The View

We've had a couple stormy days which cleared out overnight and have left us with a view much like this one from a couple years ago. It's clear, sunny and gorgeous today.

The buildings are set up for an "Ice Runway" which will be open for just a few more days. By the end of the week, they expect the ice will be too thin to hold the airplanes that are arriving so they'll move the runway out to the permanent ice shelf an hour or so away from McMurdo.

The mountains in the background are from the Royal Society Range and pictures cannot do them justice. I remember when I saw the Grand Canyon first I could hardly believe it was real. These mountains rival that sight. They are about 30 miles away on the mainland (we're living on an island just off the coast of the continent) and are sometimes blurred by the winds. Today they are clear.

On the current Ice Runway, a modified Airbus will land shortly with a few more summer residents of McMurdo. A couple dozen winter-overs will leave on this plane, almost the last of the people who have been here since February. I had lunch with three of them who are looking forward to family, friends, more traveling, and the color green. There's not so much for plant life here, so that's one of the things people miss.

The flight is about to land, so I'm off to meet the new residents and welcome them (back) to McMurdo.