The more prominent memorials are of course the three expedition huts of Scott and Shackleton at Hut Point, Cape Evans and Cape Royds, and we have had opportunities to see two of them.  All three huts are protected and have been designated 'Antarctic Specially Protected Area' under the Antarctic Treaty System, but they are open to guided visitors.  Preservation work is underway or being planned by the New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust (including Carsten Borchgrevink's hut at Cape Adare, the site of the very first Antarctic overwintering).  Their website is a rich source of information about the huts and the expeditions connected with them.

The huts near McMurdo are:

• Discovery hut at Hut Point is just down the hill from McMurdo Station.  This hut was built by Scott's Discovery expedition in February 1902, seved as a main base throughout this expedition, and later on as an advance base for Scott's South Pole expedition, Shackleton's Nimrod expedition, and the Ross Sea Party of Shackleton's epic Trans-Antarctic Expedition of 1914-1917.
• Shackleton's hut at Cape Royds, 35 km north of McMurdo, was built during the British Antarctic Expedition (Nimrod) in 1908, and served as a base and starting point for Shacketon's 'farthest south' advance to 88°23' S in January 1909.
• Scott's hut at Cape Evans, 25 km north of McMurdo between Hut Point and Cape Royds, was the main base for Scott's ill-fated South Pole expedition (Terra Nova) in 1910-1913.

The Discovery Hut is easily accessible on foot.  As long as the sea ice conditions permit, McMurdo volunteers also organise 'bus trips' to Cape Evans during the weekends. Last Sunday we were lucky enough to get on the list, limiting the number of visitors per trip to 21 (that's the number fitting into a 'Delta' ice bus). A 1,5 hour journey across the ice - stopping at an interesting ice cave at the Erebus Ice Tongue - put us on the sea ice right in front of Scott's hut. Trying not to disturb the preservation work in progress, we had all the time we wanted for a sombre walk inside and around the hut, seeing all the artifacts and equipment of the expedition just as they were left there nearly a century ago.

Thoughts are easily evoked, certainly on the enormous contrasts between staging a journey across the Antarctic Plateau in 1911 and in 2008 - but also on the challenges faced by Scott's the expedition, on exploration, human spirit, and leadership. The Terra Nova expedition had a mission, and they had the resources to complete it.  Willpower, drive and endurance they had in abundance.  Would the outcome have been different if they had been better prepared?

Scott's hut at Cape Evans as it appears today.

Artefacts found inside the hut.

Andreas trying to get the Delta shuttle moving. (All photos: Stein Tronstad)