Cape Royds and Cape Bird

               

I had a great night’s sleep last night.  Many of the team did not, as they went out after our busy day at around 10pm to climb Observation Point, the big hill between McMurdo Station and Scott Base.  My knees, which have been going really, really well, told me that it would be pushing it for me to do this particular hike, as it is up a very, very steep incline with switchbacks and plenty of scree to deal with downhill.

Just as well, as everyone apparently had a race up the hill!

During the night we made our way around Ross Island to Cape Royds, which is where Shackleton’s Nimrod Hut is located, as well as the most southern Adelie penguin rookery.  The weather apparently had been a bit dodgy in the “night” with katabatic winds sweeping past, bringing lots of small pieces of brash ice with it.  We had the option of two landings, depending on the weather.  The first, in Black Sands Beach, required a wet landing and a 40 minute hike over the basalt hills to the hut.  The second option was a landing in Back Door Bay, with a 15 minute walk to the hut.  Fortunately we were able to do the latter, and as it had been snowing, there was a light crust of snow on the ground which actually helped with the walking.

More about Shackleton’s Hut later, the landing was amazing, and highlighted at the end by a couple of huge leopard seals who decided to laze about on a small iceberg in the bay.

Immediately after lunch we set off for Cape Bird, the site of 3 large Adelie penguin rookeries.  We have just got back from this landing, which in itself was a challenge, with quite a swell onto the beach covered by lots of ice fragments.  It was cool to walk among the penguins, who have plenty of large chicks at the moment.

It will be hard to beat this, but I am sure the team are working on it!  Hard to believe we are only half way through the trip!