The Mc Murdo Homepage
January/February 1998-2001 by Jacob Kooi
LC-130 on the ice runway in near Mc-Murdo (-77.6'' lat, 166'' long)
Mc-Murdo is located at the edge of the enormuous 'Ross' permanent ice
shelf (-77.8" latitude, 166 longitude). There are several ice runsways,
each being about 20 miles from the town. At any one time there are
about two to five LC-130 transport planes at the runway(s), most of
which carry skies. These planes service much of the Antarctic
continent, including Vostoc, to Russion base (3600meters, coldest and
probably most miserable place on earth). It takes about 8 hours flying
from ChristChurch, NewZealand, to Mc-Murdo. The city reminded me of a
mining station from the last Century (beginning of the industrial
revolution). Not very attractive, but highly functional nevertheless.
Many science disciplines are supported from this base.
Nearby is Scott's (or discovery, named after their ship) hut, constructed in 1902 by
Scott and his crew as the base camp for reaching the south pole. Both
he and Admundsen (rivals) reached the pole in December/January 1907 respectfully. Scott
never made it back to Mc-Murdo, he and his two aids ran out of fuel
(heat, water, food) on their way back to the base-camp and froze in
their sleeping bags.
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Pictures
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Waiting for a flight to the spole
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Hueii snowed in
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"Polestar" in McMurdo Sound
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Scott's hut #1
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Drift-ice
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Eribus, an Active Vulcano
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