Antarctic conservation blog archive

Mindy, Tuesday 6 April 2010

Temperature: -27.1°C
Wind Speed: 13 knots
Temp with wind chill: Approximately -47.6°C
Sunrise: 08:00
Sunset: 20:00

At the weekend Bobbie, the Scott Base chef, and I decided to go on an adventure so we turned our attention to the nearby Hut Point Ridge. This particular track starts at the end of Hut Point where Commander Robert Falcon Scott’s Discovery Hut is located (the base built for his 1901 – 04 expedition).

A historic view of Hut Point and Discovery Hut © Canterbury Museum, Kinsey Collection

Walking along the road towards Hut Point we found ourselves relatively sheltered by local hills and the buildings of McMurdo Station, home to the American Antarctic programme, but the open approach to Discovery Hut exposed us to the wind. We were adequately clothed and equipped though, and confident that weather conditions were manageable, so we began to ascend the ridge. Braving the mildly breezy conditions, we were rewarded by spectacular views of McMurdo Sound. We could see open water in the distance, assorted islands dotting Ross Island’s coast, and the Royal Society Range on the continent.

Discovery Hut sitting exposed at the base of Hut Point Ridge © AHT, M Bell

Clambering back down the ridge, we spotted a reminder of the risk that can sometimes come with such stunning landscapes. At the end of Hut Point sits Vince’s Cross, built to commemorate a member of Scott’s Discovery expedition who slipped down the hill into the sea during a blizzard in 1902.

It’s truly a cautionary tale, and we took its point. Don’t take any chances with the weather, and always mind your feet – even when you’re enjoying the view.

Vince’s Cross on the bluff at the end of Hut Point © AHT, M Bell

Posted in Antarctica, Discovery Hut, Hut point, Polar exploration, Scott, Scott Base, Social life

4 Responses to “Views of Hut Point Ridge”

1. April 8th, 2010 at 6:11 am
   Rae Bassett says:
   

   Wow….the environment looks so harmless in these images….it is hard to imagine the blizzard that overtook the party on the way back to the hut that day. I had always imagined they got lost much further from the hut than that. My great-grandfather, Clarence Hare, was also caught in the blizzard that day, but managed to survive curled up with the one of the dogs in the snow. Life is precarious in that place. I hope you are ready for the winter!

2. April 12th, 2010 at 3:01 pm
   SHDHS says:
   

   Hello Mindy
   We are following your blog and adventures and have some questions..
   Did the animal with the big ears and the funny tail arrive to the Scott Base this year? Did he leave chocolate? Did you have an Easter egg hunt? (Brandon)
   We were wondering if you took the mug to the base that we gave you. We would love to see a picture of you drinking something out of the mug….we might even post it on our school website if we had your permission. Imagine a SHDHS mug in the Antartica! (Kaitlin)
   Sam is thinking of questions to ask you about animals….Have you seen any penguins so far? any other interesting animals/birds/seals? (Sam)
   Katie wants to ask you about the ice. Has the water frozen yet? How thick is it? Is it safe to go on ? Can you walk on it? Brandon wants to know if you skate on the ice? (hockey??) How do you know when it is safe to ride the snowmobile on the frozen ice? (Katie)
   Ms. Coolman told us that your birthday was on March 8th and we all want to wish you a happy “21st” birthday LOL
   In Exeter on Easter weekend the weahter was in the 20’s with everyone out in their shorts and summer clothes. IT is rainbow week at school right now and we are supposed to wear different coloured clothes each day.
   Have fun. Be careful when you go out exploring and don’t fall into a crevasse.

3. April 16th, 2010 at 6:41 am
   Nick Mayo says:
   

   Mindy.

   Great that you are getting out, exploring and adventuring. It must be an enriching and effective way to clear the mind. I can only imagine the additional layer of appreciation these outings add to the wonderful work you , and the others in the Conservation team are performing on the ice.

4. May 14th, 2010 at 3:40 am
   Mindy says:
   

   Rae: I just read a little bit about your great-grandfather - what a lucky man to make it back safely! Hopefully our outdoor skills won’t be tested like that over the winter! It’s hard to imagine getting lost that close to safety, but we’ve learned in our training that you can get turned around quite easily in white-out conditions – even if just metres from a building. So, no chances taken – that’s for sure!

   SHDHS: Hello! Here are some quick answers to your questions – great to hear from you!
   -Brandon: The Easter Bunny did visit us, and we did have an Easter egg hunt. The Easter Bunny is very tricky - we may be finding Easter eggs around the base for a while!
   - Kaitlin: I did bring the mug – I’ll get back to you on that!
   -Sam: We did see a lot of animals earlier in the season. There were Emperor and Adelie penguins, Weddell seals, skuas, and I even saw a whale (but far in the distance – it might have been a mink whale). The animals have gone to their winter homes now, so we don’t see them anymore.
   -Katie: Most of the water right around here is frozen now, as far as I know. We go by the rule that ice needs to be at least 75 cm to walk on. The shoreline by McMurdo was recently measured to be 80 cm thick – but it’s pretty new ice, and can have cracks and be slushy, and not really hard enough to support large vehicles. So, we aren’t allowed out on the sea ice right now for general travel. We’ll let the ice get thicker and harder over the winter as the temperatures drop – it’s better to be safe than sorry!
   -Brandon: I guess if you were allowed and the ice was thick enough you could skate on it (might not be very good for your blades though). I don’t think anyone has this season (and I suspect not many people brought skates!)
   -I did have a fun birthday, thanks! It’s really special to be able to celebrate in the Antarctic!
   -That sounds like really nice spring weather. We haven’t had really cold winter weather here yet. I was outside this morning and the temperature is only -26°C with no wind at all. I saw a shooting star and some very faint auroras, and the Milky Way was really clear and bright! A very beautiful Antarctic morning!
   -Thanks for the great questions! Hi to everyone, and I promise to be careful!

   Nick: I’m really enjoying getting outside, that’s for sure. We have some really good gear and well-marked trails, so there’s really no reason why we can’t get outside and enjoy some fresh air. It’s definitely a great part of the Antarctic experience – wouldn’t miss it!