“After dinner tonight Steven and I went down to Hut Point.” We heard an Orca and a Minke whale were down there. We also hoped to see the C-17 on its approach. As you stand on the precipice of Hut Point you have a great view of the sound and the Royal Society Mountains beyond. A howling wind blew against our backs as we stood there. It was so strong you had to brace yourself against it lest you be blown over the cliff to an uncertain fate. As we stood there shrouded only by the sound of the wind rushing by our ears I heard what sounded like a human voice. I turned to find the source and saw no one. I looked at Steven and asked if he heard the same thing. He said he did; curious. After a few more minutes we heard the same thing again. Still no sign of anyone. Steven took a couple of steps forward toward the cliff edge and looked down. He laughed and called me over. What we saw was a lone Adele Penguin on the volcanic rock below. He was looking up at us and calling out perhaps thinking we were a distant relative he hadn’t seen before. Almost immediately thereafter we saw a Weddell Seal swimming near the edge of fresh ice that has just recently formed. He also looked up at us more out of curiosity than anything else I believe. Then another seal appeared. They were cruising the small area of open water that remained off Hut Point. We noticed that the penguin kept a close eye on the seals even though they weren’t Leopard Seals. After another short time one of the seals noticed the penguin lounging on the rocks. To our surprise he accelerated through the water and launched himself onto the lava toward the penguin. The small Adele sensed the danger though and scrambled up the rocks toward safety. As he went he was kicking rocks out behind himself toward the seal. The hill was so steep that the seal abandoned any hope of catching the penguin. He just stared at him for a couple of minutes then rolled over on his back stuck his head in the water and then slid back into the water up side down. The whole thing was great fun to watch. Where is a movie camera when you need one?

I went by this morning to pick up my membership card in the Ross Island Yacht Club of Antarctica. I’m a lifetime member at that. Just one more cool souvenir.

One of the things you do before you can leave McMurdo is affectionately called “the bag drag”. It involves packing up all your belongings, getting fully dressed in your ECW gear and trudging up the hill dragging all your bags to building 140. Upon arrival, after you catch your breath (assuming you just don’t die climbing the hill), you get in line with others who have the honor of departing on your flight. At the end of the line you present your passport, set your bags on a scale (you’re allowed 75 pounds max) and hope somehow you don’t have more weight than you arrived with. Then you have the dubious requirement of stepping up on the scale fully dressed in your ECW gear. Thankfully the only on who can see the results is the person checking you in and they are kind enough not to announce your weight. (Unless you’ve been mean to them of course). Assuming you meet all the requirements you leave your checked bags, collect your carry-on bag and passport and head back down the hill to your dorm to spend your last night on the ice. If you have friends they will often help you through the bag drag and honestly you can call for a taxi to take you up the hill. Steven and I helped Sharona with that process last night. Of course there is the obligatory exchange of personal information and the promise to keep in touch, ala your graduation day from high school, and then, the next day, they climb on a plane with no real expectation of ever seeing them again. You really do hold onto a glimmer of hope that you actually may see some of these people again. They have after all become a part of a new extended family.

After the bag drag Steven, Sharona and I went to see the Vaginal Monologues (The DVD not the live show). I thought I had seen this on stage before but as it went on I realized it was Deni who had seen it and not I. To say the least it is thought provoking, funny, sad and poignant. We then headed off to the McMurdo Station Sign (the place everyone has a Kodak moment) to take a picture with a banner that read “Happy Vday”. I hope and assume that means Valentines Day and is not related to the DVD we just viewed. They don’t have a special day for that do they?

Emperor Penguin several Emperor Penguins showed up this morning near Mac Town. They have been rarer that hens teeth this year around here. Some folks even took a few pictures. I’ll keep my eyes peeled.

We just received word yesterday that there is a great likelihood that a cruise ship will pull into port next week. Some good friends were/are taking an Antarctic cruise this summer. Joan are you on the ship? I don’t know the name of the ship but it sure would be fun to see them.

The last meeting of the summer season for the RIYCA (Ross Island Yacht Club of Antarctica) was held last night. It was the most casual of meetings with most sailors telling of one harrowing experience or another. It’s always fun to listen to these stories as Deni and I have had many similar experiences. Several of the members who don’t own their own boats are planning to head for harbors in New Zealand when they leave to try to sign on as crew on anything sailing anywhere. One quick story. A couple bought a sailboat in Australia and contracted with a captain to bring it to them in New Zealand. Unknown to them the captain they hired was powerboat only and had never sailed before. Apparently he had a mate who had no boating experience at all. Somewhere off shore they raised the sails and encountered heavy weather. Unable to lower the sails and afraid the boat would capsize they abandoned ship in the boats dingy. They were picked up some time later and the boat sailed off into the sunset. Here’s the funny part the boat continued on its way and sailed to within 50 miles of its destination where it was recovered and delivered to its new owners. One of the members who just arrived today for the winter just bought that boat from the original owners. PS there is no autopilot of any kind on the boat!

I went for a walk by myself after dinner tonight down to Hut Point. The last of the ships, the Polar Sea, has gone. As if by some natural timetable new ice began to form around the pier pushing the edge of the open water further into the sound. The natural beauty of it all is still inspiring. As I stood on the pinnacle of the hill I could see huge schools of sea life drifting on the surface that appeared to be small misshapen islands. The sun and the moon were both above in the sky the first time I’ve seen that since I’ve been here. I hiked up the trail to the Skua nest to check on the chick. The last time I saw it a month ago it was the size of a tennis ball. Now it is the size of a full grown adult. It still hasn’t flown but that solo flight can’t be far off. Mom still warns passersby to steer clear of her baby as it explores more and more of its surroundings. I am still overwhelmed by the peace and serenity of it all. I wonder as I walk this path will this be the last time I ever set foot here. What lies ahead of me in life? Only time will tell.

As I walked to work this morning there was very much a feeling of dawn in the air. The sun was low on the horizon and it acted like a spotlight on the Royal Society Mountain Range brightly illuminating them against the background sky. The temperature has not been above freezing for almost two weeks now so each morning there is more and more ice forming on the surface of the turning basin in the sound. The freighter finished loading up last night so the bar reopened for the first time in over a week. Only the smoking bar opened though so I turned down the invitation to have a drink. Helicopter flight operations for the season ended yesterday and now the helicopters are tucked into the hanger for a long winters nap. The days are still filled with hugs and hand shakes as we say goodbye to our friends who are all headed off on new adventures. As the new folks arrive for the winter over season I see and feel much of the same excitement I felt when I first arrived here. The changing of the guard has begun. The freighter leaves today as well as the Coast Guard ice breaker. The pace here in all areas is definitely slowing down. I’m looking forward to a few days in Christchurch when my room mate and I will do a little sightseeing I didn’t get to do on the way here. Who knows I might even get to play a round of golf or two!