![Sun halo filling the sky above snow tractor traverse hauling fuel across the ice.](https://res.cloudinary.com/icecube/images/w_1110,h_624,c_scale/q_auto/v1640025750/2021week49_SPoT_1_halo_bladders_20211206-daniel/2021week49_SPoT_1_halo_bladders_20211206-daniel.jpg?_i=AA)
It’s always exciting to see the South Pole traverse show up at the Pole. SPOT, as this long, multi-tractored caravan is called, arrived last week bearing essential fuel and cargo. You can see the fuel bladders in the foreground of the image above, which shows off a nice sun halo in the clear sky. This was the first of several planned traverses for the season. A dedicated crew of 14 “spotters” safely reached their destination after a long, hard journey that began 30 days earlier from McMurdo Station. They remain at the Pole for a few days, while the cargo is unloaded, and took the opportunity to take a guided tour of the IceCube Lab, below. Last year around this holiday season, the station’s gingerbread competition featured a South Pole traverse entry.
![Masses of orange computer cables surrounding small group in lab coats listening to guide (wearing face mask) inside the IceCube Lab.](https://res.cloudinary.com/icecube/images/w_1110,h_828,c_scale/q_auto/v1640025746/2021week49_ICL_Tour_for_Spotters_2-AChokshi/2021week49_ICL_Tour_for_Spotters_2-AChokshi.jpg?_i=AA)