McMurdo Station
McMurdo Station
The dozens of green, red, brown, and tan buildings, with ramp-like roads between them and trucks riding along those roads remind me of a toy town, or a toy train set. They seem unreal, maybe because of the pure colors, maybe because of the closeness of the buildings to each other, or maybe because there are so few people visible from here.
McMurdo Station and Zodiac
The feeling I had on seeing McMurdo for the first time was probably best described as sheer joy. I found myself smiling stupidly, staring at the slope of the hills covered with colored buildings, the ramp-like roads that go between them up and down the hillside, the truck moving around on those roads, and the observatories on the hilltops. It just screams, "People are here!"
It's cold outside! And the wind makes it even colder. I can see why no one would want to be outside. I saw a few people in doorways, but everyone else must be inside or in the trucks. Smart people!
If it weren't for the trucks moving around, I'd almost believe that the place were deserted.
There are several observatories on the hilltops nearby. One, off to the north (left), is just a large black ball on top of the mountain ridge. Another, above the station itself, is red and white and smaller.
A nearby satellite earth station for the New Zealand Antarctic program
It's amazing to see such activity and community here! Humanity is clearly in control here, unlike everywhere else we've seen in the Antarctic, where humanity is just a speck, easily snuffed out by nature's whim. Sure, Antarctica could still destroy McMurdo with a massive eruption of Mt. Erebus, but it would take a lot, and the base seems well prepared for most eventualities. I can easily see why people like Ethan have been calling McMurdo a town or a city. ("Mac Town" is a common slang for this place.)
I can't wait to go ashore!
My grandmother in front of McMurdo Station