February 21 Heading further south to Discovery Hut

Over a few days we visited the places on Ross Island where the expedition huts built over 100 years ago by Scott and Shackleton’s early expedition teams still stood. Amazing! We were fortunate to be able to land. A month ago, this same ship couldn’t get to some of the spots because of high seas and winds. Lucky us!  All the while, Mt Erebus loomed nearby, quietly puffing out ‘steam’. The scenery was always spectacular! 

There were wind turbines on the Hill to replace the former nuclear power station

There was little wind and the temperature was a balmy -4C as we dropped anchor that morning to visit Discovery Hut. This hut had been built on Scott’s first expedition in 1902. We landed close to the huge US base, McMurdo Station, which houses over 1000 personnel, some all year round. We weren’t invited in, but we did chat to a few guys out for a walk. 

It was another icy landing at Hut Point Peninsula 

Before entering the hut, our boots had to be brushed clean

A pile of seal blubber and bones used to make soup etc - yummy!

100-odd year old expedition biscuits. Hard as wood but sufficient for a meal with a hunk of cheese.

It was a long wait to get into the hut as only a few were allowed to enter at a time, but it was worth it to experience the living quarters these stalwart explorers braved.  It was tough living and even tougher on their attempts to reach the Pole. At times, the men in the expedition parties survived on just one of those hard biscuits per day. They were quite large and with a chunk of cheese they would make a meal - or so the story goes according to David, our historian. Imagine hauling a sledge all day with little left to eat,  

A colony of Adele Penguins

Communications station perched high on a ridge behind the US McMurdo Station. 

After we had solemnly tiptoed through the hut, we climbed a snowy ridge behind the hut and came across a colony of Adelie Penguins. They are the cutest things, all huddled together chattering constantly.  We walked up the ridge to a memorial. It was a bit precarioua as the drop one side was steep and treacherous straight onto the rocky shore. It was very stark but so beautiful: a chilly black and white scene dotted here and there with the bright flashes of coloured jackets of our fellow explorers.

A memorial to George T Vince, a member of the British Antarctic Expedition 1901-04 who lost his life  near here.