Another trip south

I'm back in McMurdo for my 17th field season with the McMurdo Dry Valleys LTER project. I've been in Antarctica for a few weeks already. I'm posting a few pictures from my trip south. We travel to Antarctica from Christchurch NZ, which is a beautiful city with many parks and gardens. Every year on the way to McMurdo I spend some time soaking up the greenery at the Christchurch Botanic Gardens.

My favorite spots are the water garden and the NZ garden which are both tucked away in a far corner of the garden away from the main entrance. The NZ garden features many native plants, in particular many varieties of ferns. I love this sculpture that marks the entrance.

The ferns in NZ can grow as big as trees. It's nice to walk under a canopy of ferns.

I baby duck came up to meet me while I was on the path near the water garden.