaining crew of Capt. Robert Falcon Scott's failed expedition to the South Pole in memory of the many people who died in the attempt.









Finally, here is a view from McMurdo looking down on the sea ice runway. Planes have backed up here this week waiting for weather to warm up enough at the South Pole for them to start carrying in the summer crew. Of course, that means there are also dozens of people at Pole waiting for their chance to go home. The first flights were scheduled for Oct. 21, but they are still waiting. A fellow at church this morning said it was -49 Celsius at Pole today; one degree warmer than the required -50, so maybe they will leave Monday.

The sea ice runway is, as the name implies, a sheet of ice on top of the Ross Sea, specifically McMurdo Sound in this case. It is the closest air strip to McMurdo and is used until the ice gets too thin. During the summer, this ice should break up and float away, though it hasn't totally cleared out the past five or six years.