While we were delayed and canceled in McMurdo, my motto was "The world can wait." We kidded about how that would change after we were waiting for our flight for a couple more days to "The world is waiting." Now that I'm back on "living" ground again, I feel like the world is waiting.
I'll start at the beginning, waking up in McMurdo to blowing snow and low visibility. Our transport coming down Scott Base Hill is to the left. We honestly didn't think we were going to see a plane land at the Pegasus White Ice Runway. But, the C-17 ducked under the clouds and made it's descent towards us. After unloading, waiting for a bit with anticipation, and then loading the Air Force plane, we finally took off toward the northern living world.
Since our department, Antarctic Terminal Operations (ATO) is in charge of transport and airfield logistics, those of us on the flight, ICE55, from our department received a special transport in a separate vehicle. We have a nice group camaraderie and watched the hour long transport pass along under white skies and over white sea ice. J, my traveling friend from last year and I were on the same flight out of McMurdo this year. I'll miss his companionship while traveling this year.
As a perk for being in Air Services and giving the Air Force crews tours of McMurdo at the beginning of the season, the five of us get to have some flight deck time on the plane when we redeploy. The cockpit of a C-17 has a lot of windows compared to other (commercial) aircraft. There are windows at the feet of the pilot and co-pilot, windows to the side, and to the front, too. I was able to see some stunning views of Antarctica as we flew over. The pilot explained what different mountain regions were and pointed out the mountains that Sir Edmund Hillary climbed to prepare for Everest. I cannot explain, nor put into a photo what it's like to fly over glaciers that feed into other glaciers like rivers off the continent, or to see snow covered steppes and buttes and white mountain ranges!
I'll start at the beginning, waking up in McMurdo to blowing snow and low visibility. Our transport coming down Scott Base Hill is to the left. We honestly didn't think we were going to see a plane land at the Pegasus White Ice Runway. But, the C-17 ducked under the clouds and made it's descent towards us. After unloading, waiting for a bit with anticipation, and then loading the Air Force plane, we finally took off toward the northern living world.
Since our department, Antarctic Terminal Operations (ATO) is in charge of transport and airfield logistics, those of us on the flight, ICE55, from our department received a special transport in a separate vehicle. We have a nice group camaraderie and watched the hour long transport pass along under white skies and over white sea ice. J, my traveling friend from last year and I were on the same flight out of McMurdo this year. I'll miss his companionship while traveling this year.
As a perk for being in Air Services and giving the Air Force crews tours of McMurdo at the beginning of the season, the five of us get to have some flight deck time on the plane when we redeploy. The cockpit of a C-17 has a lot of windows compared to other (commercial) aircraft. There are windows at the feet of the pilot and co-pilot, windows to the side, and to the front, too. I was able to see some stunning views of Antarctica as we flew over. The pilot explained what different mountain regions were and pointed out the mountains that Sir Edmund Hillary climbed to prepare for Everest. I cannot explain, nor put into a photo what it's like to fly over glaciers that feed into other glaciers like rivers off the continent, or to see snow covered steppes and buttes and white mountain ranges!
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