cruising and crushing ice

Today the "higher-ups" in McMurdo and the Captain of the US Coast Guard ship, Polar Sea, hosted 400+ of us on a 3 hour morale cruise. The sea ice has blown out enough for us to see wildlife and fantastic view within a few miles of town. They call this a "morale trip" because it is a grand incentive for us to be here that we typically cannot dream to participate in. There are 950 people on station right now. Roughly 750 signed up to be a part of this tour and only 400-450 spots were available!

Our tour took us through the channel that the icebreakers have been cutting for the past three weeks. The Coast Guard took us through the water, pointed out various forms of wildlife (penguins, seals, and even whales), and demonstrated how the ship cuts into the ice. I was on the bridge at that point listening to the captain giving orders to those running the boat: "Let's back it up and go at the same place again with a little more force. It seems to be going over pretty well."

The first thing impressed upon me, was the beautiful blue clarity of the water and the ice. The boat churned up aqua colors in its' wake, while deep, deep blue indicated the depth and stillness of the water below. Chlorophyll abounds in the Ross Sea and give off a blue-green color. The chunks of ice we barged through added a unique definition to the scenery. The Ross Sea is one of the least adulterated bodies of water on earth. Scientific research concludes that life cycles and all organic populations in these waters are intact (ie. not over fished, exploited, or polluted).

The second impressive thought was that we got this little cruise for free. We did not even have to tip the captain! Passing a Russian research & tourist vessel on our way out the channel, we found it amusing that some of those people paid thousands of dollars to do what we are paid to be a part of. When you cash out the opportunity we have when consenting to work in Antarctica, the amount we actually get paid is insignificant. Especially with this tour, we engage in far more adventurous opportunities than money can buy!

Perhaps the special moment of the day came with capturing this photo of a whale. I have now seen the big four of Antarctica that I could hope to see here: Penguins, skua, seals, and whales. These creatures, when you catch a glimpse of them, are elegant in the water as they crest in the wake of the boat!

Although a bit cloudy, the day was spectacular. We were able to get off station for a few hours and be hosted by someone else (their cookies and Tully's coffee hit the spot, too).