AUTARKIC A NEWS BULLETIN published quarterly by the NEW ZEALAND ANTARCTIC SOCIETY (INC)

One of Argentina's oldest Antarctic stations. Almirante Brown, which was destroyed by fire on April 12. Situated in picturesque Paradise Bay on the west coast of the Antarctic Peninsula, it was manned first in 1951 by an Argentine Navy detachment, and became a scientific Station in 1955. Pnoto by Colin Monteath w_i -f n M#i R Registered at Post Office Headquarters, VOI. IU, IMO. D Wellington. New Zealand, as a magazine June, 1984 • . SOUTH SANDWICH It SOUTH GEORGIA

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1 2 A r g e n t i n e I s u k n ARG ARGENTINA 13 Palmer us a AUST AUSTRALIA 14 Bellingshausen ussr • SA SOUTH AFRICA UK UNfTCD KINGDOM ianen USA. UNITED STATES Of AMERICA USS-H UNION Or SOVIET SOCIAUST Ice Shelf REPUBUCS rnmnsm (successor to 'Antarctic News Bulletin') Vol. 10, No. 6. 114th Issue June, 1984 Editor: J. M. CAFFIN, 35 Chepstow Avenue. Christchurch, 5. Address all contributions, inquiries etc. to the Editor. CONTENTS POLAR ACTIVITIES NEW ZEALAND 198-202 UNITED STATES 205-207 AUSTRALIA 208-214 NORWAY 215 SOVIET UNION 215 UNITED KINGDOM 217-220 ARGENTINE 221 PERU 226 GENERAL POLAR MEDALS 201-202,227 MICROLITES ... 203 TREATY MEMBERS 214 POLE EXPEDITION 216 WHALE SURVEY 222 KISTA DAN 223 TOURISM 224-226 READER WRITES 227 CONSERVATION TROPHY 228-229 OBITUARIES 230-232 ISSN 0003-5327

© New Zealand Antarctic Society (Inc) 1978. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any way without the prior permission of the publishers. ANTARCTICA China offered base site in Ross Dependency New Zealand has offered the People's Republic of China a choice of seven sites in the Ross Sea region of the Ross Dependency for the establishment of a permanent research station in Antarctica. The of fer was made through the Minister of Science and Technology (Dr Ian Shearer) when he visited China early in April. He told a New Zealand Press Association correspondent in Hong Kong by telephone from Shanghai that a prerequisite for any final agreement on a permanent base would be Chinese recognition that New Zealand has special rights in the Ross Dependency. When Dr Shearer returned to New One sector of Australia's territorial Zealand he gave general details of the claims is between 142degEand 160deg E. seven sites which ranged from the North In the Western Ross Sea area the sites coast of Northern Victoria Land to the are Inexpressible Island (163deg 30min Eastern Ross Sea. All arc between E/75deg 54min S) in Terra Nova Bay; 160deg E and 150deg W, the limits of the Granite Harbour region (162deg New Zealand's territorial claims in An 44min E/76deg 53min S) in the tarctica. More detailed information now approaches to McMurdo Sound where indicates that the sites were first sug there are also possible sites in the gested, not offered, in July last year to north near Cape Archer and in the assist the Chinese in their long-term south at Cape Roberts; and Marble planning of an Antarctic research pro Point (163deg 50min E/77 26min S) gramme. The People's Republic of on the Victoria Land coast in western China acceded to the Antarctic Treaty in McMurdo Sound. June last year, and intends to seek con sultative status. SMALL AIRSTRIP Three months ago Dr Shearer sug Marble Point is used each summer by gested in a public statement that the the United States and New Zealand as a Chinese Government should consider staging point for research activites in the siting any base it plans to build in dry valleys and beyond to the Polar Antarctica next to Scott Base on Ross Plateau. It has a 914m gravel airstrip Island. He said the idea had been raised now used by helicopters and able to take by the Chinese Ambassador in Well aircraft like the Twin Otter. ington, and he planned to discuss it with There is also a suitable site for a sta Chinese officials during his visit to tion to be built at the Bay of Whales China. (164deg 20min W/78 30min S) which is Of the seven suggested sites three are just north of ice-covered Roosevelt in Northern Victoria Land, three in the Island (162deg W/79deg 25min S). This Western Ross Sea and one in the Eastern area is within the Ross Dependency and Ross Sea. Cape Adare and Duke of gives access to the Ross Ice Shelf. York Island in Robertson Bay (170deg Shackleton named the bay in 1908, 20min E/71deg 30min S) are two of the Amundsen began his journey to the Northern Victoria Land sites. The other South Pole from there in 1911, and for on the northern coast is Yule Bay the last 55 years, beginning with Byrd's (160deg 30min E/7()deg 30min S) which first expedition (1928-30) has been has been used as an anchorage by West regarded as a United States scientific German expeditions in recent seasons. sphere of special interest. June, 1984 ANTARCTICA

Dr Shearer said in China that the meetings of SCAR, which co-ordinates offer of sites was based on the assump international Antarctic research, in tion that the Chinese would be servicing Queenstown and Leningrad. their scientists by ship rather than air China also sent observers to last craft, and would want a permanent base year's meeting of the Antarctic Treaty on solid ground rather than the ice shelf. consultative members in Canberra. It is He indicated also that New Zealand would be willing to provide staging expected to send observers to this year's facilities for ships and other logistic sup meeting of SCAR in Bremerhaven, West Germany. port. In return it would be interested in co-operative marine research. In 1980 Mr Thomson expected China to establish a permanent base in six or When Mr Wu Heng, director of the seven years. Since then he has been back Chinese National Antarctic Research to China, and has had discussions with Committee, gave notice in May last year the director of the Chinese National of China's intention to seek Antarctic Antarctic Research Committee. Mr Wu Treaty membership he said that his has visited Wellington and Christchurch, country planned to set up its own and spent some time at Scott Base, research station "when conditions per McMurdo Station, and Vanda Station in mit." After its accession New Zealand the Wright Valley. Now, as a result of provided the information on the seven Dr Shearer's visit, Mr Thomson believes suggested sites in the Ross Dependency. the Chinese are likely in the long term to These suggestions, repeated in the form take up the New Zealand offer of a base of an offer by Dr Shearer, will be con sidered as part of China's long-term site, but such a move is several years away. plans to achieve consultative status as an Antarctic Treaty nation by 1987, but an China's preparations for acceptance early decision is unlikely. as a consultative party to the Antarctic Treaty have included the formation of the national research committee in 1981, LONG-TERM PLANS and sending scientists to the Japanese China has been interested in Antarctic National Institute of Polar Research in affairs since 1977, and since 1979 has 1982 for a course on building and had discussions with Australia and New- running an Antarctic base, and conduct Zealand on scientific and logistic ques ing research projects. In addition more tions. Chinese scientists have worked specialist scientists are being trained, with the Australian and New Zealand and the number of scientists who have research programmes since 1980, and worked in Antarctic since 1980 has risen this winter there are three at two from two to 32. Australian bases, Davis (2) and Casey (1), and a fourth is at an Argentine base. MARINE SCIENCES China has also received support and Mr Thomson's earlier forecast of the co-operation from Japan, Chile, and time it will take for China to establish a Argentina. research programme in Antarctica was New Zealand's active association with reinforced early this month by an China's long-term plans began in 1980 announcement from Peiping that a after Mr R. B. Thomson, director of the Chinese Institute on Polar Research Antarctic Division, and Professor G. A. Regions will be set up to plan long-term Knox, then president of the Scientific research and investigate polar resources. Committee on Antarctic Research, lec The official Xinhua News Agency says tured on Antarctic research to scientists that a building to house the institute will and directors of scientific institutions in be completed in 1987. Peiping, Shanghai, and Tsingtao, and China has sent glaciologists, had discussions with the Vice-Premier of physicists, geologists, and biologists to Science and Technology. Chinese work in Antarctica, but its main interest observers attended the 1980 and 1982 is research in the marine sciences. T*i&un,j»v

ANTARCTICA June,1984

Oceanographers and biologists have told of in Peiping but did not see when worked with Australian scientists on he was in Shanghai as it was not in port. marine research cruises, and in 1982 two He believes New Zealand could get senior marine biologists discussed a co access to this ship for its marine research operative marine research project with if the two countries can reach a full United States scientists. agreement. Recognition by China that New Mr Thomson believes the Chinese will Zealand has special rights in the Ross want to undertake a marine research Dependency may still present some pro programme first. Back in 1980 he and blems in the future. Dr Shearer does not Professor Knox discussed with the agree. He claims that joint research Chinese a 4200-tonne oceanographic agreements with the United States and survey ship which could be ice- West Germany contain such recogni strengthened for use in Antarctica. It ac tion, and dismisses the problem as one commodates 70 scientists and a crew of for future discussions between 74, and has 14 laboratories. diplomatic representatives from New This is the same ship Dr Shearer was Zealand and China. OF MEN AND ICE MOVEMENTS Dr Trevor Hatherton, chairman of appointed project manager in the the Ross Dependency Research Commit Antarctic Division, D.S.I.R. He was tee, and director of the Geophysics Divi seconded from the Army to serve at sion, Department of Scientific and Scott Base as deputy officer-in-charge Industrial Research, has stepped down for the 1971-72 season, and was charge from his administrative position to of the winter party in 1972. resume his scientific research. He was Dr Bernard Stonehouse who began a New Zealand's chief scientist with the distinguished career in Antarctic International Geophysical Year Antarc research 37 years ago, is now editor of tic expeditions from 1955 to 1959. "Polar Record," the Scott Polar Professor George Knox, past presi Research Institute's journal. He worked dent of the Scientific Committee on in the zoology department of the Antarctic Research, retired from the University of Canterbury from 1961 to University of Canterbury at the end of 1969, and initiated the department's March this year after 36 years in the biological research in Antarctica. A life zoology department, and nearly 20 of member of the New Zealand Antarctic them as its head. His association with Society, he served on the Canterbury New Zealand's Antarctic research began branch committee for several years. in 1960 through the department's bio logical research unit at Cape Royds and later Cape Bird, Ross Island, which he fostered over the years. He took part in 10 field expeditions, and in 1965 began his association with international An tarctic research as a member of the "Antarctic'' Index SCAR working group on biology, then In future the index to each volume of as secretary of the committee, and later "Antarctic" will be issued free to all as New Zealand's delegate. In 1978 he subscribers. The index for Volume 9 was appointed president, a post which which covers from 1980 to 1982 is he held until this year. He remains on enclosed in this issue. Subscribers who the executive as past president. wish to obtain additional copies can write Mr James Barker, a retired New to the Treasurer, N.Z. Antarctic Society, Zealand Army officer, has been P.O. Box 1223, Christchurch, N.Z. ANTARCTICA Polar Medal awards to six New Zealanders Six New Zealanders have been awarded the Polar Medal by the Queen for their services with New Zealand Antarctic research pro grammes in the field or at Scott Base. One is a geologist, Dr D. N. B. Skinner, who began his Antarctic research in 1960; five, Messrs J. S. Rankin, J. R. Thomson, K. M. Weatherall, A. J. Dawrant, and M. R. Wing, have all wintered twice at Scott Base, Mr Rankin was officer-in-charge of the winter team in 1977. Polar Medals are awarded by the awarded on recommendations from the Queen from time to time, under the British, Australian, and New Zealand terms of a Royal Warrant, in recog Governments. The latest awards for nition of individual merit arising from service in the Ross Dependency were the enterprise and hardship, outstanding first to be made since 1978, and were the personal contribution in exploration, fifth since the awards to 24 New scientific research or general service on Zealanders who wintered at Scott Base polar expeditions (both in the Arctic and and Cape Hallett in 1957. Antarctic). The medal was first awarded Dr David Skinner, of Auckland, who service on an Arctic expedition in is the district geologist, New Zealand I8i8, and until 1904 was known as the Geological Survey, first went to Antarc Arctic Medal. In that year it became the tica in the 1960-61 season with a geo Polar Medal, and the first awards for logical survey team which explored an Antarctic service were made to members area of the Victoria land coast between of Scott's first expedition (1901-04). Barne Inlet (Byrd Glacier) 80deg 15min Since 1957 68 New Zealanders have S and Shackleton Inlet (Nimrod Glacier) received the Polar Medal, which is 82deg 22min S. The team was in the field for nearly three months and covered 965km by dog sledge. In the 1962-63 season Dr Skinner was with a southern geological survey party which continued the mapping of the Ross Dependency. This time the team was in the field for 111 days and sledged more than 1287km. On his third season in Antarctica Dr Skinner led a geological mapping exped ition which worked in the Koettlitz Glacier area between October and December, 1975. There were two women in the team, Anne Wright and Margaret Clark. Dr Skinner's fourth summer took him to North Victoria Land in the 1977-78 season as a guest scientist with the first West German expedition to the area (GANOVEX I). In the 1982-83 season DR SKINNER he led another expedition to Terra Nova ANTARCTICA

Bay and for part of the lime worked Mr John Thomson, of Christchurch, with his team on Inexpressible Island who wintered at Scott Base in 1976 and where Scott's Northern Party spent the 1978, was a fitter mechanic there in the winter of 1912 in an ice cave. He had 1975-76 season. He returned in the been on the island previously early 1977-76 season as base engineer. During in 1963. the winter he was deputy officer-in- Mr James Rankin, of Kumara, first charge. served as base engineer at Scot I Base in the 1970-71 season and wintered there in 1971. He returned to do the same job in the 1976-77 season, and was officer-in- New Scott Base charge for the 1977 winter. Mr Kevin Weatherall, of Dunedin, O.I.C. was a science technician at Scon Base in the 1971-72 season and wintered there in A former police inspector, Mr Peter 1972. He returned in the 1976-77 season Lewis Cresswell, of Collingwood, who is as senior science technician and spent his regarded as an authority on New second winter at Scott Base. Zealand micro-molluscs, will be in the officer-in-charge of the New Zealand Antarctic research programme in the 1984-85 summer season and through the winter of 1985. He will be the first officer-in-charge since 1979 to occupy the position from one summer to the next. Mr Cresswell, who is 46, lives near Takaka where he has been associated with farming interests in recent years. He was born in Christchurch and joined the Police Force in 1959. Before he left the force in 1976 he was an inspector at headquarters in Wellington and national co-ordinator for youth programmes. After completing his secondary education in Christchurch Mr Cresswell continued his studies at Otago Univer MR RANKIN sity where his subjects were anthrop ology and modern Pacific history, and A former Post Office radio techni later at Victoria University of Well cian, Mr Allan Dawrant, of Christ ington. In the course of his police duties church. went to Scott Base first in the he lectured in criminology and directed 1972-73 season and wintered there in courses on child psychology, sociology, 1973. He spent his second winter there in and human relations. 1976 again on Post Office radio duties From anthropology and Pacific after the 1975-76 summer season ended. history Mr Cresswell turned to conch- In the 1973-74 season Mr Michael ology, concentrating on New Zealand's micro-molluscs. He i^ an authority on Wing, of Auckland, went south as a his subject and has published papers drilling assistant for the summer but remained at Scott Base for the 1974 which have formed the basis for scien winter, and was responsible for the base tific field studies. huskies. He wintered again at Scott Base During his police service Mr Cresswell in 1976, having worked as a field assis gained extensive experience in search tant during the 1975-76 summer. Once and rescue operations. He was also con again he was responsible for the huskies. cerned with civil defence operations. ANTARCTICA

MICROLITES AND COPEPODS

Everyone who is familiar with A New Zealand scientist awarded the Shackleton's exploits knows he took the Polar Medal last month has been able to first motor-car to Antarctica in 1908. combine opera with geological research More than 20 years later his example in Antarctica. Dr David Skinner has was followed by one of the men who played baritone roles with a regional served with him on his last expedition. opera company and in past seasons has On November 11, 1929 the Australian rehearsed some of them with the aid of explorer, Sir Hubert Wilkins, wrote of a tape recorder while in the field. On one driving a Baby Austin sedan to work expedition he was confined to his tent each morning. He was then on Decep for several days by a blizzard, and his tion Island preparing for flights over tentmate was treated to rehearsals of his Graham Land. role in Mozart's "Cosi Fan Tutti" for • • • • two to three hours daily. Early this month Dr Skinner played Dr Falke, one Thirty men at Casey Station will have of the leading roles in a TVNZ produc to make do with powdered egg this tion of the Strauss opera, "Der winter until fresh eggs arrive later in the Rosenkavalier." year. The winter stock of 900 dozen shipped from Tasmania had to be incin • • • • erated because a variety of penicillin moulds had grown on some of them. Doubts have been raised whether The Casey kitchen has been the scene Federal Labour governments will con of some strange activities in past tinue to recommend Polar Medal seasons. Perhaps the strangest was the awards to Australians who have served scrubbing and cleaning of all the 10,800 in Antarctica. Present Labour Party eggs to rid them of the mould in the vain policy means that British-baseed hope that they might still be edible. honours (which include the Polar • • • • Medal) are not awarded by Australian Labour governments. The question is Mawson, one of the three Australian expected to be resolved soon. Polar stations in Antarctica, has a woman Medals are recommended by three coun doctor this winter for the third suc tries, Britain, Australia, and New cessive year. She is 29-year-old Dr Lyn Zealand, and all have to agree before a Williams, of East Lindfield, a New list is submitted. South Wales. One of the 35 men in the winter team is her husband, Warwick, a 36-year-old cosmic ray physicist. • • • • Diet of seals Microscopic fungus spores frozen in Antarctic ice 12,000 years ago were Stomach contents of Weddell seals in found in cores taken from a depth of the Scott Base area were flown to about 400m at the Soviet station, Australia at the end of last season for Vostok, last year. Nine months ago the study by an Antarctic Division biologist, Soviet newspaper "Pravda" reported Mr H. Burton, who is studying the diet that the spores had started to germinate of seals. when thawed out and placed in a Arrangements to send the stomach nutrient solution. Micro-organisms contents to Hobart were made with the about 50,000 years old were retrieved New Zealand Antarctic Division by from another hole drilled to 2000m in Mr Burton. Details of the food found in the ice cap, but "Pravda" reported only the stomachs of seals in McMurdo Sound that the scientists were hoping to revive will complement similar studies of seals them also. near Mawson. I ■ ANTARCTICA

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For science, not restaurants. Lady Muldoon, wife of New Zealand's Prime Minister, who visited Antarctica last season, examines Antarctic cod (Dissostichus mawsonii) in the Eklund Biological Laboratory at McMurdo Station. The cod, weighing up to *xM 50kg, are caught in McMurdo Sound. Most return there; some are eaten. Photo by W. Hopper

■ t '--••,'•'••- I ; ■'■/■-■ I '. H^fl H H^H ^mm ' r - ■ ■ .) ANTARCTICA U.S. joint projects with three nations Two major projects of the United States Antarctic Research Programme (USARP) in the coming season will be joint investiga tions with scientists of three other countries—New Zealand, Britain, and West Germany. In North Victoria Land United States geologists will work with New Zealand and West German scientists in a geophysical and geological programme, and in the Ellsworth and Thiel Mountains of Ellsworth Land they will continue studies with British Antarctic Survey scientists of the tectonic development of West Antarctica and its relationship to East Antarctic. A three-year study of the West Star and the Glacier which worked Antarctic Ice Sheet along the Siple Coast together in the 1982-83 season. A ship on the east side of the Ross Ice Shelt, will be chartered to replace the research which began in the 1983-84 season, will vessel Hero which has been used for be continued with aircraft support in the marine and coastal studies in the 1984-85 season. With icebreaker support Antarctic Peninsula area since 1968. She research will also be continued along the made her last transit of Drake Passage coasts of Marie Byrd Land and between the Antarctic Peninsula and Ellsworth Land. South America last season. Scientific projects and the scale of the logistic support for the new season are related to the funds allocated to the AGE OF SHIP United States National Science Founda Age and dry rot are among the tion for the fiscal year which runs from reasons for replacement of the Hero, a October 1 this year to October 1, 1985. diesel-driven wooden ship equipped with For the 1984 fiscal year the foundation, sails and designed for work in ice-filled which finances and co-ordinates the waters. She was used until 1974 in con whole programme, received SUS102.1 junction with Palmer Station on Anvers million. Of this $10 million was for Island as a floating laboratory for a science projects, and $92.1 million for variety of science projects. She had a support. major overhaul in 1974 because of dry Most of the new budget, which still rot but the damage was not as extensive has to be approved by Congressional as first believed and repairs cost less committees, will be used as in past than the $1.1 million allocated. seasons to pay for support of research In the northern summer of 1980 the projects by the United States Navy and Hero went back to dry dock for repairs Air Force aircraft, and Coast Guard to areas of the hull where dry rot had icebreakers, fuel supplies, maintenance been discovered. Her machinery was of inland and coastal stations, and overhauled and modernised and she contract services. One inland station, returned to service in the 1980-81 Siple, in Ellsworth Land, was closed in season. January this year and will be opened This year neither the Polar Star nor again in November next year. the Glacier will call at New Zealand Support by sea of the 1984-85 ports. The Polar Star on her fourth research programme will be provided by voyage south will relieve Palmer Station two Coast Guard icebreakers, one and then proceed to McMurdo Station young and one old. They are the Polar where she will cut a channel in the ANTARCTICA seasonal ice to Winter Quarters Bay and first circumnavigations of the Antarctic escort from the fast ice the fleet tanker Continent by way of the coast of East Maumee and the cargo ship Southern Antarctica. Cross. In addition she will support Planning for the number of flights to science projects in the Western Ross be made in support of the United States Sea, and off the coasts of Marie Byrd and New Zealand science programmes Land and Ellsworth Land. are expected to be completed next month. Late in August U.S. Navy VXE-6 Squadron Hercules aircraft will VETERAN BACK make several winter flights in the Winfly Once again the Coast Guard will bring operation to prepare for the summer back a veteran icebreaker which first airlift of men and materials between the went south in 1955. This will be the first week of October and early Glacier's 23rd voyage to Antarctica. She December. These flights which mark the provided support with the Polar Star in opening of the summer research season the 1982-83 season, and was used for will be made by the United States Air United States and New Zealand science Force Starlifters and Hercules aircraft projects in January and February while of the Navy and Royal New Zealand Air the younger ship continued one of the Force. Mid-winter drop Byrd Veterans Two mid-winter flights to drop mail, fresh food, and urgently needed spare Of the 41 men who wintered with Byrd at Little America I in 1929 only six parts to 19 Americans at the Amundsen- remain. Kennard F. Bubier, aviation Scott South Pole Station, and the 92 mechanic, died in California on July 2 Americans and New Zealanders at last year. He retired as lieutenant-, McMurdo Station and Scott Base on colonel from the United States Marine Ross Island were made between June 21 Corps in 1953 and then worked another and 23 by a United States Air Force 11 years for Lockheed Aircraft. Stalifter. This was the sixth such mail Survivors of the shore party are: Dr and supply drop in nine years, and the Laurence Gould (geologist and second- fourth to the South Pole. in-command), Henry Harrison On the first flight from Christchurch (meteorologist), Howard Mason (radio load by parachute at McMurdo Station "Antarctic", Edward Goodale and and the Pole Station. The second flight Norman Vaughan (dog drivers) and was made to McMurdo Station. Dean Smith (pilot). There are also four Because of the extension of the other veterans of the 1928-30 expedi Christchurch runway the KC10 tanker tion, Carrol Foster, Ed Roos, John Bird was able to take off with an unrestricted and Leland Barter. lead of fuel. On earlier flights the tanker Also entitled to be listed as veterans, had to fly from Auckland and rendez although often omitted from American vous with the Starlifter just north of reports, are three New Zealanders, Per McMurdo Station. cy J. Wallis (Auckland), Norman Mail from home was the first priority Shrimpton (Nelson) and John Morrison for the winter population at the United (Dunedin). Percy Wallis made two trips States and New Zealand bases in the south in the City of New York, Norman Ross Dependency. Since February 18 Shrimpton was radio operator on the men and one woman at the Pole, 79 men Eleanor Boiling's first voyage, and John and two women at McMurdo Station, Morrison, who served in the same ship, and 11 New Zealanders at Scott Base went south again on the Jacob Rupper's have had only radio and telephone links second voyage to the Bay of Whales in with the outside world. 1935. ANTARCTICA Antarctic marine fossils and evolution Fossil remains of 11 species of invertebrate marine animals were discovered last summer by United States scientists who worked on Seymour Island in the Weddell Sea at the north-eastern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. Some were found for the first time; others were known previously to exist only at mid-latitudes. These unexpected findings on the that some marine animals have been steep slopes of the La Meseta'Forma widely scattered around the southern tion, a plateau which makes up most of continents. The latest evidence shows ice-free Seymour Island, includes the that these evolved over millions of years first records of a certain class of star in the high latitudes — above 60deg fish, crabs, and crinoids. Crinoids are latitude — until conditions allowed curious flower-like marine animals, them to move northward. In a number some of which are anchored by a stalk, of cases species recently described from and others which are free swimming. high latitude polar regions predate their Last season's expedition, which was descendants in the middle and low supported by the United States Coast latitudes by as much as 40 million years. Guard icebreaker Westwind, was led by Recognition that there was a variety Dr William J. Zinsmeister, formerly of of terrestrial and marine groups in both the Institute of Polar Studies, Ohio the Northern and Southern Hemisphere State University, and now of Purdue indicates, according to the scientists, University. In a report to the National that the polar regions have played a Science Foundation which finances and more important role in the development organises all United States activities in and diversity of Cenozoic fauna and Antarctica, he and Dr Rodney M. flora than had been recognised pre Feldmann, of Kent State University, say viously. The Cenozoic Period began that their discoveries suggest that the some 65 million years ago and still region around Antarctica acted as a continues. "holding tank" for a wide variety of A general expansion of cooler condi animals. These originated and evolved tions during the Cenozoic Period may there for millions of years and then have been responsible for the sudden dispersed northward when conditions appearance of some of these marine allowed. animals in lower latitudes. Some, According to the scientists their obser however, were able to move northward vations of Antarctic marine inverte by adapting to warmer habitats. Among brates corroborate those made recently them were the penguins on the about terrestrial mammals and plants in Galapagos Islands on the Equator west the Arctic. Because of recent discoveries of South America. in the polar regions ideas about evolu tion will have to be modified. Previously A mystery that has baffled scientists scientists have believed that most evolu for more than a century — the abrupt tion took place in the tropics or in low appearance of new groups of inverte ' -latitudes, and the polar regions brates found in the fossil records of th een looked on as unimportant. southern continents — appears to ho" But it is now apparent that evolution has been solved by the work done " '"king place in the polar regions Seymour Island. The evidence now suggests that these animal grou: ay have been a source for many had a long period of evolutionary groups of animals and plants. development around Antarctica before For many years scientists have known moving northward. .w^sm *mJHm>j i'

ANTARCTICA

ANARE REPORTS Future marine geoscience plans Although the Australian Government has decided that at present it is unable to increase the level of the Antarctic summer research programme geological and geophysical research work around the coast of Antarctica may be undertaken by a vessel chartered by the Bureau of Mineral Resources during several seasons in the next five years. For financial reasons the Government earlier this year called for a review of plans for a new Antarctic transport system, including the acquisition of an ice-breaking research vessell. Last year the Antarctic Division had Island are engaged in research in the to drop its plans to obtain a vessel for fields of upper atmosphere physics, marine geoscience voyages to Antarctica geology, biology, and glaciology. They each year. Now, because of the urgent are also maintaining routine observa need for marine geoscience research in tions covering geophysics, ionosphere Australia's hugh Exclusive Economic physics, cosmic ray physics, and Zone the Bureau of Mineral Resources meteorology. has been able to convince the Govern This year there are 87 men and one ment of the importance of obtaining a woman at Casey (30), Davis (22) and vessel for this work. Mawson (36) and 18 men and one Present plans are for a three-year woman on Macquarie Island. The charter from the middle of this year with medical officer at Mawson is Dr Lyn an option to extend the contract for Williams, who is with her husband, another two years. Primary aim of the Warwick, a cosmic ray physicist. They charter scheme is to conduct marine wintered together previously on Mac quarie Island, and Warwick Williams geoscience around the Australian con also wintered at Scott Base as senior tinental shelf, and the BMR hopes that science technician in 1978. Wendy Pro- the vessel will be used also for a research cruise in the Southern Ocean off Antarc hasky is a geophysicist at Macquarie tica although not every summer. Station. Initial indications are that survey There are three scientists from the People's Republic of China at two of the work will be carried out in the vicinity of three Antarctic bases. Davis has Cao the Kerguelen-Gaussberg undersea ridge north-east of Davis Station next sum Chang, a 43-year-old physicist am Wang Zipan, a 38-year-old biologist. mer. Preliminary geoscience work was One of the two glaciologists at Casey is carried out on an Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions 37-year-old Qin Da He. (ANARE) voyage to the region in the Mawson also has two New 1981-82 season. Another survey may be Zealanders, Andre Phillips, a physicist made by the BMR vessel in 1986-87, from the University of Canterbury, and possibly in the Shackleton Ice Shelf Gerry Hamilton, a diesel mechanic from area. Havelock North. Switzerland is also While preparations for the 1984-85 represented in the winter teams by Dr summer progress are being made in Erwin Erb, medical officer at Davis. He Australia the winter parties at the three comes from Winterthur in the Zurich Antarctic bases, Mawson, Casey, and canton. Davis, and on sub-Antarctic Macquarie Early in March preparations began at ANTARCTICA

Casey for the autumn traverse to con a radio equipment fault was fixed by tinue glaciological research of the East Mawson staff. Antarctic ice-sheet inland from the Before 7 p.m., the helicopters had left station which began in the early 1970s. Mawson and the Agulhas was ready to With one D7 and two D6 tractors towing resume her cruise. She took mail for workshop and living vans and sledges, Australia which was to be posted when the traverse party left the station on the ship returned to Cape Town at the March 8. end of April. With the leader, Rick Thwaites When the Mikhail Somov, flagship of (glaciologist) were Rowan Butler (elec the 29th Soviet Antarctic Expedition tronics engineer), Jim Clarke (surveyor), sailed from Leningrad in late November Gary Burton (plant inspector), and last year "Pravda" reported that visits Russell Brand and Andrew Wood (diesel to Davis Station and the abandoned mechanics). They reached a point joint U.S.-N.Z. station at Cape Hallett 400km inland towards the end of the were planned. But when a helicopter month, and in April reported they were from the ship flew to Davis on January within sight of the Law Dome, and 19 to inspect its facilities the Australian expected to be back at Casey early in Minister for Science and Technolocy May. (Mr Barry Jones) suggested in Parlia ment nearly a month later that the visit Before the team settled down for the had been made because the Soviet Union winter Mawson had a six-hour visit on might be thinking of buying the station March 29 from the South African for East Germany which had asked for research and supply ship Agulhas which financial help to set up a base not far was engaged in the first phase of the from Davis. Second International Biomass Experi ment (SIBEX-I) along the western edges Mr Jones described the visit as having of the oceanic gyre north-west of Prydz- been unannounced, made "with little Bay. In addition scientists aboard were warning," and not an official inspection also conducting a census of birds in the under Article VII of the Antarctic Treaty. He also suggested that the visit egion between the northern tip of had been provoked by rumours that Enderby Land and Cape Darnley just north of the western end of the Amery Australia intended to close the base. Ice Shelf. But visits by Soviet ships and aircraft Seventeen South Africans flew into to Australian and other bases are no Mawson at 1 p.m. aboard two Aero novelty. They have been made for many seasons. Before the Mikhail Somov's spatiale Puma helicopters from the ship which was then some 65km offshore. helicopter called at Davis the station had One helicopter left Mawson at 2.15 p.m. been assisting the Soviet aircraft for Taylor Glacier and Fold Island some operating between Molodezhnaya and 100km and 160km respectively west of Mirny, and at the summer station, the station. The main purpose of the Soyuz, on Beaver Lake in the Prince visits was to observe penguines at both Charles Mountains. locations which are the sites of large Heading the Soviet party on this Emperor penguin colonies in winter. occasion was Dr Boris Krutskih, leader Fifty-one Emperors were counted at of SAE-29, who is director of the Arctic Fold Island and 171 at Taylor. Adelie and Antarctic Research Institute in penguin, and snow and Antarctic petrel Leningrad. With him were Captain colonies were also observed. Mihailov, master of the Mikhail Somov, Dr Nikolai Tyabin, an interpreter, two South African staff who did not make pilots, two engineers, and a radio the survey flight were shown around the operator. After a tour of the station the station and then driven to nearby Mount officer-in-charge, Captain Philip Elliott, Henderson (970m). Some 600 litres of and two members of the Davis team fuel were supplied to the helicopters and were flown to the ship to inspect her. ANTARCTICA Frozen sea international expedition After more than 10 months locked in the ice of Prydz Bay, East Antarctica, the Oceanic Research Foundation's 21m auxiliary schooner Dick Smith Explorer returned to Sydney on March 11. Led by Dr David Lewis, the expedition was away from Australia for more than 15 months and in Antarctica for more than a year. This was the third and longest Antarctica expedition organised by the ORF and led by David Lewis. The first in the yacht Solo sailed to the Balleny Islands and Cape Adare in the 1977-78 season, and the second aboard the Dick Smith Explorer worked during the 1981-82 summer in Commonwealth Bay and along the coast of Adelie Land to the French station, Dumont d'Urville. With an international group of four hard and the ice-strengthened Mikhail men and two women the Dick Smith Somov, flagship of the Soviet Antarctic Explorer left Sydney on November 14, fleet, was unable to pick its way to 1982 and sailed from Albany, Western Haswell Island. Australia on December 13 for Prydz Bay, the deep embayment betweeen the Lars and Ingrid Christensen Coasts of SHIP IN DANGER East Antarctica. The ship arrived at After nearly a week of winds and Davis, the Australian mainland base in gales the Dick Smith Explorer zigzagged the Vestfold Hills area on February 9 her way through bergs and pack ice, last year and left on February 16 for the most of it broken away by gales, to Rauer Islands in the south-east part of Haswell Island about three nautical Prydz Bay to find suitable winter miles from Mirny, and at noon on quarters. February 8 made fast with two anchors Late in February winter quarters were to a grounded berg. But the berg sud established in a small shallow bay 35m denly floated free at high tide and offshore from Filla Island, the largest of threatened to crush the ship against a the Rauer Islands about 35km from wall of consolidated pack. Davis. The ship was frozen in on March When the DSE was out of danger she 4 and was released from her winter was finally secured to a reasonably prison when the ice around her broke stable berg. But the ice between Haswell out on January 12. Island and the base was impassible For another fortnight members of the either for the DSE or the rugged Beau expedition waited anxously for 2km of fort inflatable. Floes and leads were fast ice outside the bay to break up and equally impassible on foot. be driven out by the wind. By January Mirny was tantalizingly visible and 28 the DSE was at Davis awaiting a the Soviet team while anxious to meet favourable ice report. She left for the expedition was concerned at the Sydney by way of the Soviet station, > evident danger in the drifting ice. Also Mirny, on the evening of February 2. the station helicopter had left in the Dangerous drifting ice, gales, and Mikhail Somov. So the DSE and her snowstorms, made a call at Mirny regretful crew headed for Sydney on the impossible. A Soviet radio report to the evening of February 8 in a snowstorm ship said that ice conditions were very accompanied by gales. ANTARCTICA

On February 11 the snow stopped and Science projects on these journeys the DSE under full sail in fair winds included Emperor and Adelie penguin appeared to be clear of Antarctica's grip counts, tagging Weddell seals, collection apart from bergs which were visible on of lichens and moss, and observations of the radar. But Antarctica was still reluc seabirds. David Lewis and Mimi tant to release the expedition. The DSE George, who were away from the ship had to thread her way cautiously every month, spent 122 days in the field, between fields of pack ice. Her deck and Gill Cracknell 116, and Jannik Schou rigging were snow-covered and her 115. sheets frozen. She passed one berg more Although the two Australians, than 4.8km long which seemed to be on Norman Linton Smith, radio operator Drygalski Island (65deg 45min S/92 deg and base engineer, and the zoologist, 30min E). Jamie Miller, were in the field for only As the ship headed for home David 31 and 19 days respectively, they con Lewis reported that despite winter bliz tributed to the scientific programme of zards her sails were in great shape and seal tagging, meteorological observa setting perfectly. Everyone was in good tions, and other projects carried out heart for the last leg of nearly 3000nm to from the ship and in the field. They Sydney. helped to sledge supplies to field depots When the ORF expedition returned for later use, and during a 50-day major David Lewis described it as a success. spring journey by David, Mimi, Gill, Ik^mIiiW' im and Jannik, they had the responsibility a small low-budget expedition could of keeping open a trench cut in the ice to survive a winter in Antarctica. ease ice pressure on the ship. One of the main purposes of the In addition to gaining valuable expedition was to pioneer the use of a experience of travelling over sea ice the ship deliberately frozen into suitable ice expedition did important work with as a base that could be removed, unlike Weddell seals, tagging 720 of them highly-expensive land-based huts, at the (Jannik was responsible for 700), end of the season without leaving an making the first underwater recording effect on the environment. Unlike of seal noises in East Antarctica and earlier explorers, however, David Lewis observing the birth of pups. Ice forma and his companions did not remain tions were measured and krill and fish aboard the Dick Smith Explorer all the samples were collected for later study. time she was locked in the ice. Between March 4 last year and the middle of January four members of the SMALL GROUP expedition spent nearly four months in A major product of the expedition's the field on winter and spring journeys winter stay will be a doctoral thesis by mainly south of the Rauer Islands. Mimi George, who is a graduate of the David Lewis and the American anthro University of Virginia. During her many pologist, Mimi George, who was deputy months at sea and on the ice she leader, made the first field trip at the obtained material for a detailed study of end of March. the interactions of members of a small With Gill Cracknell, the English group confined under trying circum stances for more than a year. geomorphologist, and the Danish naturalist, Jannik Schou, the leader and Because of communications dif his deputy covered 582km by snow ficulties the chronicle of the expedition's mobile and 496km on foot or hauling work could not be continued in the sledges, much of the distance over sea March issue of "Antarctic." Later ice south of the Rauer Islands. They reports to the ORF from David Lewis worked along a 100km coastal stretch take up the story from October 28 and 25km offshore on frozen sea. onwards. ANTARCTICA

In the last week of October systematic monitored each week, and trips were day trips were made to count and made to bluffs north-east of the Rauers observe seabirds in the Filla and Hop for lichens, and to Hop Island to count Islands rookeries. Gill Cracknell and seabirds. Jamie Miller demarcated and mapped Because of heavy pack ice the four penguin rookery areas for popula ANARE relief ship Nella Dan was tion study, and Mimi George unable to reach Davis in the middle of photographed mating displays of Cape December, and her cargo was ferried to pigeons, fulmars, and penguins. the base by helicopter. Two helicopters On November 1 the team began later brought the expedition's first home excavating the port quarter and stern of mail and packages from Davis. the Dick Smith Explorer, digging straight down through 1.5m of sea ice to About this time David Lewis decided free the hull from its ice cradle. Ice that it was necessary for Jamie Miller to pressure had raised the bow more than a return to Australia for personal reasons. metre and the propeller, rudder, and He was transferred to Davis by heli jury rudder were ice-encased. copter after a request to the Antarctic All field trips in November were done Division by the leader, and returned to Melbourne aboard the Nanok S on by hauling sledges as petrol supplies were only sufficient for emergency. On January 24. November 4 Jannik Schou and Jamie By the end of December the DSE was Miller tagged 158 Weddell seals in a still frozen in among deteriorating ice in major pupping congregation near Cape her winter quarters on the lee side of Drakon. Later Jamie tagged 14 more. Filla Island. Two kilometres away was Between November 7 and 14 David the open pack-strewn sea. Then on Lewis and Mimi George prospected two January 12 the ship floated free in the snowmobile routes on to the Polar bay when the ice cradle split, forming Plateau, the first to 250m above Cape floes. The propeller and rudder were Drakon. Mimi collected lichens from a intact, and one month later the expedi nunatak, recorded seals on the sea ice tion was sailing home to the delights of and then sledged 13km along fiords civilisation. below the plateau edge. A second route to 500m up slopes of blue ice provided a magnificent 100km view of the Vestfold Antarctic telex Hills to the Larsemann Hills. On November 18 Gill, Jannik, voting Norman, and Jamie, left Hop Island Australians serving at Antarctic bases south of the Rauer Islands. During their have been unable to vote in their Federal six-day trip they estimated the penguin elections since 1954 when the first perma population of the area at 88,000 plus. nent station, Mawson, was established, David and Mimi left on November 23 because of infrequent mail services. Now for the Adelie penguin rookery on Filla they have gained the right to vote, and Island where they camped for six days. their votes will be transmitted from They observed the nesting penguins and Mawson, Casey, and Davis by telex. estimated the population at nearly Postal voting has not been possible for 23,000. 30 years because Australian National In preparation for the melting and Antarctic Research Expeditions (ANARE) breaking up of the ice all rubbish was has had to depend on chartered ships taken to the ice edge and burnt. Food between October and March each season. dumps set up at the beginning of winter Amendments in the Commonwealth Elec were returned to firm ice near the ship toral Legislation Bill passed last year will readv for re-loading. give the vote to about 120 men and Seal tagging for November and early women who winter in Antarctica, and 100 December reached 226, including 97 to 150 on voyages and summer expedi pups. The total figure was 709 (272 tions on any polling days falling between pups). Adelie penguin rookeries were October and March. ANTARCTICA

Project Blizzard will restore Mawson's hut Project Blizzard, a private Australian for 73 years. The first season's work will expedition, will sail south from Hobart be largely exploratory to identify the late in November this year to the home hut's contents, determine the materials of the blizzard, Commonwealth Bay. needed for restoration, and to make There it will begin the first stage of essential repairs. A start may be made restoring Mawson's hut at Cape on recladding. Denison, built for his 1911-13 Australa While working on the hut the team sian Antarctic Expedition. The expedi will carry out a series of scientific pro tion will work at Cape Denison for eight weeks between December and early jects. These include a detailed meteorological programme to supple March and will return to complete the ment Mawson's original data; a project in late 1985. magnetic study for the Bureau of Organisers of Project Blizzard, which Mineral Resources on the original is expected to cost about $A250,000, are 1911-13 magnetic survey site; a con members of the group which formed the tinuation of the studies of hormonal core of the 1983 expedition to adaptation to cold climate which Dr Australia's sub-Antarctic Heard Island Vining began on Heard Island; and a aboard the ketch Anaconda II. The continuation of previous biological leader is William Blunt, a Sydney ar surveys in the area. chitect and mountaineer, and the chair In addition Project Blizzard plans to man is Dr Ross Vining. They were joint retrace part of the famous eastern leaders of the Heard Island expedition. journey from Cape Denison by For the 1984-85 season the expedition Mawson, the only survivor after his will use the 21m auxiliary schooner Dick companions, Merz and Ninnis, died. Smith Explorer which has made two The traverse will be made in the 1985-86 voyages to Antarctica with Oceanic season by Jonathan Chester, Robert Research Foundation expeditions to Easther and Stephen McDowell. They Commonwealth Bay and Prydz Bay led will haul their sledges 200km out from by Dr David Lewis. The vessel to be us the base hut and 200km back. ed in the 1985-86 season will depend on the quantity of material needed at Cape SUMMER TEAM Denison. It will take a party of up to 20, When the Dick Smith Explorer leaves including carpenters. Sydney about November 3 on the first Project Blizzard's objective in the stage of the voyage south her skipper restoration project will be to return will be an ORF director, Don Richards, Mawson's hut to a state similar to its who was radio operator with the 1981-82 original condition when it was first oc expedition to Commonwealth Bay and cupied by the men of AAE. Work the French Dumont d'Urville Station. planned includes repair of structural Two positions with the expedition had members; weatherproofing by replacing not been filled when this issue of the external cladding with Baltic pine "Antarctic" went to press. boards similar to the original timber; There are three architects in the preservation and documentation of expedition, William Blunt, his wife, existing materials and historic items; and clearing the hut of snow and ice. Meg Thornton, who went to Heard Island, and Helmut Rhode, who Recladding of the hut is regarded as specialises in cold weather building the best option for protection of the hut design. Dr Vining, who is a medical which has withstood the ravages of doctor, will continue his scientific Antarctic gales, extreme temperatures, studies; the medical officer is Dr Paul and the accumulation of snow and ice Mara. ANTARCTICA

Two members of the Heard Island Project Blizzard's budget for the two expedition, Jonathan Chester and Antarctic voyages includes $A50,000 for Robert Easther, will have with them a the restoration work. The main cost will New Zealander who went to Heard be chartering and refitting vessels. To Island nearly 20 years ago. He is an ORF meet the cost of the restoration the director, Colin Putt, who has lived in expedition has appealed to supporters to Sydney for many years. The carpenter is pay $A25 each, the cost of replacing a Patrick Honey. Still to be selected are an single board on the hut. About 2000 archaeologist and a representative of the Baltic pine boards are needed for the ANARE Club, which provided a man complete job. for the Australian Antarctic Division team which worked on the hut in the 1977-78 season. Finland now 31st treaty nation Sweden, one of the first countries to as members of the Norwegian-British- send an expedition to Antarctica in the Swedish Expedition which worked in Heroic Age of exploration, acceded to Queen Maud land from 1949 to 1952. the Antarctic Treaty on April 24 this Inspired by the noted Swedish glacio year. It was followed late in May by logist. Professor Hans Ahlmann, the Finland. There are now 31 treaty project was the first large-scale inter members, 16 consultative parties, and 15 national expedition. A Swedish scientist, acceding nations. Hungary was the 29th Valter Schytt, was chief glaciologist and country to accede on January 27 this second-in-command of the expedition. year. Three other Swedish members of the Otto Nordenskjold's Swedish Antarc winter party were Dr Ove Wilson, Bertil tic Expedition (1901-03) was one of five Ekstrom (mechanical engineer) and to winter in Antarctica during the first Gosta H. Liljequist (assistant meteor 10 years of this century. It went south at ologist). Air support was provided in the the same time as Scott's Discovery first summer by a Royal Air Force unit, expedition (1901-04) and was the first to and in the final summer a Swedish unit land on the South American side of the commanded by Captain R. von Essen continent. made an aerial survey, operating from Among the members of the expedition the expedition base, Maudheim. which wintered were an Argentine Navy officer, Sub-lieutenant Jose M. Sobral, 44 historic and two Norwegians, C. A. Larsen, captain of the Antarctic, and a sites deckhand, Toralf Grunden. An Ameri can landscape artist, F. W. Stokes, who A plaque erected at Dakshin Gangotri, v had wintered with Peary's Greenland the summer station for India's first expedition in 1893-94, returned to expedition in the 1981-82 season, brings Buenos Aires after the expedition to 44 the number of historic sites and established its winter base on Snow Hill monuments listed in Antarctica. Inclusion Island off the east coast of the Antarctic of the plaque in the list originally Peninsula in the Weddell Sea. When the established in 1972 was approved at the ■ Antarctic was crushed in the ice and 12th meeting of the Antarctic Treaty sank the expedition was broken up into consultative members in Canberra last three winter parties at Hope Bay, on year. The plaque, which lists the names Paulet Island and Snow Hill Island. of members of the first expedition, was Forty-six years after the rescue of attached to a rock on January 9, 1982, Nordenskjold's expedition Swedish at 70deg 45min S/l ldeg 38deg E on the 'J!'. scientists and airmen were in Antarctica coast of Queen Maud Land.

'->£/ ANTARCTICA Norwegian expedition to Queen Maud Land Ornithological studies in the Gjelsvik Mountains of Queen Maud Land and investigations of seabed sediments in the Crary Delta in the Weddell Sea which will work in Antarctica during the first two months of 1985. Twenty-five scientists will take part in the expedition which will be the third since the 1976-77 season. Another expedition is planned in three years' time. Organised by the Norwegian Polar samples, and detailed studies of freezing Institute and a scientific committee at the on the underside of an ice shelf. University of Bergen the expedition will Two geologists will continue their be led by Dr Olav Orheim, one of the in previous studies of continental drift, stitute's glaciologists. He has been south based on the knowledge that Africa, 11 times before and next year his main Antarctica, India, and Australia formed field of study will be glaciers, and par the single continent of Gondwanaland. ticularly the way they disintegrate when The scientists will continue to study the they reach the open sea. rocks in the the western mountains of Other study sectors will be marine Queen Maud Land in order to determine geology, marine geophysics, and whether they are of the same type as those oceanography. Scientists from the Polar found in south-east Africa. Institute and the Institute for Continen Topographic measurements will be tal Shelf Studies will jointly investigate taken for new satellite maps of the what is known as glacier ploughing and the changes that occur on the seabed Gjelsvik Mountains area and geological mapping will also be done. The Gjelsvik when it is scraped up by a giant glacier. Mountains form a range 40km long which This study will, among other things, con lies between the Sverdrup and Muhlig- tribute towards greater understanding of Hoffman Mountains. seabed developments on the continental shelf in the northern regions. A research group will study the seabed High winds sediments in the Crary Delta of the Wed dell Sea. These sediments provide an in at Russkaya dication of the area's geological history. Research so far shows that the area Meteorologists at Russkaya, the Soviet became completely ice-covered 4.5 million station at Cape Burks (74deg 46min years ago. Another group will make water /136deg 51.7min W) on the Ruppert temperature and current measurements in Coast of Marie Byrd Land, reported wind the Weddel' Sea. speeds of up to 116.36 knots (215.65km) In the Gjelsvik Mountains (72deg an hour early this year. Tass, the official 09min S/2deg 36min E) ornithologists liv Soviet news agency, claimed that wind ing in tents will carry out behavioural strengths were the highest recorded studies of petrels which nest in the area anywhere. 200km away from the coast and their A permanent station since 1980, food sources. Other studies will cover in Russkaya has a winter team of 10 men, vertebrates and the outer limits for plants. including four scientists, headed by Other projects will include micro Vladmir Vasil'yevich Kiselev. He reported climatic studies of the vegetation on that the gales had buckled steel-framed nunataks, measurements of the content huts and torn a generator weighing three- of sulphates and heavy metals in snow quarters of a ton off its steal mounting. ANTARCTICA

Norwegian-British Pole expedition A Norwegian-British private scientific tion," he told the correspondent. But so expedition plans to follow Amundsen's far no approach has been made to the route to the South Pole in the 1985-86 New Zealand authorities for the use of season. The leader will be a glaciologist, Scott Base facilities or the huskies. Scott Dr Monica Kristensen, of the Nor Base keeps about 18 (enough for two wegian Polar Institute. With her will be teams). A French private expedition of Dr Neil Mclntyre, of the Mullard Space up to 15 men plans to winter at the Bay Laboratory, University College, Lon of Whales next year and also follow don, Bjorn Wold, head of glaciology for Amundsen's route to the Pole in the the Norwegian Water Board, and Nick 1985-86 season. It intends to take Cox, formerly of the British Antarctic 60 dogs. Survey. Dr Mclntyre says it is hoped the Funds for the joint expedition, which expedition will draw together interna has the support of the Royal Society and tional links and industrial enterprises in the European Space Agency, will be the Antarctic area. "We do not plan to raised privately in Britain and Norway. promote companies' interests in mineral The cost is estimated at 254,000 sterling. exploitation and offshore drilling but want to draw them into the arena of Predictably, when the expedition's Antarctic activities." plans were first announced in London Dr Kristensen is known in polar scien on May 24 press reports were more con tific circles for her research on Antarctic cerned with its leadership by a woman tabular icebergs. In the 1980-81 season than basic information about research she worked with Dr Olav Orheim, of the and logistics. Claims were made ap Norwegian Polar Institute, and Dr Peter parently not by the British organiser, Dr Wadhams, of the Scott Polar Research Mclntyre, about the first polar expedi Institute, from the British ice patrol tion to be led by a woman, the first to ship, H.M.S. Endurance, off South retrace Amundsen's route, and the first Georgia, the South Sandwich Islands, to attempt to reach the Pole overland and Signy Island in the South Orkneys. without mechanised transport since Fuchs in 1958. Glaciology is the main purpose of the New director expedition which expects to spend about Australia's Antarctic Division has a 40 days in 80 on research. It will study new acting director. He is Mr James the effects of tides and storms on the Bleasel, formerly director of the Na Ross Ice Shelf, and the formation of tional Materials Handling Bureau in icebergs. Observations on the ice and Sydney. Mr Clarrie McCue, who has snow sampling will complement satellite been director for the last five years, has photographs, and may indicate changes been appointed special adviser on in the West Antarctic ice-sheet. Antarctic matters to the Secretary of the Dr Mclntyre told a staff correspon Department of Science and Technology dent of the New Zealand Press Associa in Canberra. tion in London that the expedition, ex Mr Bleasel, who took over as acting pected to take 80 days, is most likely to director on February 20, spent nine leave from Christchurch. The first stage years with the National Materials of the proposed route will be across the Handling Bureau, a national develop Ross Ice Shelf from Scott Base to the ment agency concerned broadly with the Bay of Whales — a distance of more physical movements of goods. The than 400 nautical miles on the map. bureau publishes reports on the pitfalls New Zealand is one of the few coun- and benefits of present technology to triees which still operate dogs in the assist private enterprise, and is develop Antarctic, according to Dr Mclntyre. ing a code in association with industry "These are what we need for the expedi for the transport of dangerous goods. June, 1984 ANTARCTICA

BAS NEWS Geologists work towards South Pole With more money to spend — its annual budget was increased by four million sterling to about 10 million — the British Antarctic Survey's 1983-84 summer season was extremely successful and almost all projects were completed without serious delays or mishaps. The field work programme was the most ambitious ever undertaken by BAS both in scale and extent. It extended to remote rock outcrops south to within 200km of the South Pole and west to about 105deg W. Three Twin Otter aircraft supported — two BAS geologists with two USARP the field workers, one making three geologists from Lamont-Doherty flights to the Pole, and, as usual, the Geological Observatory — was based at Royal Research Ships John Biscoe and the Martin Hills. With BAS air support Bransfield carried out the annual relief and snowmobiles the geologists worked of the stations. In addition the John in the outcrops south of the Ellsworth Biscoe supported geologists making a Mountains and west to the Whitmore series of landings in remote areas, and Mountains, and also visited the Sentinel the Bransfield stood by for seven weeks Range and Patuxent Mountains for to assist in the changeover from the old comparison. Their programme was station to the new. The old station was completed by the end of January and closed in mid-February. they were then flown out by United This winter there are 62 men at BAS States Hercules aircraft by way of stations. Of these three are at Bird McMurdo Station and New Zealand. Island, South Georgia, 11 at Faraday in One BAS aircraft flew to the South Pole the Argentine Islands, 13 at Rothera on three times, ferrying geological Adelaide Island, 19 at the new Halley specimens from the joint project in the Station and 16 at Signy in the South Thiel Mountains. Orkneys. This work was supplemented by Chile now has a centre for its air aeromagnetic flights by a BAS aircraft. operations south of Adelaide Island. Two-thirds of them constituted a joint Last season the old British station which science foundation project in the Martin had been occupied only intermittently Hills area and included flights north to since BAS transferred to Rothera in Siple Station and between the Ellsworth 1977, was made available. The Chileans and Sweeney Mountains. Other BAS had been using a snow runway on the ice flights were undertaken across the An piedmont above Rothera (where they tarctic Peninsula and over Alexander had established a mobile hut) since the Island. There were also flights over 1981-82 summer and frequent flights ground traverses out of the main Ronne were made at the end of last year. Ice Shelf depot west of Berkner Island Equipment was moved to the and on to the Lassiter Coast. Adelaide airstrip at the beginning of Fuel for the joint BAS—US flights January. The final flight of the season had been provided in various depots set to Rothera was in mid-January, and the up by the Americans in the 1982-83 sum Chileans reported a few days later that mer. The BAS-USARP geological pro Adelaide had been closed for the winter. gramme will be continued in 1984-85 In one of the joint BAS-American and the BAS-NSF geophysics pro projects the most southerly field party gramme in 1985-86. ANTARCTICA June. 1984

Geologists with air support also work measurements will supplement those ed on the stratigraphy and structure of obtained at the northern end of the central Alexander Island, the Sound in 1981-82. Snow samples were geochronology of plutonic rocks on the also collected for continuing isotope eastern side of the Antarctic Peninsula, studies. and mapped exposures in north-western This group then sledged north to Palmer Land. The east coast party was Fossil Bluff and continued work in flown out to Rothera Station, Adelaide eastern Alexander Island until the begin Island, after eight weeks because of con ning of March. Another glaciological tinuing bad weather, and joined HMS party worked on the Ronne Ice Shelf Endurance at the end of January for two measuring flow, strain, velocity and weeks' helicopter landings on the west tidal flexing in the area between the coast of the Antarctic Peninsula. This Korff and Henry Ice Rises. was very valuable: 92 gravity stations were occupied and ties established bet All field parties were back at Rothera ween Rothera, Faraday (Argentine (the centre for BAS air-supported earth Islands), Damoy (Wiencke Island) and sciences) by the beginning of March and the American Palmer station (Anvers the Fossil Bluff hut was closed for the winter. Flights continued for a few more Island). days: more fuel was flown to Fossil Two men working on the Palmer Bluff, ice observations made over Land plateau were flown back to Marguerite Bay and a second recon Rothera a few days early, at the end of naissance of the Ronne Entrance (the February, after one of them had fallen south-western end of George VI Sound) 15m into a crevasse with his carried out. The latter project was an snowmobile. Fortunately, his fall was attempt to find a possible site, accessible broken by the collapsed snow bridge and by sea, for a depot for field operations. he sustaine only minor injuries and was able to climb out unaided. BAS Antarctic flights in 1983-84 reached almost 1000 hours. Geomorphologists and a palaeon The three Twin Otter aircraft left tologist worked north of Fossil Bluff on Rothera in mid-March and flew to the the west side of George VI Sound. A Chilean Rodolfo Marsh Station, King four-man surface geophysics party worked for a month in the Sound before George Island, on the first stage of their ferry flight north, arriving back in Bri continuing its 1982-83 work on the tain two weeks later. All three had Ronne Ice Shelf. In the latter area gravity and radio-echo ice-depth supported field parties throughout the measurements were carried out every summer and one also carried out 9km and seismic depth-to-bedrock aeromagnetic flights. determinations every 36km, using a Two parties were ferried from Halley satellite navigation system. The' to Rodolfo Marsh by way of Rothera traverses covered 1600km over the (on one occasion the aircraft had come western half of the ice shelf and south to from the South Pole), and a third flight the Heritage Range. The parrty was was made to Marsh from Rothera to airlifted back to Rothera by way of the evacuate an injured man from HMS Sweeney Mountains at the end of Endurance. The Chileans readily gave February. permission for an RAF Hercules transport plane to land at Marsh to take SNOW STUDIES the man to the Falkland Islands. Glaciologists and oceanographers After an eight-month voyage the John continued work on the sea water/ice Biscoe arrived back at Southhampton shelf boundary at both ends of George on March 12. She sailed south on June VI Sound. Automatic tide gauges and 21, 1983 and resumed marine biology current meters were positioned near the off South Georgia at the end of July. In Eklund Islands to remain throughout mid-October she began the summer the 1984 winter. The resulting relief operations and also transported June, 1984 ANTARCTICA geologists who were making a series of bound winter parties were taken to landings on the west coast of the Antarc Montevideo, where the ship's co-master tic Peninsula and the off-lying islands. assumed command for the second half RRS Bransfield arrived at Halley at of the voyage, and the ship then headed the end of December and remained there for the Antarctic Peninsula via the until the transfer from the old (1973) Falkland Islands. station to the new (1983) had been com Cargo was taken to the Faraday pleted. She was able to unload on to fast geophysical observatory and Rothera in ice in an inlet in the ice front where there mid-March. This included equipment was a convenient ramp up to the ice for the new satellite communications shelf, but gales in mid-January removed system, similar to that set up at Halley much of the fast ice and made access to and Signy and on the two ships in 1983. the ice shelf difficult. The gales also With the new installations at Faraday hindered work at the new station (18km and Rothera the network was complete inland) — including erection of the 45m and was fully operational by mid-April. aerials for the advanced ionospheric The teleprinter circuit was closed down sounder, and transfer of equipment at the end of the month. from the old station. From Rothera, the Bransfield pro While work was in progress, 25 men ceeded to the Ronne Entrance, but high lived at the new station, 24 at the old (15 winds, rough seas and poor visibility commuting 9km to work at the new) and thwarted the search for a new depot site 12 men lived on the ship. All available and the ship sustained some damage in man-power was needed to complete the old pack ice. After returning to Rothera work and to ensure the minimum inter to deliver fuel, including 1,400 drums of ruption of the geophysics programme aviation fuel, she finally left on March during the transfer. There was, 24 to rendezvous with HMS Endurance therefore, no time for the ship to near Deception Island, before taking replenish the Ronne Ice Shelf depot. men to King George Island to be flown New Halley became operational as a home by way of Rodolfo Marsh Station. geophysical observatory in mid- Meanwhile, the Endurance ran February, after interruptions in the pro aground while surveying, and was towed grammes of only two to three weeks, an off by the Bransfield. Her damage was achievement made possible by all con not serious and she was able to return to cerned working extremely hard, often in the Falkland Islands for repairs. very difficult conditions. Those who wintered in 1983 had contended with FINAL VISITS bad weather before the ship's arrival. A few days later the Bransfield Severe gales in mid-December (after returned to the Argentine Islands and which it took four days to remove snow constructed and stocked a refuge hut drifts from around the new site) nearby on the mainland at Rasmussen restricted outside work and travel bet Point. After calling at Faraday, Palmer ween the two stations. In addition, and Rodolfo Marsh stations the ship severe melt problems were contended proceeded to the Falklands. with at the old station (now 20m below Two unoccupied buildings, observed the surface) when differential movements in the ice dislodged part of adjacent to the old BAS station the boiler flue. buildings on King George Island, were presumed to have been built by the Bransfield sailed from Halley on Brazilians who had expressed an interest February 14 and revisited Signy (South in wintering there from 1985 onwards. Orkney Islands), Bird Island (off the (A Brazilian party from the research north-western end of South Georgia) ship Barao de Teffe had also inspected biological stations and Grytviken. The the Port Lockroy area on the west coast Leith Harbour and Stromness whaling of the Antarctic Peninsula, and visited stations were inspected en route. Home- Damoy, the BAS summer air facility.) J L ANTARCTICA June,1984

Final visits were made by Bransfield in February. The Swedish yacht Nor to Signy, Bird Island and Grytviken in thern Light was also at Faraday in the first half of March and, as usual, January. stormy conditions caused delays at Bird Numerous East European trawlers Island. The ship then returned home by were fishing around the South Orkney way of Rio de Janeiro and arrived at Islands and South Georgia throughout Southampton on May 15. the season. Some were close in to Signy Two West German Dornier aircraft in April. refuelled at Rothera and Halley in In the early stages of winter several January and February en route from parties from Rothera undertook 10 day Rodolfo Marsh to Filchner summer dog-sledge or snowmobile journeys to camp by way of Fossil Bluff) and various parts of Adelaide Island in April Neumayer Station and returned by the and May, but the April journeys were same route. One delivered some equip restricted by bad weather. From Halley, ment to Halley. A West German parties travelling by snocat or helicopter also visited Halley in January snowmobiles visited the coast and after working in the Kraul Mountains attempted to re-establish the route near Neumayer. inland from the ice shelf to the inland ice While assisting BAS field parties, before the onset of winter darkness. HMS Endurance visited several stations. Sir Rex Hunt, High Commissioner for the British Antarctic Territory, and Brabant Island Lady Hunt, and also the BBC cor respondent Robert Fox, spent some time A British Joint Services expedition to on board. Helicopters from several Brabant Island, the largest unexplored British naval vessels visited Bird Island island in Antarctica, off the west coast throughout the summer, while en route of the Antarctic Peninsula, worked on between the Falkland Islands and South the island last season. Eight men are Georgia. spending the winter on the island in West Germany's research ship tents, and others will join them for the Polarstern visited Signy in December 1984/85 summer. and January, and her helicopters called Under the leadership of Commander at Halley in February while en route bet Chris Furse, R.N., who has been with ween Neumayer station and the Filchner services expeditions to the Elephant camp. The Chilean transport ship Piloto Island group in 1970/71 and 1976/77, Pardo arrived at Rothera in mid- the expedition travelled south aboard January to deliver fuel. Two Soviet H.M.S. Endurance, the Royal Navy's ships, Kapitan Gotski and Pioner ice patrol ship. Estonii, left fuel near Halley in Four men manned the base, estab December and collected BAS fuel to be lished in January at Metchnikoff Point depoted on the Ronne Ice Shelf. in the north-west of the island, and Several yachts and the tourists ships, carried out meteorological observations Lindblad Explorer and World and a physiological programme. The Discoverer, were also in the Antarctic. remainder of the summer party explored The Lindblad Explorer visited Faraday the precipitous north coast and made the and Signy twice, and World Discoverer first ascent of Mt. Hunter, 1590m. visited Faraday twice and Signy once. Geological and botanical specimens Sea ice and bergs prevented the ships were collected. from mooring close to Faraday. One of the field party fell with his A regular visitor to the Antarctic man-haul sledge into a crevasse, but was Peninsula area, the French yacht fortunately held by his companion and Damien II, called at Faraday and was unhurt, though shocked. The party Rothera in January, and a second remained in a snow-hole for three days French yacht, F'Murr, visited Faraday while the rescued man recovered. ANTARCTICA Fire destroys Argentine station One of Argentina's oldest Antarctic stations, Almirante Brown, on the west coast of the Antarctic Peninsula, was destroyed by fire on April 12. Six of the seven residents were unharmed in the early morning fire; the seventh sustained minor burns and smoke inhalation. An emergency hut 183m from the Almirante Brown was disembarked at main buildings was used for shelter by the Argentine winter station, Jubany, on the winter team until help arrived. In King George Island, South Shetlands, response to a request for assistance from and the Hero ended her summer pro the Argentine Antarctic Institute which gramme when she arrived at the Chilean has owned and operated the base as a port of Punta Arenas, Tierra del Fuego. scientific station since 1955 the United Almirante Brown (65deg 53min States National Science Foundation sent S/62deg 53min W) is in Paradise Bay. its research ship Hero to evacuate the Its picturesque setting has been a seven men. familiar sight to passengers on Antarctic On its last call to pick up the summer cruises ships which called at Paradise team from Palmer Station on Anvers Bay for a number of years. Island about 64km west of Almirante In 1951 the Argentine Navy placed a Brown the Hero broke off operations small detachment at Almirante Brown. and reached the Argentine station at The station was established for scientific 5.17 p.m. on April 12. She picked up the purposes on February 17, 1955. Before men and was on her way to Palmer Sta the fire it consisted of seven inter tion within 20 minutes. connected wooden buildings and an After completing her mission to emergency camp. The station has been Palmer Station the Hero sailed on April occupied each year by a winter team of 16 with the summer team of 10 and the up to 12 men, and another 12 during the seven Argentinians. The party from summer season. Uruguay sends first expedition Uruguay, which plans to establish a the Uruguayan Antarctic Institute, station to accommodate 12 to 15 people, studied the logistics of the New Zealand probably on King George Island, South programme at Scott Base and Vanda Shetlands, next November, sent its first Station. scientific expedition south late in In 1968 Uruguay established an January. A party of nine, including a Antarctic institute, and two years later biologist, geologist, and meteorologist, a Commission for Antarctic Studies was and representatives of the Uruguayan set up by decree under the Foreign Army, Navy, and Air Force, flew to the Ministry. Uruguay acceded to the An Chilean Rodolfo Marsh Station in a tarctic Treaty in 1980. Uruguayan Air Force aircraft. When Uruguay asked to join the Uruguayan scientists have gained Scientific Committee on Antarctic Antarctic experience with the Chilean Research last year it was told that full research programme and in 1981-82 membership could be considered only season two Uruguayan Air Force officers after the establishment of a scientific visited McMurdo Station and the research programme. However, SCAR Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station. invited Uruguay to send an observer to Last November a Uruguayan Army its 18th meeting in Bremerhaven, West officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Omar Por Germany, between September and ciuncula y Lamar, who was seconded to October this year. ANTARCTICA Minke whale survey in southern waters A survey of minke and other whales in the waters around Antarc tic, which began in 1978, ended on March 1 this year when three Japanese whalers, Shonan Maru I, Kyo Maru 27, and Shonan Maru II, returned to the New Zealand port of Wellington. With the Soviet whale research ship Vdumchiviy 34 the three whalers sailed from Wellington at the end of December to carry out a two month research programme in Area VI (120deg W-170deg W). When the survey ended the Soviet ship remained in Antarctica for further research. Thirteen scientists from seven nations out important behavioural observations — Argentina, Chile, Japan, New as a result. The tail flukes of seven Zealand, United Kingdom, Soviet humpback whales were photographed to Union, and United States, took part in assist with future identification. last season's cruise, the sixth in the Modified Discovery streamer marks International Whaling Commission's were used to mark 133 minke whales. programme which is part of the Inter These assist in determining the fate of national Decade of Cetacean Research the mark when fired and recognising (IDCR). The main purpose of the marked whales. Each mark has an at research has been to obtain accurate tached stopper to limit penetration and scientific data on minke whale numbers avoid injury when it is applied to a in the Antarctic region and gather detail whale. ed information on all other species of cetaceans sighted. All results from the cruise were Working along the edge of the pack presented to the International Whaling ice and offshore in the Ross and Bell Commission at the annual meeting of the scientific committee in England last ingshausen Seas and off the coast of Marie Byrd Land the ships encountered month. A report will be presented at the commission's annual meeting in Buenos generally good weather, but ice condi tions were difficult during the second Aires this month. half of the cruise. Area V (130deg Of the five United States scientists E-170deg W) was not surveyed this year in the programme three, Gerald as indicated in the December issue of Joyce, Richard Rowlett, and Barry "Antarctic." Troutman, were from the National As expected, the number of minke Marine Mammals Laboratory, National whales seen throughout the cruise was Marine Fisheries Service. The others lower than in previous cruises because were C.Edward Bowlby and Shannon Area VI is known to contain fewer Fitzgerald. whales than other areas. In the 1982-83 Others in the team were Toshio Hata survey of Area I (60deg W/120 W) 4113 and Fujio Kasamatsu (Japanese Whal minke whales were sighted from three ing Association) and Tomio Miyashita ships. (Far Seas Fisheries Laboratory), David Whale sightings during the cruise in Thompson (Sea Mammal Research cluded 20 blue whales, 72 fin, 63 sei, Unit), British Natural Environment 2925 minke, 107 sperm, 51 humpback, Research Council), A. Karpenko (Soviet 323 killer, 204 beaked, 368 pilot whales Union), Luis Pastene (University of and 270 dolphins. The scientists were Concepcion, Chile), and Jorge F. impressed with the numbers of large Mermoz (Sub-secretariat of Marine whales sighted. They were able to carry Resources, Argentina). New Zealand's June, 1984 ANTARCTICA representative was Paul Ensor, of Leader of the cruise and senior scien Christchurch, who took part in the tist on the Shonan Maru II was Gerald 1980-81 survey of Area V and the Joyce. Paul Ensor was senior scientist 1982-83 cruise in Area I. Local organiser on the Shonan Maru II, Fujio Kasa- for the cruise was Mr Martin Cawthorn, matsu on the Kyo Maru 27, and Richard Fisheries Research Division, Ministry of Rowlett on the Vdumchiviyi 34. Agriculture and Fisheries, Wellington). Polar ship Kista Dan sold to Greeks After more than 30 years of Arctic cargo between Pacific islands, sailed to and Antarctic service the former Danish the Ross Sea from Lyttelton in the 1250-tonne ice-strengthened ship Kista 1980-81 season to pick up Fiennes, Dan, now the Arctic Gael, has been sold Charles Burton, and Oliver Shepard to a Greek company. She was the first in who had completed their Antarctic the line of Dan ships owned by J. crossing. Lauritzen and Company, and over the years carried Australian and BritishThen the ex- Benjamin ^ZZ^fi^tT*? Bowring took , thethe nediHmvc tn Anta^t,v onH tr«*~r\ to expedition to Alaska for the final stage- crossing the ice of the Antarctic Ocean northern summer. After two changes of {?JP?hS*!f n *y Z% °Lthl N.or:h •.._ , ... 6 r Pole.ners The in ship \*„., returned inoi „_j to * .. the » Arctic «_t__j in tion led by Sir Ranulph Fiennes. drifting south on an ice flow for 99 days. Arctic Gael's new owners are . Early in January last year the chief Cameron, was reported to have bought rK»rnTiFiU'^l«»)i[-MO»:» J<»lll. the ship for 85,000 sterling, not much trolled by N. J. Goulandris. more than her value as scrap. He As the Kista Dan the veteran's first changed her name to Arctic Gael and character was to help make the film planned to provide a compl "Hell Below Zero" (based on the novel of training, logistic support, ; services, to organisations wuijuhj; m "The White South" by Hammond distant and difficult regions. Innes). Between the 1953-54 and 1965-66 seasons she was chartered to Australian Towards the end of last year the ship National Antarctic Research Expedi was offered to the Australian Govern tions (ANARE) and then for several ment for $A200,000. Dr Phillip Law, seasons to the British Antarctic Survey. director of the Australian Antarctic Later she was sold to Karlsen Shipping, Division from 1949 to 1966, who renamed the Martin Karlsen, and used chartered the Kista Dan in the 1953-54 for survey work in the Canadian Arctic season to establish Mawson, the first by the Bedford Institute of Australian Antarctic base, and for other Oceanography, and in trading to north ANARE expeditions, suggested the ship eastern Canadian ports. should be bought by the Government and moored permanently in Early in 1979 the Kista Dan was Melbourne's Yarra River as a marine bought for the Transglobe Expedition annex to an Australian Antarctic by a leading British insurance group, museum. C. T. Bowring and Company, and its Then in its December issue American associate, Marsh and McLen "Aurora," the ANARE Club's journal, nan Companies. She was named reported the sale of the Arctic Gael to a Benjamin Bowring after the company's Greek company. The transaction was founder. In the 1979-80 summer the ship completed within a few hours of the took the expedition to Queen Maud expiry time of the selling offer made to Land, and after six months carrying the Australian Government. ANTARCTICA June, 1984

TOURISM Lindblad Explorer under new flag Next year the veteran Antarctic cruise ship Lindblad Explorer will complete five cruises for the last time under the name she has borne since 1970. She has been acquired by a United States travel firm, Society Expeditions, of Seattle, will be renamed Society Explorer after extensive reconstruction, and wil begin an entirely new cruising schedule, including Antarctica, in 1985-86. This year the West German ship World Discoverer will not cruise to Antarctica for the first time since 1977-78. She is now being operated by Heritage Cruises, New York, for the Hamburg Shipping firm, Reederei de Vries and Co., which owns her. For logistic reasons the Lindblad The World Discoverer cruised generally Explorer will not visit New Zealand or in the Antarctic Peninsula region and Australia during the 1984-85 season. calls were also made to the Falkland Because of the change of ownership the Islands, South Atlantic. charter cruise from Hobart in January Both ships made four cruises last next year, organised by the Sydney elec season. Passengers aboard the Lindblad tronics millionaire, Dick Smith, will not Explorer were able to visit the Polish take place. This cruise was to have taken station, Arctowski, on King George tourists to Commonwealth Bay where Island, South Shetlands, the British Mawson's 1911-13 expedition was Antarctic Survey base, Faraday in the based, and the French station, Dumont Argentine Islands, and the United States d'Urville. Palmer Station on Anvers Island. Ice Between November 21 and February conditions prevented two attempts to 11 the Lindblad Explorer will cruise in enter Hope Bay and visit the Argentine Antarctic and sub-Antarctic waters and station, Esperanza, but the ship called at among the islands off the Antarctic Paulet Island where part of the Swedish Peninsula. The first cruise will begin expedition led by Otto Nordenskjold from Cape Town and will end at the spent two winters. Visits were made also Argentine port of Ushuaia, Tierra del to the Argentine station Almirante Fuego. Early in February next year the Brown in Paradise Bay, and the Chilean ■ last cruise to the South Orkney Islands, station Presidente Gabriel Gonzalez South Georgia, and the Falkland Islands Videla. will end at the Chilean port of Punta Late in January the Lindblad Explorer Arenas, Tierra del Fuego. began her final cruise into the Ross Sea Then the Lindblad Explorer's cruising from Punta Arenas. Her last call was at schedule will take her to the Chilean Palmer Station on February 6, and then fiords, Easter Island, and across the she headed for the Bellingshause Seea. South Pacific. From Suva she will sail to On the night of February 7, 22 of the Port Moresby and the Solomon Islands. passengers became the first tourists to Her season will end at Bali later in April. land on Peter I. Island (68deg 47min Last season the Lindblad Explorer S/deg 35min W) about 240 nautical was the only Antarctic cruise ship to miles off the Eights Coast of Ellsworth bring tourists to the Ross Dependency. Land. This was only the eighth landing June, 1984 ANTARCTICA

since 1929. The captain of the World fungicide designed to arrest the growth Discoverer and members of his crew of mould and fungus on the floor made the sixth landing on January 29, boards of the hut which has been expos 1982. The seventh landing is reported ed to the Antarctic elements for elsewhere in this issue. 75 years. Tourist activity in the Ross Depen SOVIET PLAQUE dency and on New Zealand sub- Altogether 44 men and women (22 Antarctic islands has been controlled passengers, 11 officers and crew, 11 and monitored for several years to staff) spent just over two hours on the protect historic sites and buildings, and island, going ashore in the Antarctic the flora and fauna. Mr Charles, a moonlight. On the landing beach they senior park ranger and former deputy found a plaque marking an earlier land officer-in-charge at Scott Base, was ing on March 9, 1960 by a party from aboard the ship to represent the Lands the veteran Soviet supply ship Ob. and Survey Department and the Antarc News of the landing was sent to tic Division. Mr Monteath, a former Norway — the first landing was made field operations officer with the Antarc on February 2, 1929 from the tic Division, who did a similar job for the division in 1982-83, joined the ship Norweigan research ship Norvegia. In turn all aboard the Lindblad Explorer at Punta Arenas as a staff lecturer, received a congratulatory message from guide, and Zodiac boat operator. King Olav of Norway. In the last week of February the Lind blad Explorer completed the sub- Cape Crozier, Ross Island, was the ship's first landfall after more than a Antarctic section of the cruise with calls week cruising in the Ross Sea. In .at Campbell Island, the Auckland McMurdo Sound the Lindblad Explorer Islands where passengers went ashore on sailed into New Harbour as she did in Enderby Island to view the Hooker's sea the 1982-83 season, and on February 16, lion colony, and the Snares group. A because of the extensive breakout of ice New Zealand National Film Unit team she was able to proceed three nautical was pick up from Campbell Island, and miles south of Cape Armitage and an Martin Cawthorn, of the Fisheries chor in front of Black and White Islands. Research Division, and two assistants, Simon Mitchell and Chris Thomas, went Between February 16 and 18 the aboard at Enderby Island, after two tourists visited Scott Base and mcMurdo months studying the Hooker's sea lion Station, climbed Observation Hill, and colony. Four more passengers, Mrs were conducted through the historic Gillian Eller, Colin Miskelly, Peter huts at Hut Point, Cape Evans and Cape Wilson, and Peter Carey, who had been Reyds. On the voyage north passengers with a University of Canterbury bio also went ashore on Inexpressible Island logical and entomological expedition on in Terrra Nova Bay and saw the site of the Snares since January were the last to the snow cave where six members of leave the sub-Antarctic. Scott's Northern Party wintered in 1912. After a call at Bluff to land her New On February 26 a call was made at the Zealand passengers and take on supplies former joint U.S.—N.Z. station at Cape the Lindblad Explorer called at Stewart Hallett which was closed as a summer Island where passengers were enter station in 1973. The next day the ship tained and given a taste of the deep was off Cape Adare, but heavy surf south — salmon, crayfish, blue cod, made it unsafe to land passengers on paua, and venison. She then sailed for Ridley Beach. Two New Zealanders, John Charles and Colin Monteath, Wellington, arriving on February 29. however, took a Zodiac through the surf Built in Finland in 1969 the Lindblad to inspect the hut built in 1899 by Bor- Explorer was specially designed for chgrevink's South Cross Expedition Lindblad Travel to operate in the less (1899-1901). There they sprayed inside a accessible parts of the world, and was ANTARCTICA ice-strengthened and equipped to Frankfurt travel firm until 1978-79, operate in Arctic and Antarctic pack ice. Society Expeditions sponsored the last Under the energetic direction of Lars- cruise of 1979, and since then the tour Eric Lindblad the company began its operators have been listed as the ship's association with Antarctic cruises in owners. They were associated with Lind 1966. blad Travel on the first cruise of the For the first cruise Lindblad chartered 1979-80 season. the Argentine naval cruise ship Antarctic tourist cruises even in the Lapataia. In 1968 he used the Chilean summer by specially equipped ice- passenger ship Navarino, and the strengthened ships have not been free of Danish polar ship, Magga Dan. For the hazard in the last 17 years but there have 1968-69 season a Chilean naval cargo been no fatalities. A party from the ship Aquiles was used. Lapataia was stranded on Half Moon Island, South Shetlands, in 1967, the On her first voyage south the Lind Navarino had steering engine failure in blad Explorer was under Norwegian 1968, and in the same year the Magga registry. She was re-registered in Dan ran aground in Winter Quarters Panama in 1972-73, and after a brief Bay on her first voyage south from New period of Singapore registration was Zealand. registered in Stockholm until the end of last year. She was then owned by Salen Passengers from the Aquiles were Lindblad. stranded in 1969, and the Libertad, operated by the Argentine national Until the 1977-78 season Lindblad tourist organisation, suffered damage in Travel was the main Antarctic cruise 1973. The Lindblad Explorer ran operator. Then the Singapore-registered aground twice — in Admiralty Bay, World Discoverer with 193 berths King George Island, South Shetlands, in against the Lindblad Discoverer's 92, 1972, and in 1980 off Wiencke Island in entered the field, being operated by a the Palmer Archipelago. Seven landings on Peter I Island Since Bellingshausen discovered Peter I Island is at 68deg 47min Peter I Island on the afternoon of S/90deg 35min W about 240 nautical January 22, 1821, landings have been miles off the Eights Coast. Heavy pack made on it since 1929 by parties from ice has kept visitors away but there have Norwegian, United States, Chilean, and been reports in recent seasons of West German ships. The claim made in landings from yachts that have ventured 1982 by the captain of the West German south of Marguerite Bay. cruise ship World Discoverer that his landing with members of his crew on January 29 was only the second in 53 Peruvian plans years was quickly disproved. It was the Peru, which acceded to the Antarctic sixth. Treaty in 1981, is making preparations for Overlooked in the complete list which an Antarctic research programme. This appeared in the December, 1982 issue of winter it has a guest scientist at the Argen "Antarctic'' was the seventh landing tine station, General San Martin, on the since the first by a party from the west coast of Graham Land. In the Norwegian research ship Norvegia on 1982-83 season it sent observers south February 2, 1929. Appropriately it was with Australian, Chilean, and Brazilian by a party from the veteran Soviet expeditions. ^ supply ship Ob. The date was March 9, 1960, and the landing was noted briefly in the June issue of "Antarctic" in the same year. *&W June, 1984 ANTARCTICA THE READER WRITES Sidelights of Antarctic Research Reader Writes succeeding generations have passed a full winter in the Antarctic. This has, so far Sir, — I read with much interest in as I know, never been done before. "Antarctic," September, 1983, that a — Yours etc, British Joint Services expedition will work COMMANDER ROGER PLANCHAR on Brabant Island from November, 1983 to March, 1985. I would like to point to Belgian Navy (retd) a fact which, I believe, is uniqui. in Footnote: Another son of the second Antarctic expeditions' history: among the Baron de Gerlache, of the Belgian Navy, winter party of this British expedition was the guest of the United States Navy (March, 1984 — December, 1984) we find in the 1972-73 season. the name of Francois de Gerlache, son of Ensign de Gerlache acted as an Baron Gaston de Gerlache, commander observer for the Belgian Navy and the of the Belgian Antarctic Expedition in Belgian-Netherlands Antarctic Commit 1958-1959, and grandson of Baron tee. He gained a doctor's degree in law Adricn de Gerlache, commander of the and economics before doing his naval Belgian Antarctic Expedition in 1898- service. In spite of his family association 1899. He was the discoverer of Brabant with the Antarctic he did not follow in the Island (1898) and with members of his footsteps of his grandfather and his crew, including Roald Amundsen, father, but went into business in Belgium Frederick Cook, and Henryk Arctowski, when he returned early in 1973. was among the first men in history to In 1958 Baron de Gerlache and Prince winter in the Antarctic. de Ligne made the first landing in Antar- This means that Belgium will be very tic territory since the Belgica expedition. proud when Francois de Gerlache returns The second expedition established Roi home in February, 1985, to have an Baudouin on the Prince Ragnhild Coast explorer's family from which three of Queen Maud Land. Five Australian Polar Medals sold Five Polar Medals awarded to and 1931 he made two voyages south Australians who served with expeditions aboard the Discovery led by Shackleton and Mawson were sold at auction in Sydney on November Eight members of Mawson's 1911-14 16. Nine medals (including war medals) expedition established a western base in which belonged to the noted Queen Mary Land on the Shackleton Ice photographer, Frank Hurley, who went Shelf where they spent a year. The south three times with Mawson, and magnetician was A. L. Kennedy, who once with Shackleton, realised was awarded the Polar Medal in silver. SA 16,000. He also received the Polar Medal in Hurley was awarded the Polar Medal bronze for his work as a physicist on the in silver for his service as official second of the two BANZARE voyages. photographer with Mawson's 1911-14 These medals were in a group of six, (in Australasian Antarctic Expedition. cluding war medals), which went for With the New Zealand chief magneti- $5,300. cian, Eric Webb, and Robert Bage, he A flag from Mawson's first expedi sledged to within 80km of the South tion and the Polar Medal in silver Magnetic Pole. He received the Polar awarded to the taxidermist, Charles F. Medal in bronze when he served with Laseron, were the final Antarctic lot of Shackleton's Imperial Trans-Antarctic fered. It included three war medals, and Expedition oi' 1914-17. Between 1929 realised SA5.100. fr**^iF7T*^^--

ANTARCTICA June, 1984 Trophy award for work on Hooker's sea lion A New Zealand marine biologist, Mr Martin Cawthorn, has been awarded the New Zealand Antarctic Society's Conservation Trophy for 1984 — an Emperor penguin carved in walnut. The award has been made in recognition of Mr Cawthorn's contribution to the preservation and conservation of Hooker's sea lion in the sub- Antarctic Auckland Islands, and Antarctic and Arctic whaling stocks. Mr Cawthorn is a marine mammal dent of the society, who announced the biologist with the Fisheries Research award said that council members agreed Division, Ministry of Agriculture and that Mr Cawthorn's research has been Fisheries in Wellington. Since 1975 his and will continue to be a most valuable research has concentrated on Hooker's contribution to the preservation and sea lion, one of only five sea lion species conservation of Antarctic and sub- in the world which breeds mainly on Antarctic fauna. Enderby Island in the north of the In spite of bad weather and transport Auckland groups. difficulties he and. his field assistants Because of the growth of the trawl had missed only one summer of research fishery for squid around the islands since 1977. which began in 1979 fisheries research Mr Cawthorn, who is now writing a scientists have been concerned about the thesis on Hooker's sea lion for his effect of fishing on the Hooker's sea doctorate, gained his M.Sc. degree from lion estimated population of 6000 to Victoria University of Wellington. He 7000. One purpose of Mr Cawthorn's joined the Marine Department's research has been to monitor the im Fisheries Division in 1962 and did mediate and potential effects of acciden research on commercial whaling tal deaths of sea lions caught in trawler's biology. In 1966 he joined the Canadian nets. Fisheries Research Board and worked Since 1977 Mr Cawthorn has been for five years with its Arctic biology unit New Zealand's permanent represen on whales and seals. tative on the scientific committee of the International Whaling Commission. He When he returned to New Zealand in has done research in New Zealand and 1971 Mr Cawthorn worked on biological Canada on the biology of whales and in surveys and wrote scientific papers. In 1979-80 took part in a joint New 1975 he worked under contract to the Zealand-Tongan survey of humpback Canadian Government on an investiga whales in Tongan waters which was tion of the tuna/porpoise problem in the sponsored by the International Whaling Eastern Tropical Pacific yellow fin tuna Commission. fishery, based in Panama. There have been 11 previous awards Mr Cawthorn rejoined the Fisheries of the conservation trophy since 1972. It and Research Division in 1976 to work is awarded to any person or organisation on deep water trawling and marine contributing significantly to any aspect mammals. In the same year he was spon of Antarctic or sub-Antarctic conserva sored by the United Nations Food and tion. This covers preservation of flora Agriculture Organisation as New and fauna, historic buildings, sites, Zealand representative to the Mammals artefacts, and the natural features of the in the Seas Conference in Bergen, continent and islands. Norway. Squadron Leader W. Hopper, presi In 1975 Mr Cawthorn began ANTARCTICA

preliminary work on Hooker's sea lion was continued the next summer but not with an investigation of its feeding and in 1982-83 because of lack of transport. the effects of a tranquilising drug and a But in April, 1983, an assessment was veterinary emetic. This work was con made of predation and the life of the tinued in 1976 with emphasis shifted to tags placed on pups. a population census and breeding biology. Last summer Mr Cawthorn and two Pup tagging began in the '1980-81 assistants, Simon Mitchell and Chris summer for a detailed study of the Thomas, spent two months on Enderby population status, distribution, biology Island. They carried out extensive tagg and behaviour of New Zealand sea lions ing of sea lion pups and adults, studied with special reference to feeding and their biology and behaviour, growth fisheries interactions. This programme rate, and age at maturity. Hooker's sea lion research on Enderby Island Research in the Auckland Islands on and two assistants, Simon Mitchell and Hooker's sea lion last summer was con Chris Thomas. centrated on two aspects — population More than 1200 pups have now been studies (mortality, fecundity, censuses tagged and reweighed to measure etc) and pup growth. Once again the growth. Mother/pup pairs were marked work was done on Enderby Island in last summer and the team found females January and February by Mr Martin first tagged in 1980 with their first pups. Cawthorn, Fisheries Research Division, Foetuses retrieved from dead females Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, provided an insight into gestation. a

A painting by Maurice Conly of Scott Base as it was in 1958 was presented to the base last season to mark the New Zealand Antarctic Society's 50th anniversary (1933-83). Left and right are the society's president (Squadron Leader W. Hopper) who made the presentation, and the summer officer-in-charge, Mr N.D. Hardie. Antarctic Divison photo. ANTARCTICA Ritchie Simmers served with BANZARE Ritchie Gibson Simmers, one of the veterans of Sir Douglas Mawson's British, Australian, and New Zealand Antarctic Research Expedition, died in Wellington on April 22, aged 78. He was a young New Zealand meteorologist when he first went south and his associa tion with Antarctic and sub-Antarctic lasted more than 50 years. In that time he gained world-wide recognition for his meteorological research, became director of the New Zealand Meteorological Service, and was chairman of the Ross Dependency Research Committee for seven years. Born in Timaru and educated at thc war his sub-Antarctic association con Canterbury University College where he tinued for another 20 years. gained his M.Sc. degree in physics in When the first Cape Expedition party 1928. Simmers was one of two New- landed on Campbell Island it attempted Zealand scientists seconded by the New to grow vegetables as instructed but Zealand Government to Mawson's ex without result because of the damp peaty pedition in the Royal Research Ship soil, insufficient sunlight, and rats. J. H. Discovery. His colleague was an ornith Sorensen, who did three tours of duty on ologist, Robert Falla, who died in 1979. the island, and was there again in 1946 Both were awarded the Polar Medal in and 1947, managed to force a few greens bronze for their work with BANZARE. in tins of sandy soil and sheep droppings Simmers joined the Meteorological from the old sheepyards, but roving sheep Service in 1929, and after his return from ended the experiment. Antarctica worked in the aviation section. Campbell Island's present vegetable Between 1936 and 1938 he was in the island, which provides green vegetables United States on a Commonwealth Fund for several months of the year, owes its fellowship, and gained a doctorate in existence to Sorensen's perseverance in meteorology at the Massachusetts Insti the early years and later to the enthusiasm tute of Technology. of Simmers. In 1953 he began the present Early in the Second World War system of sending seedling plants to the evidence of enemy raiders in New Zealand island. Seedlings grown in Wellington are waters resulted in the organisation of the transplanted to shallow metal trays about secret Cape Expedition which established the end of August and are fairly large and bases for coast watchers in the Auckland hardened when taken south in October. Islands and on Campbell Island. Sim- With the establishment of United States mers who became assistant director of and New Zealand bases on Ross Island", the Meteorological Service in 1940, and and the world-wide co-operative research Falla, were called on for advice on sub for the International Geophysical Year polar living conditions. (1957-58) which included meteorology, Between 1941 and 1945 members of the New Zealand's Meteorological Service Cape Expedition did scientific and extended its operations to Antarctica. meteorological work. Simmers was then Between 1955 and 1965 Simmers played serving in the Royal New Zealand Air a leading part in arrangements for Force as his service had become part of meteorological observations at Scott Base the Air Department. His duties embrac and the joint U.S.—N.Z. station at Cape ed the sub-Antarctic islands, and when Hallett, and New Zealand'a contribution the Campbell Island base was retained as to climatic research in Antarctica. a permanent meteorological station after In 1958 the 11 nations which co- June. 1984 ANTARCTICA

operated in Antarctica during the I.G.Y. necessary. Members of the committee agreed to extend their research pro were Falla, Simmers, Charles Fleming, of gramme for another year. The New the Geological Survey, and a journalist, Zealand Government approved the con Frank Simpson. tinuation of exploration and research in Simmers served on the society's coun the Ross Dependency and a Ross cil in its early years and after his retire Dependency Research Committee was ment was one if its patrons. When the appointed to advise and assist the respon sible Minister in the co-ordination of all society celebrated its 50th anniversary last year it recognised his services by making New Zealand activity in the Ross him a life member. Dependency and the conversation of Scott Base to a permanent scientific Regrettably neither Simmers nor Falla association. The committee's first chair found time in their busy lives to write of man was Ritchie Simmers who held the their experiences with Mawson's expedi position until he retired from the tion. But in Professor A. Grenfell Price's Meteorological Service in 1965, having book on the BANZARE voyages "The been its director since 1963. Winning of Australian Antarctica" there It was appropriate that Simmers should are several references to both the New be the first RDRC chairman. As a Zealanders. Professor Grenfell Price mentions and also quotes from what he founding father of the New Zealand Antarctic Society 50 years ago, and one calls the cheerful diary kept by Ritchie of its first four vice-presidents, he was Simmers and the New Zealander's con siderable capacity for setting doggerel to among those far-sighted men who kept pressing for New Zealand participation in popular tunes for the amusement of Antarctic exploration and research. members of the expedition. A research sub-committee of the Both men left their names on the society produced in 1950 a report which expedition's maps and those of East called on the Government to set up an Antarctica. Simmers Peaks are a group Antarctic research committee which of four rocky peaks about 19km south would plan a field expedition or perma east of Cape Close in Enderby Land. nent station in the Ross Dependency with They were discovered on January 13, the co-operation of other nations if 1930. OBITUARIES Veterans pass from polar scene

Leaders of the first French party in expedition dispatched to Adelie Land by Adelie Land and the first Australian Expeditions Polaires Francaises in the team on sub-Antarctic Heard Island 1948-49 season. have passed from the polar scene in the Heavy pack ice in the summer of 1948 last two years. Others who died last year forced the expedition ship Commandant were the first scientific leader at Cape Charcot to return to Brest. She went Hallett and a French glaciologist who south again next season and landed a studied the katabatic winds of East Antarctica. party of 11 men. This party, led by Liotard, covered more than 1931km Andre-Franck Liotard died in with dog teams and tracked vehicles in January, 1982, aged 76, but this was not 1950. It penetrated 96km inland, and widely known even to many French made trips over the sea ice along the Antarctic veterans until last year. He entire eastern half of the Adelie Land worked first with a Falkland Islands coast. Dependencies Survey party on Decep Australian expeditions to Heard and tion Island, and then was selected by Macquarie Islands were a prelude to the Paul-Emile Victor to organise the first establishment of Antarctic bases. The ANTARCTICA

first officer-in-charge and senior responsible for the IAGO (interaction of meteorologist on Heard Island in atmosphere, ice, and ocean) pro 1947-49 was Aubrey V. Gotley, who gramme, and worked with United States died in South Australia late last year, scientists on the installation of auto aged 67. matic weather stations and katabatic A quiet and reserved man, Gotley was wind projects. in charge of 13 men who spent more A United States geographer, than 12 months on the island. A glacier Professor James A. Shear, who was which descends from the ice-covered the scientific leader at the joint U.S. — slopes of Big Ben to south-west side of N.Z. Hallett Station in 1957, died in the island bears his name, and on maps November last year aged 64. He gained of Antarctica there is a Cape Gotley, the his doctorate at Clark University, served eastern extremity of the Austnes Penin in the United States Army Air Corps sula at the south-east end of the Edward from 1941 to 1946, and was professor of VII Plateau. geography at the University of Kentucky Professor Andre Poggi, of the Glacio before he went to Cape Hallett. Three logical Laboratory, Grenoble, who died New Zealanders, J. G. Humphries, C. in March last year, spent several E. Ingham, and M. W. Langevad, were summers at Dumont d'Urville. He was in his scientific team.

Polar Medals awarded posthumously to Captain Oates and Lieutenant Bowers, two of the four men who died with Scott on the way back from the South Pole in 1912, were offered at auction by Sotheby's in London on June 28. Also for sale were medals awarded posthumously to the two men by the Royal Geographical Society and the Royal Italian Geographical Society. Sotheby's medals department received the Oates medals from the estate of an English collector who had owned them for the last 20 to 25 years. The Bowers medals had been passed down through a number of relatives to one with no children who passed them on to a lifelong friend.

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NEW ZEALAND ANTARCTIC SOCIETY (INC.) The New Zealand Antarctic Society was formed in 1933. It comprises New Zealanders and overseas friends, many of whom have seen Antarctica for themselves, and all of whom are vitally interested in some phase of Antarctic exploration, development, or research. You are invited to become a member, South Island residents should write to the Canterbury secretary, North Islanders should write to the Wellington secretary, and overseas residents to the secretary of the New Zealand Society. For addresses, see below. The yearly membership fee is NZ$7 (or equivalent local currency). Membership fee, overseas and local, including "Antarctic", NZ$15.

New Zealand Secretary: P.O. Box 1223, Christchurch Branch Secretaries: Canterbury: P.O. Box 404, Christchurch Wellington: P.O. Box 2110, Wellington. LesaiS*;