McMurdo Sound Ice Breakout

Russian icebreaker at the pier  

Tourist shuttle

This is the time of the year that vessels begin arriving in McMurdo Sound.  Our sea ice has thinned and the ice edge has moved close enough the the station to make it easy for a contract icebreaker to open the shipping channel.  Soon our fuel tanker will arrive along with a research ship, followed by our cargo vessel.  Cruise ships occasionally visit McMurdo as well and use helicopters to shuttle their guests ashore.