To the ice.

I made it to Antarctica today!!!!

The morning hotel-airport shuttle, boarding, and flight all went smoothly. There were about 125 of us to fit in to the C-17, which had some airline-style seats and some side-facing ones. Four big pallets with all our luggage were tied down on the rear ramp. It was very loud in the plane; everyone had earplugs and there wasn't much conversation. I was happy to alternate being "alone" with my thoughts and getting lost in my book.

Packed into the C-17

After about 4 hours in the air we could see the sea ice far below, through the parting cloud layer. It had some big cracks and the whole surface was uneven like a confused swell on the ocean. I got a couple minutes up in the cockpit, and could see giant snow-covered mountains on the horizon. Everywhere was white or light blue; so bright!

A crack in the sea ice seen through the small window in the plane.

The flight was somewhere around 5 hours, and we landed on an ice runway that has been smoothed out right on the sea ice in front of McMurdo Station. Inour big red jackets we shuffled out of the plane to the waiting transport vehicles, an assortment of lifted, big-tired vans and shuttle busses, and some very cool things called "deltas", which I got to ride in.

The C-17 disgorges its load of red-clade passengers.

The delta I rode from the runway to McMurdo.

Upon arrival at the actual station, we were herded through a couple hours of briefing and issuing of room keys. The we ate in the bustling cafeteria and moved in to our lab and office space.

Its all been a bit overwhelming so far.

Now it is 10 pm and still looks like the middle of the day outside. Tomorrow Annie and I will start our 24 hour survival course, then in about a week we ought to be flying out to meet the penguins!