It’s funny to be attempting to update this blog and write about this winter now that the season is drawing to a close. It’s funny because, as some of you may have heard, this was not the most ideal winter season. A lot of things went wrong, a lot of drama occurred, a lot of people are not happy right now. In fact, some are downright angry. Some are thinking very carefully about whether they want to come back next winter, including yours truly.
I am trying not to let that flavor my posts too strongly. I am also trying not to paint some false positive picture. I don’t want to eulogize the winter and pretend that it was better than it was. But I don’t want to forget the things that were good about it either. Because there were good things, the things about this place that do make me want to come back. And one Antarctic truth that never goes away: Antarctica is beautiful.
I mentioned in a previous post all the wildlife that was around at the beginning of the winter and the expanse of open water in the sound. I thought it would be good to share some more images of that time. You can’t deny that this place is beautiful in a way that nowhere else quite is.
Sunset over the open water of McMurdo Sound. (photo © J. Urbaniak)
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Marching Emperor penguins... how stereotypical! (photo © L. Romero)
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Waves on the "beach" by Hut Point. (photo © DJ Jennings)
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Seal peaking through a tidal crack. (photo © L. Romero)
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Cruise ship visits McMurdo Sound. (photo © DJ Jennings)
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Adélie penguin with some specially selected rocks. I don't know what he's planning to do with the nest he's buidling since they don't nest here. (photo © C. Miller)
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Sun getting low on the horizon in March, setting through the mist at Hut Point. (photo © C. Moore)
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Seals taking advantage of the sun while it's still around. (photo © C. Miller)
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This guy looks like he's having a rough time. 
(photo © C. Miller)
Antarctica… you can be a cruel bitch. But you are beautiful.
Love,
Ceds
