HN.THRCiTiiCi A NEWS BULLETIN published quarterly by the SOCIETY (INC)

The Mikhail Somov, flagship of the Soviet Antarctic fleet was trapped in the ice off for 133 days from March to July 1985. Vol. 10, No's 9 & 10 March/June 1985 • . SANDWICH li S01TTH

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(successor to 'Antarctic News Bulletin) Vol. 10, No's 9 & 10 March/June 1985 117th & 118th Issues Editor. P.O. Box 2110, Wellington Address all contributions, inquiries to the Editor CONTENTS

WHALING COMMISSION 319 MINERALS' NEGOTIATIONS 321 POLAR ACTIVITIES NEW ZEALAND 324 AUSTRALIA 333 CHINA 339 INDIA 341 NORWAY 343 UNITED KINGDOM 346 URUGUAY 356

MIKHAILSOMOV 357

PROJECT BLIZZARD 360 FOOTSTEPS OF SCOTT 365 VINSON 372 WHALE SURVEY 373

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986 L '8unr/qoJB|/\| OIIOUVINV March/June, 1985 ANTARCTIC IWC Soviet Antarctic whaling to cease

The plans a temporary halt to their commercial whaling in Antarctic waters from the 1987/88 season according to a declara tion made on behalf of the Soviet delegation at the plenary session of the thirty-seventh annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission held in the English town of Bournemouth from July 15 to 20. The announcement came five stocks and for undisclosed technical months before a five year ban on reasons, commercial whaling comes into effect | I from the 1985/86 Antarctic pelagic The 37thThe annual 37th annual meeting meeting of ofthe the IWC IWC whaling season and from the 1986 waswas attended attended by by delegates delegates from from 3838 coastal seasons elsewhere. The ban of the of40 the member 40 member governments; governments; Senegal Senegal , i .« 0 , ,, and Mauritiusand Mauritius did not did sendnot send representa- representa was proposed by the Seychelles at tives.tives. The The Solomons Solomons attended attended for for the the 1982 IWC meeting and supported first firsttime. time. Three Three delegations delegations came came fromfrom by 25 votes to 7 with five absten- tne non-memberthe non-member governments governments of of Canada, Canada, tions. The Soviet Union, Japan, p°r«ugalPortugal and Sriand LankaSri Lanka and and six six inter-inter ».„„„„ , n i.j j L* S governmentalgovernmental or Internationa or international organisa- organisa Norway and Peru lodged objections fionstions sent sent observers. observers. These These were within the 90 days prescribed by CCAMLA,CCAMLA, EEC, EEC, IUCN, IUCN, the the Infer Inter- tile IWC rules and were therefore AmericanAmerican Tropical Tropical Tuna Tuna Commission,Commission, not bound by the decision which ?e Internationalthe International Council Council for for exploita-exploita _.jj„j c ,i ... c tionof the sea tion and of the the sea and UNEP/Convention the UNEP/Convention provided for the setting of zero on migratoryon migratory species. species. Fifty Fifty sixsix non-non catch limits for commercial whaling governmentgovernment international international organisations organisations as from 1985/86. Peru subsequently ^soalso sent sent observers. observers. These These included withdrew its objection but the Soviet, Frie"dsFriends °i of *« the Earth Earth and and Greenpeace.Greenpeace. V, . ,J T . . .. ' New ZealandNew was Zealand represented was represented atat Norwegian and Japanese intentions the the meeting meeting by by the the Whaling Whaling Commis-Commis remained undeclared. sioner Mr I.L.G.sioner Mr Stewart I.L.G. Stewart of Wellingtonof Wellington Until the Soviet cessation comes wn0 waswho was vice-chairman vice-chairman of of the the technical technical into force their whaling will be con- ^om"»tteecommittee and and subsequently subsequently elected , , . , °... ,. . , chairman otchairman the commission; of the commission; by by MrMr ducted in accordance with the latest JuHanJulian Ladbrook Ladbrook of of New New Zealand Zealand HouseHouse scientific committee recommendations. LondonLondon who who attended attended the the technical technical and These prescribed a catch of 4,224 plenaryplenary sessions sessions and and by by Mr Mr Martin minke whales in the Southern hemi- £? Cawthorn, ^•h°rn' ?cea!log?pJ,iCu Oceanographic In?tUH'e- Institute, o~u„-„ ;„ ino/i a „+ i- •* c t WellingtonWellington who who attended attended the the scientific scientific sphere in 1984 and set limits for each committeecommittee meetings. meetings. of the five component areas. In Mr StewartMr Stewart became became a Newa New ZealandZealand stating their intention the Soviet representativerepresentative on the on the Whaling Whaling Commis- Commis Union has expressed agreement with sion insion 1979 in 1979 and and has has been been vice-chairman vice-chairman .i „ „ .. ,. c .. . of the technicalof the committeetechnical committee since since 1982. 1982. the conservation motives of the ban He willHe bewill chairmanbe chairman of of the the Commission Commission and are ceasing whaling in order to for for three three years, years. allow for the recovery of protected ANTARCTIC March/June, 1985

Most of the minke whales in the southern hemisphere are caught by Japanese and Soviet factory expedi tions operating in the Antarctic. The Japanese announced that they will continue catching sperm whales in the North Pacific until 1987/88 but it is widely assumed that they will cease whaling for minkes in the southern regions. Small quantities of minke whales are caught in the North Atlantic North Pacific and off the coasts of Norway, and . The Southern hemisphere stocks were not reclassified at the recent meeting but those of the North Atlantic were. This followed recommendations of the scientific and technical committees Mr I.L.G. Stewart, newly appointed chair to the plenary session which voted man of IWC. 25:1 with 10 abstentions in favour reporting to the scientific committee. of reclassification. Problems have appeared with the numbers and types of whales requested particularly by Iceland and KEY ISSUES South Korea. Towards the close of the meeting the plenary session took The key issues confronting the note of the concerns expressed that IWC, which began as usual with a scientific whaling could take on meeting of the scientific committee commercial aspects and set up a study followed by the technical committee group to report to the next IWC and plenary sessions, included con meeting with recommendations as tinued commercial whaling by Norway, to the appropriate criteria. the criteria for scientific whaling and Similarly, given the desire ex the problems associated with the pressed by some countries to have setting of quotas for aboriginal/ their coastal whaling regarded as subsistence whaling. aboriginal/subsistence whaling it was Norwegian activity, is centred decided in the next twelve months around the North Atlantic Minke to define more closely what is meant whale which has now been re by aboriginal subsistence whaling. classified as protection stock. Under The commission will meet next in the rules of IWC Norway can con tinue whaling because of her ob Malmo, Sweden in June of 1986. jection to the commercial ban but Footnote: It is forbidden to use a factory in practice it may become more ship or whale catcher attached thereto for difficult now that her target stocks the purpose of taking or treating baleen have been declared an endangered whales except minke whales, in any waters south of 40° South Latitude, except during species. the period from December 13 to April 7 Whaling for scientific research pur following, both days inclusive. Schedule poses is permitted by IWC subject to of the IWC January 19S5 March/June, 1985 ANTARCTIC Progress with minerals' negotiations The latest round of the minerals negotiations, held in Rio de Janiero from February 26 to March 12 were chaired by New Zealand's Mr Chris Beeby, assistant secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In this article Mr Beeby traces briefly the steps which led to the adoption of Recommendation XI-I. This recommendation con stitutes the basis for negotiations now underway, examines the nature and structure and some of the provisions of the proposed regime.

The countries that are parties to negotiations begin and that urgency be the Antarctic Treaty perceive that the applied to resolve the minerals regime major achievement of the Treaty has to ease the potential threat to the been its very significant effect on the Treaty. stability and security in Antarctica. The Treaty, however, does not deal with resources of any kind and as its operation depends on restraint it would be under maximum pressure if THOSE PRESENT minerals were discovered. The impli cations of the and recovery The meeting at Rio de Janiero of minerals on the preservation of the was attended by delegates from Treaty and the Antarctic environment Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, led New Zealand in 1970 to consider Chile, France, the Federal Republic the need for a comprehensive regime of Germany, India, Japan, New governing mineral activities. Zealand, Norway, Poland, South The topic was broached at the 6th Africa, United Kingdom, United States Consultative Meeting of Treaty nations of America and the U.S.S.R. in Tokyo in 1970 and in 1977 at the Observers came from Bulgaria, 9th Consultative Meeting in London Cuba, Czechoslavakia, Denmark, Recommendation IX-1 was adopted. Finland, Gentian Democratic Repub It endorsed principles for such a lic, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, regime and urged consultative parties People's Republic of China, Peru, and other states to refrain from all Roumania, Spain, Sweden and exploration and exploitation of Uruguay. mineral resources until an agreed The next round of negotiations regime was reached. will be held in Paris from September Recommendation X-I adopted at 23 to October 7, 1985. New Zealand Washington in 1979 represented will be represented by Mr Colin further consensus and in 1981 at the Keating, head of legal division of 11th Consultative meeting in Buenos Foreign Affairs, and Mr Frank Wong, Aires Recommendation XI-I was also of Foreign Affairs. Mr Chris adopted. It was agreed that formal Beeby will chair the meeting. ANTARCTIC March/June, 1985

Recommendation XI-I constitutes able and without prejudice to those the basis for the negotiations now states that claim sovereignty in underway. The main areas of agree Antartica as well as to states that ment we're that: neither claim sovereignty nor recog • The minerals regime should be negoti nise such claims. ated by the Consultative parties and they should continue to play an active The regime will be a legally binding and responsible role in dealing with the international agreement, closely linked question. with the Antarctic Treaty and will be • The Antarctic treaty must be maintained in its entirety. open for accession by all interested The protection of the unique Antarctic states. The agreement will not be a environment and of its' dependent eco complete and comprehensive mining systems should be a basic consideration. code but will be a framework within • The Consultative Parties, in dealing with which details can be added as issues the question of mineral resources in Antarctica, should not prejudice the arise as well as providing principles interests of all mankind in Antarctica. and general guidelines. • The delicate balance contained in Article IV of the Antarctic Treaty should not be affected by the regime and the principles embodied in that Article should be NEW INSTITUTIONS safeguarded. • The regime should include means for assessing the possible impact of mineral resource activities on the Antarctic New institutions will be created by environment determining whether such the regime. These would include a activities will be acceptable and, if they are regulating them. central Commission with authority to • The area of the regime should encompass determine by consensus whether an the ; and Antarctica and its area would be opened for mining adjacent offshore areas but without activities and to establish the broad encroachment on the deep seabed. principles relating to such activities; • The regime should cover all mineral a subordinate advisory committee resource activities at every stage. respnsible for scientific, technical and • The regime should be open in the sense environmental advice. A secretariat that it should include provisions for adherence by states other than the Con and small regulatory committees with sultative. Parties on the understanding responsibility for detailed regulation that adhering states would be bound by of the mining activity including the the basic provisions of the Antarctic adoption of a management scheme Treaty. • The regime should include provision for and the setting of conditions attaching co-operative arrangements with other to the activity. Representatives of the relevant international organisations. regulatory committee would include, • The regime should protect the special among others, states claiming responsibilities of the Consultative sovereignty in the proposed mining Parties in respect of the environment of area and the state wishing to under the whole Antarctic area, taking into account responsibilities which may be take mining activities. exercised in that area by other inter The accommodation between clai national organisations. • The regime should promote the conduct mants and non-claimants to of research necessary to make the envi sovereignty in Antarctica was the most ronmental and resource management intractable issue confronting the decisions which will be required. meetings. It was therefore agreed in The recommendation also stated 1984 that attention be focussed on the that any agreement that may be institutions of the regime as a starting reached on a regime should be accept point for discussions. March/June, 1985 ANTARCTIC

The regime will cover the same be set out. They will apply both to area as the Antarctic Treaty, namely operators and institutions, will test the area south of 60 degrees without the proposed activity and will be encroaching on the deep seabed and mandatory. would govern every stage of mining No mineral activity will take place activities. Prospecting, having before information, technology and minimum risk to the environment will procedures (including contingency not confer title or require prior plans) are available and adequate with authorisation. It would however, satisfactory monitoring of environ be subject to environmental standards ment and ecosystems. Proposed set out in the regime and be consistent activities will additionally be balanced with any additional measures imposed against the accumulative impact of by the Commission. Reviews of a mining and other uses of Antarctica. prospecting activity would be possible. Exploration and development will be Exploration and development, how forbidden until they were determined ever, will be prohibited until proposals as being acceptable on environmental are authorised by the regime grounds. institutions. Individual applications The regime also provides for the for exploration and development will setting aside of specific areas which have to be scrutinised by the advisory will be designated by the commission committee and a detailed plan estab as prohibited. It provides also for the lished by the relevant regulatory suspension, modification or cancella committee with final approval from tion of authorised exploration and the commission. development if necessary, for the The basic consideration of the settlement of disputes and for deal regime will be the protection of the ing with liabilities. It will also take Antarctic environment and eco into account the interests in systems. Environmental principles Antarctica of the international covering every phase of activity will community at large.

News of the burial of Captain Ivan CEMIDA, a movement whose Man at may recall to avowed aim is to uphold democracy in older members of the New Zealand Argentina has been founded by reserve Antarctic Society the Ob's first visit officers in the Army. It includes to Wellington on April 9, 1956. generals, colonels, and captains. The Society members helped to entertain acting president is General Jorge Leal. the scientists and ship's company In 1965 General Leal, then a colonel, which included eight women, one a led Operation 90, the first Argentine scientist, Professor Marie Klemova. expedition to reach the by Many months later Captain Man and land from General Belgrano Station on the chief scientist, Professor V. G. the Weddell Sea coast. The 10 men Kort, sent the society an album of travelled 1450km by snocat in 45 days. photographs showing the establish ment of the first Soviet station, , and the ship's voyage. The album was presented to the Canter bury Museum in 1977. ANTARCTICA March/June, 1985 Polar activities Government boosts NZARP funding The New Zealand Government has given priority to the funding of the Antarctic Research Programme with a grant of $150,000 to compensate for additional costs incurred through devaluation the Prime Minister, Mr David Lange, announced recently. Most other government departments have had to absorb these costs. As a result the research programme will be maintained in 1985/86 at a level comparable with that of last season.

Approximately 197 scientists, field Last season's activities concluded personnel and support staff will be officially at 3 p.m. on Wednesday involved with the 52 laboratory and February 13 1985 when the summer field events planned around Ross leader Mr Jim Cowie of Christchurch Island, McMurdo Sound and the cen handed over to Mr Leo Slattery, tral Transantarctic Mountains. The postmaster and winter leader. Mr detailed planning, logistics and imple Cowie, who was initially appointed mentation of the programme however, deputy leader for the summer took involves up to 300 personnel during over from Mr Peter Cresswell when the summer season. he returned to Christchurch on Scientific studies this year will January 3, unwell. This winter is be concentrated on aspects of biolo Mr Slattery's third at . gical research and a range of earth, Deputy Officer in charge is Peter atmospheric and physical sciences. Nelson (mechanic, Whangarei). Other New projects include a study of the members of the team are Dennis quaternary glacial stratigraphy in the Shaw (base engineer, Nelson), Owen Marshall Valley; sea floor photo Taylor (electrician, Pukerau), Keith graphy in the McMurdo Sound area Graham (Post Office technician, and some work on influenza viruses Auckland), Tony Grant (technician, in Antarctic seals and birds*. Christchurch), Brian Lawson (techni The programme will cost an esti cian, Auckland), Peter Walton mated $4 million of which the De (carpenter, Dunedin), George Moir partment of Scientific and Industrial (chef, Wellington) Kevin Conoglen Research will provide about S2.3 (dog-handler, .New Plymouth), and million. The other agencies working Peter Turner (technician, Wellington). in Antarctica, including the universi ties, will provide approximately SI.5 The two major events of the season million. were the Ciros Project (Cenozoic investigations in the Western Ross * Full coverage of the New Zealand pro Sea area) and the joint New Zealand, United States and West German gramme will be given in the September issue of Antarctic. expeditions into North Victoria Land. ojoifd uoisiaiq oijojiijuv 'SUOSE9J [coipsui joj ouioq ujiijoj oj pcq 'l|3MSS9JQ jojoj "0*r0 »MJ uoi(A\ uo pnujBo oipv\ 'jouiuins }sc| y\Q Xjndop 4«-jia\o3 uiif si jpi ai|j uo -iojuiA\ dijdjbjuv P'lqj Siq sjjejs pus £i. /tiBruqaj uo uoijisod "|nnp ouibs 9i|j joao SD5JBJ I8JUIM J86i oi|j ui oseg lions jb jojseiujsod puB yyo •a'jojJeis ooi "uibSb jpug

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0I13UV1NV 986 L 'aunr/qojB|Aj ANTARCTIC March/June, 1985

Basaltic sand is common in both 1979 suggested that the differences types, indicating the presence of ex had been over rated and that the tensive ice in the McMurdo Sound relationships were, in fact, close. moving across the offshore volcanoes Subsequent geochemical work in New and into the valleys of the Victoria Zealand showed that the Land Coast. The drill site is at present volcanoes of the Central Bowers experiencing an "interglaciai" phase. Belt were probably a primitive mtra- Well preserved diatoms have been oceanic arc, a conclusion incom found. The diatoms are identical to patible with the current position and some in other cores strongly suggesting that the present and indicate ages from 2 to 4.5 million arrangement was due to major move years. However the core contains a ment of perhaps tens to hundreds volcanic ash at 125 m, which has been of kilometres on faults between the dated radiometrically (K-Ar), and has belts. given an older age. Further work will be needed to account for this but Bad weather and other work once the difference is resolved the precluded a detailed examination of core will be a valuable reference for the new localities tying together events in the Dry at the time of discovery. This, com Valley Region in the late Cenozoic. bined with evidence of major thrusting Equipment from Ciros 2 site, re on both the east and west sides of the turned to New Zealand for repair, central belt encouraged the organisa will be flown south again this coming tion of a joint New Zealand, United season in readiness for drilling opera States and West German expedition tions to begin again in the summer of to re-examine the fossil localities at 1986/87. Handler and Reilly Ridges and the structural geology of the boundaries NORTH VICTORIA LAND of the belts. The party was flown into the Cross New Zealand's main research pro cut Peak area in two groups on ject in North Victoria Land, where November 5 and 6 and subsequently New Zealand scientists have worked travelled to Handler Ridge. Both since 1958, was a study of the geolo parties worked together for the first gical evolution of the area. The two weeks and then one group com existing interpretation of North Vic prising Dr Tom Wright (U.S.), Colin toria Land, (a key area in determining the tectonic relationship between Brodie (Otago), Tony Teeling (Mount Cook), and Warren Herrick (Oamaru). New Zealand, Australia and Antarc travelled north concentrating on th tica) was brought into question by the discovery in the Millen Lanterman structures of the Millen Range and Crosscut Peak thrust. The other Ranges of Ordovician signifi cantly younger than all previous group comprising Drs John Bradshaw (Christchurch), John Begg (Wellington) finds. Werner Buggisch (West Germany) Early mapping by New Zealand some American parties tended to and Jack McConchie (Wellington) sledged 150 km to the north-west accentuate the presence of three to Reilly Ridge where they were major north-northwest trending belts with differing rocks, structures and joined by Dr Franz Tessensohn who geological histories. German geo stayed for the remainder of the logists working in the area from expedition. The parties were reunited March/June, 1985 ANTARCTIC

on December 10 and lifted out by a from the small alluvial fans deposited single Hercules on December 12. across the beach ridges. The bones, Preliminary results of work under along with those collected from under taken are said to be proving interesting the pebbles of the abandoned rookery but were not available at the time of sites around will publication. be dated using radio carbon techni OTHER LINKS WITH ques. The results should provide minimum ages for the rate of uplift GANOVEX IV of the raised beaches of the bay and Two Victoria University students contribute to the clarification of the glacial sequences and tectonic history Jean Olson and Richard Kellett partici of the area. pated in the geophysical programme of GANOVEX IV in North Victoria A further stage of an ongoing study of the Ross Sea coastal environment Land. was completed. The study began in The students were principally in 1982/83 and was continued in 1984/85 volved with the testing and installa when a reconnaisance of the Vic tion of equipment, helicopter gravity toria Land coast was undertaken. surveys and ground profiling, radio Last season's objective was to obtain echosounding, magnetotelluric pro detailed information from a number filing and processing of aero magnetic of sites and assess the potential for data. dating the deposits. The resulting data Trevor Chinn and Ian Whitehouse will be used to create or test models of predicted relative sea level during ice (Ministry- Christchurch) of Works were and joined Development by Hans sheet reconstruction and the deglacia- Hofle (GANOVEX IV) in a joint tion of McMurdo Sound. glaciological and glacial geological In the field from October 21 to reconnaisance of the November 14 Dr Mark Mabin of Bay Area. Auckland University and Glen Lauder of Canterbury University visited sites Working around the shores and at Spike Cape, , Granite in the northern foothills of the Bay Harbour, Cape Ross and Depot Island the party sought to establish a glacial recording the numbers and heights chronology to supplement the unclear of the raised beaches. Observations dry valley sequences. This involved of glacial geology were made where the study of glacial moraines and past till sheets were preserved. Extensive sea levels. The relationships between snow cover, however, prevented analy the present ice margins and the Holo- sis of marine and glacial deposits. cene (maximum) margins were ex amined together with the structures UPLIFT HISTORY of any that were unusual. The party found that the small glaciers were Documenting the uplift history of well covered in snow with little bare the Transantarctic Mountains in the ice exposed indicating a positive mass McMurdo Region in both early Paleo balance suggesting that they are in zoic and Cenozoic times was the objec advance and are presently as large tive of a field party from Victoria as they have been since the Pleisto University comprising Annette George, cene. Russell Korsch, Des Paterson and Penguin bones were collected Paul Fitzgerald. Their field work was from the small alluvial fans deposited observed by Riedner Gomero, a ANTARCTIC March/June, 1985

Peruvian geologist specialising in Dr Mike Isaacs, New Zealand Geologi marine sediments. The party studied cal Survey, (Otara) and John Gumbley, the pre- structures and the an Antarctic Division field assistant metamorphic history of the basement from State Coal. in the Victoria and Wright Valleys The teams objectives were to col and the Late Mesozoic and Cenozoic lect data for a 1:50,000 map of uplift history of the Royal Society the Willett and Clare Range areas as Range. part of an ongoing geological mapping Korsch and George concentrated of the dry valleys and to collect on specific ridges in the lower Victoria samples of coal for subsequent analysis and Wright Valleys where they carried using petrological and palynological out detailed structural mapping, col techniques to assess their overall lected data on the depth of burial character. Chemical studies will also and amount of uplift prior to Beacon be undertaken. sedimentation. A reoresentative set of From early December until mid- metamorphic rocks was also collected. January the team worked in the Mt. These will be subject to laboratory Bastion, Robison Peak and Sponsors studies and when combined with Peak areas interpreting aerial data, analysis of the field data it is hoped measuring stratigraphic sequences and that an integrated tectonic history of the McMurdo portion of the Trans sampling and mapping the coal seams. antarctic Mountains prior to the SEDIMENT STUDIES start of the deposition of the Beacon Super-group in the Devonian age The sedimentation studies which will emerge. began in Granite Harbour, in the Fitzgerald and Paterson also com summer of 1982/83 were completed pleted work begun the previous last season. Granite Harbour appears season to determine the younger to be a closed sedimentation system uplift history of the Transantarctic and the objectives of this combined Mountains. This required the sampling Victoria University/Oceanographic In of granitoid rocks at regular inter stitute Study were to identify the vals over significant ranges of eleva main sources of sedimentation and tions for fission track age determina transport processes in the Harbour. tions on apatite. This year field work From this it is hoped that scientists was concentrated in the Blue Glacier will be able to determine how fast area. Laboratory work will be carried sediment accumulates in polar coastal out at the University of Melbourne. environments. COAL MEASURES Other sedimentary studies centred More progress with the detailed on the Onyx River which flows for mapping of the Beacon Supergroup up to 90 days a year over 28 km from Coal Measures was made by a party Lake Brownworth to Lake Vanda of four led by Geoffrey (Toby) in the Wright -(dry) Valley. Because Rose of the Australian Coal Measures the passage of the Onyx is not ob structed by vegetation or compli Study Group of New South Wales, who is also secretary of the NSW cated by man's influence or by Department of Mineral Resources. groundwater losses it is particularly He and fellow Australian Dr Graham suitable for the study of sediment Bradley (ACMSG) were NZARP guest transport and channel evolution, scientists. They were accompanied which concern scientists working on the behaviour of large braided rivers. by two New Zealand coal geologists March/June, 1985 ANTARCTIC

Working from a camp on the Using a nerve-muscle preparation iso south bank of the river at VaDialla lated from Pagothenia borchgrevenki Fan, 8 km upstream from Lake Vanda they studied the release of chemical between December 27 and January 17 neurotransmitter (messenger) by nerve a team comprising Paul Mosley and endings. For the nervous system to Eric Valentine of the MWD Hydro operate in the Antarctic fish the logy Centre (Christchurch), established fundamental processes such as trans 38 cross sections over a 500 metre mitter release and receptor reaction reach of six neighbouring branches must be tuned to work at low tem of the river. At each section regular peratures. This study, to be con measurements were made of water tinued in the coming season, will depth, velocity and transport rates provide further details of the mechan of coarse sediment moving along isms of temperature adaptation. the bed. The individual channels Drs John Montgomery (Auckland) were surveyed for changes and topo and Alistair McVean (London) made graphic surveys were made of the recordings from single nerve cells in entire reach. the brains of Pagothenia borchgre- The field observations are being vinki during natural stimulation of used to develop quantitative relation reflex eye movements to evaluate ships between hydraulic conditions previous basic neurophysiological and sediment transport rates and findings of brain function. The study have been combined with the flow is significant because these fish func records for the period 1972-83 to tion with a brain temperature of —2 establish the total quantity of coarse degrees centigrade. The investigation sediment carried by the river each aims to show how and how well the year. Total estimated quantities nervous system functions at such low range from less than one tonne in temperatures. 1977-78, a year of very low flow when water didn't reach Lake Vanda, to Drs Rufus Wells (Auckland) and over 3,000 tonnes in 1981-82 and Lynda Warren (London) studied the 1982-83 when the volumes of water respiratory physiology of a range of reaching Lake Vanda were 3.8 and Antarctic fish. They were able to con 4.6 million cubic metres respectively. firm earlier reports that Antarctic fish have an elevated metabolism and that it is not caused by stress. They MARINE LIFE STUDIES also found .that one of the less com mon species Rhigophilia dearborni Studies of Antarctic marine life (eal pouts) has a high rate of oxygen last season concentrated on the uptake through the skin. Most of the physiological adaptation of fish and other species of Antarctic fish are the photoreception of isopods, other like "normal" fish and obtain their crustaceans and fish. oxygen through their gill epithelium. Operating mostly from a fish hut Since 1977 Dr V. Benno Meyer- on the sea ice 1.5 km on front of Rochow, University of Waikato, has Scott Base scientists from Auckland been studying the eyes, vision and and London universities continued to photoreceptive structure and function study the physiological adaptations of Antarctic fish, isopods and other Antarctic fish. Drs John Macdonald Crustacea and evaluating their sensi (Auckland) and Sue Pocket (London) tivity to light and temperature. This investigated basic neurophysiology. last season work was extended to ANTARCTIC March/June, 1985 muscle and temperature analysis and Preliminary results indicate that while changes in the colour of various fish. the growth of algae in Lake Fryxell is restricted by an abundant supply FRESHWATER STUDIES of nitrogen this is not the limiting factor in Lake Vanda. Nutrient cycles Factors controlling organic carbon and photosynthetic processes are to production in the ecosystems of be further studied this coming season. streams in the; McMurdo Sound area were investigated by Dr Clive Howard CELLULAR STUDIES Williams and Dr Warwick Vincent of the Division of Marine and Freshwater The search for answers to funda Sciences, DSIR and by NZARP mental questions regarding intracellu guest scientist Dr John C. Priscu from lar freezing and the nature of cell Montana State University. Geoff membrances continued through the Spearpoint of Antarctic Division was study of the survival mechanisms of the field assistant. Antarctic terrestrial and freshwater It was the second part of a three invertebrates by a team from the year investigation which began in the Physiology Department of Otago Uni 1983/84 season when during a study versity. Led by Grant Butt, the team of 25 of the streams of South Victoria (last season) included Robert Scott Land they found a level of algal bio and Peter Ashworth. mass comparable to that in some of Work began in 1983/84 when the greatest of the world's stream knowing the ability of the larger communities. However the biomass invertebrates (springtails, mites, contained a limited range of algal rotifers and tardigrades) to withstand species. Unexpectedly the clearest sub-zero temperatures and in some nutrient-poor waters contained the cases dehydration, the mechanisms greater volume of biomass indicating enabling protozoa to survive were that turbidity was more important uncertain. Accepting that the forma than nutrient supply in restricting tion of intracellular ice is fatal to the variety. organisms and that the protozoa Concentrating in 1984/85 on the have only thin membranes separating Adams Stream in the Miers Valley their cytoplasm from the freshwater and the Fryxell Stream in the Taylor environment — the question remained: Valley the team measured the carbon How did they survive the freeze-thaw dioxide exchange of the algal mats with an infrared gas analyser. They cycle? found that the photosynthetic rate During the first season's work at per unit of biomass was low but that Cape Bird about 20 different species the respiratory component was very of protozoa were collected from high. This was thought to be due to pools and steams but only one - the high density of bacteria co-existing a small Chlamydomonas like species with the algae and in the 1985/86 survived the freezing of the medium season they will follow up this dis in which they were found. It was covery by measuring the interaction noted that as ice fronts advanced they between the two components. tended to push the organisms ahead In collaboration with Dr John and it was assumed that in larger Priscu the team also studied nitrogen bodies of water the organisms would cycling and photosynthetic meta be pushed down into unfrozen regions. bolism in Lakes Fryxell and Vanda. However when a small seepage was March/June, 1985 ANTARCTIC analysed the team found that coloni samples were taken at two subsequent sation by protozoa was opportunistic; intervals to determine the amount the occurrence of the organisms in of energy (metabolic rate) involved any pool was more a matter of chance in their various activities. rehydration after wind-blow resting As part of a project with Dr John stages. Most protozoa appeared able Cockrem (Ecology Division, Welling to survive dehydration if allowed to ton) Dr Davis also measured melatonin dry relatively slowly on a rough sur levels in the blood of penguins. Mela face. Because some of the organisms tonin is a hormone which is associated appear new to science further analysis with rhythm of behaviour. A pilot of results is currently hampered by study in radio-telemetry involving the taxonomic difficulties. attachment of transmitters to the Last season many further samples feathers of penguins using an epoxy of protozoa were collected from resin proved successful and it was Lakes Fryxell and Vanda and they are found that they could be tracked at currently being studied. Although sea using these methods. their taxonomic status remains un This coming season Dr Davis (now certain they are sufficiently distinct of the University of Otago) will lead to allow experiments and one area of a joint Ecology-Division/Otago Univer work is the extent to which the cellu sity expedition continuing the radio lar membranes of the cold-hardy tracking of penguins, sampling for species are modified. The water melatonin and observing behaviour. permeability of the membrane is The team will also be analysing diet. currently being determined and the composition of the protozoa will be further studied using ion-selective electrodes. CENSUS

PENGUIN BEHAVIOUR The aerial photographic survey and bird count of the Adelie penguin colonies in the Ross Sea Region was The foraging patterns of penguins continued. It is part of the Interna at Cape Bird were studied over three tional Survey of Antarctic Seabirds months by a team led by Dr Lloyd (ISAS) and last season it was in two Davis (Ecology Division, DSIR, parts. Wellington) and comprising Christine Rowley Taylor, Peter Wilson and Butts (Kaiapoi), Frances McCaffrey Bruce Thomas of Ecology Division (Havelock North), Murray Potter DSIR, Nelson made a ground count (Hastings) and Catherine Pettigrew of Adelie penguins at in (Christchurch). They maintained 24 late November. A week later they hour observations of approximately 80 took oblique aerial photographs birds recording patterns of behaviour through the opened paratroop doors and durations of foraging trips. From of an RNZAF CI30 Hercules of 15 the observation it is hoped to estab colonies on Ross and Beaufort Islands, lish evidence of rhythmicity (the pre and along the North Victoria Land sence of a biological clock) in penguin coast as far as Lyell Island and Yule behaviour. Bay. The colonies included Cape In association with Dr Brian Green Royds, Cape Bird (3), Beaufort and (CSIRO) birds were injected with Inexpressible Islands. Terra Nova and radio-active water and salts. Blood Wood Bays, Capes Jones, Wheat- ANTARCTIC March/June, 1985 stone, Cotter and Hallett, Downshire using fast-ice platforms. The system Cliffs, Sentry Rocks and Unger recognises three categories tabular, Islands. Good quality coverage was irregular and rounded and requires obtained at all but the Sentry Rocks examination from at least two direc colony. tions with attention given to features At Cape Royds the ground census such as snow stratification and wave revealed 2825 occupied nests the notches. highest total ever recorded there This season the operation was and although last season's aerial threefold; it comprised a helicopter photographs have not yet been flight from Scott Base, along the counted the agreement between the Victoria Land Coast to the Norden aerial and the ground counts the pre skjold Ice Tongue during which vious season was very close. photographs were taken from a On December 11 Taylor and height of 2450 metres and a depot Wilson made an 11 hour return flight laid 30 km south of the Tongue; from Dunedin to the Balleny Islands travel with a dog team and skidoo in an RNZAF P3 Orion. For two from Scott Base to Butter Point, Cape hours they searched the entire coast Roberts, the Nordenskjold and re- line of the islands for penguin turing via Butter Point to the Erebus colonies. All previous sites were Ice Tongue and Scott Base to make visited and oblique photographs taken. ground observations and a subsequent Five colonies were found on Buckle, aerial photography from an RNZAF Chinstrap and the Sabrena Islands Hercules CI30 Hercules, also flying with a total population of just over at 2450 metres but 25 km from the coast. 8,110 breeding pairs. The comparative data showed 448 Over the last four seasons all but icebergs wider than approximately 10 three of the 32 known adelie penguin metres between the Nordenskjold colonies in the Ross Sea area have Ice Tongue and Blue Glacier and a been photographed at least once and further seven in the Erebus Bay off some such as Cape Royds, Cape Ross Island. Bird and , Capes Cottrell and Hallett have been sur Most of the icebergs were detected veyed each year. Colonies which have by aerial photographs from helicopter not been photographed will be in flights and by ground observation. Seventy-five percent were thought to cluded in an aerial survey planned be grounded usually in depths of be for early in December of the coming tween 100 and 300 metres. Studies of sediment samples collected from 40% of icebergs will provide informa ICEBERGS tion about the origin. From this and other observations net movement The study of iceberg distribution, patterns can be established. Consecu their size, origin, shape and numbers tive satellite imagery will enable was continued by Dr Harry Keys. distinctive bergs to be tracked and It began as a pilot study the previous will be used in this project. season during which icebergs were examined and methods tested for measuring the size and shapes with the purpose of developing a new classi fication system in the detail possible March/June, 1985 ANTARCTIC Anare Marine science cruise and geological mapping Geological studies in the Framnes Mountains of MacRobertson Land and detailed mapping of the Stillwell Hills in were among earth science projects in the 38th research programme of Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions (ANARE) which ended in March. A major marine biology project was a 45-day cruise in the Prydz Bay region to study the distribution of krill and its behaviour. To deliver summer and winter her maiden voyage from Cape Town parties and materials to the three direct to the ice edge to resupply continent stations, Casey Davis and Mawson, Davis, and Casey. Mawson, and the sub-Antarctic station on Macquarie Island ANARE used CARGO COSTS two chartered ships, the Nella Dan and the newly-built West German Icebird To meet the Antarctic Division's (4378 tonnes) owned by Schulz and charter requirements the owners of the Clemmensen, Hamburg. They made Icebird arranged for 83 members of eight voyages between October and the summer and winter ANARE teams March. to be flown to South Africa. Three This winter there are 106 men and helicopters, some additional helicopter women at the four ANARE bases. fuel, and a small quantity of equip Of these 20 are on Macquarie Island, ment were shipped from Australia to 33 at Casey, 25 at Davis, and 28 at Cape Town by freighter, the cargo Mawson. This number is one less than costs being shared between the last year's. Antarctic Division and the shipowners. ANARE relief and resupply oper After initial delays the Icebird ations for the 1984-85 season began sailed for the ice edge on November in the second week of October when 4. She experienced relatively mild the Nella Dan left Hobart for weather and completed her missions Macquarie Island with the summer to Mawson and Davis by the middle of and winter teams. Between early the month. A diversion was made to November and the third week of the Soviet station, Mirny, but then the March when she returned to Hobart ship was beset in the pack ice for the ship made three Antarctic voyages. seven days. She was off Casey on Because of a tight construction December 6 and the voyage ended schedule the Icebird, a specially- at Melbourne on December 14. designed and ice-strengthened polar With its ability to carry more than resupply ship, was unable to call at 5000 cubic metres of cargo, double an Australian port on her way to the capacity of earlier cargo ships Antarctica before testing. She made chartered by the Antarctic Division, ANTARCTIC March/June, 1985 the Icebird performed most of the near the Monolith Captain Brune resupply tasks last season. As a moved her 2.6nm to deeper water. result the Nella Dan had more time for She remained there for more than 12 marine research. hours while the ANARE party was Icebird also provided support for ferried ashore to count and band shipboard and ship-borne projects Antarctic petrels, and collect lichens during her voyages. Six chartered and rock samples. helicopters, three Hughes 500Cs and three Bell 206Bs were carried on the SHOALS CHART two ships. The Icebird used heli copters on her first, third, and fourth When the studies were completed voyages south. In addition to ice the Icebird headed for Mawson. She reconnaissance and ship to shore made a careful and considered operations the helicopters supported approach to the station in Horseshoe glaciology and biology programmes at Bay because about 8.6nm directly off Casey and Davis, and geology pro it on the only charted course hazard grammes in the Mawson area. ous shoals of rocks are scattered. At least four are named after ships that MONOLITH VISIT have struck them; the latest was the chartered supply ship NanokSin 1983. On her third voyage to Davis and Soundings were checked on the Mawson along the summer edge of the way into Mawson. The Icebird's own pack ice off the coast of MacRobert- launch ran ahead along the charted son Land the Icebird entered barely course with its echo-sounder providing charted waters. The ship's master, the first alarm of trouble below water. Captain Ewald Brune, used Soviet Bearings were taken from the moun charts for much of the journey. tains behind Mawson and the local But when the Icebird approached islands in front of it, and by late the (67° 47min S/ evening the ship was safely tied up in 66° 42min E) which is 150km east of Horseshoe Bay. Mawson, and the A hydrographer, Lieutenant- (67° 47min S/66° 54min) even the Commander Robert Ward, was aboard Soviet charts ran out. Captain Brune the Icebird leading a reconnaissance took the ship slowly to within one for a Royal Australian Navy survey of nautical mile of the Scullin Monolith, the entrances to Australia's Antarctic plotting depths and photographing the stations. The first priority of the course to aid ships in future seasons. survey will be to chart the shoals As part of the International Survey outside Mawson. of Antarctic Seabirds (ISAS) ANARE scientists had to visit the Scullin STORMY WEATHER Monolith to continue studies of the estimated 500,000 Antarctic petrels Seventy-two passengers aboard the and other birds which breed on the Icebird after her calls at Mawson, great granite hill. An ANARE party Davis, and Casey, had an uncomfort from the Nella Dan made an eight- able voyage back to Hobart. The hour visit to the Monolith on passage out of the ice was smooth but December 10, 1983. soon after dawn on February 14 the Because the ship's echo-sounder ship struck an intense depression when showed rock pinnacles under the water about 971nm south-east of Perth. March/June, 1985 ANTARCTIC

Hurricane force winds - Force 12 to understanding the Antarctic marine on the Beaufort Scale — and waves ecosystem, and particularly krill. Be more than 10m high severely tested cause of financial constraints and the ship. The winds of up to 70 knots logistic problems the Nella Dan was and cross seas caused the ship to roll forced into an extended resupply role through up to 35 degrees. This move and was available for only six days of ment was accompanied by persistent marine research. jolting as the 320-tonne steel accom modation module in a cradle bolted to KRILL CRUISE the deck shifted about 5cm from side to side. Australia's contribution to the Captain Brune ordered that the Ice second phase of SIBEX II last summer bird heave to with its bow into wind. was the largest research programme in Then he changed course to keep the the Southern Ocean by Antarctic ship moving close to windward until Division scientists. The 45-day expedi about 4 p.m. local time when the tion on board the Nella Dan covered worst of the storm passed. But when more than 4600 nautical miles in seven the ship was back on course for north-south transects of Prydz Bay Hobart the module was still moving. which lies between Mawson and Davis. While the severe weather continued Twenty-one marine scientists and passengers left the module in favour of technicians led by Dr Harvey the bridge on the Icebird's main Marchant, head of the Antarctic superstructure. They returned to it in Division's marine biology programme, the evening after the ship altered took part in the expedition which course again to ease the jolting. sailed from Hobart on December 22 Soon after the Icebird arrived in and returned on February 4. Good Hobart last month the module's weather enabled the scientists to work fastenings were strengthened. It rests at nearly all of 65 planned research on rubber mounts in a cradle bolted to stations where echo-sounders were the deck and is also bolted down used to measure the distribution and itself. Captain Brune says that the concentration of krill swarms, and design provided for movement and the collect oceanic and biological samples. ship's classification permits it. Research in Prydz Bay was concen Expedition leader for the last of the trated on the distribution of krill and season's eight voyages which was made its behaviour, age, sex, and repro by the Icebird was Mr James Beasel, ductive rates. Data was also collected who was nominated as director of the on krill's environment, its predators, Antarctic Division on December 21 and on its food source, phyto last year, having been acting director plankton. since February. The Icebird sailed from Hobart on February 22 for SWARMING STUDIES Mawson, Casey, and Macquarie Island, and returned in the third week of More than 10,000 samples of krill March. were collected during the cruise and In the 1983-84 season Australia had the Nella Dan brought back also more to withdraw from SIB EX I, the first than 40 live adult krill and hundreds phase of the Second International of newly-hatched juveniles. These BIOMASS Experiment, a 10-nation co will be studied in the Antarctic operative research programme devoted Division's laboratories by Dr Tom ANTARCTIC March/June, 1985

Ikeda, senior research scientist in millimetres long. The food was charge of the krill biology programme, chomped down to a uniform size of and his colleagues. 50 microns "rather like someone On board studies of hatching rates eating spaghetti and biting off lengths". showed that krill spawning is highly Algal studies by the research team productive, relative to other species. concentrated on the smaller phyto Preliminary estimates indicated that plankton which are very important in some 80 percent of the eggs hatched. marine ecosystems. Much of the Some Antarctic krill swarms can earlier work in Antarctic waters has measure hundreds of metres across. focused on the large robust organisms Studies of the gregarious behaviour of or the visible phytoplankton in the sea krill compared to various fish species ice. No blue-green algae were found indicated that young krill tend to form south of the Antarctic Convergence groups in which they all face the same where northward-flowing water way and swim on the same angle. descends below warmer water from Video tapes showing krill lining up to the temperate zone to form a circum- match currents in tanks on the Nella polar boundary. The blue-green algae Dan will be studied at the University are found in high concentrations in of Tasmania as part of the work on tropical or temperate waters. Now it swarming behaviour. appears that if they exist at all in the Research into swarming behaviour Southern Ocean they are in very low can be significant because predator concentrations. fish and krill are often caught together. The numbers of immature NOISE EXPERIMENT fish in these catches can be quite high. Because of this any future large-scale One of Australia's foremost experts harvesting of krill may harm fish popu on krill, Dr George Ettershank, of lation in the Southern Ocean through Monash University, who established a excessive hauls of immature fish. firm estimate of the total lifespan of the crustacean - seven years — by EATING HABITS using a technique called "age pigment" analysis, followed a new line of re Other studies included the eating search while aboard the Nella Dan. He habits of krill as previously it had been conducted experiments to find out unclear what size of food the crusta what kind of noises krill make. cean could eat. The scientists' findings Other marine research carried out proved that krill use food sources very aboard the Nella Dan on the SIBEX II successfully, eating phytoplankton cruise and her other voyages to the from one micron in size through to the Casey, Mawson, and Davis ice edges, largest. (A micron is one-thousandth included observations of seabirds, of a millimetre.) seals, and whales, phytoplankton Dr Marchant chanced on something studies in the pack ice zone, deploy new about the krill's eating habits. In ment and recovery of current meters, one of the krill hauls he noticed that measurement of currents in Prydz the faeces were white instead of dirty Bay, and deployment of sea ice buoys. brownish green. On analysis he found C.T.D. (Conductivity, Temperature, that the mature female krill in the haul Depth) equipment was used to map had been eating one kind of diatom ocean depth, temperature, oxygen which is between three and four content, salinity, and light levels. March/June, 1985 ANTARCTIC

A major geological and biological Closer examination indicated that the study of the Bunger Hills, the second fragments were bone. largest ice-free area in the Australian Because of the size of the fossil sector of Antarctica will be made which was in marine sediment Dr next season by ANARE scientists. Quilty decided that it could not Early this month a team from the belong to a bird. When he returned to Nella Dan was flown by helicopter to Hobart he said that the fossil was make a three-day reconnaissance of good, solid bony material from a the area which is 300km east of Casey fair-sized animal which had to be a and roughly halfway between the marine mammal. station and the Soviet station, Mirny. Future expeditions to the Vestfold Early in March, 1977, four scien Hills area will try to uncover more tists aboard the Nella Dan were flown fossils. Dr Quilty's find will be some 70km south of the main ice removed from the rock matrix that edge to the Bunger Hills where they surrounds it, and thin slices of the spent about five hours. Working fossil will be subjected to micro from two helicopters in the surround scopic examination to determine its ing hills and valleys the party collected structure and the type of animal it samples of lichens and mosses from came from. 14 sites, and studied organisms in algal Twenty bags filled with hundreds mats from three freshwater lakes. The of little slivers of fossilised bone scientists and the two helicopter brought back by Dr Quilty will also pilots also visited the Soviet/Polish be examined. They are expected to station, opened in October, 1956, and provide additional clues to the original named Oasis, then handed over to of the large fossil. Poland in January, 1959 and renamed Dobrowolski. PEAKS CLIMBED In another ice-free area, the Vestfold Hills, which surround Davis, Geomorphological observations in the earth sciences programme last the Framnes Mountains (67° 50min S/ summer included geomorphological 62° 35min E), a group of three major studies and surveying of the shallow ranges - Casey, Masson. and David - hills and valleys strewn with saline and adjacent peaks in MacRobertson lakes and fiords. Early in February Land were made by field parties from a field trip from Davis by two scien Mawson during the summer. Journeys tists to the Marine Plain about 5km were made by vehicles, starting early from the station resulted in the in December, and ascents were made discovery of a large bone fossil of six peaks in two of the three ranges. believed to be from a marine mammal. Lichen samples were collected by each party for Antarctic Division biologists. FOSSIL FOUND Earliest in the field was a party of four which reached the Casey Range Dr Patrick Quilty, the Antarctic by oversnow vehicle on a lichen Division's chief scientist, who went sampling trip. Two trips were made south on the Icebird's third trip, was on one day by two parties, one using walking around a lake margin on the an oversnow vehicle and the other a Marine Plain following a line of dog team, to the melt lake under Mt fossil shells when he found what Henderson (970m) 14km from appeared to be a frost-shattered rock. Mawson at 63 02min S/67°42min E. ANTARCTIC March/June, 1985

There has been a field hut on the Ranges and climbed five peaks, one south-east side of the mountain since known only by the number 1050. In 1978. the ascents were made of A party of six which used the over Mt Coates (1280m), Mt Hordern snow vehicle climbed the Goldsworthy (1510m) about 6.5km to the south, Ridge which extends north from Mt and Dunlop Peak (1330m), one of the Henderson in the north-east part of Smith Peaks, which is 1.6km south of the Framnes Mountains. It also col Mt Hordern. lected lichens. In the Central Masson Range the Another party of four added to the party climbed Mt Burnett (1050m) lichen collection when it made a and Trost Peak (680m) which is 2.4km three-day visit to the David Masson to the north-east of the higher peak. Rebuilding programme reviewed Australia's $58 million 10-year rebuilding activity began in 1981. rebuilding for its three Antarctic Present designs for the programme stations, Casey, Davis, and Mawson, which is managed by the Department now 30 to 40 percent completed, is of Housing and Construction being revised. The purpose of a review employed large steel-framed modular made last season is to try to find new pannelled buildings which are con designs and construction methods that structed on site. will require less maintenance and less In the 1984-85 Budget allocation building activity in Antarctica. to the Antarctic Division the sum of A reduction in new work at Davis $300,000 was included for a review of and Mawson has been ordered by Mr the station building programme. A James Bleasel, director of the Antarctic review team of Department of Housing Division, who announced the pro and Construction officers not involved gramme review late in January. He in the present rebuilding and a senior expressed concern that there are too representative of the Antarctic many support staff - many of them Division inspected the stations last builders and maintenance crews - in season. the present ANARE programme, and When the review team reports by only about 25 percent of the expedi June this year it will give the results tions are engaged in research and data of its examination of the possibility collection. of finishing the present programme Rebuilding activity will now be using some type of modular structure concentrated on Casey Station. It has which could be prebuilt in Australia to be rebuilt now as the old station is and erected quickly in Antarctica deteriorating to such an extent that it without the need for a large force of is expected to be unsafe within four building workers at the three bases. years. The speed-up of work will The report will also consider the mean that the essential elements of the feasibility of using simply maintained new station should be ready for occu services to reduce the number of pation in the 1987-88 season. maintenance staff needed at the new As a result of a Parliamentary stations. This would allow more Public Works Committee inquiry into scientists to be accommodated in the deterioration of the three stations Antarctica. March/June, 1985 ANTARCTIC

The third ascent was of the peak northward from the coast just east of numbered 1050. the bay. A programme of rubbish removal from the three continental stations, MAPPING HILLS the first since Mawson was established in 1954, was carried out last summer. As part of the extension of re The cost in shipping time of bringing search in ice-free areas detailed geolog back the material to Australia was ical mapping of the Stillwell Hills and about $A100,000, but the programme coastal islands in Enderby Land was will continue for two more seasons. undertaken last season. The Stillwell Most of the rubbish cargo brought Hills (67° 26min S/59° 28min E) back to Hobart on each of the which lie west of Mawson, are a group Icebird's last three trips consisted of of rocky hills along the south-west timber offcuts and other construction side of Bay. materials. Other rubbish accumulated Along the east and west margin of round the base for more than 25 years the bay are the coastal islands, among included used fuel drums, old oil, them Bertha, Islay, Couling, and plastics, metal, and glass. After Sheehan. They are part of the William quarantine everything will be incin Scoresby Archipelago which runs erated or buried. Chinare Chinese Base on China's first Antarctic research expedition (CHINARE) which estab lished a summer station, Chang Cheng (Great Wall) on King George Island in the South Shetlands, returned to Shanghai early in April. The expedition, which lasted five months and cost about SA5.39 million, spent three months in Antarctica. It worked on King George Island and in the ice-free area of the Bellingshausen Sea. Great Wall station is on the east of the expedition later spoke, by radio side of the Fildes Peninsula at 62° 13 telephone, to their families who were min S/58 55min W, about one nauti- attending a tea party in Peking. The cal mile from the Soviet Bellingshausen Great Wall Station post office dis- Station. It has two large accommoda- patched its first mail on February 27. tion buildings, a wharf, an airstrip, and Dr Wu Heng. director of the Chinese an oil storage depot. National Committee for Antarctic Representatives of six other nations Research, who cut a ribbon to mark which have stations on King George the opening of the station, headed a Island - Argentina, Chile, Brazil, delegation which had flown from Soviet Union, Poland, and Uruguay, China to attend the ceremony. He attended the formal opening of the declared China's commitment to the station, which took place in a heavy peaceful international exploration of snowstorm on February 20. Members Antarctica and welcomed scientists of ANTARCTIC March/June, 1985 other nations to join in the station's geology, geomorphology, and biology. research work, adding that the invita As a result of work done by the tion also applied to "our compatriots People's Republic of China since the in Taiwan". 1980-81 season with the Australian, China's expedition sailed from New Zealand, Argentinean, Chilean, Shanghai on November 20 aboard the and Japanese programmes, the first 12,469-tonne oceanographic research expedition included a number of ship Xiang Yang Hong No. 10, owned scientists with previous Antarctic by the National Bureau of Oceano experience. Two - Guo Kue and graphy, and the Chinese Navy's salvage Chen Shanming - worked at ship J121 which served as the logistic Argentine stations in the 1982 sum support ship. After calling at Ushuaia, mer, and five took part in Australian the Argentine port of Tierra del Fuego, National Antarctic Research Expedi the expedition reached King George tions (ANARE) programmes between Island on December 26. 1980 and 1982. Mr Guo Kun's two deputies, Dong Zhaoqian and Zhang Qingsong, were SITE SOUGHT both at Casey in the summer of 1980. Several days were spent in the re Zhang Qingsong wintered at Davis in connaissance of possible sites for the 1981, and Dong Zhaoqian worked station. On December 31 China's flag aboard the Nella Dan on the was flown for the first time on Australian section of the First Inter "Antarctic land". Seven hours later national BIOMASS Experiment the decision to build the station on the (FIBEX) in the summer of 1981. Lu Fildes Peninsula and call it Great Wall Peiding and Bian Lingen wintered at was announced. Davis in 1982, and Yan Qide worked While construction was in progress in the summer of 1982 on an a separate scientific party — the Australian marine geoscience cruise Southern Ocean Research Expedition aboard the Nella Dan. - worked aboard the Xiang Yang. Hong No. 10 studying marine living PROGRAMME COMPLETED resources, particularly krill and their environment. These investigations China's research programme last were under the direction of Jin season was completed towards the end Qingming, deputy-director of the of March. The two ships sailed to the Second Institute of Oceanography. Chilean port of Punta Arenas Tierra del Fuego, where they spent several days, and then proceeded through the LOGISTIC SUPPORT Straits of Magellan on their way to With its French Aero Spatiale Shanghai. Super Hornet helicopter the J121, Since 1980 the People's Republic which anchored in , pro of China has sent observers to the vided logistic support for the construc meetings of the Scientific Committee tion team and the summer scientific on Antarctic Research (SCAR). It party. Mr Guo Kun director of the applied for membership at last year's office of the National Committee for meeting in Bremerhaven, West Antarctic Research was in charge of Germany, and members agreed to the station and directed a scientific make a decision at this year's execu programme of mapping, meteorology, tive meeting after the PRC had com- March/June, 1985 ANTARCTIC

pleted its planned marine research Antarctic Treaty in 1983, plans to programme and established a summer send a second expedition south next station. summer. This is in pursuance of its SCAR's executive meeting in April declared intention to seek consultative is expected to admit the PRC to mem membership of the Antarctic Treaty bership. China, which acceded to the by 1985. Gangotri IV India plans South Pole traverse India plans to send a traverse party to the South Pole early next summer from its permanent station (70° 05min 37sec S/12" E) on the Princess Astrid Coast of . Dr S.Z. Qasim, Secretary of the Department of Ocean Development, who heads the Indian research programme, announced the proposed attempt by the present winter team to make the return journey of up to 2500 nautical miles when in Australia in May. Dakshin Gangotri, established as a the fourth expedition south but the permanent station in the 1983-84 Department of Ocean Development season, and fully operational last chartered the Finnish ice-strengthened season, will be expanded in future Finn Polaris (6826 tonnes) for the seasons, according to Dr Qasim. An second time. It was commanded by area of 200 square kilometres has Captain K. Lasse. There were 44 been earmarked for extending the scientists and support staff in the station, which is in the Schirmacher expedition which was led by a geolo Hills region about 18.5km from the gist Dr B. B. Bhattacharya. His Soviet station, Novolazarevskaya. scientific team included geologists, Three more buildings will be con biologists, electronics and radio structed, but Dr Qasim says a base on engineers, and meteorologists. the ice shelf will still be needed to Helicopter support during the transfer materials to Dakshin Gangotri. summer was provided again by a self- When the fourth expedition, contained air support group led by .reported to have cost SA4 million, Commander G. Verm and Wing sailed for Goa by way of Port Louis, Commander R. K. S. Dhillon. It Mauritius, in the first week of March, operated two Indian Navy Alouette a winter team of 15 scientists and III helicopters and two Indian Air support staff led by Mr P. Kumaresh, Force Mi-8 helicopters. These were remained. It relieved last winter's used for aerial photography, logistic team of 12, which was led by support for field operations, and Lieutenant-Colonel S. S. Sharma, of hydrographic surveys. the Defence and Development Early in December the Finn Polaris Research Organisation. sailed from Goa for Queen Maud India's first ice-strengthened ship Land. After a three-day call at Port Sagar Sampathi was expected to carry Louis the ship arrived at the ice edge ANTARCTIC March/June, 1985

in the last week of December. The types on the surface and sub-surface; summer team departed in the first • extent of mineralised zone; • con week of March, stopped for two days trolling factors of mineralisation at Port Louis, and returned to Goa (structural, lithological etc.); • bed towards the end of the month. rock geochemistry and nature of wall rock alteration; • structural evolution MINERAL SURVEY of the shear zones; •physio-chemical environment of mineralisation; Geologists in the first expedition • crystal evolution of the region in the (1981-82) found evidence of uranium light of plate tectonics. and those in the 1983-84 summer Projects started during the first team conducted geophysical and three expeditions were continued at magnetic surveys which showed occur sea. and on the ice. Some studies in rences of copper, lead, and zinc. The oceanography were continued during emphasis last season was primarily on the voyage of the Finn Polaris to geophysical surveys to ascertain the Antarctica and along the coast of physical properties of the ice shelf and Queen Maud Land. In addition the ocean floor below it so as to deter studies of krill and micro-biological mine the mineral potential of the area. investigations were also continued. Previous geophysical surveys were Monitoring of meteorological para limited to the operation of magneto meters was done on the voyage from meters. Last season radio-echo sound Goa, at the site of the ship's location ing was carried out to estimate the ice by the ice edge, and at Dakshin thickness at a number of locations. Gangotri. Electro-magnetic surveys were con ducted to determine ice thickness and ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES investigate the geophysical structure over Antarctica. Environmental studies included Seismic prospecting was done to aero-biological sampling and investi map the basement configuration, locate gations of man-made changes in the possible high velocity sediments under Antarctic environment. Two studies the ice cover, and find out the crystal of human adaptability to a polar structure. Heat flow measurements environment were made. They were also made at a number of critical covered the effects of continuous daylight/darkness over long periods on the human metabolism, and the HILLS MAPPED effects of living in isolation in a small group. During the third expedition geolo Dakshin Gangotri was set up as a gists mapped the whole of the Schu permanent research station in 29 days macher Hills range on a scale of by the Army construction team of 28 1:25,000, and renamed them Dakshin engineers, fitters, carpenters, and Gangotri Hills. Certain areas were of electricians in the 1983-84 expedition, interest for mineral potential, and last which was led by Dr H. K. Gupta. summer detailed investigations were The station was handed over to carried out in them. Lieutenant-Colonel Sharma on Geologists covered seven lines of February 24. research in their investigations. These In addition to prefabricated were: • nature of mineralisation (ore accommodation modules the con- March/June, 1985 ANTARCTIC struction team installed a heating are S. P. Sarpotdar (engineer), Dr X. system, and erected a biological N. Verlencer (biologist), Bhukan Lai laboratory and a meteorological obser (scientist), Naresh Kumar (general vatory. Radio engineers installed a physician), Ranjit Kumar (doctor), satellite communications sytem, and a M. G. Appachu (vehicle mechanic), helipad was laid out on the ice. A site C. Sangewar (geologist), B. P. for an airfield was selected about 5km Thimmaiah (carpenter), S. N. Mishra from the station, and the bearing (electrician), K. C. Somanna (engi strength of the ice was determined. neer), Kamal Dev, D. P. Parashar, Mr Kumaresh, who is the leader Chand Singh (communicators), Kedar this winter, is an engineer. With him Singh (cook). Norwegian expedition to Queen Maud Land Norway's largest Antarctic expedition for 25 years spent two months in the southern Weddell Sea and Queen Maud Land last summer. Seventy-seven men and women, including 28 scientists and engi neers took part in the expedition, which was led by Dr Olav Orheim, of the Norwegian Polar Institute. A marine science programme was carried out a marine research pro carried out from the Norwegian Coast gramme in the southern Weddell Sea Guard's Andenes which had been out and on the continental shelf and slope. fitted with eight laboratories covering These covered geophysics, geology, a space of 1000 square metres, and 10 glaciology, and oceanography. scientific winches. The 106m-long Four geophysicists from the Uni ice-strengthened vessel, commissioned versity of Bergen studied the deposi- in 1982, was operated by a crew of 42 tional and subsidence history of the officers and men. Her two Bell 206B southern Weddell Sea margin. Their helicopters were used for ice recon project included collection of about naissance and science support. 2000km of 48-channel seismic data, Late in December last year the heat flow studies, and continuous Andenes sailed from the Argentine gravimetric and magnetometric pro port of Ushuaia on Tierra del Fuego filing. for the Weddell Sea. Field parties were deployed by helicopter in Queen CURRENT FLOW Maud Land around 5° E and 15° W in early January. Two summer camps Marine geologists from the Con were established: Camp Norway 5 tinental Shelf Institute and the Polar (about 72° S/5° E) and Camp Norway Institute concentrated on the glacial 6 (about 74°30min S/10°W). history of the Weddell Sea continental Scientists from the Norwegian Polar shelf, sea floor morphology, and sedi Institute, the Continental Shelf mentary processes outside an ice shelf. Institute, and the Universities of The two oceanographers studied the Bergen and Washington (U.S.A.) circulation on the Weddell Shelf, and ANTARCTIC March/June, 1985 the flow and transformation of points for the construction of satellite bottom water. They deployed nine maps with concurrent collection of current meter rigs which will be Landsat 5 imagery. recovered by a later expedition. Studies of bottom freezing/melting at the grounding line, and of hydro ICEBERG STUDY carbons and organic pollution in the air were made by a University of Two glaciologists, Dr Orheim and Bergen geologist. He also worked on Dr Monica Kristensen, of the Polar the sulphur-sodium ratio of snow, and Institute, studied iceberg response to the sulphur dioxide content in the air ocean waves, and underwater shapes inside the snow pack. of icebergs and ice shelf fronts. They also made radio echo sounding studies PETROGRAPHIC STUDIES of the grounding area of the Jutul One of the four geologists who Glacier and Riiser-Larsen Ice Shelf, worked from Camp Norway 6 was and limited sea ice studies. from Statoil, the Norwegian State- Work at Camp Norway 5 covered owned oil exploration, recovery, and ornithology, botany, ecology, glaci- distribution company established at ology, geological mapping, and topo graphy. Two ornithologists from the Stavanger in 1972. His work included University of Trondheim and one from biostratigraphic and petrographic the Polar Institute studied breeding studies of the sedimentation and colonies of the Antarctic petrel tectonism of upper Palaeozoic se quences in western Queen Maud Land. located 1700m above sea level and Two geologists from the University 200km from the sea. They made out a of Bergen carried out geochemical, population census and investigation of the petrels' breeding biology. radiometric, and palaeomagnetic inves tigations of the basalt lavas in Vestfjella TERRESTRIAL ECOLOGY (Kraul Mountains) and Heimefrontfjella (Homefront Range). In the same area In the area of the Gjelsvik and a Swedish geologist from the Univers Muhlig-Hofmann Mountains scientists ity of Stockholm conducted glacial from the University of Oslo studied geological and geomorphological the terrestrial ecology of the area, studies. including floristic phyteography and During its cruise along the coast of dispersal ecology, the energy budget Queen Maud Land the Andenes called and the micro-climate. Another at the Station, project covered the ecology and low Halley, and was in touch with the West temperature tolerance of terrestrial German research ship Polarstem on invertebrates. which there was a Norwegian biologist A search for meteorites in blue ice who took part in the RFG expedition fields was made by geologists from the to the Weddell'Sea. Field parties were University of Oslo and the Polar retrieved late in February and then the Institute. Their geologic mapping Andenes set course for isolated Bouvet programme included radiometric Island in the South Atlantic. datings of the Gjelsvik Mountains — In 1978-79 the Norwegian Antarc Buddenbrock Ridge area. The Polar tic expedition set up a manned Institute topographic programme weather station on Bouvet Island for covered geodetic determination of the summer. Two automatic weather March/June, 1985 ANTARCTIC stations with battery capacities for one cal surveys were made on the island, and two years were also established, and aerial photography of the upper and scientists carried out meteorologi part of the island, and geodetic and cal, biological, geological, geophysical, triangulation surveying were carried and surveying programmes. out with the support of the helicopters from the Andenes. BOUVET ISLAND Since then the weather station has been maintained by ships of other nations engaged in sub-Antarctic and Antarctic research. Last summer members of the 1984-85 expedition spent several days on Bouvet Island. The weather station was serviced, a back-up station was. established, and the old station was recovered. Biologi

Africana's call for assistance A South African Sea Fisheries hand from a Soviet trawler, and the research ship caught in a storm in the crew had been abled to centre the Indian Ocean early in March called ship's rudder. The Soviet trawler for assistance when it suffered a reached the Africana on the evening of steering failure. The Africana, a March 10 and escorted heron the way 2451-tonne ice-strengthened stern to Marion Island (46° 52min 34sec Sj trawler, was 320 nautical miles north 37" 51 min 32sec E) in the Southern of the Australian station, Mawson, off Indian Ocean where South Africa has the coast of Enderby Land, on March a permanent meteorological station. 10 when she encountered moun For the last two years the Africana tainous seas and winds blowing at has been engaged on fisheries re Force 11 to 12 on the Beaufort search and has made 22 cruises off the Scale. South African coast from Cape Town First to answer the distress call and as far south as Marion Island. This was the West German-owned Icebird, month she made her first trip to which was on the fourth voyage of its Antarctica. first season under charter to Australian With ships from Australia, France, National Antarctic Research Expedi and Japan the Africana took part in tions (ANARE). At the time the Ice research in the Indian Ocean sector of bird was about 44 hours' steaming the Southern Ocean. The research away, and on her way to Casey cruise was part of South Africa's con Station, but she turned around and tribution to the second phase of the headed for the Africana. Second International BIOMASS Ex Eighteen hours after answering the periment (SIBEX II), a 10-nation co distress call the Icebird turned back on operative research project on the course for Casey. The Africana re distribution and abundance of krill. ported that assistance was nearer at ANTARCTIC March/June, 1985

BAS news First marine geophysics programme There were delays at the beginning of the 1984-85 summer season because of dense pack ice and bad weather off the west coast of the . Later on, some field work, especially on the Trinity Peninsula and in George VI Sound, was severely hampered by gales and by soft snow surfaces caused by unusually high tempera tures. Nevertheless, most programmes* progressed very satisfactorily. Two large depots, south-west of the Weddell Sea and south of Alexander Island, were established in preparation for next year's air operations, but bad weather prevented the setting up of a third, on James Ross Island. This task was greatly helped by the use, for the first time by BAS, of chartered heli copters, one of which was unfortunately wrecked on the Ronne Ice Shelf in mid-January. Another development in 1984-85 was a marine geophysics programme carried out for the first time by BAS and Birmingham University geophysicists from the Natural Environment Research Council's ship RRS Discovery, in the Sea, northern Weddell Sea and Bransfield Strait. Such programmes have previously been carried out by Birmingham University geophysicists on BAS ships. Island Station was carried out a few RRS JOHN BISCOE days later. After second visits to Grytviken Packn , . . . ice . . continued , a n d B i r d I tos l a n Prevent d t h e s h i p Q s e P t cThere o u r s e access to the west coast of the Antac- - ,, , , i c , ticJ n Peninsula • 1 i,i Ai*-,„„ and the ~f *uacondition were ot further the " delays , _ , because t . * ' ...ot 6.gales . snow runway at Damoy air facility, *ut fue* and stores were delivered to Wiencke Island, was doubtful. Men Signy Station and the next task was picked up from Punta Arenas by the ° collect more fuel from the Falkland RRS John Biscoe in mid-November Islands before returning to the Antarc- were flown to Rothera Station from tic peninsula. the Chilean Teniente Marsh Station. Faraday Station was relieved in They were landed at Marsh on mid-December and the ship then November 21 and the ship then proceeded to Montevideo, via Marsh proceeded to Bird Island off the Statl0n> to collect more men and north-western end of South Georgia, gores. Saihng south again via the Persistent gales prevented the ship *<"*»* Islands' she Hca% b"efly from anchoring so she continued at Faraday and arrived at Rothera, eastwards to land geomorphologists at AdeAlaide ***** °n *«»■* 10; St Andrew, Rav anH nailed at After relieving all stations except

Antarctic, September 1984 March/June, 1985 ANTARCTIC

Halley equipment for the long-term Sea confluence in about long. 51°W Offshore Biological Programme (OBP) and the polar front and frontal zone was tested and the RRS John Biscoe in the Scotia Sea were surveyed. resumed work in mid-January on the Three American biologists were on Programme (OBP). The first project, the John Biscoe during the OBP which was the British contribution cruise. Another spent some time on to SIBEX (the Second International Bird Island and two more worked BIOMASS Experiment), was a zone on the diving physiology of king survey between the South Orkney penguins at St. Andrews Bay, South Islands and South Shetland Islands, Georgia. The latter two were picked around the South Shetlands and up by the John Biscoe at the end of throughout the Bransfield Strait. A March. The ship then made a brief total of 53 standard stations on 13 visit to Grytviken before heading for transects were completed by early home via Rio de Janeiro. She arrived February. The main concentration of at Grimsby on April 23. krill was found to. be around the Group, extending to King George Island, with smaller RRS BRANSFIELD concentrations in the Bransfield Strait. The work had included acoustic runs, From Southampton, which she left hauls using a rectangular mid-water at the beginning of November, the trawl and bird (predator) observations. RRS Bransfield sailed south via St. OBP work for BAS was then Helena and Cape Town and proceeded resumed. The first phase was a de direct to Halley Station. After passing tailed study of the influence of physi through 650 nautical miles of pack ice cal oceanography on the abundance she entered a shore lead on December and distribution of krill off the south 13 and arrived at Halley the next and east coasts of King George Island. day. This was followed by brief visits to Unloading was again possible at a Marsh and Palmer stations to move convenient inlet in the ice shelf about BAS personnel and then, from the end 16km north-east of the station and of February to mid-March, studies was completed in two days. The two were made on the variability and chartered Bell Jet Ranger helicopters microstructure of krill swarms west on board were then test flown and the and north-west of the Elephant Island ship departed south-westwards to lay a Group, using a BAS-built plankton field depot as near as possible to the recorder, profiling current meters and western end of the Ronne Ice Shelf a video/stereo-still camera system. front. At about 50 °W progress was Although the weather was generally hampered by dense pack ice in the bad and seas rough during this final shore lead and bad visibility, but phase, much valuable work was done. satellite reports indicated clearer water Net sampling efficiency tests were 30 nautical miles ahead. carried out in the sheltered waters The Bransfield proceeded slowly in of , and company with the Soviet cargo ship Potter Cover, King George Island and, Kapitan Myshevskiy which was after two men had been landed at attempting to reach Druzhnaya II Marsh station, were resumed as the Station, but progress beyond 50° vessel proceeded north-east to South 30min W seemed to be impossible. Georgia. The Weddell Sea - Scotia A suitable depot site was found on ANTARCTIC March/June, 1985 the Ronne Ice Shelf, a safe route to it ship then sailed for the southern part over the ice shelf was marked out and of the west coast of the Antarctic an emergency depot established. On Peninsula, calling briefly at Faraday January 5 the helicopters began and Rothera (both having been re ferrying the main supplies ashore, but lieved by the John Biscoe) before after a short while one crashed — continuing through pack ice to the fortunately without injury to the pilot Ronne Entrance south of Alexander and had to be abandoned. Island. She arrived at the edge of the A few days later the ship was able fast ice off Spaatz Island on March 5. to move alongside the ice front at Helicopter reconnaissance showed that 75° 33 min S/57° 47 min W and, with the best site for the proposed fuel the concerted effort of all on board, depot to be at 300 m on Spaatz the depot was completed (1010 Island and 150 drums were ferried drums of fuel were taken ashore). ashore before the weather deteriorated. The Bransfield then returned to Flying was impossible in four out Halley but the collapse of a large of the next ten days but the depot snow cornice along the ice cliff had of 573 drums of fuel was then com made the original unloading site pleted. unusable, so the ship tied up at an alternative site about 20 km west of the station. GLACIOLOGY On January 18 the Bransfield finally sailed from Halley and arrived at Signy a few days later. Prefabri While the ship was in the area, cated hut sections were delivered by glaciologists measured the tempera ture and salinity of the water column, the helicopter to three field work to supplement the work that they had sites on the island. The ship then been doing on George VI Ice Shelf. visited Bird Island and Royal Bay, At the same time, the Bransfield South Georgia. At the latter, the carried out bathymetric profiling field hut was inspected (it was found across the Ronne Entrance and to be in good order although field charted the coastline, sea floor and equipment had been removed) and the botanists' reindeer exclosures were George VI ice front, using satellite navigation and radar. A conspicu also checked. ous channel 900-1215 m deep and 8 km wide was found off Spaatz AIR DELIVERY Island, continuing the line of George VI Sound. Geologists were able to At the beginning of February the visit hitherto inaccessible rocks on the ship collected more cargo and fuel south-western tip of Alexander Island. from the Falkland Islands and then, at After spending ten days in the Montevideo, exchanged home-bound area the ship* returned through the summer visitors for others heading pack ice to Rothera. The remaining south. She also collected air freight cargo was unloaded, the station re which included aircraft spares and a fuelled and field depots replenished helicopter to replace the one which by March 21. In the next few days a had been wrecked on the Ronne final visit was made to Faraday Ice Shelf. station, specimens were picked up The new helicopter was test flown from Palmer station, the Damoy hut in the Falklands on February 25. The secured for the winter, and BAS March/June, 1985 ANTARCTIC

aircraft skis picked up from Marsh arrivals were routed via Marsh Station. station. BAS was most grateful to the Chileans who allowed its ships and aircraft to use the Marsh facilities. Tins ensured PACK ICE that field work could begin without delay. The Bransfield then attempted to Field groups were flown to Alexan lay a depot on James Ross Island in der Island, George VI Sound, the preparation for the resumption of Black Coast, the , field work there in 1985-86. Dense the , Gipps Ice pack ice and bad weather were en Rise (Larsen Ice Shelf) and Siple countered south of Antarctic Sound, Station. Four BAS men joined four and the ship drifted in the ice for Americans for a second season's a few days before the helicopters USARP-BAS collaboration, this time managed to fly a small quantity of in the Jones Mountains-Thurston food and fuel to .Cape Lachinan, Island area. the north-eastern tip of the island. Three BAS flights were made from Further attempts were thwarted by Siple Station, closed this year, to the falling snow and strong winds and the Jones Mountains in December, in an ship left the area on April 1. Brief unsuccessful attempt to locate a visits were made to the Falkland Is fuel depot which had been supplied lands to take on fuel, to Signy and by the Americans last year. A replace Bird Island to pick up the remaining ment bladder of fuel was flown in field workers and to Grytviken for by a United States Hercules aircraft water, and the ship then headed for at the beginning of January. The home via Rio de Janeiro. She arrived party was in the Jones Mountains at Grimsby on May 14. throughout December, but because of bad weather were able to work for less than half of the tune. AIR SUPPORT In December, one BAS aircraft The three BAS Twin Otter air flew to Marsh via Trinity Peninsula craft supported field parties through where BAS geologists were working. out the summer. They carried out They landed at at the glaciological radio-echo sounding over beginning of November and for most a wide area of the continent. As of the time since then had been usual they were based at Rothera on hampered by bad weather and soft , using a snow runway snow. on the exposed piedmont 5 km One aircraft continued to support inland at a height of 280m. the USARP-BAS field work in the All three aircraft began the season Thurston Island - Abbot Ice shelf by ferrying aviation fuel and general area in January, and good progress cargo to the Fossil Bluff hut in George was made in generally excellent VI Sound, which is used as a staging weather. A second aircraft supported post for summer operations further BAS groups in other areas and visited south. In November, all three also the new Ronne Ice Shelf depot. The collected men and cargo delivered to third aircraft flew from Rothera to Damoy by the RRS John Biscoe but, Halley and back via Fossil Bluff, as conditions there were so unfavour transporting staff, and undertaking able, the hut was closed and later radio echo sounding flights over ANTARCTIC March/June, 1985

Palmer Land and the Ronne Ice On March 5 and 6 flights were Shelf. made to Brabant Island where a All aircraft were grounded for member of the Joint Services Expedi a while by bad weather. One was tion had been injured on a remote unfortunately damaged in a storm peak. The aircraft located the party at Rothera airstrip and remained but was unable to land or drop sup grounded while awaiting a specialist plies because of low cloud and tur engineer and spare parts, but was bulence. repaired, test-flown and returned to A week later, BAS field equip normal service in early March. ment was retrieved from several locali Radio-echo flights continued into ties and Fossil Bluff was closed for February from the Ronne Ice Shelf the winter. All three aircraft left depot and included traverses along Rothera on March 16 and arrived the ice front to and back in the UK on March 27. (The over the English Coast of George VI skis of the temporarily repaired Sound. After this, the aircraft was aircraft had been removed at Marsh based at Fossil-Bluff and flew over station en route to reduce drag. Palmer Land, but was damaged again Normally, they remain in place as in mid-February while taking off they are too large to be carried in at the Bluff from an uneven surface the aircraft.) caused by excessive summer melting. Temporary repairs to the nose-oleo and fuselage, by a Canadian engineer sent south for the purpose, enabled MARINE GEOPHYSICS the aircraft to be flown out at the A University of Birmingham group end of the summer. funded by BAS and led by a BAS geophysicist undertook a 4-month FIELD PARTIES cruise on the NERC ship RRS Dis covery. This continued the marine The remaining operational aircraft research begun by Discovery Investi ferried field parties back to Rothera gations in 1925, and the long-term by early March. Five Canadians Birmingham University-BAS geo who had been investigating the possi physical research into the evolution bility of constructing a hard landing- of the Scotia island arc, begun in strip at Rothera were flown to Marsh 1959. The Discovery is not ice- to return home from there. (The strengthened and therefore had to present snow airstrip is 5 km from keep north of the pack ice. the station at a height of 280 m.) The first of this year's projects, Fuel was taken to the northern end of which began in early January, was a George VI Sound, a party collected study of young ridge crest-trench from the Rutford Ice Stream and collisions along the Pacific margin of some aerial photography undertaken the Antarctic Peninsula. A transect at Rothera. Sea ice reconnaissance of the shelf and margin was surveyed was then carried out west of off Anvers Island to obtain underway Alexander Island and the Eklund bathymetric, magnetic, seismic, Islands for the Bransfield which was shallow sidescan and gravity profiles. to attempt to set up a fuel depot in HMS collaborated in two the Ronne Entrance area shortly expanding-spread seismic lines, firing afterwards. depth charges that were recorded on March/June, 1985 ANTARCTIC

RRS Discovery with a new BAS- she undertook aerial photography of funded digital multi-channel recording James Ross Island, which will be very system. Heat-flow measurements were useful for future geological field work, undertaken by personnel from the and, in spite of bad weather, made an University of Texas at Austin and aerial reconnaissance of the South from Woods Hole Oceanographic Insti Sandwich Islands. Later in the month, tution. Profiles across the youngest two men were taken on board from (4 million year) collision zone off Bird Island; two others were flown northern Brabant Island were sup from Bird Island to Cape Alexandra, plemented by dredge hauls on the the north-western tip of South Georgia upper continental slope. to carry out a Wandering Albatross census, and four Aberdeen University The second project was mainly scientists were picked up from St devoted to a seismic and piston- Andrews Bay. In mid-March, the coring transect from the centre to the ship picked up four men from northern edge of the Weddell gyre, Rothera, and enabled two of them to with the object of understanding make geological landings at the how Weddell Sea bottom water northern end of the Antarctic influences sedimentation. Excellent Peninsula. records were obtained and a total of about 90 m of cores were recovered from 14 stations. Analysis of these will assist site selection for a 1986-87 OTHER ACTIVITIES Ocean Drilling Project in the Weddell Sea. Other possible drilling sites Endurance also assisted the Joint were surveyed on the South Orkney Services Expedition to Brabant Island, Islands micro-continental block. picking up the 1984 winterers, and The final phase concentrated on a landing a summer party at the end reconnaissance of the very young ridge of December, and picking them up crest-trench collision at the southern in mid-March. end of the South Sandwich Islands In between these various tasks arc and trench. The new seamounts several BAS stations were visited and were mapped and sampled. An given valuable help. While at Signy interesting result from shallow water in January, the ship's helicopters was the detailed mapping of iceberg moved stores to a depot on Corona scour tracks recorded with shallow tion Island, carried out aerial photo sidescan sonar. graphy of and transported biologists to an ice-covered lake where they were diving for specimens. In SHIPS AND AIRCRAFT February, the naval helicopters en abled two new field huts to be set HMS Endurance and her heli up. copters gave excellent assistance to His Excellency, the Civil Commis BAS in the 1984-85 summer. After sioner of the Falkland Islands Depen collaborating with the Discovery in dencies and High Commissioner of seismic work for the marine geo the British Antarctic Territory, Sir physics programme in mid-January, Rex Hunt, and Lady Hunt spent some the ship picked up the Trinity Penin time on Endurance and visited Bird sula field party from the Chilean Island and Signy. O'Higgins station. In early February The West German research ship ANTARCTIC March/June, 1985

Polarstern called at Signy in mid- arrived at Rothera in mid-November, January en route for Neumayer en route between Marsh and their station, and two weeks later visited Filchner summer camp via Fossil Halley. The Walther Herwig visited Bluff; they returned at the beginning Signy in mid-February. Helicopters of February. BAS was appalled to from the Norwegian National Antarc hear that one of the Dornier's was tic Expedition's ship Andenes went shot down over Western Sahara by to Halley in mid-February. The ex Polisario rebels when it was on the pedition, which had been working on way home. The crew died. icebergs, sea ice and glaciers along the coast of Dronning Maud Land, A private DC3 Tri-Turbo aircraft included Dr Monica Kristensen, the paid a brief visit to Rothera from leader of the 90° South Expedition Punta Arenas at the end of Novem planned for 1985-86 (see Antarctic, ber. The crew were two ex-BAS September 1984). men. The tourist ship Lindblad Explorer visited Faraday and Signy in Decem VISITORS ber, Faraday three times in January and Signy (and ) A Polish geophysics expedition on at the beginning of February when she board the research ship Jantar called also visited South Georgia. at a number of stations and refuge huts on the west coast of the Antarc A New Zealand yacht, Totorore, tic Peninsula in January. They spent visited Bird Island at the end of a week in the vicinity of Rothera. September. A few days later, fifteen USCGC Glacier was also in the area, men from the Royal Fleet Auxiliary carrying out seismic work. Sir Lancelot were forced to spend a Helicopters from the Glacier and night on the island when bad weather the Chilean vessel Piloto Pardo visited delayed helicopter flights back to the Rothera in January. (Piloto Pardo ship. The Sir Lancelot carried the was resupplying the Chilean summer private New Zealand expedition which station Teniente Carvajal - formerly worked on South Georgia from the BAS Adelaide station.) Other November to January. The five mem Chileans called at Rothera in early bers, led by Dr Ian Turnbull of the February. N.Z. Geological Survey, undertook The Chileans had flown supplies geological and biological projects. All of aviation fuel to Fossil Bluff in were expert climbers. October, and two of their aircraft landed at Rothera after reopening A private international climbing Teniente Carvajal. They also made expedition on board a French yacht, a number of flights in November and Basile, was in the Antarctic Peninsula December to Rothera and to Fossil area from mid-February until the end Bluff, the latter when en route to of March. The eight members were Siple and the South Pole. A Canadian from France, Italy and Switzerland. Twin Otter refuelled at Rothera in The yacht spent three days at Fara early November, and was grounded day at the end of February - when there for a week by bad weather three other yachts, Kotick, Ksar before being able to continue on to and Sundowner, were also there. McMurdo via Siple and Byrd stations. Kotick took six BAS men on a visit Two west German Dornier aircraft to a nearby island and the mainland March/June, 1985 ANTARCTIC and a few days later, with Basile, daily temperature was +1.9°C and went south to Rothera. They returned the maximum recorded was +7.9°C) to Faraday in mid-March. Basile then and there was heavy rain and sleet. took several BAS men on day-trips Conditions improved at the end of the and one was able to climb Mt. Mill, summer, and some field-training trips on the mainland, with two members were undertaken to the north of of Basile's crew. The yachts departed Rothera. At base, general improve northwards in mid-March, intending to ments included the installation in call at Wiencke Island and Marsh February of a 10,000-gallon rubber station. fuel tank. From Faraday, journeys were made FROM THE STATIONS in February to several nearby islands, and also to the mainland to complete All stations continued their routine work on a refuge hut and check a scientific programmes. Short jour depot. At the beginning of the month neys, chiefly for recreation or training, all hands had been required to assist were undertaken in several areas at in the erection of a new VLF hut the beginning of the summer in brief and aerial mast and the relaying of periods of good weather. Visits were power cable weighing over a ton. made from Faraday to the mainland, The helicopters on Bransfield assisted and from Halley to the ice front and in moving equipment. the heavily crevassed hinge-zone of the Brunt Ice Shelf. One attempt to reach At Signy, journeys were made to the inland ice from Halley was Coronation Island in March to re thwarted by ice cliffs. Further jour plenish a depot at Olivine Point and neys were undertaken from Halley, enable film sequences to be taken in February and March, to the hinge- for the BBC. At the beginning of zone and the Stancomb-Wills Glacier. the month the whole base comple A snowmobile left in a crevasse at ment was co-opted to undertake the hinge-zone in December, was a fur-seal census over the island. The located and recovered in February seal population has been increasing in spite of bad weather. Later in the rapidly - much to the detriment of month, a party succeeded in crossing the vegetation, especially the moss the hinge-zone to launch radio-sonde banks. balloons from the plateau. Un fortunately, radio interference pre vented the sonde signals from being On March 22, the John Biscoe re ported that the glass-fibre living hut picked up at Halley. on Deception Island, one corner of which had been damaged in the Earlier in the summer at Halley, a West German aviation fuel depot 1969 eruption, had apparently been was moved from the old station to removed. No trace of it remained, although other damaged buildings the new station and a new snow air were still there. strip marked out. At Rothera and in George VI Sound considerable melt problems There are 61 winterers this year: were caused by high summer tempera 18 at Halley, 14 at Rothera, 13 at tures. At Rothera, January was the Faraday, 13 at Signy and 3 at Bird warmest month on record (the mean Island. ANTARCTIC March/June, 1985

Greenpeace plans Antarctic base Greenpeace, the international con- According to a statement released servation organisation, plans to estab- in London the purpose of establishing lish a permanent base in Antarctica the base in Antarctica is to draw atfen- this coming summer. Four men - tion to "the continued and increasing a scientist, a doctor, a mechanic, human activity which threatens to and a radio operator - will spend a result in commercial exploitation of year on the continent at a pre- Antarctica's riches and destruction fabricated base which is expected to of its fragile environment." The be erected in January next year. Greenpeace scientist at the base will An expedition is expected to sail study human impact on the Antarctic from Hamburg to Antarctica by way environment. of the United States, New Zealand, There have been conflicting reports and Australia. It will use a 1000- from Britain and the United States tonne converted ocean-going tug about the expedition. An American named Gondwana which is likely to report says that Greenpeace has reach Antarctica late in December, bought the Gondwana, and that when The tug will probably carry a crew the expedition arrives it will declare of 45. Antarctica a world park for all the No details of where the Gondwana people of the Earth. A London state- will go in Antarctica or where the base ment says that the tug was given to will be established have been given Greenpeace by an anonymous donor, by Greenpeace. But the tug will sail A New Zealander, Roger Wilson, from Hamburg to New York, who is co-ordinator of the expedition, Auckland, where it is expected in says that it is expected to cost about mid-November, and then to Sydney, SNZ1.8 million. Greenpeace hopes its last port of call. Depending on the money from the public and companies time spent in each port and ice con- throughout the world will halve the ditions, the tug us unlikely to reach cost. Antarctica any earlier than mid- December. U.S. bases' winter population

United States bases in Antarctica are scientists, and 12 men and one will have a winter population of 116 woman work for the National Science this year. Only three stations are Foundation's support contractors, ITT occupied by winter teams; Siple Antarctic Services. Sixty-five are Station was closed for the 1984 naval officers and men. winter and will be reopened for the One of the women, Kathleen M. 1985-86 season. There are 110 men Driscoll, of the University of Alaska, and six women at the three stations; in is engaged in infrasonic wave research 1984 there were 104 men and four at Windless Bight. She wintered at women in the three teams. the station in 1983. Two married Eighty-five men and women are couples are in the winter team. They wintering at McMurdo Station on Ross are Sandra Ackley and Robert Island. Seven, including two women, Robbins, who is the senior Antarctic West German Dornier shot down

One of two Dornier 228 aircraft In Paris a spokesman for the which provided support for a joint Polisario guerilla movement which West German-New Zealand-United is fighting Morocco for the indepen States geophysical and geological dence of the Western Sahara con research programme in Northern firmed that it had shot down the Victoria Land last season was shot Dornier 228 on February 24. This down on February 24 near the was the second foreign aircraft coastal town of Dakhla in the shot down near Dakhala by the Western Sahara while returning Polisario guerillas. The first was home. The pilots, Herbert Hampel a Belgian aircraft on January 24. (48), Richard Moebius (47) and the In both cases the guerillas claimed engineer, Josef (Sepp) Schmid (29) that the aircraft resembled those were all killed. used for reconnaissance by the Both aircraft, which had been in Moroccan Army. Antarctica since October last year were on their way back to West During their support of the re Germany by way of the Amundsen- search programme in Northern Scott South Pole Station, Rothera, Victoria Land the Dornier 228 the British Antarctic Survey station crews used the McMurdo Station on Adelaide Island, South America, runway and visited Scott Base. In West Africa, and the Canary addition to the airborne geophysi Islands. The second Dornier landed cal survey over a cross-section of safely at Lanzarote in the Canary the Transantarctic Mountains and Islands. On its way south to sup the Ross Sea for the West German port the Northern Victoria Land Bureau of Geosciences and Natural programme the downed Dornier Resources (BGR) the Dornier pilots became the first West German worked with New Zealand geolo aircraft to land at the South Pole. gists and geophysicists.

Services representative at the station. Palmer Station on Anvers Island Robin and David Key, of the Uni off the Antarctic Peninsula has the versity of Texas, are responsible for smallest winter team - six scientists, the operation and maintenance of the five support staff, and one United geodetic satellite observatory. States Navy orderly. One scientist Of 19 members of the winter team is a woman. at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Ross Island has a winter population Station 1327km south of Ross Island of 101 men and women this year. In seven are scientists and 12 are support addition to 85 Americans there are staff. There are two women - the 11 New Zealanders at Scott Base and medical officer, Dr Nancy Sachs, and four Englishmen and one Canadian at Laura Kay, who is concerned with the . The team of five is at cosmic ray programme run by the Cape Evans to prepare for the journey Bartol Foundation, University of to the Pole by two of its members who Delaware. will leave their hut in October. ANTARCTIC March/June, 1985

Uruguay puts first station in South Shetlands Uruguay, which acceded to the Research in 1983. It was told that Antarctic Treaty in 1980, established full membership could be considered its first research station in the South only after the establishment of a Shetlands last summer. Named scientific research programme. How Artigas, the station is in Collins ever, it was invited to send an observer Harbour (62° llmin S/58° 51min W) to SCAR's 18th meeting in Bremer- on the south coast of King George haven, West Germany, in September- Island, and immediately east of the October last year. Fildes Peninsula. Proposals for the establishment of a New Zealand has a particular summer station and an Antarctic re interest in Artigas Station. The search station were welcomed by buildings include three wannigans, SCAR, but concern was expressed each IVzm by 4m which were built in about the surfeit of stations on King Levin. These were shipped last year to George Island - the Uruguayan the Chilean port of Punta Arenas, station was the sixth on the island. Tierra del Fuego, and then flown to Uruguay was encouraged to consider the Chilean Rodolfo Marsh Station on establishing a permanent station at King George Island by a Uruguayan some other location where its research Air Force aircraft. programmes might enhance the geo Arrangements for the purchase and graphic distribution of stations and shipment of the wannigans were made thus be of some scientific significance. through the Antarctic Division, Department of Scientific and Indus trial Research. This followed the visit to Scott Base in the 1983-84 season of a Uruguayan Antarctic Institute repre New British sentative, Lieutenant-Colonel Omar Porciuncula y Lamar, to study the High Commissioner logistics of the New Zealand pro gramme. Britain has a new man at Port Late in January last year Uruguay Stanley. Sir Rex Hunt, who was sent a scientific and logistics mission Commissioner for the Falklands at the to King George Island to study the time of the short war with Argentina, feasibility of establishing a research has been replaced by Mr Gordon station. A party of nine, including a Jawkes, who is also High Commis biologist, geologist, and meteorologist, sioner for the British Antarctic and representatives of the Uruguayan Territory. Patrick Keatley, of "The Army, Navy, and Air Force flew to Guardian", describes this as a huge Rodolfo Marsh Station in a Uruguayan wedge of territory on the Antarctic Air Force Fairchild F227. Continent, starting at 60° South, and Uruguay, which established an going right down to the U.S. Air Force Antarctic institute in 1968, and a base at the Pole. So far there have commission for Antarctic studies in been no corrections issued by the U.S. 1970, made a request to join the Navy or the National Science Foun Scientific Committee on Antarctic dation. March/June, 1985 ANTARCTIC Mikhail Somov caught in pack ice

Caught in heavy pack ice off the Hobbs Coast of Marie Byrd Land in the middle of March the Mikhail Somov, flagship of the Soviet Antarctic fleet, has been unable to break out. In 1977 she was held for 57 days off the Oates Coast. By the end of June (1985) she had been held in the ice of the Amundsen Sea for 105 days. A Soviet , the Vladivostok, sailed from Wellington on July 5 to assist the Mikhail Somov, which has enough fuel and supplies to last until August. There are 53 men still aboard the trapped ship. If the Vladivostok is unable to reach her a skeleton crew will be left on board and the icebreaker will stay in the area until summer if necessary. When Captain Anatoli Sukhorukov by twilight, temperature minus 20 first reported on March 18 that his deg (Celsius). ship was in difficulties because of bad By the end of June the ship was ice conditions about 19.96 nautical at 75 deg S/153 W. Before the miles from the Soviet permanent Vladivostok left Wellington Dr Boris station, Russkaya (74° 46 min Krutsikh, director of the Soviet S/ 136° 51 min W) at Cape Burks, and Antarctic Research Insti Dr Dimitri Maksutov, leader of the tute, estimated on the basis of the 30th Soviet Antarctic Expedition latest satellite ice reports that the (SAE-30), and the summer teams, Mikhail Somov should reach open had to prepare for the possibility water in October or November. that the Mikhail Somov might remain A 7714-tonne diesel-electric ice- in the ice for the winter. strengthened vessel, the Mikhail Somov began her 10th voyage in MEN TAKEN OFF support of SAE-30 from Leningrad in November last year. She carried staff Arrangements were made for 43 and supplies for Molodezhnaya and men to be taken off by the Mikhail Mirny Stations, and new winter teams Somov's two Mi-8 helicopters. They for Russkaya and Leningradskaya were flown to the meteorological Stations. After supplying the first research ship Akademik Shirshov, two stations she made her first visit diverted from the Indian Ocean, and to Lyttelton where she refuelled, took brought to Wellington on April 29. on supplies, and sailed south again When the Mikhail Somov was on February 26. caught in the ice she was. at 75 deg S/135 deg W. In April she was re SUPPORT ported to be drifting to the south east at the rate of six to eight kilo Originally, the Mikhail Somov was metres a day. Early in June a radio to have returned to New Zealand early message said: Ship has no way, in April for more supplies and then screw jammed ... visibility limited call again at Molodezhnaya and Mirny ANTARCTIC March/June, 1985 on her way back to Leningrad. Her ice. By the end of March she was planned 40-day cruise included ice held fast in solid ice, and it was de studies and oceanographic research in cided to take off most of the ex the Ross Sea area, the resupply of pedition. Russkaya and Leningradskaya, and But some time in April the then a call at Wellington. Akademik Shirshov was diverted to Ruskaya built on a rocky outcrop assist the Mikhail Somov. She stayed of Cape Burks is in an area where ice outside the pack ice, while the 43 men conditions are extremely difficult. were ferried by helicopter in an Cargo operations have to be carried operation which needed several trips. out from fast ice or floes of broken Then she headed north for Wellington, fast ice by Mi-8 helicopter. They are arriving there on April 29. After usually completed by March 10 before taking on supplies and equipment for intensive ice formation begins. the Mikhail Somov she sailed again in the afternoon of May 3 for . THE OB In company with the Mikhail In 1973 the Ob could come no Somov when she was caught in the ice closer than 173nm to the icebound was the 4814-tonne ice-strengthened Hobbs Coast, and the establishment of cargo ship Pavel Korchagin, which is Russkaya for occupation in the 1974 used normally on the west sector of winter had to be abandoned. Between the Soviet . She February 17 and March 2 three made her first voyage south with SAE- buildings, food, and some equipment, 28. Last year she left Leningrad at the were flown by helicopter to the site end of October, and her programme but work was stopped because of provided for calls to Bellingshausn icing of the Ob. Station on King George Island, South Finally, the station was opened on Shetlands, Prydz Bay, Molodezhnaya March 10, 1980. Prefabricated build and Mirny. Her cargo included large ings, supplies, and fuel were ferried to quantities of construction material for the site from the 9,280-tonne ice-class a new Soviet station. She was in cargo ship Gizhiga which approached Wellington from February 17 to 20 to within 13nm of the planned station and was to have called at Molodezhnaya in late February. Unloading took 12 on her return home. days and was interrupted frequently by snowstorms and gales. VIA WELLINGTON This year the Mikhail Somov was able to complete the exchange of Forty-three men were ferried first winter teams before she was iced in. to the Pavel Korchagin and then to There were 27 men in the 1985 party the Akademik Shirshov. Towards led by Lev Ivanovich Eskin, of the the end of May the Pavel Korchagin Arctic and Antarctic Research left her station about 16.1 nm from Institute. It included eight scientists the Mikhail Somov and returned to and 12 builders who will erect new Wellington on June 5 to refuel. She accommodation and other facilities. sailed south again on June 12, carrying Unloading of cargo was almost one of the Mikhail Somov's helicopters completed when an unexpected storm and its crew. The Akademik Shirshov with winds of up to 97 knots broke also returned to Wellington on the out, and the ship was caught in heavy same day and sailed on June 7 to re- March/June, 1975 ANTARCTIC

sume her research mission. When the icebreaker, which has In the first three weeks of March been in service for 16 years, sailed the Akademik Shirshov, a 5460-tonne from her home port, Vladivostok, meteorological research ship, was on June 10 under the command of engaged in upper atmosphere rocket Captain Gennadi Antokhin, she carried launchings in the Central Pacific. She everything necessary to give maximum arrived at Wellington on March 27 to help to the Mikhail Somov. Her take on fuel and supplies, and sailed cargo included helicopter fuel, make on March 29 to continue research in shift housing and equipment for an the Indian Ocean. emergency, polar clothing and foot One of the five used wear, food, timber, tools, extra to maintain the Northern Sea Route towlines, spare parts for towing cargo service to the eastern sector winches, and additional tents. of the Arctic, the 13,290-tonne Designed to stay at sea for a year Vladivostok, operated by the Far without returning to base, the Eastern Shipping Company, was called Vladivostok carries an Mi-8 heli into service to go to the aid of the copter and satellite equipment to Mikhail Somov. Dr obtain ice information. On her was appointed to lead the rescue 1780nm voyage from Wellington to expedition, and a special group of reach the Mikhail Somov the ice representatives of the State Com breaker will first have to cut through mittee for Hydrometeorology and sea ice up to one metre thick for more Environmental Control, and the Mini than 377nm. Then she is likely to stries of Merchant Marine and Civil encounter fast ice three to four Aviation, was set up to guide the metres thick. expedition.

U.S. Change of Command After three seasons as Commander, McMurdo Station in 1967. United States Naval Support Force, In June last year Captain Shoe Antarctica, Captain Brian H. Shoe maker was a passenger on the United maker will officially relinquish his States Air Force Starlifter which command to Captain David R. Srite made two mid-winter flights to drop at Port Hueneme, California, on mail and supplies to the winter parties August 16. His successor is a former on Ross Island and at the South Pole. commanding officer of the United This was not the first time he had States Navy's VXE-6 Squadron. made a winter flight. Captain Shoemaker, who has been Two flights south, officially des assigned to duty with the Unified cribed as winter flights, were made by Space Command, Colorado Springs, the ski-equipped Hercules City of Colorado, was CNSFA in the 1982-83. Christchurch in 1967. On the second 1983-84, and 1984-85 seasons. His flight back from McMurdo Station on Antarctic experience began much September 3 the aircraft brought back earlier. He served as a helicopter two injured men. One was Captain pilot with VXE-6 Squadron in the Shoemaker who had strained ligaments 1966-67 season, and wintered at in his leg. ANTARCTIC March/June, 1985

Other activities Project Blizzard surveys Mawson's hut Project Blizzard, the private Australian expedition which began the first stage of restoration of Mawson's hut at , late last year, returned to Sydney from Commonwealth Bay aboard the Dick Smith Explorer early in March. The 12 members of the expedition, who left Hobart for Antarctica on December 2, spent six weeks at Cape Denison. They assessed the condition of the hut, built for Mawson's 1911-14 Australasian Antarctic Expedition, its associated buildings and artefacts, and surveyed the site. A second expedition will return in the 1985-86 summer to complete the restoration work. In addition to its detailed assess Leaders of the 20 men and two ment and documentation of the hut, women in the expedition were a the site and the other buildings, the Sydney architect and mountaineer, expedition carried out a series of scien William Blunt (leader) and a doctor tific projects. These included a de engaged in medical research, Dr Ross tailed meteorological programme to Vining (deputy leader). They were supplement Mawson's original data; a joint leaders of the 1983 private magnetic study on the original expedition to Australia's sub-Antarctic magnetic survey site; studies of hor Heard Island aboard the ketch monal adaptation to cold climate; and Anaconda II. biological surveys, particularly of Other members of the expedition penguins. were: Jonathan Chester, diver, photo Project Blizzard also retraced part grapher, member of traverse party; of the famous eastern journey across Dr Paul Mara, medical officer. Dr Ken the ice cap from Cape Denison by Wilson, deputy medical officer, Mawson, the only survivor after his member of traverse party; Steve companions, Mertz and Ninnis, died. Tremont, naturalist; Patrick Honey, A traverse of 80km was made in carpenter, member of traverse party; January by three members of the Helmut Rohde, architect; Julie expedition, who hauled sledges with Johnston, diver; Estelle Lazer, archae 75kg of supplies. ologist. On its third voyage to the Antarctic Continent the 22m steel-hulled N.Z. MATE auxiliary schooner carrying the expe dition left Sydney on November 10, Skipper of the Dick Smith Explorer arrived at Melbourne on November 17 on her third voyage to Antarctica was and sailed for Hobart on November Don Richards, a director of the 23, arriving there on November 28. Oceanic Research Foundation. He The Dick Smith Explorer sailed for was radio operator on the ORF Commonwealth Bay on December 2, expedition to Commonwealth Bay led the anniversary of Mawson's departure by its president Dr David Lewis in the in 1911 aboard the Aurora. 1981-82 season. Another ORF March/June, 1985 ANTARCTIC director, Colin Putt, was mate and regarded as the windiest place in the engineer this time. He was a member world the mild, sunny weather held of the private South Indian Ocean long enough for the expedition to Expedition to Heard Island 20 years unload all its supplies and equipment ago, and was one of three New and erect temporary living accommo Zealanders in the team wliich made dation on shore. Christmas Day was the first ascent of the island's active far from a holiday for the members of volcano, Big Ben in January 1965. the expedition. Taking advantage of On the voyage south the Dick the continuous daylight they worked Smith Explorer experienced excep through to 11 p.m. for a belated but tionally fair weather and no major still sumptuous Christmas dinner. storms were encountered. But light During the lull in the weather the conditions and head winds necessitated team unloaded four tonnes of food, many hours of motor sailing, and on and a similar quantity of scientific the 12th day south of Hobart a gear, survival equipment and instru bearing supporting the propeller shaft ments for documentation of the site. burnt out. Colin Putt was able to Two inflatable surf rescue boats make an alternative drive bracket, and carried the equipment to shore. Then no more problems were encountered. it was sledged to the edge of the snow and finally manhandled over the last 100m of rocky ground to the base ICEBERGS camp. Tents were erected for accomo dation, and also a prefabricated Numerous icebergs were hazards modular fibreglass dome lent by the during the last 270 nautical miles and Australian Antarctic Division, which a 24-hour look-out was maintained on was used as living quarters by five the bow to ensure that the ship did people. not strike any submerged ice. For the Calm weather continued on Boxing final 16km to Cape Denison, the Day, allowing work to begin on several rocky headland in Commonwealth scientific programmes. Wind recording Bay the ship battled against a very instruments were located just to the steep short 5m sea and 55-knot south of Mawson's hut, and another katabatic winds which coated the deck was placed on the outer Mackellar with frozen spray. Working the icy Islets about 8km offshore. Ross ropes and preparing to anchor in the Vining, Helmut Rohde and Patrick shallow Boat Harbour was a tough Honey travelled to the islands by task. But the winds finally abated and inflatable rubber boat to erect the the Dick Smith Explorer anchored in instruments. They sighted tens of unexpectedly calm weather at 2 p.m. thousands of Adelie penguins on the on December 24. islands. Project Blizzard established its base Cape Denison is also home to many camp at the hut erected in 1978 by colonies of Adelie penguins, and one the Australian Antarctic Division colony was only 10m from the base which spent six weeks at Cape Denison camp. Steve Tremont made a biologi to evaluate the structural soundness of cal survey of the entire area, and up to Mawson's hut 200m to the north, and January 24 sightings had been made of to study the feasibility of its restora 90 Weddell seals, including several tion. bearing tags, four elephant seals, and Although Cape Denison is widely numerous skuas. Divers Jonathan ANTARCTIC March/June, 1985

Chester and Julie Johnston began an and two members of his expedition underwater survey of Boat Harbour. spent two days sheltering on a winter The water temperature was minus one sledging journey when about 9km degree Celsius but with special wet- from the hut at Cape Denison. The suits they were able to stay under cave later became the starting point water for an hour. for all the sledging parties that left the hut. KATABATIC WINDS When the Project Blizzard party left its base camp on the 80km traverse Because of 60-knot katabatic winds south the first calling point was the the Dick Smith Explorer was unable to snow cave cache. Then the three depart for the French station, Dumont men set off across the icecap for d'Urville, for two days. But in a brief Madigan Nunatak, Mt Murchison, and lull the ship left Boat Harbour and Aurora Peak. The 535m peak 6.4km completed the 100km voyage in 13 south of Mt Murchison at 67° 23min hours. Fuel and liquid petroleum S/144" 12min E marked the southern which had been generously trans most point of the traverse. Returning ported to the Antarctic by Expedi by way of Mt Hunt (67°07min S/144" tions Polaires Francaises on a resupply 18min E) the traverse party reached voyage early in 1984 was taken on the base camp on January 23. board and transported back to Cape Denison in the New Year. ICE-CAP CHANGES While the ship was away architects William Blunt and Helmut Rohde and Several apparent changes in the the historical archaeologist, Estelle polar ice-cap, including the possible Lazer, began the detailed tasks of disappearance of Madigan's Nunatak surveying and documenting the beneath the ice, were noted by the historic site. A tunnel was dug into party which did two weeks' sledging the hut which contained much more in temperatures averaging minus 5°C. snow and ice than it did when the The lowest recording was minus 16°. ORF expedition was there in the Satellite navigation systems were 1981-82 summer. Measurements of used. They were powered by solar the humidity were taken to assist in panels and a wind generator. The determining the effect the removal of party encountered sastrugi which the ice and snow will have on the damaged the fibreglass man-hauling interior of the hut and the items still sledges, but all other equipment and in it. Estelle Lazer's task was to docu clothing stood up to the conditions. ment the artefacts both inside and out. Cape Denison lived up to its stormy reputation in the third week of Janu TRAVERSE PARTY ary when winds of up to 130 knots were recorded. Before that the In the first week of January the strongest winds recorded had been members of the traverse party, about 80 knots in gusts. Jonathan Chester. Patrick Honey, and Hurricane force winds delayed the Dr Ken Wilson, began their journey expedition's departure from Cape over part of Mawson's route. Earlier Denison. Because of gales that they had dug a snow cache near reached more than 54 knots at times Aladdin's Cave. This was a • cave the party was unable to complete excavated in the ice where Mawson loading operations for four days. But March/June, 1985 ANTARCTIC the Dick Smith Explorer slipped the to assist in determining the most shelter of Boat Harbour during a brief suitable course for conservation of lull when the winds dropped to 27 many of the more valuable artefacts knots. which had suffered from damp and On departure the expedition made rust despite the dry Antarctic climate. a brief landing at , the only other rocky headland in Com monwealth Bay, which is about 13km PLAQUES west of Cape Denison. Valuable Two historic plaques which had geological specimens were collected suffered serious frost damage were and ornithological studies undertaken. brought back to Australia for restor Soon after departure from Com ation under controlled conditions, and monwealth Bay the DSE encountered will be returned to Commonwealth a Force 9 gale and was hove to for a Bay when the work is completed. The day riding out the storm. But by larger of these was the wooden plaque February 20, the ship was free of on the cross set up in 1913 in memory Antarctic ice, having passed north of of Mawson's sledging companions, the Antarctic Convergence, and the Mertz and Ninnis. It was removed in threat of icebergs no longer impeded 1977, brought back to Australia for night navigation. Skipper Don preservation, and a brass replica was Richards reported that all sails were fixed in its place. set to hasten the vessel northward on Later the plaque was returned to every available fair wind. Cape Denison in a protective brass LAST PROJECT case. This resulted in the frost damage. A similar fate had befallen Project Blizzard's last project a smaller plaque commemorating the before departure from Commonwealth hoisting of the Australian flag at Cape Bay was the completion of an archaeo Denison on January 5, 1931, when logical survey of the historic site of Mawson returned to his old base Mawson's hut and the other buildings. during the BANZARE Expedition The way is now clear for the hut (1929-31) and claimed formal posses restoration phase of the project to sion of King George V Land for begin in the 1985-86 summer. Re Australia. search studies by the expedition's photographers, architects, scientists, and an archaeologist, have provided PROCLAMATION the necessary information for a com A proclamation was left in a con prehensive and thorough appraisal of tainer on a hill overlooking the base, the site and its future needs. and a plaque was placed on the flag Mawson's hut was found to be in a pole. In 1974 an ANARE team found stable condition and no repairs were the proclamation still in place but by necessary. 1977 the container was found to be Snow completely filled the work rusted through. It contained drift and shop and most of the living hut, and ice and only frozen plastic was all the inside surfaces of the other huts wrapped around the original docu not choked with snow and ice were ment, which was stained by rust. covered with a thick veneer of delicate After a copy had been made of the hoar frost crystals. Snow samples and proclamation and left with other micro-climate records were collected papers in a small tin, the original was ANTARCTIC March/June, 1985 brought back to Australia and treated and the historic site was also com to ensure preservation. It was copied pleted. and placed in the National Library's Project Blizzard was given official Manuscript Section and a facsimile approval for the first expedition .by returned to Cape Denison in a new the Australian Government through container. the Minister of Science (Mr Barry Good progress was made with the Jones) and received logistic support scientific programme during the ex and advice from the Antarctic Division pedition's stay at Cape Denison. in Hobart. It will make a detailed Detailed wind profiles of Mawson's report on Mawson's hut to the Govern hut site were measured, and the ment, and the second expedition in information, together with a detailed 1985-86 will complete the restoration topographic survey, will facilitate work in accordance with the first analysis of Cape Denison's meteoro expedition's findings and the recom logical environment. An extensive mendations of the government depart photographic survey of Mawson's huts ment responsible for the hut.

Antarctica can be a dangerous fire destroyed the chapel in the early place for classifically-trained archaeolo- hours of August 23, 1978. Since then ggists used to excavations for relics the chapel has been rebuilt, and it of ancient civilisations. Estelle Lazer, still has a Protestant Bible. It was archaeologist with the Project Blizzard presented by two New Zealanders, Expedition which surveyed the site Mr and Mrs J.M. Caffin, of Christ of Mawson's hut at Cape Denison church, to mark their long and happy last summer found this out when she association with many Americans and scraped back some ice and found a New Zealanders who have worshipped box of what appeared to be thin in the chapel over the years. frankfurters. A closer examination next day revealed that the frank furters were actually 60 sticks of de composing but still volatile gelignite. The box had been dumped after Captain Ivan Man, a pioneer of Mawson's men had blasted foun Soviet Antarctic exploration, who dations for their hut 72 years earlier. commanded the veteran supply ship Treading carefully on a potentially Ob from 1955 to 1959, and the dangerous site, the party recovered research vessel Professor Vize in bottles of acid, bullets, and flares 1967-69, went back to Antarctica in with exposed detonator caps. 1983 for the last time. He died of old age at home but asked in his will that he be buried in the Antarctic. On When the Chapel of the Snows was January 17, 1983, he was buried at built on Ross Island in 1956 the Vostok Station, known as the coldest American Bible Society provided a place on Earth, beside Alexei Protestant Bible for use at services. Karpenko, who died trying to fight In 1965 the battered and well-worn the fire which destroyed the Vostok Bible was returned to the society's power plant on the night of April 12, archives and replaced by a new Bible 1982. "They came here for the last presented on behalf of Dr Billy time to remain forever", were the Graham. This Bible was lost when words spoken over their graves. March/June, 1985 ANTARCTIC British Pole Expedition at Cape Evans

Four Englishmen and one Canadian have been in winter quarters on Ross Island since early February preparing for a private British expedition to the South Pole next summer. In October two of the Englishmen, Robert Swan and Roger Mear, who are co-leaders of the expedition, will leave their base at Cape Evans on a 1420km journey to the Pole, following the route taken by Scott in 1911-12, including the ascent of the . Swan is a 28-year-old tree surgeon Captain Kershaw, who spent seven and self-styled explorer, and Mear, summers with the British Antarctic who is 34, is a professional mountain- Survey, is widely known as probably eering instructor. Both have worked the most experienced Antarctic pilot with the British Antarctic Survey at anywhere today. He has flown the Rothera Station on Adelaide Island, three-engined DC-3 in the Arctic for off the west coast of the Antarctic Polair, of Santa Barbara, California, Peninsula. They hope to complete and has flown two mountaineering their journey in 75 days and reach the parties from Punta Arenas to the Pole by January. Antarctic in the 1983-84 and 1984-85 No advance depots will be set up season, along the route, and there will be no air support. Each man will start the AIR SUPPORT journey on skis, and hauling a sledge loaded with 136kg of of food, food, fuel fuel and and With With Chilean Chilean Air Air Force Force suDoort support equipment. They will use a tent the United States weighing less than 9kg and designed to Expedition climbed Antarctica's withstand winds of up to 115 knots, highest peak, the Vinson Massif, in Originally Swan and Mear expected the of the Ellsworth to be flown back to McMurdo Station Mountains. Later the expedition was by a United States ski-equipped Her- flown to the United States Siple cules aircraft. But as the United Station, and then returned to Punta States authorities have indicated that Arenas by way of Rothera. A second they are unable to provide transport or expedition last summer chartered the sell fuel from stocks at the Amundsen- turbo-prop DC-3 for a similar ascent Scott South Pole Station to private but had to give up the project when expeditions, the Footsteps of Scott the aircraft was damaged in high winds Expedition has arranged to be picked on Adelaide Island and had mechanical up by a chartered modified ski- trouble. equipped Tri Turbo DC-3. The air- As Mear has said that the Tri Turbo craft will be piloted by Captain Giles DC-3 will not return the two men to Kershaw, the English pilot who McMurdo Station from the Pole, it is provided Antarctic and Arctic air expected that the aircraft will be support for the British Transglobe flown to Punta Arenas. Last season Expedition. the Chilean Air Force flew two Twin •ouiuiBjSoJd ipjeosoy oipJEiuy puBjEoz a\on oi|} A"q popoou uauA\ Jnuiuins in posn si ipcaq oqj jo pua ujaipnos oqj jbdu ub§iuuba\ oi|i 'jni| stjjoos uiojj moot' jnoqc si ji ■SUBAg adB3 je osbq pjba\a"bh JpBf s^uoijipodxo ou) SAVOlfS cIbuj sun

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986 L 'aunryipjeiAj OIlOdVlNV March/June, 1985 ANTARCTIC scaled the extinct volcanoes Terra tion was to head back for Cape Evans Nova (2130m) and Terror (3262m) on May 12 but they stayed until the before going on to . morning of May 13 because of high Eleven New Zealanders at Scott winds. Their visit was a pleasant Base were having a routine fire drill on surprise for the New Zealanders March 29 when they had a surpirse because it had not been mentioned visit from the three men who had during the weekly radio check with crossed Windless Bight on the way the Cape Evans team. back to their base at Cape Evans. Temperatures during the journey had MAJOR REFIT dropped as low as minus 30° Celsius, and by the time they reached Scott While the winter party is on Ross Base Dr Stroud was suffering from Island the expedition's support ship mild frostbite and Wood had blistered Southern , named after Shackle feet. ' ton's last ship, the Quest, is in Sydney being refitted in readiness for her next KNOCK ON DOOR voyage. She will return to Antarctica in January next year to pick up three After a short stay the party walked members of the party. back to Jack Hayward Base. Less than A 361-tonne converted Icelandic a fortnight later Scott Base had two and North Sea trawler, the Southern unexpected visitors from Cape Evans. Quest, formerly the oil pollution con About 5.30 p.m. on May 10 there was trol vessel Cleanseas I, was well-pre a polite knock at the back door. pared last year for her long voyage to Outside were Mear and Dr Stroud New Zealand and then into Antarctic with the expedition's two special 15- waters. The 26-year-old trawler under gear ice bicycles which they had went a major refit in South Shields. attempted to ride over the ice and Her hull was ice-strengthened, snow. They arrived just in time for deflectors were added to protect the dinner. propeller, crew accommodation was Helped by a full moon Mear and Dr extended, and the former fish holds Stroud walked for nearly IVi hours were provided with six watertight to reach Scott Base, stopping to chat hatches. Finally more sophisticated to a few Americans at nearby radar and satellite navigation equip McMurdo Station. One of Scott's ment were installed. Australian geologists, Griffith Taylor, who was the first man to ride a bicycle MORE STABLE in Antarctica, took it 12.8km from Cape Evans to the To improve the ship's stability the Tongue one fine Sunday morning in port and starboard companionways 1911, but the Englishmen had to carry were enclosed. This work, and the and wheel their machines for most of discovery of hairline fractures in the the journey because there was too propeller, necessitating the casting of a much snow to ride through. replacement, delayed the ship's depar When Mear and Stroud arrived at ture until November. Earlier, when Scott Base the temperature was down she was berthed in the Thames at to minus 37.5°C. They indulged in Tower Bridge, the expedition was the luxury of a shower and had three honoured by the visit of Princess night's rest at the base. Their inten Anne, which carried on the tradition ANTARCTIC March/June, 1985

Southern Quest, the expedition's support ship, in Winter Quarters Bay after arriving at McMurdo Station from Cape Evans. established by her great-great-grand pleted the expedition's inventory of parents. She was escorted around the more than 60 tonnes of equipment ship by Lord Shackleton and Sir and stores, and the Southern Quest . sailed on November 9 to the accom More than six years of planning and paniment of a flypast by the Royal preparation ended on November 3 Air Force. when the Southern Quest, under the command of Captain Graeme Phippen, CAPE TOWN CALL who has seven years' experience with the British Antarctic Survey, and with A call was made at Las Palmas, a crew of 14, most of them volunteers, Canary Islands, for refuelling, and the sailed from West India Dock, London. ship reached Cape Town on December There to say goodbye were relatives 10, averaging 9 knots for the voyage and friends, and the winter party, of 5210 nautical miles from London. which was to join the ship in New Two thousand people, a naval band, Zealand. and the Mayor of the city were on the In 1910 the Terra Nova called at quayside to greet the ship and her Cardiff before heading south to take crew. Scott was disappointed with on coal. The Southern Quest also South Africa's response to his expedi made Cardiff its departure point from tion when the Terra Nova called at the United Kingdom. Fifteen tonnes Cape Town in 1910. But now there is of Welsh anthracite for cooking and a monument to the Pole party and its heating at Jack Hayward Base com leader erected at Cape Town in 1960. March/June, 1985 ANTARCTIC

Blessed by fine weather on the than a fortnight there was a most Indian Ocean leg of her voyage the generous response from people and Southern Quest reached Lyttelton on companies in the port and Christ the morning of January 16, having church. Sponsorship and gifts added left Cape Town on December 17. A close on SNZ25,000 to the expedi small crowd of well-wishers, including tion's funds and resources. a Maori welcome party, greeted the When the ship sailed at 2.16 p.m. ship's arrival at a port which has from Lyttelton on January 27 her witnessed the arrival and departure cargo included workboots, portable of the ships of four polar expeditions two-way radios for ship to shore work since 1901. at Cape Evans, and a dinghy. A parting gift from the Lyttelton SURVIVOR Harbour Board, which had carried on the tradition of assistance to polar One member of the welcoming expeditions, was a special bottle of party was 96-year-old William Burton, port labelled "Port of Lyttelton". of Christchurch, last surviving member In 1910 the Terra Nova called at of Scott's 1910-13 expedition. He Port Chalmers to take on coal, and the made three voyages in the Terra Nova Southern Quest also made the port her from Lyttelton to McMurdo Sound, last departure point from New first as a stoker, and then as assistant Zealand. Two hundred wellwishers engineer. said goodbye to the ship at Lyttelton, Another link with Scott's last the Skellerup-Woolston Brass Band expedition was the presence on the played "Now is the Hour", and an wharf of Lieutenant Michael Hough, English flavour to the occasion was who was on special leave from the provided by a group of Morris dancers, 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards most of them British-born, who per to act as expedition co-ordinator in formed on the wharf. New Zealand before the ship arrived. Captain Oates served in the 6th FURTHER LINKS (Inniskilling) Dragoons, which was amalgamated in 1922 with the 5th Port Chalmers, which has known Dragoon Guards to form the 5th the expeditions of Scott, Shackleton, Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards. Byrd, Ellsworth, and Wilkins, gave the Lieutenant Hough's commanding 22 men and women aboard the officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Patrick Southern Quest the warmest welcome Cordingley, who is the co-author of a of all. The ship arrived on the biography of Oates, and assisted the morning of January 28 and Robert expedition, asked for the inclusion of Swan was presented with a list of a member of the regiment because of gifts from the people of Port Chalmers the historical associations. and Dunedin in response to a last- minute appeal for warm clothing and N.Z. SUPPORT provisions which had been launched by the Mayor of Port Chalmers (Sir Like other private Antarctic expedi John Thorn). tions the Footsteps of Scott Expedi When the ship sailed for Ross tion still needed more money, equip Island at 9.05 a.m. on January 30 her ment, and supplies when the Southern cargo included a quarter of a tonne of Quest reached Lyttelton. But in less New Zealand meat, butter, cheese, ANTARCTIC March/June, 1985 bacon, eggs, and yoghurt. From Port On their first day members of the Chalmers came woollen socks and expedition worked late unloading jerseys, frozen fish and peas, raisins cargo. The ship was moored out, using and nuts, fresh vegetables, and fruit. ice ropes, and cargo was ferried ashore Lady Thorn had knitted a jersey for between the ropes on a pontoon which Robert Swan to be worn on the had been partly built in Lyttelton and journey to the South Pole and completed in Port Chalmers. More returned to the borough for inclusion than a tonne of cargo was taken to the in a maritime museum, and another beach at Cape Evans on each trip, and gift was a scale model of the Terra unloading of the hut, stores, and Nova made by Mr Chris Spiers, a mem equipment - 60 tonnes in all — was ber of the Port Chalmers Borough completed in five days. Even a Force Council. 7-8 blizzard on February 9 did not stop the cargo handling which was NOW IS THE HOUR assisted by the ship's two Zodiac inflatable dinghies. More than 150 people said goodbye Memories of Scott's two expedi to the crew by singing "Now is the tions which had to use coal afloat and Hour" when the Southern Quest ashore were recalled by members of departed, and Sir John Thorn led three the expedition who had the dirty cheers for the expedition. Her sailing back-breaking task of transferring 15 time had been delayed first by the late tonnes of Welsh coal from the arrival of radar equipment and then by Southern Quest's hold to the pontoon. work on equipment. The coal had to be bagged for loading, Captain Phippen's crew, which had and the job was even harder when bags increased from the original 14 who kept breaking. left London last year, was still pre dominately English, but Canada, CARGO UNLOADED Ireland, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand were all represented, and When everything was ashore and there were two women, Rebecca the hut had been erected Captain Ward, official photographer for the Phippen left Cape Evans on February voyage, and Deborah Overton, a TV 19 to visit McMurdo Station and Scott set designer, who served as a deck Base. Members of the crew met the hand. The New Zealanders were Ken winter parties at both bases, and the Marshall, a ship's officer, Shaun ship left on February 21 for Cape Rowse, a carpenter, both of Christ Evans. church, and Royden Johnson, a Before leaving Cape Evans for the camera assistant, who also represented last time Captain Phippen took the Australia where he now works. ship across McMurdo Sound into the Favoured by good weather all the ice. The ice made only a few extra way south, the Southern Quest sighted dents in the blow, and the crew had a the first iceberg at 63.5° S. Ice con grand view of the Wilson Piedmont ditions were reported to be the best Glacier. Then the ship returned to for 25 years, and the ship had a clear Cape Evans and checked that all was run into McMurdo Sound, arriving off well with the winter party. Cape Evans on February 8. The temp Finally photographs were taken erature was minus 10°C and there were goodbyes exchanged, and the crew winds up to 35 knots. gave three cheers for the five men they March/June, 1985 ANTARCTIC

were leaving behind for 11 months. just over a month. They enjoyed As the Southern Quest headed north some relaxation but much of their she blew her whistle and the crew let time was spent maintaining a high off flares. public profile to help raise money for Once again the weather was with the expedition. Crew members gave the ship on her voyage back to New slide shows and talks, sold souvenirs, Zealand. She sailed late on the night and learned how to be entrepreneurs. of February 22 and called at Campbell On April 15 the Southern Quest Island where New Zealand maintains a left Lyttelton for Sydney by way of weather station, on the afternoon of Auckland. In Sydney the ship will March 3. The crew enjoyed the have her first major refit since leaving hospitality of the 12 men wintering on England, and members of the expedi the island. tion will continue the quest for Early in the morning of March 8 sponsors to cover expenses, and work the ship was back in Port Chalmers. on their own behalf, having been She sailed at noon on March 11, and granted two-year work permits by the ended the first stage of her support Australian Government. mission on March 12 when she arrived Lyttelton will see the Southern at Lyttelton. Quest again in late December or early After catching up with news from January. She will be on her way to families and friends the crew of the Cape Evans to pick up members of the Southern Quest remained in port for winter party.

A small hand-held telescope carried He made it on October 20 from aboard H.M.S. Discovery, one of the Observation Hill (230m) which over two ships of the British Arctic Expedi looks McMurdo Station. But he was tion (1875-76) which reached 83deg far too late. The first such jump was 06min N in an attempt on the North made in the 1960-61 summer by a Pole, has been sent into space on a "New York Herald-Tribune" corres mission by the United States space pondent, Wadsworth Likely. He shuttle Discovery from Cape Canaveral, jumped over McMurdo Sound with Florida. The telescope, owned by the a para-rescue team from the U.S. Scott Polar Research Institute, has Navy's VXE-6 Squadron. Curran, also been to Antarctica aboard the who worked for the support contrac Discovery on Scott's 1901-04 expedi tors, ITT Antarctic Services, had tion. A member of the space shuttle's been in Antarctica for five days crew, Steven Hawley, arranged to when he jumped without permission borrow the telescope when visiting because "Observation Hill was there, England in 1983. and the day was fine. " His stay was short. A few days later he was back home with a non-existent record. Efforts to make history in Antarc tica by doing something that has never been done before occasion ally rebound on the doer. A 34- year-old American, Tom Curran, of Wonder Lake, near Chicago, claimed to have made the first civilian para chute jump in Antarctic last summer. ANTARCTIC MMarch/June, 1985

Vinson Massif climb abandoned

What have been described as work for the country which supports "fantastic political complications" it. plus 140-knot winds on the Antarctic In 1983 Chile supported the Seven Peninsula caused a United States Summits Expedition which was based mountaineering expedition to abandon in Punta Arenas. Fuel for the flight its attempt in late November and early to the Vinson Massif area was dropped December last year to climb Antarc by a Chilean Hercules Aircraft, and the tica's highest peak, the Vinson Massif Tri-turbo DC-3 carried an official (4897m) in the Sentinel Range of the Chilean Air Force observer. Ellsworth Mountains. The Vinson Massif was first climbed AIRCRAFT DAMAGED by an American expedition in 1966, again in 1980 by two West German Last season the latest expedition scientists and a Soviet exchange flew from Punta Arenas and called at scientist with a United States re Rothera, the British Antarctic Survey search expedition in the on Adelaide Island. The air Mountains, and in 1983 by an ex craft is reported to have been damaged pedition which included three Ameri by winds of up to 140 knots on the cans, one Englishman, and one Antarctic Peninsula, probably while Japanese. using the snow runway on the exposed piedmont 5km from Rothera. A second attempt to reach the Vinson FOUR CLIMBERS Massif area was made two weeks There were four climbers in last later and was abandoned because of summer's expedition. The leader mechanical failure in one of the was Peter Bruchhausen, who has aircraft's engines. worked in Antarctica with the Ross To raise funds for a second attempt Ice Shelf Project. With him were Pat to climb the peak in November- Morrow, Martyn Williams, and Michael December this year a special North Dunn. To reach the Vinson Massif Pole flight has been organised. One- area they chartered a one-off modified third or more of each fare for the Tri-turbo DC-3 aircraft with three 11-day adventure will go to engines instead of two from Polair the 1985 Vinson Massif expedition in Santa Barbara, California. fund. This ski-equipped aircraft was used also by the Seven Summits Expedition "HIGH ADVENTURE" which climbed the Vinson Massif in 1983. It was flown then by Polair's To fly from Edmonton across the chief pilot, Captain Giles Kershaw, Canadian Arctic to the North Pole and support was provided by the and back will cost each member of the Chilean Air Force. travel group SUS9400. On April 1 the Because the Tri-turbo DC-3 is in the group will go by commercial airline to experimental stage it has a restricted Resolute, the Canadian research licence for use only in the service of a station on Cornwallis Island, then to a government agency. It can be used for base camp on Lake Hazen, and fly to a private expedition which is doing the North Pole in a Twin Otter aircraft. March/June, 1985 ANTARCTIC

Among the adventure attractions and dog sledging. Sir , are a visit to a polar game farm, and a his son Peter, Neil Armstrong, first stop at the archaeological camp site man to walk on the Moon, and Pat of the American explorers Greely and Morrow, will be with the group to Peary where members of the group "share tales of high adventure", will try their skill at igloo building according to the organisers. Southern minke whale survey

Twelve scientists from Argentina, Area VI (120° W to 70° W). The Australia, Chile, Japan, New Zealand, senior scientist was Durant Hembree, the Soviet Union, Britain, and the of Perth, who took part in six earlier United States, took part in the Inter cruises. New Zealand's representative national Whaling Commission's 1985 was Paul Ensor, of Christchurch, who cruise to assess the population of took part in the 1980-81, 1982-83, minke and other whales in the waters and 1983-84 cruises. around Antarctica last season. Their Working along the edge of the pack survey ended on March 1 when three ice and offshore along the coast from Japanese whale chasers, Shonan Maru to Wilkes I, Kyo Maru 27, and Shonan Maru II, Land in the four ships returned to Fremantle. covered an area which was surveyed first in 1978-79. The track began THREE SHIPS near Prydz Bay and reached nearly to With the Soviet whale research the Dumont d'Urville Station area. ship Vdumchiviy 34 the three ships In 71 days at sea the scientists sailed from Fremantle on December aboard each ship recorded 6671 21 to carry out a research programme whales and 1597 dolphins. Whale in the IWC Area IV between 70°E and sightings included 4158 minke, 605 130°E. When the survey ended the sperm, 658 beaked, and 1209 pilot Vdumchiviy 34 remained in Antarctica whales. The research team also carried to continue independent research. out a series of experiments to test Last season's programme was the sighting theories used to assess whale seventh in the IWC project which is populations. Some of the minke part of the International Decade of whales observed during the cruise may Cetacean Research. The main purpose have been sighted two or three times, of the research since the 1978-79 according to Gerald Joyce. season has been to obtain accurate All results from the cruise will be scientific data on minke whale num considered by the IWC scientific bers in the Antarctic region and gather committee. They will be used to detailed information on all other establish population estimates for species of cetaceans sighted. consideration by the annual meeting A United States biologist, Gerald of the IWC in June. Joyce, of the National Marine Mammals Laboratory, National Marine Fisheries Service, led the cruise to Survey Area IV. He was also leader of the team for the 1983-84 cruise in ANTARCTIC March/June, 1985 Sub-Antarctic Australian sub-Antarctic oil survey As part of the Australian Govern On her maiden scientific cruise to ment's new programme of marine the southern Lord Howe Rise off geological and geophysical research to eastern Australia the Rig Seismic ascertain the petroleum potential of carried out a 1250km multi-channel the country's continental margins the seismic programme. A preliminary chartered Norwegian geoscience re report, based on unprocessed seismic search vessel Rig Seismic began a 60- monitor records, indicated an exten day cruise early in March to the Heard- sive sedimentary basin containing at Kerguelen Plateau. The cruise will least 3km of sediment. Part of the cover two million square kilometres of section in the basin could be prospec ocean east and south of Australia's tive for petroleum. sub-Antarctic Heard Island and half A more complete study of the Lord way to South Africa. Howe Rise region's resource potential Eighteen scientists aboard the Rig will be made this year after the Rig Seismic, which has been chartered by Seismic returns from the sub-Antarctic the Bureau of Mineral Resources, will cruise which began from the conduct seismic, magnetic, and gravity Tasmanian port of Devonport on tests of the ocean floor. The purpose March 7. Present plans are for the of their study is to provide an estimate ship to make four 25-day and one of the petroleum potential of the area 60-day cruise, each year. Cruises covered after they have determined similar to the Heard-Kerguelen project the structure, thickness, lithology, and may be planned in 1986 and 1987. formation of the surface beneath the sea. For its missions the Rig Seismic has been fitted with more than SA1.5 million of computer and navigation equipment, including a satellite com munications system. Specially designed for geoscience research, the Rig Seismic was built in Something happens to the map of Norway in 1982. She is 72.5m long, Antarctica when polar analysts turn can accommodate 41 passengers in their attention to the "frozen waste" single cabins, has a maximum speed of and the "colossal treasure" beneath 14 knots, and the ability to cruise at its ice-cap. A "Christian Science 2.5 to 5 knots for extensive periods Monitor" report repirnted in the when carrying out seismic research "Sydney Morning Herald" says inter programmes. aha that the Soviet Union maintains Operated for the Bureau of Mineral Vostok Station at the South Magnetic Resources by the Department of Pole which was reached in 1907 Transport, the 1543-tonne Rig by a British expedition led by Seismic, which carried a crew of 15, Shackleton and Mawson. Vanda arrived in Australia early in October Sation is given the distinction of last year. She underwent survey certi recording the world's lowest tem fication and an equipment refit in perature — minus 89.2° Celsius in Newcastle. July, 1983. March/June, 1985 ANTARCTIC

Heard Island volcano in eruption

Australia's only active volcano, Big Earliest reports of an eruption on Ben, on isolated Heard Island in the Heard Island were in 1910 when sub-Antarctic 22.12 nautical miles the Wakefield visited the island in south-west of Perth, erupted in search of survivors from the Australian January this year. French scientists liner Waratah which had been lost in aboard the research ship Marion July, 1909. The Wakefield steamed Dufresne observed the eruption on the close to the western shore, and nights of January 14 and 15. Lava "immense clouds of smoke" were was seen flowing down the glacier- reported billowing from Big Ben. covered south flank of the volcano which rises to 2745m and dominates an island almost completely covered NOT PICKED UP by crevassed ice. Information on the sighting of the No signs of the eruption were eruption and the plume rising high picked up by the seismological obser from the volcano, which was visible vatory at , which is from the Marion Dufresne for two operated by the Bureau of Mineral days, was passed on to the Smith Resources. But seismologists are not sonian Institution in Washington. The surprised. Only very large volcanic ship was steaming from Kerguelen eruptions of the explosive type are Island, 500km north-west of Heard recorded well over long distances, Island, on its way to take part in the and the Mawson observatory is some second phase of the Second Inter 928 nm from Heard Island. national BIOMASS experiment Heard Island and the small, rocky (SIBEX II) in the Indian Ocean. From outlying McDonald Islands 41km to Washington the report was received by the west were passed to Australia by the Antarctic Division and the Bureau Britain. Australian National Antarctic of Mineral Resources, Department of Research Expeditions maintained a Resources and Energy, on February 26. permanent scientific station on Heard Island from December, 1947 to March, 1955. The most recent visit by FREQUENT STEAM ANARE was in March, 1983, after Big Ben's crest is a filled-in volcanic two private expeditions earlier in the crater surrounded by blizzard- year. Big Ben was climbed for the shrouded peaks of which Mawson Peak first time in January, 1965, by five (2744m) is the highest. Steam and members of the private South Indian smoke have frequently been noticed Ocean Expedition led by Major issuing from fissures in Mawson Peak Warren Deacock. It included three and from a vent on the southern side New Zealanders, Colin Putt, Philip of Big Ben, but Dr Patrick Quilty, Temple, and John Crick, and an the Antarctic Division's chief scientific Australian, Graeme Budd. The vol officer, says the French sighting is the cano was climbed again by four men first of a full eruption for some 35 and one woman in February, 1983. years. The last full eruption is They were members of one of the two believed to have taken place in 1950. private expeditions that year. ANTARCTIC March/June, 1985 N.Z. expedition to South Georgia

Members of a privately organised On November 10 they were put expedition to South Georgia returned ashore in Little Moltke Harbour in to New Zealand early this year having Royal Bay by trojan landing craft. completed a programme of geological A base camp was established near mapping, climbed 17 peaks and col the four bunk BAS hut and from lected samples of flora and fauna for here equipment and supplies were New Zealand scientists. They also shifted to the Ross Glacier. The made a film of local wildlife and the Browns remained at Base filming historical and exploitive aspects of wildlife while the other members of man's presence on the island. the team crossed the Ross Glacier to Conceived in 1979 the expedition a previously unexplored area of the planning was interrupted by the Hindle and Upper Weddell Glaciers Falklands War and modified by logis which was mapped and described. tic and financial constraints. It was They found several major faults and finally underway at a cost of numerous fossil localities which, con U.K.£30,000 or N.Z. $80,000 (exclu tained some species better preserved sive of film commitments). than earlier finds and which should The party, led by Dr Ian Turnbull, provide a good indication of the age Geological Survey, Dunedin, com of the rocks. The area between the prised Alan Knowles, media consul Cook and Heaney Glaciers, where tant from Wellington who was deputy volcanic rocks, marble and chert leader, Dr David Craw, an Otago Uni beds were discovered, was also versity lecturer and Peter Johnstone, mapped. a biometrician with the Ministry of The rock samples are still being Agriculture and Fisheries Dunedin. analysed; the mapping data will be They were accompanied by a film included in a forthcoming BAS crew of two, Rob and Bev Brown 1:250 000 geological map of South also of Dunedin. Georgia. In the Hindle Glacier area members FROM U.K. of the team made four first ascents The expedition assembled in Eng of un-named peaks. During a subse land towards the end of October 1984 quent visit to the Ross Glacier area and on November 2 left the RAF tents were damaged in a westerly Station at Brize Norton in a VC10 blizzard and the team spent five days for Acension Island. The following in a four man cave dug into a snow day they were flown by RAF Hercules windscoop. to Port Stanley to collect food and fuel. On November 4 they sailed in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship "Sir OTHER SCIENTIFIC Lancelot" for South Georgia arriving WORK at Grytviken three days later. During their stay four members of the team Using pit traps located inside and climbed Petrel Peak and Mt. Hodges outside the reindeer exclosures, while the film crew worked around erected by BAS scientists, one member the old whaling station at King Ed of the team made a collection of ward Point. insects representative of the popula- •nuojsuuof J3J3J puc unqujni ubj 'ssjavou^ ue|v 'JJ3| uiojj 'oje Aaqj, "J3I0BIQ 3|puiH sip ssojob pooj jo sa"ep-ubui OS SuipinijuEui Sioquioiu uompadxg

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Obituary "Dick" Richards G. C, last of Shackleton's men R . G . M c E L R E A D . L . H A R R O W F I E L D Last of all the men who served with Shackleton, Richard Walker ("Dick") Richards, G.C., died at his home at Point Lonsdale, near Melbourne, on May 8. He was 91. William Burton, aged 96, who served with Scott in the Terra Nova, is now the only survivor of what has become known as the "Heroic Era" of Antarctic exploration. Richards was also the last survivor was locked in the ice for 10 months of 56 men who took part in Shackle eventually breaking free at 2pm on ton's Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedi March 10. With battered rudders and tion (1914-17) which was to cross the with little coal she returned to New continent from the Weddell Sea to the Zealand arriving at Port Chalmers Ross Sea by way of the South Pole. on April 3. Richards and nine com This expedition marked the end of panions were left behind on Ross the "Heroic Era." The story of Island where they lived in Scott's how the Endurance was crushed in huts at Cape Evans and Hut Point the ice of the Weddell Sea, the boat during the 25 months they were journey to South Georgia, and the marooned. Left without the clothing rescue of the men left behind on and equipment to perform their Elephant Island, has been told many allotted task, they had to make do times; the remarkable achievements with what had been left behind by of the expedition's Ross Sea section Scott's expedition, and reserve fuel are not so widely known. and food for the depots Shackleton As one of 28 men of the Ross Sea needed. They had two priorities - section Richards (then known as first the depots and then survival. "Richie" or "Wally") sailed in the Aurora from Hobart for Antarctica Richards was born in the Victorian on December 24, 1914. The task goldmining town of Bendigo on of the Ross Sea Shore Party, which November 14 1893. He attended included Richards, was to lay depots Bendigo High School and studied for Shackleton's crossing party every natural philosophy (mathematics and 96km as far south as the Beardmore science) for two years at Melbourne Glacier at 83deg 37min S. It was a University, and became a Lecturer task expected to be accomplished at the Junior Technical School, with ease. But when the Aurora was Ballarat. carried out of McMurdo Sound in a When he applied for the position blizzard on the night of May 6-7, of physicist with the 1915, with 18 men the whole pic he was only 21. He was interviewed ture changed. in Sydney by Captain Aeneas The Aurora drifted north and she Mackintosh, the party leader, while March/June, 1985, ANTARCTIC

the ship was being repaired at Cockatoo Island, and joined tthe expedition three days before it sailed '.Irw- from Hobart. There were three other Australians, Lionel Hooke, Keith Jack and Irvine Gaze. On the voyage south, Richards worked as a volunteer greaser and coal trimmer in the engine room. Although he was employed as a physicist, the party's circumstances were such that little science was possible. Soon after the Aurora reached the ice, Mackintosh dispatched the dogs and the sledging parties to lay a preliminary depot at 80deg S before the onset of winter. Only two men, Mackintosh and , had previous sledging experience. SLEDGE ABANDONED Richards was attached to the motor party, but the motor sledge soon broke down and was of no "Dick" Richards" practical help. Forty-two years ".... awarded the polar medal with clasps for later the abandoned sledge was 1914-16 and 1917, and in 1923, the Albert Medal in bronze for gallantry in saving and brought back from Cape Evans to endeavouring to save life in the Antarctic." New Zealand where it is now housed in the Canterbury Museum, Christ Point. church. During the subsequent season, the After a month in the field man- depots were laid to Mt Hope at the hauling supplies Richards returned to foot of the Beardmore Glacier, as Scott's old at Hut Shackelton had directed. Using Point on March 2, 1915. Mackintosh, improvised equipment the party made Victor Hayward and Joyce carried on a journey of some 2400km over 169 manfully to lay the depot at 80deg S, sledging days. On the great southern but at a terrible cost - the loss of all journey the 22-year-old Richards was but four of the working dogs. the strong man of the party, both Richards and five of his sledging mentally and physically. After mates were soon picked up by the Macintosh became debilitated by Aurora from Hut Point and returned scurvy leadership was by consensus to Cape Evans. With the ship finally with Richards playing a dominanr moored off shore, Richards and three role by force of personality. others of the shore party set up base in Scott's former hut at Cape Evans. RETURN JOURNEY After the breakout of the ship they were joined on June 2 by the six On the return journey - a harrowing remaining members of the sledging experience - for the party almost party who had been held up at Hut reached the end of its fuel and food - ANTARCTIC March/June, 1985

Richards, Joyce and Hayward, with comrades revitalised themselves on the four dogs, Gunner, Oscar, Towser fresh seal meat, and, leaving Hayward and Con, had to push north in the at the hut, returned to rescue the teeth of a Force 9 blizzard to obtain scurvy-striken and tent-bound Mackin supplies from the Bluff depot 16km tosh. away. They took three days and their In 1980, Richards gave his sealing progress was only about half a kilo knife and navigating compass to the metre an hour. Richards describes Canterbury Museum. He believed this ordeal in his own account of the that these and the four dogs, had expedition published 46 years later. saved the party. He wrote: "On "We were weak and to all intents the way back on the Aurora, and purposes out of food and fuel, Shackleton drew me into his cabin and the dogs had lost their spirit. and asked me whether there was To make matters worse we were anything I particularly wanted from uncertain just where we were on the the equipment. I asked for the com featureless ice shelf. We had lost our pass. He thereupon scratched on it . . . guiding cairns in thick weather ... "To R.W. Richards from E.H. We could see nothing, and we had Shackleton. Jan 1917." difficulty in maintaining our footing during the worst of the savage gusts. COLLAPSED ONLY GUIDE From March, 1916, in increasing darkness, the five men sheltered at The only guide we had was that Hut Point. A poignant reminder of we were aware of the bearing of the their stay is the inscription "RWR line of cairns, but the difficulty was 1916" on the end of a packing shelf. to utilise this knowledge. In the cold, Then on May 8, 1916, Mackintosh and with bare fingers, it was only possible Hayward, against the advice of their to struggle with the metal of the companions, set out across the fragile prismatic compass for a few moments sea ice to Cape Evans and were never before it had to be put away and the seen again. hands returned to the mitts. It was Shortly after Joyce, Richards and my job, being nearest the sledge, to Wild returned to Cape Evans in July, lay the course. This could only be 1916, Richards collapsed as a result done while we halted, and was accom of the strain of the southern journey. plished by directing Joyce who was It took several decades for him to re ahead at the end of a long rope, cover from his ordeal. until the rope lay on course . . ." During the months after his col This navigation was crucial to the lapse Richards was cared for by John lives of Richards and his five com Cope, the party's biologist and acting panions. But the three men reached medico. For some months before the depot and gained a temporary Richards' illness, Cope, because of respite. Finally on March 11 1916, illness, isolation, and the privations Richards, Joyce, Hayward, and Ernest of the party, had ceased to be an Wild reached the safety of Hut Point effective member. In later life but only after the tragic death from Richards often recalled the debt of scurvy and malnutrition of the padre gratitude he owed "Copey" for his and photographer, the Rev. Arnold unremitting care. Spencer-Smith. Richards and his Slowlv Richards convalesced, and March/June, 1985 ANTARCTIC

on the morning of January 10, 1917, years later living holders of the Albert he was outside the Cape Evans hut Medal exchanged their award for the after breakfast when he sighted a ship George Cross which ranks immediately lying off the to the after the Victoria Cross. Richards north-west. After 25 months the received his at an investitute at ordeal and isolation were over. The Buckingham Palace in 1972. It was Aurora had returned under the com a fitting honour for a man who his old mand of Captain J.K. Davis, and on leader Mackintosh had described as board was Shackleton, who met "... hardworking, zealous and an Richards and his fellow-Australians for officer whom I hold in the highest the first time. The party learned of esteem. His services have been such a world still at war, the loss of the that no money can buy." second expedition ship Endurance, Over the last three decades of his the rescue of the men by Shackleton life, Richards corresponded world from Elephant Island, and of the 10- wide with an ever-increasing range month ice drift of the Aurora until of friends and gave generously of his its arrival in Port Chalmers on April time and views, which were always 3, 1916. forthright and vigorous. The part he played in a tragic and little-known LOYALTY TO LEADER episode in Antarctic history did not become widely known for many years Richards took an immediate liking because in Shackleton's "South" the to The Boss, as Shackleton was known Ross Sea Shore Party's great southern by all who served with him. In journey and the Aurora's drift became Australia Richards met Shackleton almost a postscript to the Endurance again when he gave public lectures story. in aid of Mackintosh's widow. His loyalty to Shackleton never waivered. GIFTS TO MUSEUM Indeed, Richards had a loyalty to all his colleagues in the Ross Sea party In 1958 the School of Mines in and a quiet pride in their achieve Ballarat published a limited edition of ments. He believed the party was Richards' sledging diary, now one of remarkably harmonious despite its the rarest of Antarctic volumes, and trials and tribulations. in the same year Shackleton's bio When he regained his health, graphers, James and Margery Fisher Richards returned to teaching. In gave fuller recognition to Richards 1946 he became principal of the and the expedition. So too did the School of Mines and Industry at New Zealand Antarctic historian, L.B. Ballarat, a position he held until Quartermain, in "South to the Pole" he retired in 1958. and other books. In recognition of his Antarctic Richards wrote his own account of service, Richards was awarded the the Ross Sea Shore Party which was Polar Medal with clasps for 1914-16 published by the Scott Polar Research and 1917, and in 1923, the Albert Institute in 1962. His modest and Medal in bronze "for gallantry in moving story, simply told in only 44 saving and endeavouring to save life pages, appeared, as a special publica in the Antarctic." Other Ross Sea tion and did not gain the wider circula Party recipients of the Albert Medal tion it richly deserved. were Joyce, Wild and Hayward whose Richards had both respect and award was posthumous. Forty-eight admiration for New Zealanders, and he ANTARCTIC March/June. 1985 never forgot how well the seven sur plorer since Mawson, and Richard vivors of the expedition were looked McElrea, a former president of the after when the Aurora brought them New Zealand Antarctic Society. to Wellington in 1917. His continuing Reference was made to his great con affection for New Zealand prompted tribution to the outcome of the Ross him to present to the National Antarc Sea Party, his contribution to educa tic Centre at the Canterbury Museum, tion and science, his vitality, integrity, his George Cross and Polar Medal. and humanity. Later his Albert Medal also came to the museum. New Zealand has honoured Australians also held Richards in Richards for all time by placing his high regard. Sculptors have made name on the map of Antarctica. Fifty two busts of him and the Richard kilometres north of the Beardmore W. Richards Medal has been awarded Glacier and the depot long-buried annually since 1959 to the most under ice and snow which Richards outstanding final-year student in an and his companions laid at Mt Hope is applied science degree course at the a large ice-filled inlet (83deg 20min Ballarat College of Advanced Educa S/168deg 30min E). It was named tion. Richards Inlet by a New Zealand LAST HONOURS geological survey party in the 1959-60 summer and was on a list of place Dick Richards was laid to rest in names in the later the peaceful cemetery at Point approved by the New Zealand Geo Lonsdale overlooking the sea. At his graphic Board. New Zealand also funeral service, addresses were given honoured two of his companions by Dr Phillip Law, Australia's best- on the southern journey in the same known Antarctic scientist and ex way: Spencer-Smith and Hayward.

ANTARCTIC BOOKSHELF ANTARCTICA - Great stories from the Frozen Continent Reader's Digest Services Pty., Ltd., Surry Hills, N.S.W. 1985 310 x 230 mm ISBN 0 949819 64 6. 320 pages hardback. (This book is available at present through Reader's Digest at a price of N.Z. $37.95 plus postage. It is now obtainable through retail outlets at N.Z. $45. The subtitle and the publisher the space, often arranged collage might well be sufficient to dissuade style. The title of each topic is fol anyone with a scholarly interest lowed in journalistic fashion by a in Antarctica from taking any further subtitle, for example "A LONG interest in this volume. The design NIGHT - Madness stalks the men of of the contents is such that each the Belgica". Altogether offputting topic occupies an open pair of pages for the afficionado. in a style of the old encyclopaedias The two-page formats add up to bought in weekly parts. Photographs, three larger components; The Con maps and diagrams comprise half tinent and its Wildlife; The Explorers; March/June, 1985 ANTARCTIC

and Antarctic Atlas and Chronology. the most complete, single, general Articles are not credited, which reference volume on the subject to avoids further fragmentation, but date. there is a list of major contributors He wouldn't even mind owning at the front which includes well the copy sent to him for review known New Zealand Antarcticans such (carefully covered up in brown paper as Margaret Bradshaw, John Darby, of course) but unfortunately it was a David Harrowfield and Chris Hendy. borrowed and not a complimentary Colin Monteath is the principal photo copy. Does this mean he will have to graphic contributor and others such buy one? as Bernard Stonehouse, David Lewis One last comment, about the and Phil Law are well known in this perennial use of the phrases "hostile country. Thus "noblesse oblige" environment" and "sensitive environ does indeed oblige the reviewer ment" in works about Antarctica. to record that it is by no means as Ever since the publication of Spencer bad as it would appear. Chapman's superb book surely every one accepts that any natural environ The reviewer vowed in his youth ment is not hostile — merely neutral; never to read any more of the and with our own record of extinct literature of the TIME, LIFE, and endangered species, that every READERS' DIGEST type. It was natural environment, not solely only his good natured inability Antarctica, is sensitive. to say "NO" in his old age that led him into reading this volume, and that - Trevor Hatherton in the most inauspicious circumstances while lying painfully in bed with a Footnote: Concerned readers will be slipped disc. But after trying, irritably interested to know that Dr Trevor to find every reason to reject it he has Hatherton, chairman of RDRC, was subsequently asked to review this to say that once one gets below the book for another publication and has surface of the journalistic headings now been provided with a copy. He is, of course, keeping it wrapped in it is the "Compleat Antarctica" and brown paper. OF ICE AND MEN - Sir Vivian Fuchs.

Anthony Nelson, U.K. 1982 220 x 150 mm, ISBN 0 904614 06 9, 383 pages, hardback, £13.95. Great Britain has been closely of the Survey until retirement in associated with Antarctic exploration 1973. His initiation and leadership from its inception. Since 1943 it of the Commonwealth Transantarctic has been continuously engaged in the Expedition from 1955-58 is well systematic examination of that part known. of the continent lying between longi- The book briefly sketches the his- tudes 20° and 80° west. Sir Vivian torical background of Antarctic ex- Fuchs' book is the story of the first ploration, before the main narrative 30 years of the Falklands Islands begins. It is written in a style which Dependencies Survey (BAS). Sir reflects the very personal experience Vivian was well placed to write this which a period 'down South' rep re- book, as he spent the winters of 1948 sents to those fortunate to have the and 1949 at , and opportunity. It recounts the tragedies returned home to become Director and successes of life on the bases ANTARCTIC March/June, 1985 and the stresses and rewards likely of this important organisation are of during a winter of isolation. The particular interest with its military scientific purposes of the operation and political motivation at that time. is not lost among the tales of adven The book, dedicated to the British ture but are summed up in one of the taxpayer, offers readers an interesting appendices. and useful history of the development It is fortunate that such a record of BAS. — Howard Chapman has been produced, for the early days

ANTARCTIC SOCIETY

Conservation Trophy awarded.

Dr Laurie Greenfield, a biologist during 1980-81 with an investigation with New Zealand's Canterbury Uni of moss, algae and their associated versity, has been awarded the Antarc insect faunas along old drainage tic Society's Conservation Trophy for channels. 1985. The award marks his recog The work was extended briefly nition of the plant and animal microbe into the dry valley region. The re system in the McMurdo Sound area sults subsequently led Dr Greenfield and his educational efforts relating to to participate in joint NZARP and its protection. BAS projects based mainly at Cape The Trophy, an emporer penguin Bird to determine the factors and carved in walnut, is awarded by the processes affecting plant establish Council of the Society each year, if ment in Antarctica as well as the inter possible, to any person or organisation action of plants and microbiota and contributing significantly to any as the physiology and biochemistry of pect of Antarctic or sub-Antarctic soil microflora in relation to nitrogen conservation which in this context transformation. includes the preservation of flora and As well as initiating long term fauna, buildings, sites, artifacts of studies on the environmental protec historic significance and of the natural tion of soil microbial colonies, Dr features of Antarctica or the sub- Greenfield has promoted the mapping Antarctic. The recipient is normally of plant distribution in the Ross associated with New Zealand activities. Dependency with a view to long term There have been 12 such awards protection. He has established a repu since 1972. tation among his students and associ Dr Greenfield's studies began with ates as an advocate of Antarctic con measurements of the microbial bio servation both through education and mass of soils and marine sediments the application of simple rules of con near White Island in the 1978-79 duct while in Antarctica. season, and continued at Cape Bird New Zealand Antarctic Society Inc.

The New Zealand Antarctic Society was formed in 1933. It comprises New Zealanders and overseas friends, many of whom have seen Antarctica for themselves and all of whom are vitally interested in some phase of Antarctic exploration, development or research. Yearly subscription is NZS15.00; this entitles members to: Antarctic which is published quarterly in March, June, September and December. It is the only periodical in the world which gives regular up to date news of the Antarctic activities of all nations at work in the far south It has a world wide circulation. (Airmail postage is extra.)

Newsletters for New Zealand members, many of whom are able to attend the regular meetings held by the Wellington and Canterbury branches Annual newsletters are sent to overseas members. You are invited to join: North Island residents should write to the:

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Bulletin only membership is available to libraries and other institutions at NZS 13.00 a year. Airmail postage is extra. Student membership of the Society is NZS 10.00. uoi6u!||9M '■pn luud u|ooun ^q poiuud

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