Flying to McMurdo

Aerial shot of some ice features.


Little spots of open water and sea ice.


Of course before that we flew over open ocean, the Southern Ocean.


The scene inside the plane. PAX (passengers at the walls) and cargo down the middle of the C-17.


Another interminable briefing. With cold weather gear scattered about.

Okay, this is skipping back a few days in time, but there was a lot to fill in and I got busy as soon as I got down to the station.

Here's the CHC (Christchurch) to MCM (McMurdo base) drill:
- Wake up early
- Take shuttle bus/van to the Clothing Distribution Center
- Leave any bags you need to leave, pack you checked bags, and have a carry-on bag
- Get your cold weather gear on
- In your big boots and heavy gear, go get some breakfast
- Come back, go through security, and take a bus over to the plane where they hand you a bagged lunch
- You sit in the paratrooper mesh jump seats along the side of the plane
- It's extremely loud, hearing protection is required on the flight
- Take off, fly, and land
- Then offload onto a bus, drive into town, get a boring talk (oh yeah, there was a boring talk just ahead of the security screening in CHC as well), get your room key, pick up linens, get your checked bags, move into your room, have dinner, and haul your bags (checked and carry-on) (called bag-drag) up to be weighed, take your carry-on back with you, and get some sleep before your Pole flight the next day