Scott Base is built on Pram Point,
Ross Island, it is 3932 km (2114 nautical miles) from
Christchurch New Zealand and 1500 km from the South Pole. The
Antarctic mainland is 70 km across McMurdo Sound.
The base is permanently manned with up to
85 people in the summer and around 10 in winter.
The American McMurdo base is just 3km
away, a short walk over the hill.
The base was first built in 1957, it was a
part of the New Zealand contribution to support the Trans-Antarctic
Expedition and International Geophysical Year from 1956-1959.
Construction of the base was carried out with
the assistance of personnel and machinery from the nearby McMurdo
base, a party of Seabees helping to level the the site where
Scott Base now stands. Two of the original huts are still in
use over 50 years later.
Picture courtesy of Mike Usher
- Mike went on a Ross Sea expedition on board the Kapitan Khlebnikov
in 2005.
You can purchase a selection of Mike's pictures
here
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