Just Add Dirt

This is the first new Ice Pier I've ever seen at
McMurdo and now they're giving it a dirt covering
to protect it from the constant rays of the sun as
well as vehicles driving on it. Last year, the old
pier literally broke so the crew spent most of the
winter building a new one. The pier is used by the
cargo ship, fuel ship and Icebreaker when they arrive
in a couple of months and it floats on Winter Quarters
Bay like a giant-sized hockey rink.

More Open Water

It's ironic that during one of the coldest times
of the season, more and more ice in McMurdo Sound
and Winter Quarters Bay gives way and brings a sight
we don't see very often. Open Water. Granted,
it took the Oden Icebreaker to begin the process,
but over the last few days, more and more water
is visible. Over the past few seasons, very little
ice left McMurdo Sound. Although I doubt it will
happen this year, the Sound has been blown completely
free of ice. The last time this happened was over
a decade ago. McMurdo's site was actually chosen
many years ago because it was the farthest point
south on the continent where a sea-faring vessel
could anchor. That still holds true, and this
year's ships have had no problem getting to us.

Culverts

Way back in the day, the founding fathers of McMurdo
had a bit of foresight and built a series of culverts,
draining the mudhole that McMurdo can become. It would
be a far more mucky place than it is with the amount of
runoff that we experience each year. A GA named Steve
actually put together a guide this season to the 25 or
so culverts and I have him to thank for this information.


My favorite culvert (if someone can have a favorite
culvert) is Culvert #1. This is the one that runs
under the road to Hut Point and without it, a large
part of town near the fuel pumps would be a swamp.


I've seen huge amounts of water go through this thing.
This is a relative trickle.


This would be a great place for a kayaker to shoot the
rapids...and a great splashdown at the bottom as it
drops into Winter Quarters Bay!