I can't believe it is already time for Winter Break! Time sure does fly, especially when you're having fun. I hope you are. I sure am! I also hope you all have a wonderful and much deserved break. Here is the next chapter in my journey....
I have been on three of the most wonderful adventures in the past few weeks. I am going to tell you about two of them because both of them involved penguins--Adelie Penguins, to be precise! I know how much you all (at least my students) love penguins! They are even more cute and wonderful in person as on a video or photograph!
Last night, we got to go out to Cape Evans in a big vehicle called a Delta. It looks like a big orange shoe box with big balloon-like wheels. Cape Evans is where one of the famous huts that the early 20th Century explorers used. We travel there on the sea ice. Soon this will be open water.
On the way, we stopped to look at some ice formations. While we were standing there, a group of 5 Adelie Penguins came over to us! Their means of transportation is either to slide on their bellies or waddle on foot, alternating between the two. We sat or lay very still with cameras poised so as not to frighten them. How curious and unafraid they were! One came within 2 meters of me. He flapped his flippers as if to say hello. They hung around for a while and then it was as if their Mom said, "OK, time to go!" and they all continued on their way.
The Cape Evans hut is very interesting. The explorers used to bring
dogs and ponies with them to pull sleds or ride. Remember, this was in the
early 1900's before we had helicopters, planes, and large motor powered
vehicles! This hut had stalls for the ponies and houses for the dogs.
Unfortunately, the ponies were not suited for the extreme cold weather.
Dogs were used here until about 5 years ago. They decided that any
non-native animal would disturb the environment. I am glad they decided
this. Human presence here is causing enough of a change. (But that's
another topic!)
Dog sleds are still a good way to get over ice and snow.
The Inuit and other Arctic peoples up north still use sleds for
transportation. Since it rarely gets above freezing in Antarctica,
everything that was left by the explorers is very well preserved. There are
huge slabs of whale blubber still intact, as well as the hay that was
brought for the ponies to eat. It's quite remarkable. It doesn't smell
very pleasant, though!
This is our "Happy Holidays" card to all of you! Our penguin doesn't have a
name.
We thought it would be fun to have one of you name it.
If you have
ideas, please send them to us! We'll let you know what name we choose!
Love,
P.S. In my last letter to you, I talked about McMurdo as a community. I
left out some very important parts of a community that we have in common.
Can you think of the other important parts of a community that I left out?
Let me know!
My other penguin adventure was a trip to Cape Royds by ski-doo! I
got to drive a ski-doo along the sea ice. It was really fun! Cape Royds
has another hut and is also a large Adelie Penguin Rookery. When I went
there in October for Sea Ice School, there were only about 20 penguins.
Now, there are hundreds caring for their eggs on nests made of rock. They
make quite a racket, talking to each other. Some seem to take on the roll
of "den mother" --going from nest to nest making sure everything is A-OK.
Hundreds of penguins are also quite stinky. There aren't many smells down
here, so when there is something that smells you really notice it! (Think
of all the things at home that create scents like trees, flowers, rain,
leaves, wet pavement, wet dog hair, ... what else? We don't have any of
that down here!)
On our way back, we got to stop at a big crack in the ice. We had
to really speed up the ski-doos to make sure we made it over!
Can you think
what animal besides penguins would use cracks in the ice? Seals! There were Wedell Seals along every crack. We lay down on the edge and could
see seals swimming along. They would come up for air and just look right at
you with their big black eyes. It was
amazing!
The crack sprouted from
the Barne Glacier, a large glacier made from ice coming off Mt. Erebus, the
active volcano that we reside with on Ross Island. You can see from the
photo how beautiful it is. 
We also brought along a large stuffed penguin
that was a going away present from some friends.
The photo with Patrick and
I and the penguin in the Santa hat is in front of the Barne Glacier.
Miss Talso