Tucker Glacier, A Boondoggle.

My job this year is in the Aviations Operations department I help organize the flights in terms of people and cargo.  Occasionally we have extra space on the flights and can send McMurdo Personal  to help do work out in the field. We call these "boondoggles."   I was lucky enough to get to go out to Tucker Glacier to pack up the camp gear that the scientists had put together for the plane to bring back. 

Because I work in Aviations Operations I know the pilots and crew so Henry, our pilot, put some extra effort in to make it a good flight.    He took us out to the ice edge to go whale and penguin sighting. It was so incredible to see the Penguins swimming through the water and running across the icebergs. When they're swimming you can see the trails of bubbles coming off behind them.    And while I didn't se one get eaten I doubt they could get away from the whales that cruise around the icebergs waiting for one of them to jump in.  It was remarkable to see the whales from up top because while I know they are huge, to see them from the air and see the full length of their bodies was really stunning. 

Henry also cruised us through a forest of icebergs that were frozen in the sea ice.   He slowed down and was weaving in and out of them as we flew through.  The icicles dripping off them were immense and a bit frightening.   

My favorite part, however, was when he flew us up and over the top of Erebus Volcano. An active volcano about 20 minutes away from here.   As we started flying up and over, Henry called me up to the front of the plane and pointed out the Volcano.  I was pumped to get a picture of it from the air.  About 5 minutes later, we were right next to it.  I was blown away. You could smell the sulfur and see right down into the mouth of the it.   Speechless.

On they way there and back we had to take stop at Mario Zuchelli Station to refuel and while we couldn't actually go onto the station it was, in itself, a pretty memorable experience.  We pull up to this tiny tank and there’s an Italian with a cigarette and a gold earing pumping the gas and gesturing wildly to his friends while talking in Italian. (they, of course, speak English fluently).  While the stop there was short, it was still neat to see a small bit of the operations of another station. On the way out of Mario we flew over the station and then got to fly past the Korean station too. 

My face was exhausted from smiling all day long.  Not only did Henry go out of his way to show me an incredible day, but we were cruising past mountains and glaciers in Antarctica.  Enough to make anybody have an incredible day.   

I am so fortunate to live and work here and this trip was a great reminder to be thankful for the opportunities I've been given. 

That's my fuelie friend Gaeylyn pulling the hose back after fueling our Twin Otter for our trip out to Tucker. 

There she is. Erebus Volcano as seen from the windows of Twin Otter BBV. 

Having been next to frozen ice for so long, it was neat to see the open ocean. 

Cruising past an iceberg. 

The inside of the plane before we filled it up.  KBA is a Canadian company so I figured the hat was a perfect addition to the photo. 

The cargo that was staged for us to bring back. 

Tucker Glacier and surrounding area. 

The first load of cargo. 

The mildly frightening icicles on an iceberg. 

Crusing through the icebergs. 

That forest of icebergs in the distance was the one we flew through. 

The Korean Station, Jang Bogo.

Pretty Pretty Ice.

A glacier flowing out onto the ocean. 

The Italian Station, Mario Zuchelli 

Ice shelf! 

I ejoyed the contrast between the ice shelf which can be 100s of meters thick and the sea ice which, as you can see, is must more unstable. 

Home sweet home.