Making the most of McMurdo Station
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
Cruise ships cannot berth here, so arrival is by inflatable Zodiac tender boats.
Sightseeing
After passing the towering cliffs of Neumayer Channel, ships reach Port Lockroy, one of Antarctica’s most exciting anchorages. The British established a base there during World War II to safeguard interests in the Southern Ocean; although it was abandoned, it has recently been restored. Nearby are a large gentoo rookery, blue-eyed shags (cormorants), and sobering traces of former whaling activity.
McMurdo Station stands beside the historic hut used by British explorer Robert Scott and his men on an early 1900’s breakthrough expedition into the continent’s interior. The station has many home comforts, including a store, post office, hospital, dining services, fire department and even bowling, alongside dorms, laboratories and offices. Most people stay an average of 3-4 weeks during the Antarctic summer, while only a few remain through the long winter.