The Polar Star is home from Antarctica, a sign of fall in the Northern Hemisphere and spring in Antarctica

We see many signs of fall in the Pacific Northwest, as cruise ships head south. One beloved ship, the icebreaker USCGC Polar Star, heads north to Seattle to prepare for another round of her annual mission: Operation Deep Freeze, where she breaks a navigable channel through pack ice to open McMurdo station to the world, which means access to supplies and fuel.