Inside an Antarctic Ice Cave

I had the most incredible experience today! It was one of those moments where I thought to myself, “This is exactly why I’m in Antarctica.” At dinner, this woman named Jean from the Recreation Office approached Kira and I and asked if we would like to go on a special trip out to an ice cave that evening! Our answer was a quick and excited, “Uh, YEAH!” In an aside, there have been several trips out to the ice cave, but the line to get on the list is obscenely long, and being DAs, we’re always working during the hours for sign-up AND the actual tour. We had thought it was a hopeless situation and had pretty much  given up on the idea of being able to go. However, tonight was a special “training night” for several drivers who will be leading tours in the future, so several people were asked at random if they’d like to tag along on this very unofficial trip – Kira & I included. We were incredibly lucky to be at the right place at the right time…so we rushed through dinner and then went upstairs to put on our warm ECW gear.

It took about an hour in a Delta to get out to the ice cave, which is situated right between the sea ice and a glacier. Because summer is fast approaching, the sea ice is melting and causing the sea level to rise about a foot every day….making it impossible to get to this ice cave in about two weeks. After an hour of driving on the sea ice, we got to the cave entrance. To get into the cave, I got to slide down this huge icy slope…once inside, I think I started hyperventilating, laughing, and crying all at once. It was one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen! Sunlight was shining through some of the cave walls, making every bit of the cave was a different shade of blue. The surfaces of the walls were covered with layer upon layer of intricate crystals, and the floor of the cave was none other than slippery, exposed sea ice. I got to spend about 5 minutes exploring the small cave, with a Christmas morning smile glued on my face the whole time.

While we waited for everyone else to have their turn in the cave, Kira and I had fun playing with the Delta…who knew large machinery could be so fascinating? The last time McMurdo residents were able to explore an ice cave was 10 years ago…so today I’m so happy to say I was able to experience a once-in-a-decade moment!

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