Aboard the NBP!

Another hectic 24 hours of travelling, and I am well rested and settling in
aboard the NBP, on the ice pier and McMurdo base. We left ChCh after
struggling through a 0530 wake up, a final check of luggage, changing in to our
ECW gear, and downing our last good coffee at the CDC. I wish I could send
pictures of the stuff that followed...it's really too much to try to realy in
the time have this morning, when I should be helping my "boss" Brice get the
equipment set up. We have to do that because McMurdo is in the midst of one of
the most crazy times of the year -- offload. We flew in with a 100 or so
NavChaps -- Navy Cargo Handling and Processing? -- who will be taking all of
the supplies and fuel for the winter off a supply ship over the next week or 10
days. It takes a lot of work to feed and support a town of 1000 (right now,
smaller in winter).

So anyway we have to get off the pier by 8 pm (2000) tonight instead of 2/3/07,
three days early. In addition to taking inventory we also have to go shopping
and visit everything in and around town before we leave port -- just so we can
sit in McMurdo sound for a few days. Three training videos and lectures, the
flight, and moving bags around, took up most of the day (but not the light!)
yesterday.

Since we'll be sitting in McMurdo sound after tonight, I should have more time
to give more details of the trip and my time on the "ice" then.

Weather update -- WARM! just about freezing. Water is flowing down the
glaciers on the hillside above McMurdo as it's been warm for a while. But
everyone is warning us it could change. I'll let you know if it does.

Thanks for listening.