Tragic death and vibrant life

Whale watching (Credit:  Rebecca Austria)
Conditions:  Temperature 18°F (-2°F with windchill), overcast.  Population = 760

Sunday was tragic.   A recent arrival--someone with a young family at home-- had an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and died despite heroic resuscitation efforts by the paramedics and clinic staff. Although we in the hospital have "seen it all before" and feel confident in our efforts, a death in such a small community becomes personal quickly.  To have such heartbreak in our final weeks will deeply scar our memories of McMurdo.

Sunday evening, after vainly trying to shake off the day's trauma, Dean and I walked down to Hut Point.  The ice is breaking and seals, penguins and whales surround us in abundance.  The sun and sky at midnight have been luminously beautiful.  The majesty of it all was heart-rending.  I've posted pictures below of recent days of nature viewing but none reflect the peace afforded by watching penguins toddling towards us or diving off turquoise-ice flows and vaulting over spouting whales or lazily floating seals in shimmering pools of light.  I hurry down to Vince's cross or to Ob Hill whenever I'm free (and the temperature isn't -2°) to savor the wonder of it all.

Then, I was attacked by two skuas.


Dean and I hiking the Ob Hill loop to see the whales and penguins (in ice opening to the right).
(Credit:  Rebecca Austria)
The ice moving out at Hut Point.


Three Minke whales in the background with a penguin cavorting in the water up front.


People penguin watching (penguins at left lower corner) 

Penguins people watching (people at right side of photo).  (Credit: Bryan Kiechle)
Dreaming of flight (Credit: Rebecca Austria)



Heading for a swim


Sun shining on swimming penguins




A cartoonish penguin scooting across the ice with legs spinning like pinwheels.


Contemplation (credit: someone else but don't know who)



Comments

Upi said…
Heartbreaking. Please stay safe.
January 17, 2020 at 9:33 PM
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