A NEWS BULLETIN published quarterly by the NEW ZEALAND ANTARCTIC SOCIETY

ON HISTORIC GROUND

A pair of Adelie Penguins nest in an old box left at Cape Royds by Shackleton's expedifion, 1907-09. Photo: Dominion Museum, N.Z.

VOL. 2, No. 7 SEPTEMBER, '1960 Antarctica

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bOOS.

O· E. w.

DRAwN Bv ~ANOS 10. )'JIl.\(T 0[1'1..1': 1 (Successor to, "Antarctic News Bulletin")

VOL. 2, No. 7 SEPTEMBER, 1960

Editor: L. B. Quartermain, M.A., 1 Ariki Road, Wellington, E.2, New Zealand. Business Communications, Subscriptions, etc., to: Secretary, New Zealand Antarctic Society, P.O. Box 2110, Wellington, N.Z.

READ THIS IF YOU WANT TO ANTARCTI'C C'ONFERENCE SEE THE ANTARCTIC A conference is to be held follow­ The Superintendent of the Ant­ ing ratification by all twelve na­ arctic Division, D.S.I.R., has invited tions of the Antarctic treaty signed the Council of the New Zealand last year.banning military weapons Antarctic Society to nominate' for s~itable .from Antarctica and providing for selection volunteers for up international co-operation in scienti­ to fic research. Officials of the Aus'tra­ TWO MONTHS' SERVICE IN lian External Affairs Department ex­ THE ANTARCTIC. pect that the conference wlll be held The TWO MEN finally selected in Canberra early next year. by the Superintendent' will travel Four of the twelve nations, the to McMurdo SGlUnd by United United Kingdom, Belgium, South States ship about mid-December to Africa and the United' States, have join the _,:":~Nt:t- ratified the treaty. Final drafts of o , RE~rORATION Australia's ratifying legislation are HUTS PARTY being prepared, New Zealand is ex­ (see page 248), and will return to pected to r<;ltify the t~eaty shortly, New Zealand in late January. and the remainder, Norway; Japan, They will NQT be paid, and.will the Soviet Union, France, Argentine, be expected to provide their own and Chile are expected to do so be­ personal clothing. . The Antarctic fore the end of the ye:ai'; Division will provide food, trans­ port and accommodation from time The United States Senate ratified of leaving New Zealand to return, the treaty by 66 to 21. and special Antarctic clothing. A Bill giving effect to the treaty . "Selected applicants will require was introduced in the New Zealand to undergo a medical examination. House of Representatives on August Appointees will be under the con­ 30 by the Prime Minister,' Mr. Nash, trol of the :Superintendent, Antarc­ and was read a first time. tic DiVIsion, and In Antarctica will be responsible to the Leader, Scott S.C.A.R. TO MEET IN NEW Base. Conditions of appointment will be supplied on application to ZEALAND the Secretary, New Zealand Ant­ arctic Society, P.O. Box 2110, Wel­ S.C.A.R., the special committee on lington, to whom applications must Antarctic Research of the Inter­ be sent national Council of Scientific Unions, has been invited to meet next year NOT LATER THAN OCTOBER 15, in Wellington, New Zealand, and the giving age, interests, and general invitation was accepted at the meet­ qualifications for work in the ing held in Cambridge, England, Antarctic. from August 28 to September 3. 246 ANTARCTIC September 1960 NEW ZEALAND PREPARING FOR BUSY SUMMER PROGRAMME Although New Zealand is not this summer mounting so many field journeys as last year, preparations are well in hand for a varied programme of exploration and research stretchin~ from Cape Hallett in the north, as far as the Shackleton Inlet in the south. The Scott Base wintering party Captain P. J. Hunt and G. J. will number 12, comprising: Matterson respectively. The pur­ pose will be to explore the coastal Lieut. L. D. BRIDGE: Leader. area between Barne Inlet and V. E. DONNELLY: Administrative Shackleton Inlet to a depth of 40 Officer. or 50 miles. Both leaders have C. A. CLEMENTS: Senior Scien- wintered a,t Scott Base after taking tist. part in the main southern sno-cat R. SHANAHAN: Scientist. and dog-team expedition last year. R. S. CRANFIELD: Technician. It is expected that after moving P. C. S. GRAHAM: Technician. south across the Ross Ice Shelf U. J. SOBIECKI: Technician. one team will penetrate the area L. O. DUFF: Senior Maintenance adjacent 'to Cape Selborne (80 0 Officer (Mechanical). 20' S.) where the sno-cat crevasse W. R. LOGIE: Maintenance (elec­ accident of November, 1959, re­ trical). sulted in the death of Lieut. T. B. A. M. FOLEY: Maintenance Couzens, and then work south. The (buildings). other team will push further south W. H. DEVERALL: Radio Officer. over the ice-shelf, and will pene­ K. L. FAIRCLOUGH: Cook. trate the coastal mountains in the area of Beaumont Bay (81 0 25' S.) In addition, two members of the 0 Southern survey party will winter or Cape Wilson (82 17' S.). over at Scott Base: The allocation of personnel to P. M. OTWAY: Assistant Sur­ these two teams will be decided veyor. later. Those taking part in the W. H. HERBERT: Assistant Sur­ expedition will be, in addition to veyor. Hunt and Matterson, W. H. Her­ bert and P. M. Otway, assistant During the summer months it is surveyors, who will winter over, expected that two main groups will D. R. Goldschmidt and C. N. be doing field work; a geological Cooper, field assistanits, and M. G. and survey expedition working in Laird and D. N. B. Skinner, the coastal area of southern Vic­ geologists. Goldschmidt was with toria Land between the Barne Inlet 0 last summer's southern field party (80 IS'S.) and the Shackleton Inlet (82 0 22' S.), and a Victoria Univer­ and Cooper with the New Zealand sity of Wellington expedition work­ Alpine Club's expedition in the ing in the KoettUtz Glacier region. Beardmore Glacier area; while Herbert has done field work with the Falkland Islands Dependencies SOUTHERN PARTY Survey. The geological and survey expedi­ tion will be in two groups, led by -see Stop press p 248 Ssptember 1960 ANTARCTIC 247

VICTORIA UNIVERSITY BIOLOGY EXPEDITION B. E. Reid, who last year car­ ried out extensive biological r~ It is expected that for the third search at Hallett Station, where year in succession an experition he wintered, will again go south from the Victoria University of this summer. During October and Wellington will be work·ing in the November he will tbe at Cape Ross Dependency. In the coming Royds and he will then return to season the area to be covered will Hallett. At both places he will be further south than the Dry make re-observations of the pen­ Valley region in which Dr. Bull's guin and skua rookeries in order party in 1958-59 and Dr. Balham's to complete the work undertaken last summer were working. last year. He will be assisted by one of the present Scott Base This year the University team wintering party. proposes to work in the lower Koettlitz Glacier area, south"weS't OCEANOGRAPHY across McMurdo Sound from Cape The emphasis in oceanographi­ Armitage. Parties from Scott's first cal work during the coming season ("Discovery") expedition, 1902-04, will be on a study of water move­ were puzzled by the apparently ments in McMurdo Sound, includ­ "decadent" nature of the Koettlitz ing currents from under the ice­ Glacier snout. One of the major shelf moving between Ross Island tasks which the Victoria University and the mainland. In late October party is setting itself is to examine A. E. Gilmour of the New Zea­ the glacial moraines in an attempt land Oceanographic Institute with to secure definite evidence of the two other members af the Institute recession af the glacier, its nature staff, assisted by two af the scien­ and timing. tists wintering-over at Scott Base, will study from shore-based sta­ Details of the expedition's pro­ tions the currents under the ice­ gramme have not yet been finalised. shelf. The personnel as at present planned After the arrival of H.M.N.Z.S. is - R. H. Wheeler, Geography "Endeavour" in McMurdo Sound Dept., V.U.W., Leader; Dr. Colin the work will be continued from Bull, leader of the 1958-59 V.UW. the ship. expedition and member of earlier Travelling south on "Endeavour" Greenland expeditions, Physicist; G. Harlen and another scientist Dr. H. R. Black, of the United of the Oceanographic Institute, States National Science Foundation assisted by two appointees to the at present studying in New Zea­ Antarctic Division, will carry out land, Geologist; lan H. G. Willis, further oceanographical work. In­ V.U.W. geology sutdent and a mem­ vestigations may be made on the ber of last year's University party, line Macquarie Island-Balleny Is­ Geologist; Roger Cooper, also lands as planned for last year, a geology student of the University. when bad weather interrupted the programme. In McMurdo Sound they will carry out marine bio­ One more member has still to logical studies within a range of be selected. A gravimeter will be 100 miles from Scott Base and carried by the party, and Wheeler, extend the work already under­ Bull and Cooper Will carry out a taken by Gilmour's hydrological gravity survey as well as ordinary party, thus completing phase 3 of survey work with theodolite. last summer's planned programme. 248 ANTARCTIC September \960 1. f. THE OLD HUTS AT THE BASE While it is not planned to erect During the period November­ any new buildings at Scott .B~se January a New Zealand party will this year, some of the eXlstmg be working at Scott's old hut ~t buildincrs will be reconstructed so Cape Evans and at Shackleton s as to C>provide additional storage hut at Cape Royds, with the object space. A covered way will also be of restoring them to a condition constructed between the Base build­ more in keeping with their historic ings proper and the future store­ importance. room. The small hut at Cape Royds is The Otter aircraft which was pur­ relatively clear of ice and snow, chased from the Americans will and biologists Young and Taylor not be re-conditioned in time for occupied it for some months last use in the Antarctic this season, summer. The Cape Evans hut on but the United States VX6 squad­ the other hand, the home of ron will assist the New Zealand "Scott's Last Expedition", is largely field parties by putting in food ice-filled, and even the otherwise depots for use this season. ice-free portion has a two-foot car­ Mr. G. W. Markham, Superin­ pet of ice on the floor. The clear­ tendent of the Antarctic Division, ing of this hut will be the party's will again visit the Antarctic this major task. It is not intended to summer. He will make a personal make the old huts "museum pieces" study of conditions at the joint but to restore them as far as United States-New Zealand station possible to the condition they were at Cape Hallett. in when the explorers of 50 years Among others who will spend Glaciers. In preparation for ,the work Named after Lieut.-Cdr. F. R. Brooke, ahead, all available prospective R.N., leader of the 1957 NOI1thern members of the ,wintering-over and Survey Party. summer field parties attended a Odell' Glacier, draining north-east briefing course at Wallis House, from the south-west side of Mt. Lower Hutt, from September 12 to Brooke into the Mawson Glacier. 15. Among the experienced instruc­ Named after Professor N. E. Odell, tors at the course were Dr. R. A. Everest climber, who was at the Falla and Dr. R. G. Simmers (both time on the staff of Otago (N.Z.) members of the late Sir Douglas University. Mawson's 1929-31 Expedition). Mr. Allan Nunatak in the most south­ J. H. ("Bob") Miller (deputy leader west source of the Mawson Glacier. N.Z. component, Trans-Antarctic Ex­ Named after Professor R. S. Allan pedition), D. Wright (the photo­ of the University of Canterbury. grapher who went with Sir Edmund Mount Warren, on the plateau edge Hillary to the South Pole), R. 1. at the south-west corner of the Skel­ Walcott (of F.LD.S. and last year's ton Neve. Named after Guyon War­ New Zealand summer field party) ren of the Northern Survey and E. S. Wedgwood (cook at 1957-58 Scott Base 1958-59). Another speaker Party, TAE. was Cdr. Chester Knowles, The lOO-mile long glacier which U.S.N., a veteran of Operation High discharges into the Rass Ice Shelf Jump and now U.S. Naval Attache at Barne Inlet, explored by Ayres in New Zealand. and Carlyon of the N.Z. component TAE., has been named Byrd Glacier.

ANTARCTIC DIPLOMAT Mr. L. V. Shcherbakov, a gradu­ STOP PRESS a1e of the High Arctic Navigation It is now likely that the full eight­ School, Moscow, arrived in Welling­ man team (see p. 246) of the south­ ton on August 23 to take up duties ern party wiH penetrate the coastal at the Soviet Legation. He will be area lin the vicinity of Beaumont in charge of matters relating to the Bay. One four-man paI1ty wiU then Antarctic, and, in particular, wiU be move D'OIith to Barne Inlet while the the legation's ~i'aison officer with other group works south as far a's Soviet vessels going to or returning the Sh'ackleton Inlet. from the Antarctic. 250 ANTARCTIC September 1960 WINTER AT SCOTT BASE The twelve New Zealanders who have spent the winter at Scott Base have been busily occupied with the base chores and the maintenance of the scientific programme which is the base's principal purpose. June and the first half of July the snow. The wings of an Ameri­ for the most part provided ideal can Dakota aircraft parked nearby winter weather-calm and clear, were at the end of June level with with temperatures in the minus the surrounding snow surface. forties. A blizzard at the end of Two miles from Scott Base an June blew for three days at a American oceanographer had dug general strength of from 55 to 65 a hole through the sea-ice, there 12 m.p.h., reaching 87 m.p.h. at one feet thick, and constructed a hut stage. There were lesser ones on round it so that he and his assis­ the 10th and 11th of July, of 40 to tants could carry out their daily 50 m.p.h. Between them they piled work in reasonable comfort. But up huge drifts round the Base. he found the hut sinking under the The highlight of June was, of weight of the accumulated snow, course, the Mid-winter's Day party with the danger that the water on the 22nd. A lavish buffet meal from the hole would flood the was prepared by cook Warren, and hut. A bulldozer cleared away in the decorated Mess the table three feet of surface snow for a was crowned with a huge iced hundred feet around, and the level cake. The centrepiece, beautifully of the hut then rose 18 inches. executed in icing, was a massive book opened at the centre with OutSIDE CHORES appropriate mid-winter wording. As far as possible, work during The Commanding Officer, McMurdo, the winter is confined to what can all the officers and scientists and be done inside, but routine main­ some of the men joined in the tenance of various kinds has to be celebration. During the evening a done outside-re-fuelling, snow sup­ telegram was received from Presi­ ply for the melters and dog-feed­ dent Eisenhower sending greetings ing. Re-fuelling involves loading "to the men of all nations working sledges by hand with 44-galIon for the advancement of man's un­ drums of kerosene, hauling them derstanding of the Antarctic" whose by tractor from the fuel-dump to efforts "are daily examples to the the re-fuelling centres and hoisting world of co-operation among men them inside to special compart­ of many nations striving towards ments to thaw out. a common goal". Those at Scott The snow is so dry that it does Base who heard this telegram read not normally congeal-snow-balling out comprised men from the United is impossible~but in intense cold Kingdom, Australia, the United (60 to 90 degrees of frost) the snow States, Norway, Russia and New is solidified to the consistency of Zealand. cake-icing. Feeding the dogs is comparatively SNOW PILES UP simple. Mutton and seal carcasses The extent of 'the snow accumu­ had been cut into six-pound blocks lation can be gauged from the fact with a circular saw before the that at the dog lines the wire winter set in, and each dog receives spans to which the heavy dog one block every second day. These chains are attached were buried, blocks are stone-hard and it needs after three months, three feet under one's full strength with an axe to September 1960 ANTARCTIC 251

chop them into chips and splinters and weather combined to make it so that the dogs can eat them. possible. Loads of three to four COLD DAYS hundred pounds were carried on July and August are normally each sledge. With regular and in­ the coldest months of the Antarctic creasing daylight the runs became year, and this year was no excep­ more frequent and the loads gradu­ tion. Temperatures were well down ally increased. into the minus forties and fifties. The coldest at Scott Base till mid­ LEISURE HOURS August was _59 0 F. On the ice­ Even during the winter, work shelf below the Base temperatures for the Scott Base staff started at were 100 lower still. 8.30 a.m. and for some at least One of the inconvenient effects was often carried on until late in of these low temperatures at Scott the evenings. Leisure hours were Base was their effect on the fuel well filled with a thrice-weekly film used for heaters and diesel gen­ show, phone-call nights with New erators. While the fuel drums lay Zealand three times a week if radio buried in the snow which had conditions permitted, and lectures drifted over the fuel-dump, they of scientific and general interest remained comparatively warm; but each Friday. These lectures were when the 44-gallon containers were held alternately at Scott Base and exposed to the air the fuel froze McMurdo and were given to scien­ down to a jelly-like consistency. tists and support staff of both It could not be pumped or poured. bases. The lectures varied from The drums had then to be stored ionospherics and astronomy through in a warm compartment such as helicopter operation and field sur­ the generator room for several gery to travellers' tales. Particular days to enable the fuel to thaw interest was taken in one on Rus­ out. Refuelling from the dump sian Antarctic activities given by had to be planned well ahead to Sven Etveev, a Russian scientist allow for such delays and for frus­ now 'at McMurdo. Mr. Etveev has trating weather conditions. had several years of Arctic and Fortunately, the wind during Antarctic experience. these coldest days was light. On eleven days in July the wind speed ANTARCTIC OLYMPIC exceeded 35 miles per hour, but Scott Base has its own interna­ there was only one big blow. It tional sporting event, carrying on started very suddenly, as all south­ a long-range chess match with the erly blizzards do, and raged all Russian Lazarev Station, almost day on July 31 from 2 a.m., reach­ diametrically opposite on the edge ing 86 m.p.h. Visibility was re­ of the Antarctic Continent below duced to zero by the blown snow South Africa. The moves are ex­ which was so dry that it was lik~ changed through the Russian Mirny sand. While the men stayed inside Station and McMurdo. A great the dogs on their spans in the open deal of interest centres round the curled up and slept, almost dis­ board when a new move by the appearing under the drift. Russians is received and analysed. During the winter the dogs were After deliberating all implications being prepared for their spring and the implications of correspond­ and summer sledging journeys. ing moves, the one decided on is Four teams of nine dogs each have passed to McMurdo for transmis­ been brought up to a state of sion in their next weekly schedule physical fitness. During the winter with Mirny, who pass it on to they were taken for nms of a few Lazarev. As will be appreciated, hours' duration whenever moon the game is a fairly protracted one. 252 ANTARCTIC September 1960

"Reconstruction of our boudoir WINTER DAYS AT HALLETT by Ray Brown is nearing comple­ The New Zealand members of tion, but the necessary sound-proof­ the Hallett party next year will be: ing to eliminate the odd snores has P. J. MARTIN-Senior Technician. yet to be done. All are now await­ P. A. LOWE-Technician. ing the return of the sun next N. E. STENT-Technician. month. It is difficult to realise that It is intended to effect the relief we have passed mi-winter. We this summer by air. believe, however, that possibly the Antarctic has been kind to us, as the stories told of some extremes Bob Thomson, the New Zea­ have not as yet been experienced lander who is chief scientist at here. Hallett Station this year, writes in "July started with a bang on the light-hearted vein about the rigours 4th when both Americans and Kiwis of winter in "the Banana Belt of celebrated American Independence the Antarctic". Day. At mid-day explosives and "Photography remains the main a bonfire, lit out on the Bay ice, hobby, bright auroral displays dur­ gave a temporary sun, but did not ing the month providing good increase the temperature from material. The weather in June _38 0 F. A special supper was fol­ proved surprisingly good with ap­ lowed by a most enjoyable social proximately 90 per cent. clear skies. evening which somehow drifted on Even on the 21st a red glow was into the late hours of the following visible on the north horizon, pro­ morning. The Cape Hallett tennis viding a short period of welcome championship was won by New semi-light. Zealander Ray Brown. "With the increase in twilight some short hikes across the bay Meanwhile the scientists are en­ ice, including the climbing of large gaged on other deep moves too­ icebergs, brought relief to those after eventually digging through who enjoy exercise and cool fresh twelve feet of ice for the tide air. Except for an odd seal, animal gauge, they installed instruments life had been non-existent during to measure the electric current in the past two months and the the sea-water. Experiments indi­ quietness of the camp was only cated that three more holes through broken by the noise of generators the ice would be required, about a and an occasional human voice. mile from the Base. This time "A clear day and a 3-minute an American explosives team from glimpse of the tip of the sun McMurdo gave great assistance. By peeping over the horizon on July using directionaJ blast from shaped 31st climaxed many days of specu­ charges one hole was successfully lation as to whether a sun still excavated, but the others were existed and reminded us that our obdurate. dark Antarctic winter was now Webster carried on a winter-long over." fight to get the auroral station operating as it should. It meant a number of trips to Arrival The new barracks at Byrd Station Heights (always with at least one may well be the show places of the other man) in the Landrover, but Antarctic. In order to give life and the little vehicle has done marvel­ colour to their drab surroundings, lously well and has always made Navy men have painted the interiors the trip successfully, even if snow­ of the buildings a multi-coloured shovelling was needed at times. assortment of 32 colours. September 1960 ANTARCTIC 253

of Terres Australes et Antarctiques IN ADELIE LAND Francaises, on May 26 selected from the 19 finalis ts two winners: The new French team for Adelie Michel Bron (23), a law student, Land is to leave le Havre on Octo­ will leave in November on the "Gal­ ber 15 on the "Norsel". The nine­ lieni" for Kerguelen, and will return teen men will relieve the fourteen members. of the present expedition, to France a month later with the who will have been at Dumont team being relieved. . Martial Monbeig-Andrieu (21), an d'Urville for twelve months when the relief ship arrives at the base. Arts student, will leave on the "Nor­ Meanwhile the scientific programme sel" with the 11th French expedition has been proceeding according to to Adelie Land. He will return to plan. France after a month's stay at On March 26 an "iona-antenna" Dumont d'Urville Base. was destroyed by a wind of over 125 m.p.h. N'OBWAY~S FINAL On April 11 Chief-Mechanician Jean Morin had his left shoulder dislocated by a fall. The disloca­ Y'EIJlR tion was successfully reduced by As previously reported, Norway Dr. Dumas the following day. Station, in Dronning Maud Land, Sea-ice made its appearance about 70° 30' S 2° 32~ W, has been taken the archipelago from March 8..Stret­ over since the beginning of the year ching before long to the horizon, it by the ~outh African National Ant­ was broken up and 'scattered as the arctic Expedition. result of a violent storm at the end of the month. On the contrary, In July, Norsk Polarinstitutt pub­ most of April was free of storms. lished an outline of the work car­ Claude Lorius, who was the ried out at the station during last French representative with the Vic­ year. This included both station and toria Land traverse last summer, field observations in geomagetism. describes in a letter published in An all-sky camera for the phota­ T.A.A.F. (Il: April-June 1960) the graphy of aurorae operated from three sno-cats' arrival at "Terma February 24 to October 27. In glaci­ Sud" on Christmas Day. ology, snow accumulation ·and ab­ "On the stake planted a year lation measurements were taken, before by Gaston Rouillon's team snow temperature measured, and the Ovalmaltine tin was still in movement of the ice shelf recorded. place. The Americans left a second In January 1960 snow accumulation message, but when will the second studies were also made at Maud­ find take place?" heim:, the site of the Norwegian­ British-Swedish Expedition, 1949­ LUCKY BOYS 1952. General geological reconnais­ At "La Foire de Paris" this sance was carried out at various year, the Ministry of Overseas Ter­ locations in the area 71 ° 20' S, 8° to ritories organised a competition 12° E. Regular meteorological ob­ for young people between the ages servations were also recorded. of 18 and 25. Two questions were Cartography and oblique air put to the competitors, "Why do photographs were obtained of the you want to go to the South Pole"? mountains in the area 70° to 73° S, "What is the name of the famous 0° to 31 ° E, of some mountains west person whom you most admire?" of 0°, and of the ice front from The panel of judges, presided over Kapp Norwegia to 13° E. Maps will by M. Rolland, Chief Administrator be published by Norsk Polarinstitutt. 254 ANTARCTIC September 1960 EIGHT SCIENTISTS PERISH IN FIRE AT RUSSIAN BASE The sincere sympathy of all the nations co-operating in Antarctic exploration and research will be extended to the Soviet Union in the tragic loss of eight lives in a disastrous fire at Mirny Base. . The fire, which occurred on Aug­ Members of the base fought the blaze in a paralysing temperature ust 3, destroyed a meteorological of 50 degrees below zeru Fahren­ building. Of the eight who lost their heit. The screaming wind knocked lives, six were Russians, one a Czech fire-fighters off their feet. Sharp and one a German. They were all blizzard-borne snow crystals blinded trapped in the burning building. and cut them. Tracked motor vehi­ The Russians who died were O. G. cles with fire-fighting gear were Krichak, chief of the aerological­ practically immobile in the snow meteorological section at Mirny; and wind. Visamushkov (no initials available), The Russians report that all their aerologist; A. L. Ergach, meteoro­ records were destroyed except for logist; 1. A. Popov, aerologist; A. M. those of some smaller satellite re­ Belilikov, aerographer; and A. Z. search stations. The four survivors Smirnov, aerologist. The name of the of the aerometeorology section will Czech was reported as A. Kostka, continue their surface and upper and of the German as C. Popp, both air research programme. meteorologists. Mirny, the main Soviet scientific The fire started at a time when base in Antarctica, is believed to there was a wind storm, with gusts comprise about 80 buildings used reaching 126 miles an hour. The for storage, equipment, and housing winds frustrated rescue attempts, for support of exploration work. says the Sydney "Sun-Herald". The base members who made rescue bids McMurdo has 'a Russian scientist were paralysed by the freezing wintering over this year, Sveneldt winds. They were helpless to quench Evteev. Mr. Evlteev's wife, residing in the flames, which ripped through Moscow, recently gave birth to a the wooden flat-roofed base build­ baby girl, the first child for the ings fanned by the roaring blast. young couple. The commander de­ The eight men, all in the weather cided that a celebration was in or­ observatory section of Mirny, lived der. The party consisted of a special in insulated double-walled timber cake, a small buffet, refreshments, buildings heated by fuel stoves. They and good music. The cake was a were trapped inside the building masterpiece of decoraJting skill. It while the whole base was battened presented two pink baby shoes in down to withstand the blizzard. a nest of rosebuds with green leaves The double-walled timber build­ and across the cake written in Rus­ ings are heated by fuel stoves. It is sian with pink icing were ,the words thought that the fire may have been "We congratulate you, Sven". started by an explosion in one of the DateI' ,in the evening all the Ame­ stoves while the men were asleep. ricans present honoured Mr. Evteev Other men of the base, unable to by singing the song "There is a Tav­ go outside in the wind, did not learn ern in the Town", in Russian. LCDR of their plight immediately. Then, Dale h'ad previously translated the despite Mirny's modern equipment, English words into Russian and they were help'less to take effective made mimeographed song sheets so action. that all could join in. September 1960 ANTARCTrc 255 Work at the Russian Bases

After completing the pre-winter ded a Soviet North Pole drifting operations in Queen Maud Land the station. It was announced last month Aviation Section under A. N. Pime­ that the expedition ·will leave Lenin­ nov returned to Lazarev Station. grad on board the motorship "Ob" They were then transported by air about the end of October. to Mirny. Field surveys will be made of cen­ The first harbingers of winter to tral Antarctica and aircraft will be arrive at Haswell Island were four used to help explore the mountain Emperor penguins. Four days after region in the eastern part of Queen this advance guard the first large Maud Land. group of the main body arrived, and soon there were 20,000 birds. Moscow announced on August 31 A four-day blizzard covered Mirny that Lazarev Station will be moved with nearly two feet of snow. from the shelf ice on Princess Astrid The tractor-sledge train supplying Coast to "a new site between 60 and the Komsomolskaya inland station, 125 miles from the coast." headed by B. A. Krasnikov, arrived Between September 25 and Octo­ back at Mirny after a 43-day jour­ ber 10 three tractors under Krasikov ney which covered over 1050 miles, and Ikov will set out on a new route with frosts as heavy as 67 degrees. from Mirny to Vostok, crossing the WHh three heavy tractors drawing old trail at Komso'molskaya. Gravity, sledges the train took fuel to Kom­ magnetic and glacialogical observa­ somolskaya for the spring and sum­ tions will be made on this route. mer trips further ,into the interior. Traverse-leader Korotkevich and two Scientific observations were carried seismologists will join the team at out en route. Vostok, where the new tractors now May Day was celebrated at Mirny at Vostok will take over the haul­ in the midst of a fierce blizzard. ing. This traverse will proceed to A group of geodesists was still the Pole of Inaccessibility, then on to working on the ice cap. Along a 30­ Lazarev, making seismic soundings mile traverse they studied the dis­ every 50 km and gravity observations placement of the ice cover of the every 10 km. continent. A western party led by Chief At Vostok (the South Geomagnetic Glaciologist Ivanov will head south­ Pole) the wintering-over team had east around the east end of the recorded a frost of 79.7 degrees. The Wohlthat Mountains, then in a dir­ average temperature for March was ection which may make possible a _79°F. Planes from Mirny had de­ meeting with the eastern party. livered food, fuel and miscellaneous supplies and equipment during Right from the first days of their March. stay in the Antarctic members of In February an aircraft arrived the 5th Expedition began to prepare from the Belgian King Baudouin for these treks into the interior. The Station. On board was Prince de eastern sledge-tractor train left for Ligne, a member of the group of Komsomolskaya Station, where it Belgians rescued last year by the delivered fuel for this trek. aircraft ,crew of Pilot Perov. The western cross-country sledge train was winterised on February NEXT YEAR'S WORK 10 at a point 70° 24' 5" S., 12° 44' E. Next year"s expedition will be led The crew were tran'sferred to Laz­ by Valentin Driatsky, who comman- arev Station. 256 ANTARCTIC September 1960

It is expected thalt "Ob" will ar­ WEATHER STATIONS rive at Lazarev Station about Decem­ Further details are to hand con­ ber 10. cerning the three temporary weather At the new inland station an air­ stations the setting up of which field is planned which will take was announced in our last (June) heavy wheeled aircraft. Several geo­ issue, p. 217. The new stations have logical and photogrammetric .teams been established 'in both coastal and will spend the summer at the new interior regions as part of an exten­ base. sive programme of detailed study Plans for the autumn and winter of the circulation of the atmos­ field work at Mirny have been re­ phere. vised. In August glaciological pit studies, "DERUZHBA" three seismic profiles and approxi­ An article in "Pravda" on May 27 mately 15 gravity points will be stated that at Deruzhha, set up at made on Pabeda Island. Between the end of April on Zavadovski Is­ September 25 'and October 10 three land, the meteorologist A. Dergach, traotors will take a new route to with a radio operator and a Czecho­ Vostok, crossing the old trail at Kom­ slovak aerologist, had already been somolskay.a. Gravity, magnetic and making observations at the station glaciological observations will be for three weeks. Ll-2 flights were made on this route. Traverse leader necessary to carry in radiosondes Korotkevich and two seismologists and chemicals for the production of will join the train at Vostok where hydrogen. two new tractors now at Vostok will take over the hauling. This tra­ "MlR" verse will proceed to the Pole of Mir, which is situated about 55 Inaccessibility, then toward Lazarev miles north of Mirny on Drygalski s1tation making seismic soundings Island, was established on May 20. every 50 km and gravity observa­ Personnel and equipment were flown tions every 10 km. in and three men remained at the station, 'an aerologist, a radio oper­ ator and an East German meteoro­ (STOP PRESS) logist. The three weather stations refer­ At all three stations, meteorologi­ red -to in the following columns have cal, actinometric and aerological ob­ now ceased operation. Deruzhba servations were made, including operalted from April 28 and Mir from radiosondes. The results were trans­ May 20, till the beginning of August, mitted by radio to Mirny and in­ and Pobeda from May 9 -till the end corporated in the general synoptic of August. summaries disseminated throughout They were aB tJ;rree automatic and the world. were installed as far as 1,000 k.m. from the coast. On Pobeda the auto­ "POBEDA" matic radio meteorological station Pobeda is on an immense ice-berg operated most successfully. Further approximately 200 miles north-east plans are not quite settled. of Mirny and north of the Shackle­ ton Ice Shelf. The equipment was Contradictory reports received flown in during May on ,two trans­ concerning Pimenov's IL-14 flight port planes. The colossal berg on from Lazarev to Mirny were due to which the station stands was dis-, the fact that the distance in one covered in 1957 by Russian explorers case was measured along the coast. on an aerial ice reconnaissance. The time was 11 hours 30 minutes. Several thousand square miles in The altitude was 5,OOOm. extent, it is apparently aground on September 1960 ANT ARC T'I C 257 a shoal. Four Soviet specialists THE ICE SLOPE worked at the station, where it was Four geodesists and a tractor­ proposed to make glaci010gical pit driver during May were conducting studies, three seismic profiles, and research into the glaciaI slope ex­ approximately 15 gravity points dur­ tending north from the shores of the ing August. Davis Sea. In severe winter condi­ tions, they studied the movement The newspaper "Water Trans­ of the glacier along the 30-miJe port" on May 19 gave an interesting route. In 1957 glaciologists set up account of the setting-up of "Pobeda" landmarks here and determined by Ll-2 aircraft. their co-ordination. The last spot "The main task .today has been was situated 2750 feet above sea­ landing colleagues of another tem­ level. The new team discovered porary station on a gigantic iceberg, nearly all the marks. They were re­ situated north of the Shackleton ice placed and fresh c(N)rdinates deter­ shelf. mined. This work will provide im­ "The weather favoured our flight portant data concerning the move­ eastward from Mirny. There lies the ment of the glacier during the last Shackleton shelf, extending 150 kilo­ three years along the 30 miles from metres into the Indian Ocean and Mirny, stretching into the depths of nearly 500 along the coastline. Fur­ the continent. Provided Mirny stands ther to the north we see frozen sea firm on the ice, held between the and individual icebergs merged into rock mounds outcropping from be­ the ice. low, the ice on the "outskirts" of "Beneath the wing of the aero­ the settlement will move with a plane there lies a colossal iceberg. velocity of up to 100 ·feet per year. In places its snow-covered 'Surface is intersected by small tracks. The CZECHOSLOVAK SCIENTISTS edges of the iceberg are heavily snowed under, and in a number of WITH RUSSIANS places smooth slopes descend to the One of the men who lost their sea ice. Obviously, many years ago, lives in the tragic fire at Mirny was this giant tore itself away from the Dr. Oldrich Kostka of the Hydro­ Shackleton ice shelf and, drifting meteorological Institute of Prague, away, struck a submerged elevation. Czechoslovakia. Dr. Kostka, one of Here it remained grounded. two Czechoslovak scientists who flew "Choosing a suitable space, Pilot to Russia on November 21 to join A. Pimenov landed the heavy trans­ the Fifth Soviet Antarctic Expedi­ port plane. The gangway was low­ tion, was attached to the Synoptic ered,and the first people landed on and Meteorological section. His 1!ask the surface of this ice giant. Swiftly was to take samp'les of rainfall dur­ we unload stores, and then welcome ing the voyage of ·the "Kooperatzia" A. Barabanov's aircrew. Within an and of ice-crystals in the Antarctic, hO\.)r a sturdy winter tent has been where he was concerned also with set up and all stores collected 'ice temperature measurements, around it. aerological soundings and the pro­ "When ,the aircraft departed for blems of air-circulation. Mirny it left behind on the iceberg The other Czechoslovak with the Meteorologist ·B. Deryugin, Aerolo­ Russians is Oldrich Prauss of the gist M. Kalikhman, Astronomer V. Geophysical Institute, Prague. His Maltsev, and Wireless Operator V. principal study is the variations of Skripko. They have before them the electromagnetic field of the nearly two months of scientific ob­ earth. He is also studying whistlers servations at the station, which we with the help of apparatus con­ have named Pobeda." structed at the. Institute. 258 ANTARCTI.C September 1960 RUSSIAN ANTARCTIC VESSEL'S FIVE MONTHS' CRUISE When the diesel-electric vessel "Ob" arrived back in Lenin­ grad in April, the ship had been at sea for over five months. She had covered more than 29,000 miles, nearly 2,000 of them through ice-fields, and had circumnavigated the Antarctic Continent. " Most of the scientists and sailors shown a great degree of skill. How­ were no newcomers to the Antarc- ever, 40 miles from the s'tation the tic. Out of 77 men only 16 were com- Japanese vessels were brought to pleting their first Antarctic voyage, a halt by a completely unbroken while 33 had taken part in three or pack of ice" which it would have more. required a great deal of time to break through. "Ob" hove to hard INTO THE PACK by a suitable glacier, and the Rus­ Ice was encountered at an un­ sians began to transport their stores usually early stage in the journey. to the station by helicopter. After On the way to Lazarev Station from completing unloading operations Capetown "Ob" had to navigate sev­ they set sail for the Australian sta­ eral hundred miles of ice. The last tion, Mawson. 150 miles were particularly difficult. There seemed to be an impasse. The MAIL FOR MAWSON heavy hummocky ice was so tightly The Russians ·were the first to ar­ packed, that the vessel was often rive at Mawson, as the Australian trapped by it, and a lot of Uime was expedition's ship "Thala Dan" had spent freeing her. left Melbourne only that day. The On December 19 came the joyful "Ob" was enthusiastically greeted meeting with friends at Lazarev. by the Australians, who now received "We had abandoned them to the their first mail sent via Capetown. winter nearly ten months ago," ·In the Mirny region on January writes Captain Dubinin in a Soviet 13 the "Ob" encountered the "Koop­ newspaper, "at the newly organised eratsiya". It took 12 days to make station in Queen Maud Land. All a channel through the ice from the looked cheerful and weB. The splen­ edge of the floe to the unloading did quarters at the station were depot off Hasrwell Island, and to spotlessly clean. We unloaded over pilot the "Kooperatsiya" there. On 800 tons of cargo and delivered it to the evening of January 31, after her the station." The cargo included two men had said goodbye to the win­ heavy tractors and two "Penguin" tering party and those who were cross-country vehicles, which will be returning home on the "K'Ooperait­ used in the proposed traverse siya", "Ob" set sail for the north. from Lazarev to the Pole of Relative She now received new orders to Inaccessibility for the purpose of proceed to a rendezvous with the glaciological research. two whaling flotillas "Sovietskaya Next port of call was the Japa­ Ukraina" and "Slava". They were nese station, Showa, which the Jap­ encountered on February 9 in the anese iceJbreaker "Soya" had unsuc­ Southern Ocean. Loading operations cessfully tried to reach. In the ship's here were not so s,imple in the open path lay huge fields of broken, but sea. The vessels, moored side by practically motionless pack ice. The side, tossed in Ithe swell. There Japanese under Captain Aki'ta had were moments when one ship found Secptember 1960 ANTARCTIC 259

itself on the crest of a wave while Peter Jst Island in excellent visibi­ the other wallowed in the trough; cliffs of the west shore, gloomy in then the positions would be re­ their wild splendour, the white versed. This wild dance continued peaks vanishing into the clouds, the for hour after hour, day 'after day. glaciers on the east shore evenly As shock absorbers between the ves­ descending towards the sea, all com­ sels, "Ob's" crew used whale car­ bine to make an unforgettable pic­ casses and special inflatable rubber ture." balloons. Sometimes the balloons, When the "Ob" circumnavigated unable to withstand the pressure Peter 1st Island in excellent visibi­ exerted by the ships, would burst lity, on March 10, and navigators with an explosion like gunfire, and Zatonsky and Barinov entered the the sound of grinding metal. Even results obtained by radio-location the strongest capron cables snapped survey on the map of 'the island, it like thread. The ships had to dis­ was found that the measurements, engage for a while, and then renew configuration and topography of the loading operations. island differed from those shown PETER I ISLAND on the map. In particular, the length "Finally," says Captain Dubinin, of the island is 9.5 miles, whereas "we finished. Once again it is fare­ the most recent surveys show it as well. We head eastwards continuing 14.2 miles. our voyage round the sixth contin­ Scientific work en route was car­ ent. We traverse the Ross and Am­ ried out by a group of nine scien­ undsen Seas. At last, we approach tists. THIS IS LAZAREV STATION The Russian Lazarev Station was built in February 1959, on the western coast of a shallow glacier of the same name, six miles from its junction with the main ice sea-board of the Princess Astrid Coast, Queen Maud Land. The approximate co-ordinates of and is covered in places with dense the station are 69° 58' S., 12° 55' E.; snowdrifts which make for easier its aItitude above sea level is about access to the station from the sur­ 80 feet. The no.rmal winter party face of the sea ice. comprises six scientis'ts and five The shallow Lazarev glaoier has support personnel. the shape of a Itongue, projecting The station consists of three main northward away from the main structures: (1) The main building, coastline for 45 miles. The breadth housing the rad~o-meteorological of the "tongue" is between 13° and centre, messroom, galley, living 16° E., equal to approximately 50 quarters, stores, ba·th-house, laun­ miles. On previous maps this glacier dry 'and electric-generating plant; has been incorrectly shown as lying (2) an aerological pavilion; and (3) between 11 ° and 14° E. a reserve building with emergency A fairly broad zone of shore ice wireless sets and a small generating from 9° to 13° E. is under observa­ plant. Apart from these, there are tion. Its breadth varies from 12 to meteorological and glaciological 43 miles. areas close 10 the station. All the The ice barrier in the same sector station structures are approximately is broken by wedge-shaped bays a mile from the coastal barrier, several miles long, bounded by which has a height of about 20 feet old sea lice more than 9 feet in 260 ANTARCTIC . September 1960

thickness. The thickness of the fixed The Schirrmacher Oasis is situ­ ice on the near approaches to 'the ated SS miles south-south-west of station in February, 1959, was ap­ Lazarev station. It is a replica in proximately 6 feet. miniature of the now well-studied Banger Oasis. It is just such a The "tongue" of the Lazarev glacier craggy, shapeless group of hills with rests upon a ridge of submarine numerous lakes of melted snow and, shoals and possibly even islands, possibly, residual wa'ter. now buried 'beneath the accumula­ tions of shore ice. Such areas are The mountain massifs of Wohl­ marked by domes, projections and that, Alexander Humboldt and zones of intensive cracking on the others within the research area surface of the glader. However, on reach maximum altitudes of 11,000 the whole this surface is level and feet. Their bases are often concealed covered with snow. Its absolute alti­ 'by slips and vast moraine fields. tude varies between 80 and 180 feet. To the north and east of the Wohl­ that massif there are soliitary moun­ The depth of the ocean at the tain peaks with maximum altitudes western coast of the Lazarev glacier of from 2,500 to 10,000 feet. A Jarge varies from 2,000 feet in the vicinity group of such peaks was discovered of the station to 500 feet 18 miles in the vicinity of 72° S., 18° E. This 'to the north of it. Apparently such group of newly discovered peaks was variation in depth indicates the ex­ named the Russian Mountains. istence in the neighbourhood of the Lazarev station of a deep submarine During the year the station ac­ trough, which here cuts the contin­ cumulates an average of 3 feet of ental shelf of the mainland. It is snow, bu't in the course of two bliz­ probable that it rorms part of a zards during the period of construc­ single gigantic trench which borders tion the height of the snowdrifts by the ocean coast of Eastern Antarc­ the station buildings reached roof­ flca, and is marked by a series of level. coastal breaks in the continent. According to the figures of neigh­ bouring Norwegian and Belgian The coastal zone of shore ice ex­ stations, situated west and east of tends as far as the border of the Lazarev staltion respectively, in July Schirrmacher Oasis, where it gives (winter) the average monthly tem­ way to mighty accumulations of perature to be expected here is continental ice. Immediately 'beyond ahout _13°, and in January (sum­ the oasis the altitude of the ice cap mer) approximately 23°F. rapidly begins to increase, and al­ Vegetation in the area described ready at a distance of three miles consists of blue-green algae, found to the south of it it rises to 1600 in the lakes of the Schirrmacher feet and over. Oasis, and various lichens found at The northern foothills of the altitudes of up to 5000 feet on the Wohlthat mountain massif, 93 miles northern and western slopes of the from the coast, have an ice cap pinnacles and mountain massif of ranging from 3,000 to 5,000 feet in Wohlthat. At the Schirrmacher height, and on the southern slopes Oasis and in crevices of the rocks of the same massif from 8,000 to nearby mosses have been found. 10,000 feet. Further to the south Storm petrels and gulls ·are seen stretches the level surface of the in the mountains, and in the coastal interior glacial plateau of Antarc­ zone individual Adelie and Emperor flca, which .ascends evenly jn the penguins, seals, whales and a few direction of the Pole of Relative other representatives of the animal Inacc€;'ssibility. world.. ' S"ptember 1960 ANT ARC TIC 261 Australian Antarctic Activities Plans were announced on September 6 for the 1961 Australian National Antarctic Research Expedition. Work at the four Australian sta- Land) and overhaul the existing tions will continue at approximately automatic weather station at Lewis the same level. In 1961 there will be Island. Further exploration of the 37 men at Mawson,' 23 at Wilkes, 9 coasts of Wilkes Land and Dates at Davis and 14 at Macquarie Is- Land will be carried out. A Beaver land. aircraft and possibly two helicop- Exploration and mapping in the ters will be carried. Mawson-Davis region will be con- "Magga Dan" is scheduled to leave tinued, using a Dakota aircraft and Melbourne on December 1 for the a Beaver. Tractors, weasels and Macquarie relief, and on December Snowtracs will be used by surface 24 for the relief of Wilkes. She will field parties. then head for Perth, leaving Perth From Wilkes a tractor train will for Mawson on January 28. proceed 300 miles inland to measure The Assistant Director of the Divi­ ice depths on the Antarctic plateau sion, Mr. D. F. Styles, will relieve by seismic methods. Three United Mawson and Davis Stations using States meteorologists and a geolo- M.V. "Thala Dan" (Captain H. C. gist will join the Australian scien- Petersen) and carry out coastal ex­ tists at Wilkes for 1961. ploration of Enderby Land in the Major weather investigations will vicinity of Casey Bay. This ship will continue at all four stations. Biolo- call at the Russion station at Mirny gical research will be expanded in and the French station at Kergue­ 1961, with two biologists at Mac- len during the voyage. quarie Island and two at Wilkes. "Thala Dan" is to leave Melbourne Glaciologists will conduct new on January 3, arriving at Mirny on studies at Wilkes and Mawson. January 18, Davis on January 27 and Auroral research at Mawson will be Mawson on January 30. developed and a new cosmic ray re­ corder will be installed at Wilkes. MAWSON Gcom"gnetism and seismology will From reports received from Hec. be studied at Mawson, Wilkes and Geysen, leader at Mawson, it would Macquarie Island, and ionospheric appear that the Dakota aircraft was soundings will proceed at Mawson twice during the winter the focus of and Wilkes. attention. The firs·t was on May 12, Improved radio facilities will be when in the course of being pulled developed at Mawson and Wilkes to by tractor from the plateau to sea cope with the expanding traffic de­ level it overran the tractor and de­ mands at both stations. spite all efforts to avoid a collision During the relief voyages the ex­ serious damage was done to a wing. pedition leaders plan to carry out Valiant efforts by all Antarctic the following work:- Flight, combating the worst of Ant­ The Director of the Antarctic arctic conditions, eventually repair­ Division of the Department of Ex­ ed the damage and history was made ternal Affairs, Mr. P. G. Law, will just after midday on June 14, when relieve Wilkes Station, using M.V. with the sun just below the hori­ "Magga Dan" (Captain W. Peder­ zon the Dakota took off from Maw­ sen). He will establish a new auto­ son Harbour, and at last was air­ matic weather station at Chick Is­ borne. Celebrations were such on land (near Cape Southard, Wilkes this occasion that when midwinter 262 ANTARCTIC September 1960 came one week later, Mawson re­ DAVIS cords the quietest midwinter's day In the early winter the arrival of in history. the Mawson doctor and party pro­ vided a welcome interlude to those VISIT TO DAVIS at Davis station. During the visit of The medical officer at Mawson this party by Beaver the aircraft Dr. Geoff. Newton, was flown by was put to good use by flying a Kichenside and Came on May 17 party of Davis people to the Amanda to carry out a medical check up on penguin rookery 50-odd miles to the the Davis party. The party from south. A count of three thousand Mawson stayed for 5 days being birds was made with approximately forced to return by the fast approach half that number carrying eggs. of winter. Field activities continued The remainder of the winter ap­ at Mawson throughout the entire pears to have passed without in­ winter, with trips to the penguin cident, the one highlight being the rookeries at Taylor, Foldoya, and celebration of mid-winter day. Tem­ Kloa, and trips to check the stake peratures ranged from minus 25 to lines between Mount Henderson and plus 21 Fahrenheit, with a mean David Range. Trips were made by temperature of .minus 3.2 degrees weasel and by truck and even by Fahr. The maximum wind speed was man-hauling. On two occasions when 69 knots with three blizzard periods the field parties were unable to move all during the month of June. further the Beaver aircraft flew out and brought in the parties or ren­ dered assistance. The man-hauling WILKES STATION attempt of Kakharoff, Dyer and Dick Harry Black's news from the Aus­ to reach a small colony of Emperor tralia-V.S. station at Wilkes is most­ penguins only twice before sighted ly of the scientific programme. <;leserved mor~ success than the The meteorologists at Wilkes at­ . weather allowed, but the party tained the greatest radiosonde bal­ stranded in Le~P snow two miles loon heights of all Antarctic stations from their goal, after several days during May with an average height of blizzard. However a weasel trip of 84,638 feet and a maximum of by Newton, Jennings, and Merrick 109,796 feet. Field trips in the early on July 23 took them the 53 miles winter were restricted by the long to Taylor Glacier in one day in time hours of darkness although some to see the first Emperor chicks weasel trips were made to the Plat­ hatch. eau. Throughout the winter a series of The first Emperor penguins came lectures on aspects of the scientific ashore on May 6, giving plenty of programme and on navigation pro­ scope for the photographers of the fitably passed the time. party. Midwinter celebrations at Wilkes stretched over two days, during TIME MARCHES ON which a four-way radio-telephone Castleberg, a huge iceberg about hook-up between the four Austra­ five miles off Mawson and two miles lian Antarctic bases, Mawson, Mac­ from the coast and which has been quarie, Davis, and Wilkes was ar­ grounded since the foundation of ranged. Following a seven-course Mawson ha!) shown some move­ meal with appropriate toasts to Her ment. Part of it has overturned and Majesty and to the President, the appears to be afloat. It is possible revelries of the "Wilkes Players" and that during the coming summer the the "Mohawks", saw the sun over whole berg may go out. the hump. September 1960 ANTARCTIC 263

July at Wilkes was notable for ex­ On July 7 the first anniversary of tremes of weather with a blizzard the death of Hartley Robinson, a gusting to 103 miles per hour and pilgrimage was made to his grave a record low temperature of minus by all members of the Wilkes party. 36 F. Hartley Robinson was accidentally Richard Penney, one of the Ameri­ killed at Wilkes on July 7, 1959. can members of the Wilkes party, is carrying out a two-year study of An Australian newspaperman who the behaviour and numbers of the phoned Wilkes station on Tuesday, Adelie penguins, some 75,000 of August 9, was told by Harry Black, whom are scattered in rookeries on officer in charge, "We're quite snug this part of the coast of Antarctica. inside. It's blowing about 100 m.p.h. The Met. staff have been busy olitside, but it's a comparatively mild during July on short field trips of night ... only 14 below freezing. ten miles to the remote weather Usually at this time of the year we're station on the ice-cap. down to anything up to 60 below." AUSTRALIANS AND RUSSIANS TRACE GREAT VALLEY Soviet scientists believe that the central land mass of the Antarctic is cleft by a tremendous depression, the northern portion of which has already been mapped by Australian explorers. The Russians have named the de­ However, as the Russians reached pression the International Geophy­ the Pole of Inaccessibility the ice sical Year Valley in acknowledge­ sloped down slightly and the land ment of the role played by Austra­ Ibeneath it dropped radically. lians, Britons and Americans in Sir Vivian Fuchs and his men on progressively bringing it to light. their trans-Antarctic journey in Where the depression reaches the 1957-58 observed a similar drop at Indian Ocean, it is filled by what is the South Pole. probably the world's largest glacier. Twenty-five miles on either side of Australians have charted this the Pole, the ice-buried land is 7,000 mountain·flanked river of ice for to 8,000 feet above sea level, but at more than 200 miles, and have the Pole its level drops about 6,000 named it the Lambert Glacier, in feet. honour of Mr. P. B. Lambert, Direc­ The ice-buried trough reported by tor of the Australian Mapping Divi­ the Russian scientists is the second sion, Canberra. to have emerged from the explora­ If the valley,. or the down-fault­ tion of Antarctica during the Inter­ ing of which it is a part, extends to national Geophysical Year of 1957­ the South Pole, it will be more than 58. 1,300 miles long. The first, discovered by a series of The view that the feature extends American tractor journeys, is thought far inland is based primarily on to link the Ross Sea and the Bel­ soundings of the ice sheet by a So­ lingshausen Sea. viet tractor party travelling to the A trough has also been found run­ Pole of Inaccessibility. On the way, ning along at least part of the nor­ the Russians passed 1O,000-foot thern side of Antarctica's main mouritains buried under 3,300 feet mountain system, the great Antarc­ of ice. tic horst. 2M ANTARCTIC September 1960 News from Base Roi Baudouin We have received through the courtesy of the Belgian National Centre for Polar Research the following additional notes on activities at the Belgian Roi Baudouin Base before and during the winter.

Major Derom, the Base Leader, end of April, but in May there was reported in late May the satisfac­ an accumulation of four inches. tory carrying out of "Operation The stakes set up in 1958 were not Winter Garden", in which eight men recovered. with three dog-teams and a sno-cat On April 11 the new generator brought in the seals earlier stored broke down, but repairs were soon at depots between Base Roi Bau­ effected. douin and Glacier Bay. The opera­ tion was completed in almost one GEOLOGICAL SURVEY week. Glaciological observations A geological laboratory was set were carried out en route. up during May, and this enabled During the winter months, as in considerable work to be done on previous years, radio propagation the geological specimens brought was "capricious", but a distinct im­ back from the over-snow traverse of provement was anticipated within a October 22-May 1. This was the first couple of months. The Base weather geological survey ever carried out men celebrated the 200th success-, in the western part of the SOl' Ron­ ful ba]]oon-Iaunching. dane Mountains. The travelling was done with dog-teams, with the aid The Base corridors became a of aircraft and mechanised vehicles lively kindergarten fo]]owing the to establish depots. birth of nine splendid puppies, who In a journey of over 1240 miles, enjoyed themselves whole heartedly an area of some 8,000 square miles among Jthe reserve food stocks. was roughly mapped between Lunc­ Little Ginette, at ten weeks old, was kerygge and a nunatak at 72° 10' S, already the Base mascot. 20° 20' E. The furthest nunataks vis­ The ceiling and wa]]s of the base ited were situated 18 miles west of living-room have been repainted in Blacklettane: the nun:ataks sighted bright colours. extended as far as 37 miles west of Blacklettane. More than 1,000 k.g. of geological specimens were brought ACCUMULATION back to the Base, and examined over In April the glaciologists set up the winter in the base laboratory. lines of aluminium stakes a mile Lichens and mosses were also col­ and a half south of the Base: eleven lected. Petrel nesting sites were ob­ stakes on a north-south axis at in­ served on granitic peaks. tervals 'of 200 metres and eleven At the most westerly nunatak con­ on an east-west axis at the same siderable exposures of marble were intervals. A]] the stakes stood eight noted. No extensive mineral traces feet above snow-level, the then level were observed, but iron oxide, sul­ being clearly marked with red paint. phides, malachite and graphite were In addition, stakes were erected at found in sma]] quantities. the corners of a 68-foot square, and A general recession of glaciation connected by a cord. There was no was noted. Glacial deposits were significant accumulation up to the found on a]] outcrops today free of September 1960 ANTARCTIC 265 ice. Aeolian erosion was very ex­ tensive. JAPAN'S EFFORT During this reconnaissance journey ~h~ p.attern of future Japanese in the mountain area, aircraft were actIvI'ty III the Antarctic is still not maintained in constant readiness. clear. The Science Council of Japan This involved shifting their position urged thait Showa Base should be every day to prevent their snowing­ maintained for two more years. The Head Office of Antarctic Research up. On the return of the party on th~ , May 1 the planes were winterised. however, after discussion of Science Council's proposals, decided The relief vessel "Erika Dan" re­ on August 22 that next year's win­ turned to Antwerp on March 11. tering paf'ty will be the last. The budget for this has been passed bUlt with some pruning, and de'tails have PLANS FOR 1960-61 yet to be finalised. The Belgians have decided against a South African suggestion that one The expedition vessel "Soya" is at vessel should be used to re-supply present scheduled to leave Tokyo both Belgian and South African on November 5 and 'to reach the ice stations, on the grounds that the edge about January 2, 1961. The ship presence of the relief-vessel at Base is due to leave the Antarctic on Feb­ Roi Baudouin is required for a con­ ruary 26 and to arrive back in Japan siderable length 'Of time. It is pro­ on April 30. bable that "Erika Dan" will again Members of the expedition are at be utilised, as in 1959-60. The em­ present being selected. The winter­ ployment of a ship-based helicopter ing over team will consist of 16 is under consideration. men, including for the first time a I t is proposed to renew the mech­ biologist. The leader will be Mr. anical transport every two years. Masami Murayama, who was leader Four sno-cats, a muskeg and eight of the winter party in 1959. In the heavy sledges were brought back scientific programme emphasis will to Belgium after the 1959 winter. be laid on upper-air meteorology and Replacement of electric generators glaciology. will take place annually. The team which has wintered at Work at the base will include the Showa has been carrying out the reconstruction of corridors and an­ routine programme successfully. nexes, the re-covering of roofs, and The party is now ,busy preparing general reorganisation of the base for the inland journey scheduled for lay-out. There are at present three the spring. prefabricated buildings with a cov­ ered way 160 feet long. The whole POLISH EXPEDITION base is under six feet of snow. This threatens the collapse of the cov­ POSTPONED ered way and immediate reconstruc­ tion is imperative. A construction The Polish press agency reports team of twenty men-carpenters, that the departure of the scientific electricians, etc.~will have not more expedition of the Academy of Sci­ than a fortnight in January to carry ences of the Polish People's Republic out the work. Several bulldozers or has been postponed until next year. caterpillar tractors will be required, This decision was taken on account and the ice thickness of only nine of 'the State budget for 1959. The feet necessarily restricts the weight Polish expedition will set out for to not more than 13 tons. the Antarctic in November 1960. 266 ANTARCTIC September 1960 s. A'FRICAN FUR SEALS RETURN PLANIS Owing to extensive and ruthless hunting, says Torger Oritsland in South Africa will next year main­ "Norsk Hvalfangst-Tidende", the fur tain the former Norwegian base, seals were practically exterminated now known as SANAE, 70° 30' S" throughout the islands groups of the 2° 52' W, wi'th a scientific programme Falkland Islands Dependencies in geomagnetism, auroral physics, (south of South America) during the glaciology, geology, meteorology, nineteenth century. The "Antarctic gravity and medical research. Pilot" (1948) states that the fur The wintering team at SANAE, seals "appear to be extinct" in the which is 180 feet above sea level, South Orkneys. will number 13. But an observer in 1958 wrote Magnetic traverses are planned in that "fur seals have been sighted on the area from the ice front to the all main islands of this group, the mountains between roughly 0° and largest number of records coming 5° W" using a Proton magneto­ from Signy Island". Mr. Oritsland meter, The deformation and move­ visi,ted Powell Island in ,the South ment of the ice-shelf will be observ­ Orkney group on three occasions ed over an area of several hundred during the 1959-60 season. The first miles around the station. Limited landing was made on November 28, geological reconnaissance and but no fur seals were sighted. On sample collection will be under­ the second visit, on December 6, a taken in the mountain region to the fur seal rookery of one bull, one south. cow and a pup, was found on Mich­ Preparations have also been made elsen Island. Two other fur seals were seen on the island on the same for a dog-sledging expedition to be day. undertaken immediately after the winter to the nearest rock outcrop, On February 17 the rookery was approximately 50 miles south of the found to contain one bull and 11 station. cows with pups. Next to the harem five adult bulls were idling and a NEWS FROM SANAE few bulls were playing in the water An April news report indicated just below the rookery. Eventually, that the South Africans, mostly nov­ no fewer than 111 fur seals were ices in Antarctic conditions, but with sighted on the by then snowless an experienced leader in "Hannes" beaches. The fur seals seemed to La Grange, were settling down hap­ prefer gravel and rocky ground, and pily at their "icy Karoo". The rou­ none were found in the muddy holes tine work of the expedition was go­ frequented by the elephant seals. ing ahead well and a good deal of The majority of them were males. original work was being tackled, Time will show whether the seals e.g., intensive micrometeorological observed constitute a founda'ti'On for measurements. future seal population in the South Hard work had trarrsformed "a Orkneys. dismal little hovel" into a neat bath­ room, and a drying-room and a woodwork room had been construct­ ed: "unfortunately it is rather cold Dr. G. de Q. Robin, Director of the there." Scatt Polar Research Institute, states that the maximum ice thickness Dr. M. M. Somov recently an­ measurement in ,the Antarctic to nounced a new Antarctic tempera­ date is 14,000 feet, over two and a ture "low" of -88.4°C. (-127rF). half miles. \ S<,ptem ber 1960 ANTARCTIC 267 WITH THE NEW ZEALAND ALPINE CLUB EXPEDITION IN THE BEARDMORE GLACIER AREA.

• • •

Lo~e-ring a -~ledge down a steep slope near the Hood Glacier. 266 ANTARCTIC September 1960 BRITISH BASES IN THE FALKLAND ISLANDS DE'PENDENCIE'S Further details are now available to supplement those published in our June issue concerning the annual relief of the J Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey bases. Base Y (Horseshoe Island) was year by a total wintering party of • eventually relieved by the Otter air- 87 men. Routine meteorological, sea craft which took off from the sea ice and auroral observations have ice five miles south of ithe Argentine been continued at all of them. Islands. The relief was completed Base A (wintering party, 5) con­ on March 29 and the two ships, tinues its ionospheric and radio re­ R.S.S. "John Biscoe" and M.V. "Kista search. Dan", which had been standing by, Base B (normal wintering party, then returned to the Argentine Is- 5) is also housing the six men who lands. The old Base F hut on Wil}ter will fly the two aircraft south in the Is'land was temporarily re-opened as spring and re-open Base E (Stoning­ winter quarters for the six men who ton Island). The American icebreaker were to have established the new V.S.S. "Glacier", caHed at the base Base T on Adelaide Island. These on March 10. six men are to be flown south in the Base D (wintering party, 17); seve­ spring by the Beaver and Otter air- ral sledge parties from Base have craft which are wintering at Decep- occupied the View Point hut during tion Island. the period March to May, and have The "Biscoe" then visited the main visited Eagle Island in the Crown Base F hut ori Galindez Island and Prince Gustav Channel. In addition, continued northwards to Bases A two surveyors have worked at Con­ (Port Lockroy), B (Deception Is- tact Point, Hope Bay, and a four­ land), G (King George Island) and man geological p~rty. wen.t to the H (Signy Island), taking gravity and East Russell GlaCIer III mId-May. magnetic readings en route. A brief The magnetometer survey was call was made at South Georgia on continued in the vicinity of Mount April 14-15 and the ship returned Bransfield (Trinity Peninsula) from to the Falklands. on the 18th. She mid-March to mid-May, but unfor­ left five days later for Montevideo tunately had to be abandoned as where she disembarked three men the magnetometer was irreparably and collected a new wing for the damaged when the sledge carrying Beaver, to replace one whieh had it overturned. been !torn off in a storm shortly be- Base F, Galindez Island (wintering fore the relief of Base Y. The new party, 14). The full programme of wing was delivered at Deception Is- geophysical observations has been land on May 6 to be fitted to the continued without interruption. aircraft during the winter. The ship Base F, Winter Island. The old returned to Stanley to pick up six- Base F hut was re-opened tempore teen men who had been brought out arily to house the six man Adelaide from Ithe bases, and sailed home via Island party. Montevideo, arriving at Southamp- Base G (wintering party, 8). Gales ton on June 12. throughout March and wet and windy weather in April restricted News from the Bases, March-May field work, but in spite of this geo­ 1960. logical work was carried out on the Nine of the bases are manned this Keller Peninsula, and glaciological September 1960 ANTARCTIC 269

work on two glaciers near base. Col­ WHAT IS ANTARCTICA? lections of diatoms and mosses were made. Gravity readings were re­ The long-standing question-what corded by Dr. Griffiths using a Wor­ reaHy is the shape of Antarctica?­ den gravimeter, when the "Biscoe" has not been finally answered yet. called at base on April 9. But the gap between theories is nar­ rowing. Here are two recent an­ Base H (wintering party, 6). Seal swers: populati'on counts are being under­ taken this year, and to facilitate this "Antarctica is not a single contin­ work a small hut was constructed ent, but a large part of it consists ~m the west coast of Signy Island of islands, welded together by a general ice cover." ID April. Ornithological activities have included the ringing of more than twelve hundred giant petrels "Antarctica is not an archipelago, and two hundred sheathbills during but a continent with numerous March and April. mountain systems and depressions, covered by a heavy ice cap." Base Y (wintering party, 4). As the base was relieved by air, only a There is a continent somewhere small wintering party was taken in but its exact size and shape are not and the programme of work has yet known. It is' certain, however, consequently been curtailed. Never­ that the customary maps give no theless some field trips have been teal indication of the extent of the undertaken. In April, a two-rrtan 1and 'above sea level. geological party spent a week work­ ing in Square Bay (a few m'iles east NOTHING NEW of Horseshoe Island), and another two-man party spent a week at the . Bht as long ago as 1876, Sir C. unoccupied Base E making an in­ Wyville Thomson of the "Challenger" in ~ lecture at Glasgow said, refer­ ventory of stores and equipment. Additional supplies were taken to ring to the region south of the 70° Base E at the beginning of May and parallel, "We have no evidence that two men then spent nine days there this space which includes an area carrying out repairs to the hut in of about 4,500,000 miles, nearly double that of Australia, is continu­ preparation for the arrival of the ous land. The presumption would party from Deception. seem rather to be that it is at all events greatly broken up, a large Base Z (wintering party, 16). The portion of it prob'ably consisting of full programme of geophysical and groups of low islands united and ionospheric work has been main­ combined by an extension of the tained. Work on emperor penguins also continues. ice sheet." And Henryk Artowski anticipated the I.G.Y. by over half a century. In a report to the Brussels Confer­ ALL ALL ALONE ence on the Study of the Polar Re­ gions in 1906 he wrote, "The solu­ The British Antarctic explorer tion of certain scientific problems Duncan Carse ann'ounces that he indeed demands a great number of will spend 18 months alone on the simultaneous expeditions. This could island of South Georgia. Mr. Carse only be brought about by world­ who is 47, plans to reach the island wide co-operation and this co-oper­ in about six months' time. ation must be obtained." 270 ANTARCTIC September 1960 THE READER WRITES Sidelights of Antarctic Research We commence in this issue a new feature which we trust will be of value. Readers who have observed some little-known feature of the Antarctic scene or who have arrived at conclusions which they would like to have considered, are invited to present their ideas in a short "Letter to the Editor", of approximately 500-600 words....Letters should deal with topics of general interest and should be couched in non-technical language. DEAD SEALS INLAND ed to be superimposed on it. In Sir,-Readers of Antarotic litera- fact, one of the seals was lying on ture will be familiar with the fact wind ripples in the sand and in the that bodies of crab-eater seals opinion of Dr. W. Hamilton of the (Lobodon carcinaphagus) are often U.S. Geological Survey had clearly found many miles from the sea in arrived there after the ripples had the ice free valleys 'of the Victoria been formed. Seven of the seals Land coas·t, Ross Sea. There are two were on the permanently frozen sur­ main opinions as to how they got face of Lake Bonny, a lake formed there. One holds ·that the seals trav- after 'the Taylor Glacier had re­ elled up the valley from the sea treated from the area. Unless ,they over the rock and moraine to where had weathered up through the ice, they are now found. The other re- this is inconsistent with their having jects this idea on the grounds that lbeen deposited by the glacier. The a seal adapted to movement in the evidence strongly suggests that all water or over smooth ice could not the seals I examined travelled up travel far over rough rock without .the valley and died at places where being severely injured. They must they are now found. There is no therefore have travelled up the val- evidence here of glacial deposition. ley over ice when a glacier was The carcases were at different there, to be subsequently deposited stages of disintegration suggesting as the glacier retreated. that they died at different times. In November 1958, a couple of The finding of a fresh seal track in days were spent in the Taylor Dry the lower valley (Claridge, in mss.) Valley at Lake Bonny, fifteen miles suggests that these journeys may from the sea. As 28 seals were found still occur. within three miles of the lake it was Why did the seals go there? I see a good place to investigate this pro- no need to invoke special explana­ blem. tions. Most animals have an instinct Although the moraine left by the to travel away from their place of retreating glacier extended several birth, and this usually happens when hundred feet up the sides of the the young animals become indepen­ valley, no seals were found weather- dent of their parents (e.g. Blair, ing out of this deposit. On the con- 1950). That this may have also been trary, all the seals were found the case with these seals is sug­ either on an old lake deposit in the gested by the fact that none of valley bottom or were not more than those measured reached the mini­ twenty-five feet above the valley mum length for sexual maturi.ty floor. Those on the lake deposit (Bertram, 1940), and that the ends showed no evidence of having been of the flipper bones were never laid down with it but rather appear- fused to ,the shafts, another sign of September 1960 ANTARCTIC 271

Crab-eater seal 15 miles from the sea. Taylor Valley, Victoria Land. immaturity. The carcases we see in Because of records such as these, the dry valleys could well be the I ,am inclined to doubt the many remains of young dispersing seals ingenious theories accounting for which were unfortunate enough to the 'presence of dead seals inland have the;ir noses pointed in the (sickness, hunger, over-population, wrong direction at the beginning of predation, excessive salinity, glacial their journey. deposition) ·and 'to suspect until more compelling evidence is pro­ The seals I saw in the valley were duced to the contrary 'that it is the all crab-eaters. However, other Ant­ result of quite normal dispersal. arotic animals make similar jour­ GRAEME CAUGHLEY, neys. Both Adelie penguins and a. leopard seal have been reported far Forest Service, Wellington, N.Z. inland (Pewe et ai, 1959), and I have Bertram, G. C. L., 1940, The Biology seen one weddell seal three miles of the Weddell and Crabeater out on the Ross Ice-shelf and an­ Seals; with a study of the Com­ Qlther al'ive in 'the Cape Royds crater parative Behaviour of 'the Pinni­ where it appeared quite healthy al­ pedia. "Brit. Grahamld. Exped., though 'it had cro'ssed half a mile 1934-37, ScL Rep. 1: 1-39. of vesoicular 'basalt with an initial climb of 200ft. up a 30° slope. In Blair, W. F., 1950, Ecological Factors January 1959 I found two moulting in Speciation of "Peromyscus, juvenile emperor penguins on the Evolution" 4:253-75. ice shelf between Ross and White Pewe, T. R., N. R. Rivard, and G. A. IsJands, 49 miles from Cape Crozier Llano, 1959, Mummified Seal Car­ rookery. As ·they cannot enter the casses 'in 'the McMurdo Sound Re­ water when moul'ting, they must gion, Antarctica. "Science" 130 have walked all the way (3377): 716. 272 ANTARCTIC September 1960

DRIFTING SNOW doubled by the drift snow suspended Sir,-Attempts at measuring the in it. amount of snow transported by the The drift snow transport was wind go back to the first Polar Year found to double every time the wind in Spitzbergen (S. A. Andree, 1882­ increases by 6 knots. In a 70 knot 3), but the methods used for -trap­ wind the average amount of drift ping the snow on that and later oc­ snow passing at Wilkes through casions disturbed the free air flow Loewe's vertical strip Im wide by and hence gave uncertain results. 300m high was just under 6000 tons These early studies ·culminated in in 24 hours-25 times the earlier the work of F. Loewe, in Adelie Land estimate. Assuming the drift and (1951), who estimated the drift snow wind conditions at Wilkes or Maw­ transport through a vertical strip son to be 'about average for the Im wide by 300m high as 240 tons/ Antarctic circumference one is led day in a 70 knot wind. to a total drift snow loss of over In 1957 M. MelIor, one of Loewe's 100,000 million tons a year. pupils and A.N.A.R.E. glaciologist at These colossal figures raise serious Mawson, developed new "aerodyna­ problems since it is not easy to see mic" drift snow traps. These are where all the snow 'is coming from. shaped like rockets and follow Further measurements and surveys changes ,in the direction of the of local drift variations are requir­ wind. The air stream passes through ed; the drift snow amount at higher a narrow inlet duct and is then levels, where no direct drift measure­ slowed down by expansion; this men'ts are possible, and in the in­ permits the snow paIiticIes to settle terior of the continent are also in out before the air reaches the trap need of study. But the first step at exit. With careful streamlining about any rate has now been taken to­ 70% of Ithe air in line with the inlet wards understanding one of Antarc­ actually enters' the trap. This "effi­ tica's basic processes. ciency" was determined through in­ UWE RADOK, geriious wind tunnel tests by T. Department of Meteorology, Pound at the Aeronautioal Research University of Melbourne. Laboratories in Melbourne. For ParkvilIe, N.2., earlier trap designs with baffles or Victoria, Australia. trap doors the efficiency' presumably had been much lower. Measurements with Mellor"s traps SEALS AT WHITE ISLAND at 10 levels between 3cmand 400cm Sir,-During the 1958-59 summer above the surface in over 30 bliz­ some of us visited Whi,te Island zards with winds up to 60 knots across from Scott Base. While we were made last year at Wilkes by were there we noticed two live seals R. Dingle. The analysis of his results lying among the pressure ridges showed for the first time that, as around the north-eastern end of the predicted by turbulence ,theory, the island. At the time we did not think drift snow content of the air de­ this unusual and did not actually creases exponentially with al'titude. go to them from our camp about a The theory predicted furthermore mile or so away. The point is, how that at a given level the drifit snow did the seals get there? I doubt very content should be a certain com­ much that they travelled over the plicated function of the wind velo­ ice shelf from the nearest open city, and this was also confirmed water at Scott Base 15 miles away. from Dingle"s observations. In some The other alternative is that they cases the weight of ,the air near the swam under the ice. Now the ice ground was found to be almost between Scott Base is up to 200 September 1960 ANTARCTIC 273 feet thick and there seems little crack to our last depot and came to likelihood of any air holes through the conclusion that this was largely to the surface. Another interesting fresh water and formed the main point is this: if their air supply is drainage of the upper Koettlitz. By limited they must have a good navi­ this sub-glacial stream the seals gation system to reach the tide­ penetrated nearly 30 miles inland up crack around White Island. During· the Koettlitz glacier." the winter when the tide crack holes Here we have two cases; the first become frozen over, it would be un­ where the seals may have swum un­ fortunate if a seal swam across to der the ice, and the second where the island, found he could not get they most certainly could not. Well out and then had to swim back to what about White Island? Until open water. Dead seals have been someone travels under the ice shelf reported on the beaches of Black (by atomic submarine?) we cannot Island (which -is surrounded by ice say just what the under side of the shelf) and one wonders whether the ice is like. I t is hard to imagine seals there were prevented from pockets of air there. getting back into the water and so Perhaps some of your readers died of starvation. might have comments on these I have checked back through my rather curious aspects of Antarctic books and find two 'interesting re­ life. ferences. The first from Armitage's ARNOLD J. HEINE, "Two years in the Antarctic" refers Institute of Polar S'tudies, to a journey he, Wilson, and Heald Columbus, U.S.A. made up the Koettlitz glacier late in November 1903. They apparently went up as far as Heald Island about ANTARCTIC INSECTS 30 miles from open water. Several Considerable interest was aroused miles from their final camp Armit­ by the report that the New Zealand age records that he found a live Alpine Club expedi,tion last summer, Weddell seal, apparently very old working far ,to the sou1th of Scott and ill. Armitage 'also mentions find­ Base in the Beardmore Glacier area, ing a dead crabeater seal up the had discovered insects. Mr. C. H. Ferrar at an altitude "between 2,000 Tyndale-Biscoe, the party's zoolo­ and 3,000 feet" and at leas-t 30 miles gist, now in Western Australia, sup­ from open water. He comes to the plies us with these details: conclus'ion that "this seal appar­ "Collembola, possibly two species, ently knowing of its approaching were found at four sites-two in dissolution, crawls painfully and lichen, one in moss and one on bare wearily up and ever upwards, until granitic gravel. Mites were found death overtakes it." Strangely enough at four other sites, one in lichen and a Httle later he found a dead cow three on bare rock or 'soil'. seal and not far from it the skele­ "All these sites were on the coastal ton of a young one. ranges east of the Beardmore, and I then read Griffith Taylor's "With none were ,found south of latitude Scott-The Silver Lining" and found 85 0 54' although all bare rock was that his party up the Koettlitz examined to 84 0 20'. This >is not to glacier in February 1911 had also suggest that they do not occur fur­ found some live seals in much the ther south but only "that we were same place as the one found by Ar­ travelling inland and they seem to mitage's party. Taylor says, "When be restricted ,to the coast. Lichens, I reached camp I found that Wright however, occurred 'inland and were and D~benham had both met parties even found at 7,000 feet on the sum­ of (live) seals. We all thought of mits of Mt. Patrick and Wedge the constant stream along ,the tide Peak." 274 ANTARCTIC September 1960 CHILEAN ANTARCTIC ACTIVITIES We are indebt~d,to a serie~ of articles on "The Development and. Future of Ch.I1e s Al!tarctlc. Prog~amme" published by the InstItute de Geofislca y Slsmologla Umversidad de Chile for the outline which follows.' .. ChHe maintains four fully-manned GABRIEL GONZALEZ VIDELA bases, all in the sector to ,the south (AIR FORCE BASE) of t'he South American continent. 64° 49' S, 62° 52' W. Bahia Paraiso, Graham Land. Opened May 1951. ARTURO PRAT Personnel, 7. There are separate bed­ (NAVAL BASE) rooms for the Commander and the 62° 30' S, 60° 38' W, Bahia Chile, second-in"command. Living and din­ Greenwich Island, opened February ing room are common but of a good 1947. Personnel 8. Comprises officers' size for the staff. An emergency quarters 'with individual bedrooms shelter near the base has food for and non-commissioned officers' quar­ eight men for three months. ters with four double bedrooms. PRESIDENTE AGUIRRE CERDA This is Chile's largest Anftarctic base. (AIR FORCE BASE) There is a flock of 30 sheep, and 62° 56' S, 60° 36' W, Caleto Pen­ 100 fowls all adequately housed. dulo, Deception Island. Opened Feb­ There are emergency shelters at ruary 1955. Personnel 8. Copper Mine (Robert Island), Yan­ Officers' quarters were built this kee Bay (Greenwich Island) and one year, each having his own bedroom. for eight persons near the Base, The N.C.O.s use the old living-din­ stocked for three months' use. ing room. There are 30 sheep and 100 fowls at the base. O'HIGGINS Emergency shelters have been (ARMY BASE) erected at Bahia Telefono (for eight 63° 19' S, 57° 54' W. Bahia Cova­ men) and at Caleto Buen Tiempo. donga, Graham Land. Opened Feb­ There is also a shelter for eight men ruary 1948. Personnel 8. near the base. Conditions at the base are rela­ The base was enlarged during the tively poor as a result of t>he fire 1959-60 summer, and there is a well­ which destroyed the sleeping quar­ proteoted underground cellar. ters in 1958. ,At present there are PERSONNEL one bedroom for the comm'ander, At each of the bases there is a one for the two other officers, and a cook, one or two radio operators, dormitory for the five N.C.O.s. The a motor mechanic, and a male nurse. radio operator occupies the radio The staff, selec'ted by rigorous phy­ room. sical ,and psychological examina­ There js an emergency shelrter tions, get prior mountain training near the base, stocked for nine per­ at Favel1'ones, as well as techn'ical sons for three months. There is also courses. a shelter on the Graham Land Plat­ 'f.here is accommodation for up eau between the base and Hope Bay. to six summer personnel in emer­ The base itself is built on solid gency she'lters. The question of the rock on 'a small peninsula. A seis­ replacement of military personnel mological station has been main­ by oivilian scientist,s is app1arently tained here by the Seismological In­ still under discussion. A,t present, stitute of the University of Chile the only scieIlltist in each wintering since 1954. party is a meteorologist, generally September 1960 ANTARCTIC 275 the second in command of the base. At O"Higgins and Gabriel Gon­ Little work appears to have been zalez Videla the only water supply done in geology or glaciology, and is fmm ice, but at Arturo Prat there the authors add, "The Antarctic in is also a pumping system to utilise summer provides a ready field of melt water, while at Aguirre Cerda activity for the zoologist, the bot­ in summer there is natural melt anist and the marine biologist. These water, for which a catchment has fields are all fruitful and require no been built. This is the centre for great investment or prior prepara­ watering Chilean ships in the Ant­ tion." arctic. In winter, of course, ice or In the field of seismology there snow h'as to be collected and melted. is a certain amount of equipment at O"Higgins Base.

COMMUNICATIONS A lighter note! The Olympic Communication by sea with the Games have begun at the Chilean continent is possible in summer Bases. The sports scheduled include from all four bases. Ait Arturo Prat "bars", ping-pong, draughts and ice conditions vary considerably chess. The prizes are to be choco­ from year to year. There is a pier late bars. for small vessels and the base has a plywood boat and two outboard motors. Seal hunting is carried out BYRD MEMORIAL FOR NEW from boats. There is a dog popula­ ZEALAND tion of seven, which makes it pos­ sible to visit the emergency shelter A group of New Zealand friends at Yankee Bay with the two cargo of the late Admiral Byrd is making sledges alt the base. plans for the erection of a suitable At O'Higgins ,ioo ice conditions memorial to be erected in the capi­ are variable. The bay is open and tal city, Wellington. difficult to operate in, but there is a Known a~ the Richard E. Byrd pier for small craft. The base has Fellowship, they have already been 23 dogs and two 9-foot sledges. Here granted by the City Council a com­ also there is a plywood boat and manding site on Mount Victoria two ouiboard mdtors. Two tractors (700 feet) in the city area. The mem­ and eight long sledges have been orial will thus be seen from all ordered for future field work. parts of the city and the airport The bay at Gabriel Gonzalez suburbs. Videla is notorious for bad ice con­ To so symbolise the long-standing ditions, currents carrying ice both co-operation between. America and ways through Pedro Aguirre Cerda New Zealand on matters Antarctic, Channel. There is a boat and out­ will meet with the unqualified ap­ board motors, but no equipment for preciation of New Zealand citizens. field work. It is envisaged that, when erected President Aguirre Cerda is on a and floodlit at night, this will be a welhheltered pODt, and there is an dramatic reminder of the importance excellent landing area for sea­ of "The Great White Continent of planes. A radio beacon is insi!:'alled Peace" as a neutral meeting ground to aid navigation by sea and air, of nations. but "only one flight has been made Readers who are interested in fur­ in 1955 (December), landing on the ther information on this project· water at Deception." Apart from a may get in touch with the Convener, single boat with outboard motor, Mr. Tracey M. Simpson, 24 Trelis­ there is no equipment for explora­ sick Crescent, Wellington; phone tion work. 36-635. 276 ANTARCTIC September 1960 UNITED STATES PLANNING WIDE PROGRAMME FOR 1961 The United States Antarctic Research Programme, now largely concentrated in the McMurdo Sound area, includes a series of major over-snow traverses in areas at present very little known. The last traverse of Operation polar plateau, and on to the South Deep Freeze 60 was to investigate Pole. an area of the Ross Ice Shelf known Instead of cargo-sledges, the sno­ as "Discovery Deep". This is an area cats will each draw two Rolli-Trail­ on the sea floor, under the ice shelf,. ers. The Rolli-Trailer consists of two discovered by Dr. Albert Crary and pairs of 500 gallon fuel-carrying tyres the Victoria Land traverse party of with a cargo-carrying surface slung Deep Freeze 111 (1957-58). The area between them. The vehicles will be was to be re-visited to determine left at the Pole Station for the win­ the shape and depth of this 4,590­ ter. foot depression-more than 1000 ft. deeper than the area surrounding it ON THE ICE SHELF -'and to find out if it was a basin A five man party from the Univer­ or part of a trough. sity of Michigan under C. W. M. During the entire trip the party Swithinbank with two motor sledges carried on a scientific programme. is to carry out glaciological work Four major stations were made on the Ross Ice Shelf. Stations of where glaciological pits were dug approximately a week each are and seismic reflection and refrac­ planned at Mulock Inlet, Barne In­ tion shots were made. In addition, let, and the Nimrod, Beardmore, and gravity, magnetic, glaciological, alti­ Shackleton Glaciers, and a four metrical, and meteorological data week station on the Amundsen Gla­ were gathered at regular intervals. cier. The party will be carried by Preliminary results show that the air between stations. Movement "Deep" is probably a 4,300 foot stakes will be set up, and similar trough, trending south-south-wester­ stakes placed last year will be re­ Iy but closer to the coastal moun­ surveyed. tains on the west than had been ex­ pected. Further investigation in cre­ BYRD TRAVERSES vassed areas will be needed to com­ C. R. Bentley, like Crary an ex­ plete the profile of the undersea perienced traverse leader, will head features. a team of seven scientists which will leave Byrd Station this year McMURDO-POLE TRAVERSE and strike inland. The party, com­ The University of Wisconsin will prising seismologists, glaciologists, stage a traverse from McMurdo to and a magnetician, will travel in the South Pole. The eight man party, three sno-cats, and will have a Roli­ led by Dr. A. P. Crary, will inolude Trailer. They will use a mechanical a Soviet glaciologist. Three sno-cats sled-mounted drill for seismic­ will leave McMurdo in mid-October, shooting purposes. ascend the Skelton Glacier (the Hil­ The proposed route is Byrd Sta­ lary route) to the Plateau Depot, tion-79° S, 100° W-7r 30' S, strike roughly south-west to 83° 30' 99° W. Here, where the new traverse S, 131 ° E, and then south-east to­ will intersect that of 1957-58, a week's wards the head of the Beardmore work is planned. The subsequent Glacier, eastward along the south route is to ,the south end of the side of the mountain rim of the Hudson Mountains (approximately September 1960 ANTARCTIC 277

75° 30' S, 98° W)-Mount Peterson USNS "Private John R. Towle": (75° S, 82° W)-the Eights Coast at Anives at McMurdo December 26. about 73° S, 95° W, and east along USNS "Greenville Victory": Ar­ the coast as far as possible before rives at McMurdo January 24. the personnel are returned to Byrd Tanker: by -air. The sno-cats will be cached. USNS "AIatna": Arrives LytteIton A further traverse from Byrd Sta­ January 6 and McMurdo January 16. tion will head for the South Pole. The "Alatna" will return twice to The primary purpose of this trav­ LytteIton for more fuel and two fur­ erse which will get under way in ther trips to McMurdo, arriving ap­ December is to move D-8 tractors proximately February 6 and Febru­ and some heavy equipment to the ary 27. Pole Station, where it is needed for Dates for ship operations are ten­ air operations and construction pur­ tative, depending on ice conditions, poses. unloading difficulties and changes in Other work based on Byrd Sta­ operating requirements. tion includes: geological work in AMUNDSEN SEA the Horlick Mountains, in the range Also scheduled is a penetration of south of the Eights Coast, and' in the Amundsen Sea. Two ice-breakers the Sentinel Mountains. with scientists representing the SHIP OPERATIONS fields of oceanography, ornithology, The deputy commander of Task seismology, geology and other geo­ Force 43, Captain Edwin C. McDon­ graphical sciences, will proceed in aId, USN, will command the ship February 1961 to this heavily ice­ group, consisting of four icebreak­ clogged area, which is bisected by ers, a tanker and three cargo ships. 115° Won the South American side Captain McDonald's Task Group of the continent. will carry most of the supplies neces­ The ships assigned are USS "Gla­ sary to maintain the four American cier" and USS "Staten Island". The stations for the next year, and will two icebreakers will form a task position supplies at McMurdo for group under the command of Cap­ the aerial resupply of interior sta­ tain Edwin A. McDonald. This sea's tions during Deep Freeze 62. rugged ice pack has so far repulsed all attempts to reach the coastline Ship Schedules by ship in the -area. The Amundsen Icebreakers: Sea coast remains one of the unex­ USS "Staten Island": From Lyt­ plored parts of the Antarctic con­ teIton will undertake oceanographic tinent. work in ,the Ross Sea commencing December 14. , PROJECT MAGNET USS "Glacier": Arrives Lyttellton The U.S. Navy Hydrographic Of­ November 21, and McMurdo Decem­ fice has planned an eXotensive series ber 5. The "Staten Island" and the of flights by a specially-fitted WV-Z "Glacier" will rendezvous off the (Constellation) aircraft under the Thurston Peninsula on January 27, code-word "Project Magnet". and in February enter the Amund­ The aircraft crew wHI conduct sen Sea. gravity recordings during the flights. USCG "Eastwind": Arrives Lyttel­ From Washington the plane will fly ton Novernber 23, and arrives at via Mexico and Honolulu to Christ­ McMurdo on December 5. church, and from there to McMurdo: USS "Edisto": Arrives at McMur­ then to Hobart, Tasmania, and do via Lyttelton on December 5. across the Tasman Sea to Christ­ Cargo Ships: church again. - The next stage is USS "Arneb": Arrives at Cape Hal­ Christchurch - McMurdo-Perth (West­ lett on February 16. ern Australia) - Sydney,' and again 278 A N'T ARC TIC September 1960

Christohurch - MoMurdo -,the South tary Air Transport Service 9th Troop Pole-Punta Arenas (Chile)-San Diego Carrier Squadron wiH drop supplies and back to Washington. at BYI'd stat·ion and the South Pole Scientific Work Planned Includes: station and make any emergency 1. Sampling for the study of ther­ drops required. The Globemasters moluminescence of cwbonate rocks will carry abou't 1000 tons of high at Marble Point, the BeardmO're priority cargo ,to the Pole and Byrd Glacier and the Horlick Mountains. stations. They wiN complete the op­ Analysis will this year be attempted eration by early December or before at MoMurdo itself. the ice runways become unusable 2. Glaciation studies in the Taylor, for heavy wheeled aircraft. Wright, University and Barw'ick Val­ The Hercules, 'which will ski-land leys and in the dry valleys north of in resupplying inland stations, can Mt. Gran. land on snow as well as on ice run­ 3. Observations of patterned ways. The use of the Cl30 is expect­ ground in the McMurdo Sound area, ed to save the U.S. hundreds of with the men wintering over to con­ thousands of dollars in parachutes tinue observa'tions of temperatures alone and eliminate the damages and ice-wedge fabrics. previously experienced in parachute 4. Investigation of fish metabol­ dropping. Capa!ble of hauling 10 tons ism and growth studies of the fish at about 350 m.p.h., the Hercules of McMurdo Sound. Three marine will eventually repl!ace the present biologists wiN winter over. R4D cargo planes. The R4D can 5. Collection of microbiota from carry only two tons at 160 m.p.h. air, water, snow and soil. A new The Navy will fly the Ski-Cl30 impinging device will be used on Lockheed Hercules. Last year, with Neptune aircraft to collect samples the supp'ort of the Air Force, seven from altitude. Trapping devices wHl HeI'Cl1les were not only tested in also be used on ships and aircraft Antarctrca, but successfully used in between New Zealand and the Ant­ moving mateI1ial and men to the arctic. South Pole and Byrd station. 6. It is planned to establish a tem­ Admiral Tyree 'is scheduled to ar­ porary camp at the top of the Beard­ rive on September 15 in Christ­ more Glacier for scientists working church. in this area. New Zealandcbased aircraft of the Navy's Air Development Squadron AIR OPERATIONS Six (VX6) and MAT'S Ninth Troop Carrier Squadron wi'll begin flying Supporting the ship group will be from Christchurch to the McMurdo the NavY's VX6 squadron. This ice strip about October 1. squadron will have 22 aircraft, and The radar picket escort vessel will fly light cargo and men to the USS "Wilhoite" will take sta­ Antarctic. It will also make recon­ tion midway between New Zea­ naissance flights and undertake land and Antarctica to support the photographic missions. It will ar­ round trips of aircraft. Air Force rive at Christchurch in September. SC54 Rescuemasters will be stationed T.he squadron's aircraft are fQur in Christchuroh for search and res­ Hercules, three Neptunes, four Sky­ cue coverage of the northern half traIns, five Otters, al'l ski-equipped, of the flight route to Antarctica. Air one Super Constellation, one Sky­ Development Squadron Six (VX6) master and four helicopters. Eight planes will be availab'le in Antarc­ helicopters will be carried aboard tica for SAR coverage of the south­ icebreakers for sea, ice, and scien­ ern half of the hazardous flight route tific reconnaissance. and for coveI1age within the Antarc­ Seven Globemasters of the Mili- tic continent. September 1960 ANTARCTIC 279

NEW BYRD water is formed and retained in the Following an "on the site" inspec­ reservoir. A deep-well pump raises tion of Byrd Stati'On, it was decided the water to the surface, where it that a completely new station would is stored in heated tanks. be preferable to an expensive re­ A nuclear power plant is under habilitation 01 the existing facilities. cons,ideration. If insta'lled, tempera­ M its best, the old station, with re­ tures would be controlled by mdiarit­ pairs, would last only a few more type electric heaters. The galley and years. mess hall would be provided with Based on Antarctic and Greenland electric facilities. These innovations experiences in construction, it has are an earnest attempt to make the been decided that under-snow faci­ Antarctic a more habitable place in lities, based on the Greenland "Cape which to spend a year or more. The Century" concept, be built. site for the new station will pro­ Using the "Peter Snow Milling bably be within five or ten rnriles of Machine", it is planned to excavate the present station. a tunnel 20 feet wide, 2000 feet long, The air drop at Byrd wil'l begin and 25 feet deep, as a main tunnel. in mid-October. McMurdo-based This would be covered with heavy­ Globemasters will drop approxim­ gauge metal arches to support the ately 600 tons of suppqies, fuel 'and snow load that will be bo'th placed provisions. and which will accumulate on top of it. SOUTH POLE At right angles to the main tunnel, Two quonset huts, one for emer­ on both sides of it, additional tun­ gency shelter and one line shack nels will be excavated, in which are to be built 'at the Pole station. various buildings and fadli-ties will A T5 buHding will be delivered by be constructed. One tunnel wHI air for construction during the com­ house the barmcks buildings, an­ ing season. Approximately 400 tons other the power house and work­ of equipment, drummed fuel and shops, another the sick bay, admin­ provisions will be dropped by istration, and some scientific quar­ Globemasters in October and Nov­ ters. Three structures only will be ember. above the surface, name1y the bal­ loon inflation and release building, McMURDO the aurora tower, and the Rawin During this summer, the founda­ Dome. These will be elevated on tion for a nuclear power plant is aluminium columns which will initi­ to be prepared at the McMurdo aHy protrude some 15 feet above the base. The plant itself will probably snow level, with built-in provisions be installed the following year, and for raising them when and if the in the spring of 1962 should be pro­ snow accumulation requires addi­ viding power for heait arrd light at tional height. McMurdo. MI buildings at the sta­ The tunnels will be equipped with tion will be heated electrically. ventilating fans and air intakes so There will be no need of diesel oil thiat the air will remain fresh. In­ to generate power, thus drastically stead of the older, more conven­ reducing transport costs. Any radio­ tional way of providing water, by active waste will be removed from melting snow, a new system, using Antarctica. steam to "drill" a shaft 500 feet Other projects inClude the com­ deep, wi11 be utili'sed. Aice runway several miles camp. The tunnel section by the from the main station. garage door l:'.gain collapsed but was Two auxiliary air support facili­ quickly rep"ired. ties, manned by Navy persOlmel, will be reopened: at the Beardmore CARTOGRAPHY Glacier and at the halfway point between McMurdo and Byrd, Little During Operation Deep Freeze 60, Rockford. the U.S. Navy Atir Development Squadron Six, flew trimetrogen aerial mapping photographic flights WINTER WORK over the Sentinel Mountains, the McMURDO Horlick Mountains, the Executive There were a surprisingly large Committee Range, portions of the number of clear days during June mountains on the west side of the and even on the darkest day of win­ Ross Ice Shelf, and the north and ter a bright mid-day glow could be wesit coasts of the Thurston Is'land! seen along the northern horizon. Peninsula. In addition, reconnais­ Weekly voice conferences with sance photography of the SkeHon Mirny continued but similar at­ Glac'ier, the dry va'lley areas, the tempts with Soya Base were not head of the Koettlitz Glacier, and successful. the Rennick Glacier were also made. A new all-time temperature record Using ground control obtained pre­ for the McMurdo area was made on viously, the U.S. Geological Survey July 8: _59°P. is preparing maps of the Horlick and Sentinel Mountains. Ground BYRD control for future mapping was ob­ Repeated blizzards and continuous tained by USGS topographic engin­ high winds made June the windiest eers during the 1959-60 summer in and warmest in the station's his­ the Executive Commi'Hee Range, in tory. Radio condi,tions were gener­ the Hal Flood Range, on Thurston ally unfavourable and resulted in a Peninsula, and in north-east Victoria large backlog of radio messages. Land. In a co-operative arrangement The mechanical work on the seis­ with the New Zealand Gove'rnrnent mic sno-oat was completed in June ground control points established by except for -the installation of two New Zealand expeditions are made new pontoons. Bread was baked for available to USGS, while U.S. aerial traverse use. photography is provided to New A wind-speed of 72 miles per hour Zealand for mapping purposes. on July 28 was an all-time recorded maximum for the station. For one (In official usage, 'the name "Thur­ day an average wind spe~d of 39 ston Peninsula" will continue to be knots was registered. correct until the Board of Geogra­ phic Names has reviewed the evid­ ence for its replacement by "Thur­ SOUTH POLE ston Island" and has approved the June was marked with frequent change.) storms and abnormal cloudiness and drifting. Only 23 of the 51 available The American Geographioal So­ snow stakes could be located by the ciety IS -continuing to maintain its end of June. These 23 showed an 1:3,000,000 scale map of the Antarc­ accumulation of 2.7 c.m. (approxi­ -tic, begun during the IGY, with the mately an inch). In July a new accu­ addition of new features and cor­ mulation stake network was set up rected and revised details as they 200 feet west of the old stakes. A become known. September 1960 ANTARCTIC 281

of exploring and mapping mountain 'NEW iN.Z. MA" areas like the coas'tal regions of The first of a series of five df'tailed Victoria Land can compare with the maps of selected areas in New Zea­ use of dog teams supported by light land's Ross Dependency has been aircraft. published. Produced by the Lands The aircraft are required to carry and Survey Department, it delineates men, dogs and stores from the Base with striking effect ,the topography to the area to be 'surveyed, and from of 10,000 square miles of the Tucker one such area ,to another. Heavy Glacier and MoU'bray Bay region, aircraft cannot land in difficuIt "un­ nOI'thern Victoria Land, thus filling prepared" country, while helicopters in an almost blank space on exist­ can only be used for areas close to ing maps of the Dependency. the Base. The first exploration of t

CAMPBELL ISLAND Our search for a radio technician (N.Z.) and a cook (mentioned in the June There',s an air of e~pectation at issue) still continues. Campbell Island righ't now. Winter All other expedition members have which is always a threat !to morale been appointed. They are: Leader, is over. WaI'mer weather is ahead V. M. McNeill, Inveroargill (ex-Falk­ and the annual servicing vessel due l~d Islands Dependencies expedi­ to arrive very soon. tlOn-a hardened campaigner) ; . Apart from the serious interrup­ senior ionosphere observer, I. G. tion of the Scientific Programme and Fisher (D.S.I.R. Raro'tonga); iono­ damage caused by the tidal wave in sphere observer, A. G. Dodds (Kai­ May, all members of the expedition taia); meteorological observers, E. have come through 'this trying period D. de St. Craix (Chr,istchurch, J. R. with flying colours. Lamb, Invercarg'ill (previously served An airdrop in July !by an R.N.Z. alt Campbell Island), L. S. Cooper A.F. Bristol Freighter created a very (Christchurch); mechanic handy­ pleasant interlude. Fresh food, mail, man, A. L. McNaughton (Auckland); and urgently needed replacemeDlt oarpenter, J. M. Pitkethley (Wanga­ parts were del,ivered in perfect con­ nu). dition.. A creditable petfoI'mance by During the summer period (Nov­ the skIpper and crew of 'the freigh­ ember 1960 to March 1961) Mr. E. ter. L. Clague (the present senior meteo­ With brighter weather coming rological observer) is remaining at along, preparations can now go the IsI'and to assis't 'the met. staff ahead on the sites for the new with additional scientific work plan­ power house and new bedroom an­ ned for that period. nex (adjacent to the present living Some very interesting results quaI'ters). We hope to have the should be obtained from the new power house completed by early American G.M.D. lA 1680 MC Radio FebI'Uary 1961 and the 3 new Listers' Wind equipment which is to be installed and operating shortly taken to Campbell Island on the afterwards. Apart from possi'bly one American picket ship in late Sep­ twin cylinder set, the rest of the tember this year. The United States Armstrong Superior generators will authorities are sending a technician be returned to New Zealand. to the island to train our staff on The annual servicing soheduled the use of t.hlis equipment. Perhaps for October 27 is 'to be done by M.V. by the applica!tion of the usual "Holmiburn". This ship is much Campben Island hospi,tality, we larger than M.V. "Holmglen" and might persuade the American tech­ can accommodate 12 passengers in nician to stay on as radio technician excellent cabins. The new expedi­ for the full tour! tion and the boys returning to New Next year's pavty is to be favour­ Zealand can look forward to a very with a new 18ft. launch powered by comfortaible voyage. an inboard Lister. Al though weather cond1'tions at Campbell Island are clearly illustrates the kind of errors generally unfavowalble for regular which can be expected in current launch trips, occasional jaun1ts along weather map 'analysis in regions Perseverance Harbour in fair wea­ with isolated observati'Ons. The "Mis­ ther are ideal diversions and are chief" proved here to have been a often combined with ,sheep hunting real "mischief-maker" for the fore­ expeditions where rough going can casters. be avoided by landing a party ashore (Summarised from an article by at a suitable spot along the har­ Dr. W. Sohmitt in S.Af. Weather bour. The launch has many other Bueau Newsletter, April 1960.) uses which include meeting visiting 284 ANTARCTIC September 1960

ships-refuse dumping-shingle col­ Little is known of the inter-tidal lection for station projects, etc. ecology of the Sub-Antarctic islands The leader, George Poppleton, re­ and indeed the precipitous nature of ports that the canine members of much of the Campbell Isl'and coast the expedition "Hans" (Campbell will make such investigations diffi­ Island's oldest inhabitant) and cult. However, Mr. P. M. Johns of "Flash" are fighting fit and even the the Zoology Department, Univershy sea elephants are shmwng them re­ of Canterbury, will try to fill this speat. gap in our knowledge. Mr. J. Moreland of the Dominion SCIENTIFIC WORK ON CAMPBELL Museum will be investigating the ISLAND fishes of Campbell Island and will also make observations of other A proposal has been made to the vertebrates. It is expected that a Department of Scientific and Indus­ member of the Animal Ecology Divi­ trial Research that a scientific party sion, D.S.I.R., will also be in the of six men be sent to Campbell Is­ party. land for the month of January, 1961. As well as carrying out 1:he particu­ As the sheep on Campbell Island. lar tasks listed below, the exped'i­ will probably be removed in the !ion will serve to give experience of near future in the interests of con­ the Sub-Antarctic regions to several serva'tion of flora and fauna, i,t will of the scientists for the first time. be of some interest to make a study 'Or. E. J. Godley, Director, Botany of Ithis flock which has now run Division, D.S.I.R., will lead the party wild ror some thirty years. 1'1 is and will be assisted in the botanical hoped that the sixth member of the work by Mr. N. T. Moar, also of party will be a sheep specialist from Botany Division. Notes on the plant Massey College. assQciations of Campbell Island have been published by L. Cock­ ayne (1903), R. M. Laing (1909), and R. L OliveI' and J. H. Sorenson Dr. Godley's party is quite inde­ (1951), but there is no detailed in­ pendent, but is keeping in close con­ formation of the distribution of tact with the Civil Aviation Admin­ these associations on the ground. istmtion, which administers the It is therefore hoped to make meteorological station on the island. a vegetation map of the island. The party will prabably occupy the Collections of plan1: specimens, old station. living plants and seeds will be made, and as lichens are of such importance in Antarctic botany, COME SOUTH FOR THE SUN special attention will be given to the little known crusl10se species which During the summer months, say grow flattened and firmly autac4ed Soviet geophysicists, the central re­ to rocks. It is also planned to lay gions of Antarctica receive from the down and map permanen1: quadraits sun more than 30,000 calories of on the island so that any changes heat per square centimetre in one in the vegetation in the future, par­ minute. This is 15-20 per cent more ticularly those which may be due than at the equator and 50· per cent to the removal of sheep, may be fol­ more than at corresponding latitudes lowed. Mr. Moar will also be study­ in the Arctic. There are no low, ing bogs and making peat bores to dense clouds -in the interior of Ant­ obtain samples for pollen analysis actica; therefore solar energy is re­ which will throw light on the past ceived continuously during the en­ history of the island's vegetation. tire pdlar day. September 1960 ANTARCTIC 285

MACQUARIE ISLAND SPRING (Aust.) On July 25 Taylor reported: "Win­ On Friday, May 13, the thermo­ ter is almost over and this year it meter dropped below freezing point appears to have by-passed the island and half an inch of snow fell. This altogether. Our weather has some­ lasted only some hours and soon times been warmer than Sydney the only signs of winiter were the and almost always better than short days and the absence of migra­ Hobart. Winter sports enthusiasts tory birds and penguins. Amateur have prayed fruitlessly for north photographers were already discuss­ winds to blow us down some Aus­ ing the possibility of using flour for tralian snow. Already the days are the posing of intrepid snow scenes. becomling noticeably longer, and Disappointed winter sports enthusi­ several of us have taken the oppor­ asts were considering suing ANARE tuni'ty of trips down the island be­ for misrepresentation. fore commencing the spring pro­ "Undaunted by our Manchester­ gramme of painting :and other out­ like climate," writes Taylor, "the side work. doc. continues with his physiologi­ "Ferocious sea leopards and a very cal surveys, involving much pinch­ agile sealion have created interest. ing and pummelling and answering In a few weeks breeding sea ele­ of embarrassing quesitions. phants will make the beaches im­ "The international 'situation in passable and will provide victims Antarctica remains unruffled and for our annual seal branding rodeo. amicable. May Day greetings were Radio conditions have been gener­ exchanged wit'h our Russian com­ ally good. rades at Mirny. Eliza Doolittle Day "We stHl have plenty of fresh was celebrated on May 20." potatoes, onions, apples, eggs and MIDWINTER also fresh meat on the hoof in the The midwinter celebration

In the number of whales caught, erated between 'about 70° E. and 70° Japan has already a'!:tained the lead-' W. The Japanese and Russian ex­ ing position. Japanese whaling com­ peditions, which had a relatively panies assert that they have an ad­ larger catch, operated for the most vantage because they can make full part east of 70° E. use of whale meat. This covers The total catch amounted to 15,505 nearly half of their income from blue-whale units, slightly greater whaling. In Japan, whale meat is than that of the previous season but not only eaten boiled or roasted, considerably lower than the figure but is used for the making of sau­ of 17,000-17,500 units which had been sages, meat essence and compressed anticipated. food. Animal foods are also pro­ duced from scraps. The total oatch in blue-whale units by the participating nations 1959-60 CATCH was as follows: Last season was a weak one for Norway (8 expeditions) 4,564 all expeditions, particularly for the United Kingdom (3) 1,897 Norwegian, B.ritish and Netherlands NetheJ1lands (1) 1,037 ones, reports "Norsk Hvalfangst­ Japan (6) 5,216 Tidende". These appear to have op- U.S.S.R. (2) 2,789 The total production of oil, in barrels, during the past three seasons, has been as foHows (number of expeditions in parentheses): 1957-58 1958-59 1959-60 Norway (9) 854,675 (9) 797,386 (8) 651,888 United Kingdom (3) 323,472 (3) 359,723 (3) 257,780 Netherlands (1) 116,497 (1) 126,488 (1) 143,050 Japan (6) 630,303 (6) 646,130 (6) 617,131 U.S.S.R. (1) 224,578 (1) 220,914 (2) 334,680 ------TOTAL 2,149,525 2,050,641 2,004,529

WHALE CEMETERY? SOVIET WELCOMES WHALERS "Pravda" on May 22 reported the Mr. W. H. Dawbin, the former return ,t'O Odessa of the whaling fac­ New Zealand authority on whales tory ship "Sovetskaya Ukraina", said who is now senior lecturer in zoo­ to be the l'arges't in the world, with its refrigerator ship "Sevastopol" logy at Sydney Univers'ity, returned and 18 chasers. The flotilla was given to Australia on August 4, after 13 a warm welcome on the completion months' research work on whales in of its voyage of nearly 50,000 miles. NOJ1Way and the United Staites. He Capitain Solyanik reported having told reporters that although he had taken 1,624 whales, 38,600 :t'Ons of studied all aspects of whale life from oil, 7,270 tons of meat-meal, 2,140 tons of "fresh-frozen" meat and 726 the Antarctic to the AJ:1ctic, he had tons of liver were processed. never come across an old whale­ The "Slava" fleet returned to Rus­ or me'!: anyone who had. The oldest sia on May 26. whale ever caught was only 25 years old. What happened to wha~es after they reached this age was not known. Despite the fact that the Antarctic climate appears to be warming, the "Like the e1ephants' buria,l thickness of the snow cover in in­ ground," he said, "it is another of terior regions is apparently increas­ nature's well-kept secrets." ing. 288 ANTARCTJC September 1960

BOOKSHEI..F author of "Boldness Be My Friend" was just as ignomnt when he'trav­ (Several of the books reviewed elled on U.S.S. "Arneb" in 1958-59 to below are published in the United HaHett Station (where he met New States, France or It'aly, but your Zealanders Ken Salmon and Brian bookseller should be able to procure Reid), to Little America and to Mc­ them for you.) Murdo. He has ga

"LA ROUTE DU POLE SUD", by one concerned with Antarctic mat­ Edouard Peicsson, Paris, Bernard ters. Grasset, 284 pages, sketches and maps, 690 frs. (In French.) "ICE-BOUND": Ronault House of M. Peisson has a wide knowledge Publishers Ltd., Auckland, N.Z. ; of Antarctic literature,and he wields 88 pages, ill. N.Z. price 7/6. a facile pen in this brief but pene­ This is a magazine-form commer­ trating s,tudy of Ithe four great as­ cial production largely aimed at the saults on the South Pole between American market, but it is none the 1902 and 1913. It is in particular a less an interesting and useful com­ study of the three men who 'led these pilation brimming with faots about expeditions. Limited in its scope, the Antarctic of today. In spite of the book gives just enough earlier the sub-title "The Story of the Unit­ history ,to provide an adequate back­ ed States and New Zealand in the ground. It suoceeds admirably in Antarctic", New Zealand's contribu­ evoking a convincing picture of the tion to Antarotic exploration is three great leaders, Scott, Shackle­ merely mentioned in passing. The ton and Amundsen, of the task information obviously comes from which confronted them, and of their American sources and is in the main wrestling with this task. While per­ written by Americans; thero 'are two haps M. Peisson does not contribute excellent articles by Capt. E. A. Mc­ anything substantially new to our Donald. The "New Zealand" side is knowledge, he does recall vividly confined to a chapter on "Christ­ the personality and achievements of church as Host City" and to a re­ the great men who pioneered "The sume of New Zealand's attractions Route to the South Pole". for the U.S. sailor on leave. To a public accustomed to oommercial "DEMAIN, l'ANTARCTlQUE", by radio the multiplicity of advertise­ Michel Reboux, Paris, Maison ments will nO doubt hardly be Mame, 187 pages, ill. (In French.) noticed. M. Reboux's book covers a com- pletely different field from th'at of "CONTES ET LEGENDES DU M. Peisson. He discusses the Antarc­ GRAND-NORD": by Louise Weiss, tic today and tomorrow. The book Paris, Fernand Nathan, 249 pages, falls into three parts, (1) a descrip­ line ill. (In French.) tion of the Antarctic and the story A fascinating collection of Eskimo (briefly) of its exploration, (2) mod­ and Red Indian folk-tales which ern techniques of exploration and should enthral anyone, young or old, research, with special reference to who has a special interest in the the French expeditions in Terre Ade­ cold places of the earth. Simply lie, and (3) an outline of the re­ written, this book would be an ideal sources of the Antarctic and the present for a boy or girl eagerly prospects of their exploitation. This learning French. is a very wide field and M. Reboux in his very readable hook does not PUBLISHED IN NEW always avoid the danger of dissipa­ ZEALAND tion of interest. In chapter VI for New Zealand Oceanographic Insti­ instance he jumps from nylon gar­ tute Investigations in the Southern ments to the danger of fire, to the Ocean: by R. W. Bud'ing. New perils of isolation, to the use of steel Ze'aland Science Review, Vol. 18, for buildings, to mechanical trans­ No. 2. port~aH in eight pages. But he has Appendix to Provisional Gazetteer succeeded in compressing within his of the Ross Dependency: by A. S. 187 pages a mass of information of Helm: N.Z. Government Printer. very grea't interest and value to any- This supplement to Mr. Helm's 290 ANTARCTIC September 1960

invaluable gazetteer, published in ous peaks. The westernmost range 1958, contains some 200 annotated has the highest summits, reaching references, and incorporaites all elevafions of abouit 12,800 feet, with names approved ·by the Place Names approximately 5,000 feet of relief be­ Committee between the publicaltion tween the ice"cap surface and the of the original work and the pre­ summits. Peaks of the central range sent. are generally 'about 10,000 feet in elevation, with 4,000 feet of relief Historic Huts: by L. B. Quarter­ between the peaks and the snow main, D.S.I.R., Wellington, N.Z. surface. The eastern Horlick range A small informative brochure in­ consists of 8,000 to 9,000 foot peaks tended for distribution by the Ame­ and relief is abou't 3,000 feet. rican Naval Support Force, Antarc­ tica, to visitors being shown the old "The central Horlick range ... is huts at Hut Point, Cape Evans and about 20 miles long and 5 to 10 miles Cape Royds. wide. Peaks of the central range form an asymmetrical arc concave "The Cape Crozier Emperor Penguin toward the south. Inside t!h'is moun­ Rookery": Graeme Caughley. tain arc is a raised ice plateau with "The Adelie Penguins of Ross and an elevation of about 8,000 feet and Beaufort Islands": Graeme Caugh­ a width of 10 to 15 miles. ley. "Bedrock is well exposed on moun­ "Sea-Bird Logs Between New Zea­ tain slopes where the strong winds land and the Ross Sea": R. K. Dell. prevent accumulation of snow. In "Records of the Dominion Moreover, no lichens or other plant Museum" (Wellington, New Zea­ life were seen on any of the ex­ land), vo!. 3, Part 4, August, 1960. posures. "Since air .temperatures in the THE HORLICK MOUNTAINS area never rise above freezing, no water is available to form streams In view of the proposed Byrd or -lakes. Hence no erosional fea­ Station traverse this summer, some tun~s caused by running waiter are details of the Horlick Mountains as present. In addition, little chemical described by William E. Long, a erosion seems to occur. 'Dhe dom­ member of the 1958-59 traverse team inant eJ1Osional process is the scour­ from Byrd Station, in the I.G.Y. ing and abrasive action of the ice Bulletin for July 1960, will be of in­ cap flowing around the peaks and terest. of the valley glaciers that have form­ ed within the mountains and, carry­ "The Horlick Mountains are a ing debris from the mountains, oontinuation of the mounitain chain drain oult to meet the ice cap." that extends from Cape Adare ... to the Queen Maud Range, south and south-east of the Ross Ice Shelf. The structure and rock types are strikingly similar throughout tt:he entire mountain chain. The moun­ The V.S. Navy hopes to cover the tains are massive, tabular blocks, in west and south sides of the Ross most places bounded on the north Ice Shelf by trimetrogon photogra­ by imposing escarpments and slop­ phy, a~so extensive areas of Marie ing genrtly toward the south. Byrd Land, the counta'ins south and east of the Sentinel Mountains, Thur­ "The area marked Horlick Moun­ ston Peninsula, and the coast of the tains on older maps consists of Amundsen Sea, the Hal Flood Range, three Tanges, each including nuffier- and other areas. September 1960 ANTARCTIC 291 ANTAR:C'TIC WI;LD·LlFE such as the flying of helicopters over penguin rookeries and the PROTECTION pumping of bilges by ships close to shore, with no malice intended, can The intensified ~IlIterest in the }ife fol~owed cause tremendous harrri to wild life sciences which has the re­ populations. Well-intended but ill­ duced emphasis.on geophysics, in advised 'activities which disturb the current An'tarchc research, has na'tural interplay of population den­ focussed attention on -the urgent sities, such as the destruction of need to protect and preserve the skuas on the theory that this will unique flora and fauna of the Ant­ benefit .the penguins, also leave their arctic regi'Ons. marks." The problem was discussed at the S.C.A.R. at its current meeting in 1959 Antarotic Symposium in Buenos Cam!bridge, England, will have be­ Aires, where a resolution was adopt­ fore lit a reoommendation from the ed which sets out the dangers now Symposium that standard regula­ exis'ting. The resolution states: tions should be prepared to provide "The nature of a fauna developed the necessary protection to all forms through the joint advantages of an of Antarotic wild life, and that ,all unrivalled food supply at sea and the member nations be urged Ito enforce absence of indigenous enemies on the regulations strictly. land makes such steps essential both because of,the unique characteristics A new feature at Byrd is an exer­ of the 'birds and animals concerned, cise bicycle. It is in constant use and because of their comp'lete Jack by persons attempting to remove of means or instinct of self-preser­ inches from ever increasing waist­ vation while oult of ,the water, and lines. The cook is determined not their consequent extreme vulner­ to be defeated by this infernal mach­ a:bility to the mischief of unprinci­ ine and continues to ply station per­ pled men and uncontrolled dogs. It sonnel with all sorts of cakes, pies, is recogn!ised that the klilling of pastries, and other delicious high seals, penguins ,and other creatures calorie offerings from his galley. is sometimes necessary to provide food for men and dogs, and that the judicious colledtion of biologi­ ERRATA cal specimens is likewise fitting and "Antarctic", vol. 2, No. 5, March proper. 1960. "However, it must be conceded P. 183. We regret a mis-statement that each season 'the resupply oper­ in the double 'column heading. While ations in support of Antarctic sdien­ the "Soya" could not get close in­ tific bases bring with them into -the shore in 1958-59, the relief Wa'S effect­ Antarctic a number of persons, ed by helicopter. "Soya" in fact of­ members of ships' companies and fered assistance ItO D.S.S. "Glacier", others, who possess 'a minimum of herself engaged in rescue work. interest ,in the naJtuml life and its P. 187, foot col. 2. A oorrectlion of conservation 'and who, if not super­ the phrase "for the first time in vised and controlled, have made and more than 30 years" is implied in will oontinue to cause serious dam­ the more detailed account of "Ob's" age to the floral 'and faunal popula­ visit 'to Peter I Island in vol. 2, No. tions. Penguins and other colonial 6, p. 216. forms readily accessible to preda­ P. 188. The American scien'tist tion are easy victims and highly compelled 1:'0 winter over a second vulnerable fauna types. year at EllsWOI'th was not Mr. Heap "It is also true that some care­ but Mr. William Johnson, a meteo­ less 'aspeots of modern operations rologist. 292 i\ N·T A. R 'C iT IG September 1960

PHILATELISTS! COVERS FROM SHIPS Send addressed envelopes to: Stamp cO'llectors will again be Deep Freeze 61 Philatelic Mail, afforded an opportunity to obtain a (Name of ship from which post- limited number of covers post-mark­ marks are desired) ed in V.S. Navy Antarctic Post Of­ c/- V.S. Naval Postal Facility, fices at the Byrd and South Pole Christchurch. Stations and from several of the The following ships will accept ships participating in Operation covers up to the dates listed (the Deepfreeze 61. date given being the last for receipt of covers at V.S. Naval Facility, Individuals are limited to one Christchurch) : cover each from the Byrd and South USS "Wilhoite" (Ocean Station Pole stations, and not more than vessel), September 23; USS "Edisto" three covers each from ships. (icebreaker), November 24; USS V.S.N. postal regulations prohibit "Eastwind" (icebreaker), November accepting philatelic mail when it 24; USS "Glacier" (icebreaker), No­ appears that it is to be used for vember 26; USS "Staten Island" commerdal purposes. Requests for (ic;ebreaker), December 5; USS postmarks submitted through or by "Arneb" J (cargo ship), February 9. dealers will be returned uncancell­ Covers received after these dates ed. wiU in most instances be returned to senders. Covers must have adequate V.S. The cargo ships USNS "Private postage affixed or be accompanied John R. Towle", USNS "Greenville by international reply coupons. Or­ Victory", and' the tanker USNS dinary mail covers require eight "Alatna", will not operate a post of­ cents V.S. postage or one interna­ fice. tional reply coupon. Air mail enve­ Postal clerks at the Byrd and lopes or endorsements require 25 South Pole stations and aboard cents V.S. postage or four coupons ships have been instructed to re­ for each cover. turn ALL covers unpostmarked: (1) when individuals have forward- ed more than allowed; BYRD AND SOUTH POLE (2) it appears that covers are to be used for commercial purposes; Send addressed envelopes to: (3) and covers ,are mailed to ships Deep Freeze 61 Philatelic Mail, which do not operate a post V.S. Naval Postal Facility, office. Christchurch. One cover will be sent to Byrd Station, the other to the South Pole station. If a postmark is desired THE RIGHT WHALE fmill' only one of the 'stations, send­ A whale which cruised for several ers should indicate on ,the lower days ,off Newport Beach near Syd­ left hand corner of the cover, the ney, after calving, Wet,S identified as cancel'lation desired, "Byrd" or a Right whale. The Right,whale al­ most became extinct through the "South Pole". ravages of the whalers up to the These covers must be mailed in early '90s. The International Whal­ time to reach Christchurch by Octo­ ing Commission strictly bans the ber 15. The covers wHl probably be killing of Right whales, which are postmarked during the Antartic win­ distinguishable by their high arched ter and returned during the first heads with white, horny protruber­ months of 1962. ances. The New Zealand Antarctic Society is a group of New Zealanders, some of whom have seen Antarctica for themselves, but all vitally interested in some phase of Antarctic exploration, development or research. You are invited to become a member. BRANCH SECRETARIES Wellington: J. H. Hall, Box 2110, Wellington. Canterbury: G. King, 80 Slater St., Christchurch, N.E.!. Dunedin: J. H. McGhie, Box 34, Dunedin.

" THE ANTARCTIC TODAY" This volume is out of print, but a limited number of the follow- ing separate sections is available, the stapling slightly rusted: Ionosphere Research (J. W. Beagley) ~1 Meteorology (A. R. Martin). Marine Biology (R. K. Dell). Aurora Australis (1. L. Thomsen). The Nations in the Antarctic (recent Australian, South African, French, etc., exploration by leading experts in the countries concerned) . These separates are available at a cost of four shillings each from the Secretary, N.Z. Antarctic Society.

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