The First 50 Years of Victoria University of Wellington Antarctic Research Centre Antarctic Expeditions Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand Phone +64-4-463 6587, Fax +64-4-463 5186 E-mail [email protected] www.vuw.ac.nz/antarctic Recollections and reunion programme

Victoria University of Wellington 30 June – 1 July 2007 Table of Contents

inside front cover

Welcome ...... 2

Recent Benefactors ...... 3

Reunion programme ...... 4

Reunion participants ...... 6

The Birth of VUWAE ...... 10

Members of VUWAE: 1957-2007 ...... 12

Recollections of the first 50 years ...... 18

Victoria University of Wellington Antarctic Expeditions: The First 50 Years Welcome Recent Benefactors

Prior to my first departure for the Ice on a VUWAE expedition, I heard the Throughout the history of VUWAE, Harry Keys, Barry Kohn, Phil Kyle, pre-season talk that ARC Director, Professor Peter Barrett claims to have inherited from Bob Clark. organizations and individuals have sponsored Judy Lawrence, Barrie McKelvey, John and supported the programme with equipment Nankervis, Anthony Parker, Russell Plume, “There are basically only two things to remember”, he instructed. “Firstly, help out and money. Most recently the Antarctic Bryan Sissons, David Skinner, Tim Stern, with the boring jobs at Scott Base. This will put you in a good position with base Research Centre has received a $1 million David Sugden, Tony Taylor, John Thurston, staff, which will make their job easier, and will help make the rest of your field donation from former student Alan Eggers, who Colin Vucetich, Trish Walbridge, Robin season go smoothly. Secondly, come back safely. While Antarctica can be a traveled to the Ice on VUWAE20 in 1975. Williams, Ian Wright and Dan Zwartz. hazardous place, VUWAE has a proud record of having no major casualties; so look after yourself and your colleagues. Apart from that, enjoy yourself. We have also benefited from a series of three ” donations from Singaporean philanthropist The S.T. Lee Lectures in Peter Barrett's passion for making sure that history informs the way we move into the future Lee Seng Tee. Dr Lee provided funds for the Antarctic Studies: guides both his scientific research and his directorship of the Antarctic Research Centre. His love development of the S.T. Lee Library in the of history has also made sure we would celebrate the first 50 years of Victoria University of Antarctic Research Centre and established an Antarctica and Climate Change Wellington Antarctic Expeditions, and in that celebration leave a legacy for the next 50 years. in the Century Ahead - Causes, endowed fund for an exchange programme Consequences and Surprises Many thanks to the organising committee of Peter Barrett, Warren Dickinson, David Balham, Roger with the University of Alaska. He also Professor Robert Dunbar, provided endowment funding for the S.T. Lee Stanford University, USA Cooper and Mike Hannah for their work in bringing this reunion together. We hope you enjoy it! Inaugural Lecture - 8 August 2003 Lecture Series in Antarctic Studies, which has Tamsin Falconer been held annually since 2003. Antarctica's Contribution to Abrupt VUWAE 50 & 51 and Antarctic Research Centre Manager, Global Warming Events - for the Reunion Organising Committee The students of the Antarctic Research Centre Past and Future Professor James Kennett, have also benefited from the establishment of ANDRILL Drill Site on the McMurdo Ice Shelf, November 2006 University of California Santa Barbara, USA an Endowed Development Fund for Antarctic 12 August 2004 Research. Donors to the fund have How sensitive is the Antarctic Ice contributed more than $150,000. Silver Sheet to climate change? donors include Antarctica New Zealand, An earth-science perspective David Sugden, Professor of Geography, Austral Pacific Energy Ltd, Peter Barrett, School of GeoSciences, Warren Dickinson and Webster Drilling & University of Edinburgh Exploration Ltd. Bronze donors include Tony 16 June 2005 Allen, Jo Anderson & Matt Paterson, John The Exploration of Antarctic Subglacial Anderson, Cliff Atkins, Dick Barwick, Daniel Lakes: Science, Logistics and Politics Bayliss, Dave Bennett, Alan Beu, Colin Bull, Martin Siegert, Bristol Glaciology Centre, School of Geographical Sciences, Roger Cooper, Walter Cousins, Ray Dibble, University of Bristol, UK Robin & Feriel Falconer, Isobel Gabites, John 20 July 2006 Gamble, Graham Gibson, George Grindley, The Ice Chronicles and Michael Hambrey, Monica Handler & Richard Rapid Climate Change Wysoczanski, Mike & June Hannah, David Paul Mayewski, Climate Change Institute, University of Maine, USA Hatfield, Jan & Arnold Heine, John Hickman, 26 March 2007 Chris Horne, David Kelly, Jim & Diana Kennett,

Victoria University of Wellington Antarctic Expeditions: The First 50 Years 3 Reunion Programme SATURDAY 30 JUNE SUNDAY 1 JULY 2 - 4pm: 10am - 12.30pm: Meet and mingle, set up displays Recollections & reminiscences Location: Cotton Building, Room 217 Location: Cotton Building, Room 217 Registration & payment, set up memorabilia and slide shows Presentation of recent and current work, Presentations by past VUWAE participants Afternoon tea available from 2pm Coffee/tea available from 9am

10am Welcome and overview 6pm - late: Peter Barrett (Antarctic Research Centre Director) Celebration dinner and Tim Naish (ARC Deputy Director) Location: VUW Staff Club, Rankin Brown (Library) Building 10.30am Tony Allen & Graham Gibson (VUWAE 3: 1959-60) Drinks & nibbles from 6-7pm, followed by buffet dinner 10.50am MORNING TEA After-dinner talk by Richard Barwick, Colin Bull, Barrie McKelvey 11.20am Vince Neall (VUWAE 11: 1966-67) and Peter Webb (VUWAE 1 & 2) 11.40am Chris Christoffel (VUWAE 11: 1966-67) Response by Julia Bull and Rod Boys (VUWAE 51: 2006-07) 12.00pm tba

Lower Victoria Valley looking towards Lake Vida 12.30 - 1.30pm: LUNCH & displays of current research Location: Antarctic Research Centre (Cotton Building, Rooms 505 & 508)

1.30 - 4pm: Recollections & reminiscences Location: Cotton Building, Room 217 Presentations by past VUWAE participants

1:30pm Barry Kohn (VUWAE 13: 1968-69) 1.50pm Rosie Askin (VUWAE 15: 1970-71) 2.10pm Tim Stern (VUWAE 21: 1976-77) 2.30pm AFTERNOON TEA 3pm Ian Wright (VUWAE 24: 1979-80) 3.20pm Cliff Atkins (VUWAE 42: 1997-98) 3.40pm VUWAE 1 & 2 4pm Farewell & close

Victoria University of Wellington Antarctic Expeditions: The First 50 Years 5 Reunion Participants

Allen, Tony Bannister, Stephen Boys, Rod Cody, Rosie Dickinson, Warren Gibson, Graham 1959-60 1980-81 2006-07 Antarctic Research Centre VUWAE 38, 41, 42, 43, 44, 46, 47 VUWAE 3 (1959-60) [email protected] [email protected] School of Geography, Victoria University of Wellington [email protected] [email protected] Perth, AUSTRALIA GNS Science Environment & Earth Sciences PO Box 600 Antarctic Research Centre 36 Legacy Drive PO Box 30368 Victoria University of Wellington Wellington NZ Victoria University of Wellington Henderson Anderson, Jo Lower Hutt NZ PO Box 600 PO Box 600 Waitakere City, 0612 NZ 1997-98, 1998-99, 1999-2000 Wellington NZ Cole, Jim Wellington NZ Wellington, NZ Barrett, Peter 1964-65 (VUWAE 9) Hannah, Mike 22 seasons between Bull, Colin [email protected] Dunbar, Gavin 1997-98, 1998-99, 2006-07 Arnot, Malcolm 70/71 and 02/03 VUWAE 2 (1958-59) and Dept of Geological Sciences [email protected] [email protected] 1989-90, 1990-91 [email protected] 4 (1960-61) University of Canterbury Antarctic Research Centre School of Geography, [email protected] 10 Hanson St [email protected] Private Bag 4800 Victoria University of Wellington Environment & Earth Sciences GNS Science Wellington, 6121 NZ 12818 Sunrise Drive Christchurch NZ PO Box 600 Victoria University of PO Box 30368 Bainbridge Island Wellington NZ Wellington PO Box 600 Lower Hutt NZ Barwick, Richard Washington, 98110m USA Cooper, Roger Wellington NZ VUWAE I (whilst attached to 1960-61 Falconer, Robin Ashby, Jeff NZTAE 1956-58) and VUWAE II Carter, John Physics expeditions in [email protected] Hansaraj, Dhiresh 1984-85, 1986-87 [email protected] 1992-93 1965-66, 66-67, 67-68, 68-69 GNS Science 2005-06, 2006-07 [email protected] 45 Waite St [email protected] [email protected] PO Box 30368 [email protected] Webster Drilling Farrer, ACT 2607 AUSTRALIA School of Geography, GNS Science Lower Hutt NZ Antarctic Research Centre & Exploration Ltd Environment & Earth Sciences PO Box 30368 Victoria University of Wellington PO Box 50-354 Victoria University of Wellington Lower Hutt NZ Bertler, Nancy Crossland, Lisa PO Box 600 Wellington NZ 1999-2000, 2000-01, PO Box 600 Attending for Ken Woolfe Wellington NZ 2001-02, 2003-04, 2004-05, Wellington NZ [email protected] Falconer, Tamsin 2005-06, 2006-07 Askin, Rosie 2005-06, 2006-07 School of Medicine Haskell, Tom VUWAE 15 (70/71), 16 (71/72) [email protected] [email protected], Carter, Lionel James Cook University 1962-63 (VUWAE 6) & 18 (73/74) Antarctic Research Centre Antarctic Research Centre 2002-03, 2005-06, 2006-07 Townsville, QLD 4811 [email protected] [email protected] Victoria University of Wellington Victoria University of Wellington [email protected] AUSTRALIA 60 Waterfall Rd 1930 Bunkhouse Dr PO Box 600 PO Box 600 Antarctic Research Centre Raumati South NZ Jackson, WY 83001 USA Wellington NZ Wellington NZ Victoria University of Wellington Dibble, Ray PO Box 600 1974-75, 78-79, 80-81, 82-83, Hunt, Trevor Atkins, Cliff Frost, Andy Brown, Colin Wellington NZ 86-87, 87-88, 88-89, 89-90 1972-1973 (VUWAE 17) 1997-98, 1998-99, 1999- 1976-77 1974-75 [email protected] [email protected] 2000, 2002-03, 2006-07 [email protected] [email protected] Christoffel, David (Chris) 81 Oriel Ave 41 Rainbow Drive [email protected] 99 Maxwell Rd 17 Herewini St 1966-67, 1974-75, 1978-79, Tawa Taupo NZ 2 Shannon St Blenheim NZ Titahi Bay NZ 1980-81, 1994-95 Wellington, 5028 NZ Mt Victoria [email protected] Jackson, Nick Wellington NZ 98 Waerenga Rd Gabites, Isobel 1998-99 1982-83 Otaki 5512 NZ [email protected] Balham, David [email protected] 72 Buckley Rd Ron Balham's Son 115 Kaitawa Rd Island Bay [email protected] RD1, Otaki NZ Wellington NZ

Victoria University of Wellington Antarctic Expeditions: The First 50 Years 7 Kellett, Richard McKay, Rob Neall, Vince Ross, Alan Trummel, Betty Wood, Matt 1984-85 1998-99, 2005-06, 2006-07 1966-67, 1969-70 1979-80 [email protected] 2003-04 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 7513 Inverway School of Geography, Pioneer Natural Resources Antarctic Research Centre Institute of Natural Resources 102 Ellis Street Crystal Lake, IL 60014 USA Environment & Earth Sciences Canada Victoria University of Wellington Massey University Brightwater Victoria University of Wellington 2900, 255-5th Ave SW PO Box 600 Private Bag 11 222 Nelson, 7022 NZ Ward, Barbara PO Box 600 Calgary, Alberta CANADA Wellington NZ Palmerston North NZ 1980-81, 1981-82, 1984-85, Wellington NZ Shirtcliffe, Tim 1987-88 Keys, Harry McKelvey, Barrie Palmer, Alan 1962-63 [email protected] Wright, Ian 1972-73, 1973-74, 1974-75, VUWAE 1, 2, 13, 24 1975-76 and 1976-77 [email protected] 30 Kaihuia St 1979-80, 1984-85 1976-77 plus years to 1981 [email protected] [email protected] 46 Upper Watt St Northland [email protected] [email protected] Earth Sciences Soil and Earth Sciences Wellington, 6012 NZ Wellington, 6012 NZ 13 Scapa Tce 10 Waihora St School of Environmental Massey University Karori Taupo NZ Sciences & Natural Resources Private Bag 11 222 Smith, Gilbert Webb, Peter Wellington NZ Management Palmerston North NZ VUWAE 6 (1962-63) 1957-58, 1958-59, 1968-69 Kohn, Barry University of New England [email protected] [email protected] Wysoczanski, Richard 1968-69 and 1970-71 Armidale, NSW 2351 Paterson, Matt PO Box 173 School of Earth Sciences 1991-92 [email protected] AUSTRALIA 1998-99 Wellington, NZ Bay View 4149 The Ohio State University [email protected] School of Earth Sciences Hawkes Bay NZ 125 South Oval Mall School of Geography, University of Melbourne McPherson, John Plume, Russell Columbus, Ohio 43210 USA Environment & Earth Sciences Melbourne 1970-71, 1973-74 1973-74 Smith, Ian Victoria University of Wellington Victoria, 3010 AUSTRALIA [email protected] Plimmerton 1965-66 and 1966-67 PO Box 600 ExxonMobil Exploration Wellington NZ (VUWAE 9 and 10) Wellington NZ Kyle, Philip Company ie.smith@auckland.ac.nz VUWAE 14 (1969-70), 16 12 Riverside Quay Prebble, Joe Geology - School of 1974 Erebus expedition: from top right: Tazieff 5th, Kyle 7th, (1971-72), 17 (1972-73), 18 Melbourne, VIC 3006 [email protected] Geography, Geology and Dibble 2nd; Bottom near placard: left, Shaun Norman (1973-74) and 19 (1974-75) AUSTRALIA 17 Mahina Road Environmental Sciences (NZ leader), above Le Guern, right Werner Giggenbach [email protected] Lower Hutt University of Auckland Dept of Earth & Naish, Tim Wellington NZ PB92019 Environmental Science 2005-06, 2006-07 Auckland Mail Centre, 1142 NZ New Mexico Institute of [email protected] Pyne, Alex Mining and Technology Antarctic Research Centre 1977-78 continuously to 2006-07 Stern, Tim Socorro, NM 87801 USA Victoria University of Wellington [email protected] 1976-77 PO Box 600 Antarctic Research Centre [email protected] Mackay, Kevin Wellington NZ Victoria University of Wellington School of Geography, 1988-89 PO Box 600 Environment & Earth [email protected] Wellington NZ Sciences NIWA Victoria University of Private Bag 14901 Wellington Kilbirnie PO Box 600 Wellington NZ Wellington NZ

Victoria University of Wellington Antarctic Expeditions: The First 50 Years 9 The Birth of VUWAE By Trevor Hatherton, reprint from Tuatara, Journal of the Biological Society, “Exploration is the Physical Expression Victoria University of Wellington, Vol.15 (1967), pp100-102. of the Intellectual Passion On December 30, 1957 I drove a tractor Webb and McKelvey the original students are ” across the sea ice from Scott Base to meet 10 years older now, and approaching the peak —Apsley Cherry-Garrard H.M.N.Z.S. 'Endeavour', preparing to tie up years of their professional life, no longer about 9 miles from the base. I was naturally students, though they can't convince me of as it must in the New Zealand Antarctic And what of the future? Every young man's keen to begin unloading the ship and to meet that. The success of their work and the Programme, the number of fields of enquiry first expedition is an adventure so there the members of the incoming party. After subsequent VUWAE expeditions have been can only be increased at the cost of a loss in should be no slackening in the attraction of being introduced to the new party I noticed a based on two things-their personal attributes intensity in each field. At other times it Antarctica. Scientifically, the problems are couple of rangy youths to whom I had not and the persistent character of R. H. Clark, seemed that too many staff were spending too even more interesting now that enough data been introduced, and who were obviously not Professor of Geology. If an unfavourable short a time down there, but this is probably a has been gathered, enough ideas formulated, members of either the wintering party or the impression had been left by Webb and product of this fragmentation. However, I feel, to allow the synthesis which is the art of ship's crew. 'Who are these two young - - - -?' McKelvey during that hectic summer of 1957-8 if possible, that University Expeditions should science, and the testing of the model which is I said. 'Them-oh they're university students', subsequent Victoria University expeditions consist of senior students left to their own the science of science. We are no longer says Lyn Martin the incoming leader, and would have been hard to launch. As it was, devices once the problem has been outlined 'stamp collecting' in Antarctica, and there then seeing the look in my eyes hastily their demeanour was exemplary. No scientific by staff in consultation with the students. The must be an exciting future there. followed up with-'now-don't blame me'. studies are of any use until published, and as ability to sustain a scientifically productive prompt publication of research is insisted season in the Ross Dependency unaided is a But for the present, to the pioneers Webb There they were, the first two of them, upon by Professor Clark the first VUWAE Dry tremendous test of self-reliance as well as of and McKelvey, to the succeeding teams, and uninvited, unheralded and unwanted. With a Valleys papers were among the earliest research capacity. Admittedly some will drown to the general, Professor Clark, I offer my limited base staff, unlimited American substantial contributions to the records of through being thown into the deep-end, but congratulations on a remarkably long- visitors, Hillary 'hell-bent for the pole' and New Zealand's research effort in Antarctica. the list of those who have emerged with great sustained endeavour in exploration four other parties in the field, unloading and The first favourable impression, dependent credit from VUWAE expeditions is impressive. and research. changeover problems and the possibility of upon the attitude of Webb and McKelvey, Bunny Fuchs and party having to winter over backed by prompt publication, the fruit of at Scott Base, neither I nor anyone else was departmental (i.e. professorial) policy, was a enthusiastic about supernumaries without combination not to be denied. VUWAE any place in the long prepared plans. became established. Somehow, and I have no clear recollection of how they achieved it, these two students Since 1957, ten other expeditions have gone 'infiltrated' a couple of non-geological parties and come. Some didn't earn unqualified intending to study the lakes of the so-called approval from me for I thought their aims dry valleys. As a result of their work during fragmented, but the later expeditions have the next few weeks the dry valleys became had to investigate the ever-increasing Dry Valleys, and during the next few years number of problems that has arisen from the Nansen, Tamworth probably the most intensively studied parts early surveys. Simple logic tells us that if the and manhaul sledges at Scott Base ca.1995 of the Antarctic Continent. number of man-months of work has a limit,

Victoria University of Wellington Antarctic Expeditions: The First 50 Years 11 Members of VUWAE: 1957-2007

VUWAE 1 - 1957/58 Gorton, M. Adams, J. E. Palmer, A. McKelvey, B. C. Murrell, B. Shorland, J. Anderson, J. Webb, P. N. Cousins, W. J. Frost, A. Blong, R. VUWAE 18 - 1973/74 Robinson, P. VUWAE 2 - 1958/59 Crump, J. M. Keys, J. R. Bull. C. B. B. VUWAE 14 - 1969/70 Kyle, R. A. Stern, T. Barwick, R. Neall, V. E. McPherson, J. G. Nankervis, J. McKelvey, B. C. Vucetich, C. G. Plume, R. W. Palmer, J. Webb, P. N. Kyle, P. R. Rowe, G. H. Wicks, B. Bull, C. B. B. Topping, W. W. Blackwood, K. *Clark, R. H. Kyle, P. R. VUWAE 22 - 1977/78 VUWAE 15 - 1970/71 Keys, J. R. McKelvey, B. VUWAE 3 - 1959/60 Barrett, P. J. Luckman, P. Pyne, A. Balham, R. W. VUWAE8, Photo: Bruce Popplewell Kohn, B. P. Cooper, R. Johnston, J. H. *Wheeler, R. H. Grapes, R. H. Logan, N. Allen, A. D. VUWAE 7 - 1962/63 VUWAE 10 - 1965/66 Askin, R.A. VUWAE 19 - 1974/75 Metson, J. Gibson, G. Shirtcliffe, T. Ghent, E. McPherson, J. G. Plume, R. W. Robinson, P. H. Willis, I. A. G. Benseman, R. F. Henderson, R. A. Reid, D. Saxby, E. Hull, A. Popplewell, K. B. Hancox, G. Ritchie, A. Keys, J. R. Fowlie, W. Smith, I. VUWAE 4 - 1960/61 Young, G. Kyle, P. R. Nalder, N. Wheeler, R. H. VUWAE 8 -1963/64 Dibble, R. Blank, H. R. Prebble, W. VUWAE 11 - 1966/67 VUWAE 16 - 1971/72 Barrett, P. J. VUWAE 23 - 1978/79 Bull, C. B. B. Wilson, A. T. *Wellman, H. W. Laird, M. G. Powell, R. W. Christoffel, D. A. Cooper, R. *Wellman, H. W. Christoffel, D. A. Andrews, P. B. Stevens, J. Mroczek, C. R. Willis, I. A. G. Henderson, R. A. Calheim, I. M. Kyle, P. R. Rainsbury, R. Garden, P. Hoare, R. Duncan, A. Jennings, P. Vucetich, C. G. Pyne, A. House, D. A. Neall, V. VUWAE 5 - 1961/62 Barrett, P. J. Robinson, P. Dibble, R. Wellman, H. W. Popplewell, K. B. Smith, I. Askin, R. A. Christoffel, D. A. Giggenbach, W. Wilson, A. T. Bright, D. Northey, D. Tazieff, H. *Clark, R. H. VUWAE 9 - 1964/65 VUWAE 12 - 1967/68 Chinn, A. Brown, C. Fink, C. *Wheeler, R. H. Prebble, W. *Wellman, H. W. Bamford, D. Monteath, C. Vella, P. P. Vucetich, C. Barrett, P. J. Cole, J. Wright, A. VUWAE 6 - 1962/63 VUWAE 17 - 1972/73 VUWAE 20 - 1975/76 Robinson, P. H. Willis, I. A. G. Ewart, A. Wilson, A. T. Freeman, A. Collen, J. D. C. Bentley, P. N. Rich, C. C. Frame, A. Hendy, C. Keys, J. R. Eggers, A. Pyne, A. Haskell, T. Hoare, R. Calheim, I. Crump, J. Barrett, P. J. *Ross, S. Kennett, J. Bradley, J. Cousins, W. J. Allis, R. Sillars, K. J. Burgess, C. Smith, G. J. Palmer, D. Hunt, T. M. Palmer, A. Anderson, J. Prebble, W. Schafer, F. VUWAE 13 - 1968/69 Blackwood, K. Robinson, P. H. Keys, H. Zimmerman, D. Webb, P. N. Kyle, P. R. Cashman, K. Baker, A. McKelvey, B. C. Cole, J. W. VUWAE 21 - 1976/77 Höfle Bell, R. Kohn, B. P. Burgess, C. J. Grund

Victoria University of Wellington Antarctic Expeditions: The First 50 Years 13 VUWAE 24 - 1979/80 McKelvey, B. Pyne, A. VUWAE 31 - 1986/87 Barrett, P. J. Walker, B. Barrett, P. J. Falkner, K. Pyne, A. Dibble, R. Macpherson, A. J. Barrett, P. J. Froggatt, P. C. Otway, P. Curry, P. Pyne, A. Sissons, B. A. Craddock, N. Watson, J. Hall, K. Waghorn, D. B. Kyle, P. Fitzgerald, P. Chambray, M. Ross, A. McIntosh, W. Webster, M. Robinson, P. Walker, B. Estes, S. Reick, H. Wright, I. Marshall, D. VUWAE 29 - 1984/85 Wada, H. White, P. Shibuya, K. Barrett, P. Ashby, J. McPherson, A. Terai, K. Pyne, A. Hardy, E. Williams, F. Okyama, M. Ashby, J. Mills, C. Members of VUWAE 29 preparing for a GPR McKelvey, B. Pyne, A. Macpherson, A. Morris, B. traverse on the Campbell Glacier Brady, H. Ward, B. Pillans, B. Belgrave, V. Fink, C. Barrett, P. J. Ward, B. White, P. Alloway, B. Wright, I. Davy, B. McConchie, J. Atkinson, B. VUWAE 25 - 1980/81 Catterly, M. Neale, G. Alder, G. Winchester, D. Griffiths, C. Reid, F. Gleadow, A. Haanen, A. Pyne, A. Dawson, P. Simmons, S. Fitzgerald, P. Komura, K. Alder, G. Wilson, G. VUWAE 35 - 1990/91 Christoffel, D. A. Main, L. Olsen, J. Dibble, R. Pyne, A. Woolfe, J. Iles, D. Kellett, R. Barrett, S. Perrett, T. Arnot, M. Bannister, S. VUWAE 27 - 1982/83 Korsch, R. Sole, P. Barrett, P. Dibble, R. Walker, B. A. George, A. VUWAE 32 - 1987/88 Francis, J. Kyle, P. Gabites, H. I. Gamble, J. Dibble, R. VUWAE 34 - 1989/90 Smith, N. McIntosh, W. Hosted, M. Vincent, S. Ball, T. *Woolfe, K. Pyne, A. Estes, S. Korsch, R. Belgrave, V. Ellis, S. Arnot, M. Dibble, R. Kienle, J. Napp, B. Fitzgerald, P. Lassky, S. Zwartz, D. Beaglehole, D. Osada, N. Dibble, R. Patterson, Pyne, A. Dibble, R. Carter, G. Takanami, T. Paintin, I. Ward, B. O'Brien, B. Ryan, K. Terai, K. Pyne, A. VUWAE 30 - 1985/86 Armstrong, B. Shimizu, H. Exley, R. Pyne, A. Barrett, P. J. K Palmer Shane, P. Pyne, A. Gamble, J. Ward, B. Macpherson, A. J. P White Blake, G. Goodwin, I. Fitzgerald, P. McLeod, M. Pyne, A. Zurita, F. Moller, P. VUWAE 36 - 1991/92 Garrick, B. Bell, L. Kelly, D. Faloon, G. McConchie, J. Pyne, A. Fink, C. McLeod, M. Macpherson, A. Anderson, B. Winchester, D. Broughton, E. Neale, G. Tinnely Dawkings, R. Hawke, R. Powell, R. Mortimer, N. Hawke Fitzgerald, P. VUWAE 33 - 1988/89 Campbell, H. Heaphy, S. *Woolfe, K. *Woolfe, K. Trodahl, J. Statham, D. VUWAE 26 - 1981/82 VUWAE 28 - 1983/84 Henare, J. Riches, S. Falloon, G. Barrett, P. J. Falkner, C. Gillespie, G. Gamble, J. Gamble, J. Fitzgerald, P. Boteler, D. Dibble, R. Teeling, T. Brooker, J. Walker, B. Welink, R. Mackay, K. Smellie, J. Wysoczanski, R.

Victoria University of Wellington Antarctic Expeditions: The First 50 Years 15 VUWAE 37 - 1992/93 Webb, P. Dickinson, Warren Pyne, A. Dickinson, W. Holme, Phil Anderson B. Goff, J. Hiemstra, John Carter, J. Jennings, I. Mitchell, Jeremy Gee, E. Cooper, P. Van der Meer, Jaap Rennie, A. Devries, J. Hicock, Steve Grube, P. Webster, B. Lloyd Davies, Mark Trodahl, J. Prebble, Joe Buckley, R. VUWAE 42 - 1997/98 Beaglehole, D. Barrett, P. VUWAE 45- 2000/2001 Henrys, S. Pyne, A. Pyne, Alex Pyne, A. Anderson, Jo. Dickinson, Warren Gamble, J. Atkins, C. Kingan, Tony Hannah, M. Cooper, Pat VUWAE 38 - 1993/94 Butler, E. Kingan, Glen Wizevich, M. Lambeck, A. Pollard, Wayne Quinn, Julie. Hickock, Steve Thornley, S. Members of VUWAE 29 at Campbell Glacier *Woolfe, K. Bowman, Vanessa. Hose, Chris Pyne, A. Schlüchter, C. Holme, Phil Barrett, Peter VUWAE 49 - 2004/05 Sletten, Ron Rennie, A. Tcernio, S. Bornholdt, Carl Dunbar, Gavin Bayliss, Dan Williams, Gretchen Singh, L. Bertler, Nancy Robinson, Natalie Bertler, Nancy Leslie, R. VUWAE 43 - 1998/99 Ayling, Bridget Mason, Dougal Cavanagh, Mike VUWAE 51 - 2006/07 Hackney, R. Barrett, P. Hendrikx, Jordy Leitch, Johno Kipfstuhl, Sepp Atkins, Cliff Butler, E. Niessen, Frank Kingan, Tony Barrett, Peter VUWAE 39 - 1994/95 Anderson, J. VUWAE 46 - 2001/2002 Nixdorf, Uwe Pyne, Alex Carroll, Dene Christoffel, D. Atkins, C. Pyne, Alex Dunker, Eric Dickinson, Warren Carter, Lionel Wooler, A. Jackson, N. Balfour, Natalie Pringle, Daniel Hyland, Leigh Dunbar, Gavin Bleakley, N. Pyne, A. Horgan, Huw Trodahl, Joe Mackintosh, Andrew Falconer, Tamsin Pyne, A. Patterson, M. Henderson, Ricky Carter, Lionel Zwartz, Dan Hannah, Mike Anderson B. McKay, R. Bertler, Nancy Riesselmann, Christina Hansaraj, Dhiresh Hackney, R. Hannah, M. Patterson, Nora Giorgetti, Giovanna VUWAE 50 - 2005/06 McKay, Rob Quinn, J. Hiemstra, J. Hill, Matt Carter, Lionel Naish, Tim Haver, A. Van der Meer, J. Dickinson, Warren VUWAE 48 - 2003/04 Dunbar, Gavin Pyne, Alex Tammick, Sarah Bertler, Nancy Falconer, Tamsin Bertler, Nancy VUWAE 40 - 1995/96 VUWAE 44 - 1999/2000 Hopkins, Karyn Christie, Louise Hansaraj, Dhiresh Boys, Rod Pyne, A. Anderson, Jo Pyne, Alex McKay, Rob Bull, Julia Atkins, Cliff VUWAE 47 - 2002/2003 Watson, Matt Naish, Tim Kingan, Glen VUWAE 41 - 1996/97 Barrett, Peter Pyne, Alex Wood, Matt Pyne, Alex Kipfstuhl, Sepp Pyne, A. Hannah, Mike Atkins, Cliff Bertler, Nancy Robinson, Davie Shulmeister, J. Jackson, Nick Dickinson, Warren Dickinson, Warren Watson, Matt Butler, E. Pyne, Alex Colebatch, Camilla Schiller, Martin Quinn, J. Bertler, Nancy Wilson, Nicola *Deceased

Victoria University of Wellington Antarctic Expeditions: The First 50 Years 17 Recollections of the first 50 Years

my little tent still standing at the west end of voice and CW we struggled to send. It was a A 50 year trip with Lake Vanda. There they ate the meal I had left wonderful experience. We never dreamed it Barrie and Peter for them, stewed steak and vegetables, and would continue for another 47 years…and more! When Barrie McKelvey and Peter then tinned pineapple. They rested for an hour Webb stepped on board the or two, and then sledged back across the lake HMNZS Endeavour they had no to Main Base, with their specimens. Barrie VUWAE 3 (1959/60) Tony Allen idea of the legacy that was to asked us to excuse the smoke coming from his follow them. In 50 years since, armpits. While they waited for the meal I was The purpose of our 67 day expedition into the much has changed but much has cooking for them, they had a little snack, Victoria Valley area was to extend the work of remained. For most of us, our first which started with 10 Weetabix each and 3/4 VUWAE 1 and 2 in geological mapping, trip to Antarctica was a 'life of a 2-pound tin of golden syrup between surveying, palaeomagnetic sampling and changing' experience, but each of them. Well, one Weetabix makes a rather biology. The expedition team comprised staff us was infected in unique ways. skimpy breakfast, but two of them are enough and students from Victoria University: Ron Antarctica has changed little in 50 for most folk. Dick and I watched open- Balham (leader), Ralph Wheeler, Graham years and still doggedly guards her mouthed, with admiration and astonishment, Gibson, Ian Willis, and Tony Allen. We formed scientific secrets like never before. as they demolished the lot. And then they had an enquiring, happy team. To some it may seem that the Dry dinner! But it really was a remarkable walk! The work achieved by the expedition was Valleys have been 'done to death', Peter Webb (left) and Barrie McKelvey And, come to that, they also showed a totally mainly by field traverses from a base camp at yet no where else is it so obvious that (Photo: M.D.King) commensurate ability to eat. Lake Vashka (Barwick Valley) and from three the more we learn, the less we know. satellite food dumps near Lake Vida, In Antarctica we no longer map and survey to learn what is there, but we now collect and analyse Well, John Glenn, first US earth circler, went Apocalypse Peak, and Miller Glacier area, micro samples to answer global questions. We are overjoyed to reflect back along with Barrie back with a very much later space mission. In established by a U.S. Navy helicopter. The and Peter, but we are humbled to realize that some who reflect in the following pages will be the same way I am now collecting volunteers traverses radiated from these areas and doing so again in 50 years. for a return visit to Wright Valley. Successful Warren Dickinson and Tamsin Falconer applicants must be prepared to carry me back covered an area extending from Purgatory up Peak 16, as it was before we named it. Peak in the east to Mt Bastian in the west and for up to 20km to the north and south, an area of about 700 sq. km. VUWAE 2 (1958-59) Colin Bull upper depot (on south shoulder of Wright Valley, at 5300 feet altitude, near Wright VUWAE 1 was a marvelous, serendipitous VUWAE 3 (1959-60) Graham Gibson The valleys are 3 to 6km wide and the valley Upper Glacier). They walked the 21 miles to jaunt by Peter (Webb) and Barrie (McKelvey). We had a great leader in Ron Balham and all floors are veneered with glacial moraine, Main Base in 6 hours and when Dick VUWAE 2 was my fourth polar expedition, but worked as a great team. None of our work glacial outwash deposits, pediments and local congratulated them on this achievement, my first complete university expedition to the would have been possible if it had not been for eolian dunes. They are relatively flat and vary Barrie explained that it had only been Antarctic. We can't pretend that we were an the fantastic support that we got from the from smooth to very rough. The valley walls possible by their choice of rest spots. They independent expedition because of the Americans (and also the RNZAF). The Snowcat were up to 1000m high, very steep and mainly only stopped where there was a shallow necessary logistical help, but we did decide accident on 20th November was very sad and covered with coarse scree. Various small puddle nearby and Barrie noted that when for ourselves what we wished to do. sobering for us all, and also the Beaver crash. glaciers and snowfields occurred in the areas they sat in the puddle there was always a flanking the valleys. One day things were getting hectic. The boys short, sharp sizzle. At Main Base they ate and We would hope that the begging letters to get (Barrie and Peter) were near the lower depot slept for 6 hours and then pressed on to the supplies have long since gone, and that The traverses required exhausting physical at the Wright Lower Glacier but felt that they upper depot, another very long walk as well modern technology has eliminated some of the effort carrying heavy packs. The rough and must retrieve their rock specimens from the as a 5300 feet climb, and then back down to problems with dodgy Skeds and the laboured steep terrain limited the amount of work achieved. Our work was further limited by the

Victoria University of Wellington Antarctic Expeditions: The First 50 Years 19 developments in Antarctic geology. With a few surveyor on the team, whilst my task was to reservations, I believe we made a small but collect orientated paleo-mag samples for Colin useful contribution to Antarctic geology, as Bull. The first night we pitched the two-man well as providing a link in the chain of VUWAE pup tent, I offered to make Ralph a drink expeditions over the last 50 years. flavoured with 'lemon crystals' which he readily accepted. The drink was made to the strength I like and a mug handed to Ralph. A few seconds later there was a huge splutter VUWAE 3 (1959-60) Ian Willis and explosion with Ralph accusing me of In traveling to McMurdo on the 'Globemaster', giving him battery acid. From there on out, I which had a huge Caterpillar bulldozer in the made his as weak as p….. hold, we realized we were very much secondary cargo. Before take-off one of the Our main base camp was established at the crew members came to demonstrate the use western end of Victoria Valley with a subsidiary of the “survival suit”. His opening phrase was food dump put in at the eastern end. After a “should anything go wrong before the point brief acclimatization period it was decided to Ron Balham, Ralph Wheeler, Tony Allen, Graham Gibson and Ian Willis of no return, we will return to ChiChi, after head east and then work back to base camp. (left to right) in the Victoria Valley. that you will be required to put on this Back-packing was the only means of transport survival suit”. Where-upon he proceeded to and everything we might need was crammed lack of suitable maps and aerial photographs passing interest in Antarctic geology. show us how to pull on the survival suit, into our packs (including rather useless items at appropriate scales for regional or detailed which had a huge tear down one of the legs. such as mukluks) and off we set, tramping into mapping. My participation in VUWAE 3 has formed less than 2% of my geological career. It has not At the end of the demonstration he stated, “of a “fresh” head wind. After a couple of hours, The work achieved was mainly of a greatly influenced what I have done but course, yours will not have a tear in it, but we could clearly see our objective site and reconnaissance nature. Many features such perhaps the seeds of my career in does it matter? Survival time without a suit is decided to stop for “lunch”. Mistake number as stromatolites and other features observed hydrogeology were sown when I studied frost about a minute, with it maybe up to five 1, not appreciating the clarity of the at Lake Vida, glacial geology and polygons and saline soils at Lake Vashka. minutes. If you think we could get a geomorphology, and the multiple intrusion During field mapping in Western Australia I rescue aircraft on site in that time, you Ian Willis sun bathing in Miers Valley. and differentiation within the lower dolerite encountered an older but similar style of are sadly mistaken. Best of luck”. sill were noted and sampled but not studied. geology in the Kimberley region and my On our first trip in the chopper over In hindsight, it would have been very Antarctic experience undoubtedly influenced the Dry Valleys, my colleagues and I rewarding to have studied these features some of my work. were all amazed at the sheer grandeur more closely. Despite this, the expedition to and from of the area. At one point, whilst flying Following our expedition I did not continue Antarctica and into the Dry Valleys has been over one of the remnant glaciers, I my interest in Antarctic geology. I seriously one of the unforgettable experiences of my remarked to the cabin crew member, broke my leg in a sporting accident and it was life. I feel privileged to have been amongst “what a spectacular sight”. He opened imperative to complete my MSc (the geology the first to have set foot in the beautiful, one bleary eye and said, “seen one, of the Awatere Valley, New Zealand) to obtain pristine, forbidding environment which we seen 'em all!”. Where-upon said eye work. In the latter case I made the very happy found. It has had a profound effect on my closed again. choice of joining the Geological Survey of views about life and nature. I regret not Once we left base camp, I was Western Australia. As a result I retained only maintaining contact with team members and partnered with Ralph Wheeler, the limited contact with the team members, and not keeping up to date with the exciting

Victoria University of Wellington Antarctic Expeditions: The First 50 Years 21 atmosphere it was many, many more hours After a comfortable night camped on the VUWAE 4 (1960-61) Roger Cooper just as bold. The Christmas drambuie helped. before we reached our goal, tired and glacier we set off in a straight line for the So we all ended up splashing about in the near On Christmas Day, 1960, Colin Bull, Ian Willis extremely hungry. Before eating, mistake peak with me in front “breaking step” in the freezing water. Ian Willis discovered that the and I were camped in the Miers Valley, Koettlitz number 2 occurred when one of our party softish snow cover. About five minutes away dark coloured moraine of the valley side had Glacier area. The other two members of our (who will remain anonymous) decided to have from our campsite and within a nanosecond absorbed enough heat from the sun to enable expedition (VUWAE 5), Ralph Wheeler and Dick a pee. Moments later he was rolling on the of putting my weight on my forward foot, my sun bathing and he lay there afterwards for Blank, had been out geologising for the day. ground in agony - hot urine through a chilled brain registered that the snow sagged a bit about 15 minutes, long enough for us all to get They returned to camp excited as puppies. member - OUCH! (The female field workers between two semi-parallel lines - you have photographic evidence. Was this the first They had just seen a “wall of water” coming will no doubt be having a giggle!). After that probably guessed what I realised that fraction “swim” in a flowing river in the Ross down the otherwise dry Miers Valley stream we used to stuff one of our leather sledging too late! A second or so later I was about 10 Dependency? I suspect so. Not many people bed. Apparently, an ice dam had melted and mits inside our fly when there was a head to 12 ft below the surface on a snow bridge are that silly. melt water from the Miers Glacier was flowing. wind. with no direct sunlight, a very limited view They had spent half an hour constructing a and drop offs of several 10s of feet on each In the early VUWAE expeditions, most supplies dam across it, from rocks and sand. Being Another trait of Ralph's was that he could fall side (you must remember this was in the pre- had to be cadged from importers, dedicated scientists, we all decided to take the asleep anywhere at any time. To collect an metric era!!). Given my initial shock and manufacturers and retailers, as funds for this following day, Boxing Day, off and worked on orientated sample took about 20 minutes, expletives (which I won't repeat), my next purpose were strictly limited. For VUWAE 5, a the dam. For research purposes, of course. and once I had selected a convenient spot, thought was “s… our rope is several hours local tobacco firm supplied us with copious Then someone decided that we should go for a Ralph would stretch out on the terrain, no away”. About that moment Ralph's head quantities of tobacco. We found that it was swim in the pool of melt water. Once one matter how rocky and fall asleep. This in itself popped over the topside followed by an rolling tobacco so we took plenty of tobacco person had stripped off his clothes and did not bother me, but his snoring was expletive and “thank goodness you are OK!”. papers. Needless to say, this was in the pre- jumped in, the rest of us had to prove we were something to be believed and many a time I Small comfort! After a few minutes debate, cancer scare era. Roll-your-own cigarettes was tempted to throw a rock at him. during which the intense cold was starting to strike, we realized the crevasse was just the It is possible that I can claim one of the Dick Blank and Ralph Wheeler in the dammed up Miers River. right width to wedge our ice-axes across to dubious “honours” of a VUWAE member - that use as climbing rungs to get out, with Ralph of being the only one to fall down a crevasse! pulling like fury on my arm for that last few About a week after a particularly physically feet. Fate does not recall how we got the tiring tramp with heavy backpacks from our lower ice-axe out but the handles of both main base camp at the head of Victoria Valley were split. Needless to say we got off that to a subsidiary camp at the seaward end of glacier as quickly as possible and kept to the valley, Ralph Wheeler and I set off to visible hard rock for the rest of the trip. Ralph triangulate a peak on our way back to base and I joked about the episode later - his camp. Given our experience of the outward account being something like, “I was about march we were travelling as light as we 100 ft behind you, looking down as I trudged thought possible but decided to shed a few along in your footsteps on a nice sunny day unnecessary articles such as the field radio, without a care in the world. Suddenly there climbing rope, etc as we headed up a valley to was a grunt and I looked up but you were a remnant glacier which would give good nowhere to be seen - but, oh s…, there was a access to the peak chosen as a survey point. hole in the snow! Damn (translation of The diehards had advised that these remnant expletive), I was glad to see you when I glaciers did not have crevasses. peered over the edge!!”.

Victoria University of Wellington Antarctic Expeditions: The First 50 Years 23 turned out to be not too successful in the dry southern Koettlitz area, draining east from day to pick them up. This much was clear but and cold Antarctic climate. You had to Mount Huggins in the Royal Society Range, then reception deteriorated. The last bit of the manipulate the tobacco, roll it in the paper, the Pipecleaner Glacier. I can't recall what message was that the rocks were to be “about then lick the gum strip and stick it down, with reason we gave the Geographic Board for the the size of an ordinary house brick”. However, freezing glove-less hands. But more often name but it would not have been the real reception failed altogether and we did not than not, the tobacco had dried out and just reason. hear the word, “brick”. We had no idea of crumbled to dust inside the paper roll. The what was wanted and spent some time in result was that after you put the cigarette in In December 1960, about half way through the amused debate about how to get a collection your mouth, but before you could get the VUWAE 5 expedition to map the Koettlitz of house-sized rocks into a helicopter. In the lighter to it, all the tobacco slid out of the Glacier area, we were mapping in the plateau end, we collected up hand specimen-sized country between Miers Valley and the Walcott paper tube and on to the ground. Ever examples of Vanda porphyry and other VUWAE8, Photo: Bruce Popplewell resourceful, we found the answer was to wrap Glacier. We slept in standard, light-weight, attractive rocks, which were eventually used a wad of tobacco in wet toilet paper and keep alpine “pup” tents as all our gear, food etc. for decoration of the memorial, built in the it in a plastic bag. was back-packed and had to be light. Radio shape of a polar tent, on top of Mount Vic. The nasty looking black holes in the fragile snow scheds were held regularly twice a week and memorial was later refurbished with larger, bridges is still very clear. Another item generously supplied free was although we were only 100 km from Scott more respectable, “brick-sized” Antarctic Exploring and mapping these two areas was pipe cleaners. One of the “old hands” had Base, we were in a “shadow” area. Using rocks, and can be seen today. advised us that these were handy for tying up heavy, and not very efficient, commando radio such fun: Amazing views at 2400m from plastic sample bags and we had requested 60 sets (no doubt cadged from the Army), our Midnight plateau of the Darwin and Hatherton dozen. When we unpacked our supplies down reception was poor and we often could not nevees on totally clear minus 40oC evenings, south, we found we had been given 60 dozen make clear contact. On this occasion we VUWAE 6 (1962-63) Warwick Prebble sparkling ice crystals tumbling out of a clear night sky on Christmas Eve 1962, elegant packets of pipe cleaners. The result was we received the message that we were to make a In 1962 we explored the hitherto largely pyramid mountains of fractured chocolate had pipe cleaners coming out of our ears. collection of rocks representative of the area, unknown and untrodden Brown Hills and brown dolerite, honey coloured and bright pink After every camp site clean-up, there was to be used in the planned memorial to Darwin Mountains around and through which layers of Beacon sandstone all warm and always the inevitable pipe cleaner still lying Admiral Byrd, which was to be constructed in the Darwin Glacier flows at 79o south. These inviting in the midnight sun, on all sides deep around. So we named a glacier in the Wellington. A helicopter was arriving the next ice-free areas and well exposed mountain blue ice falls and marble-like expanses of sides were very inviting amongst the maze of gleaming white glaciers. We were a JATO huge crevassed glaciers such as the Byrd to Travel on the Skeleton Neve with VUWAE 15 expedition - some 32 or so bottles in all to lift the south and the Mulock to the north. At first our loaded plane on its several flights. The raw sight I remember the Darwin Glacier looked excitement of twin bank JATO blasts and fairly benign. We had hoped to haul our sledge thundering motors hardly fades in the memory. across it to the Darwin Mountains from our base camp at a cosy place, which we called Special moments regularly come to mind: the Erewhon by some frozen ponds in the Brown first night in our little Meade tents on the Hills. From the top of Bastion Hill about 1000m Touchdown Glacier when the fog which nearly above Erewhon I saw some enormous prevented our landing and certainly hastened crevasses partly concealed beneath thin snow the Dak's swift departure rolled away after bridges and we decided not to attempt a very midnight to reveal a silent, sunlit, breathtaking risky crossing on foot. Later were lifted across vista of icy mountains, spangling snow fields by Dakota. I recall watching the shadow of our and rocky nunataks; a motionless landscape plane take a perceptible time to pass over and see-for-ever views; threading our way up each of these huge slots. The sight of the through massive pink granites, tourmaline

Victoria University of Wellington Antarctic Expeditions: The First 50 Years 25 We were led in the science by ourselves and mires and salt ponds, the rich colours of the our mentors - there were the not-to-be rocks and mountains, the contrast of the blue forgotten discussions between Harold Wellman ice falls and white steep-walled glacier tongues and Alec Wilson. Their direction and example which flowed over the valley side and floors was inspiring. Memories include the visits by and the high and remote camp sites under the Brian Talboys, Minister of Science and Adrian ever changing sky. It is tempting to compare Hayter, Leader of Scott Base. Their visit was the feast of colour, topography and desert followed by several days of blizzard and strong landforms to that of the Grand Canyon of the winds which lashed us on Brown Peninsula. Colorado at twilight - but with the added Without snow piling up other ways of keeping spectacle of eternal low lighting, dramatic your tents fixed down on rock and soil must be clarity, views limited by distance only and the devised. Some of the new comers to Antarctica total stillness and silence when the wind stops. did not sleep for a few days as the wind and drift shrieked past and the tent poles hummed Other recollections are of the journeys to to the tune of the blast. Many of the team did and from the ice in Hercules, the super not venture outside for some time. We even constellation “Phoenix” and that veteran of managed to have an old polar tent, in spite of the ice - the big old piston engine being pitched firmly, break a bamboo pole. Globemaster. I shall not forget the Globemaster having an engine failure one Another visit was from my brother Michael hour out of Christchurch. Oil streamed from VUWAE8, Photo: Bruce Popplewell when we were moved to the Koettlitz. We were the engine cowling and anxious flight crew lucky as siblings to share the experience of peered at it with search lights. We treated it pegmatites, pallisades of columnar dolerite at night. Silence shattered by ice falls being together in Antarctica. I shall always all as fun especially the hearty meal of steak and layers of conglomerate and sandstone; avalanching off hanging glaciers. Some very remember the heat wave which ensued in the etc at the US base when we returned to fix it the game of cricket on the glacier while windy days with snow plumes streaming off Koettlitz and the Dry Valleys. Water flowing in up before taking off again. Then 11 hours later waiting to fly back to Scott Base - extended the tops. stream channels, lake levels rising, the magnificent sight of the mountains of with the Dak crew who signed our bat; temperatures of plus 3 and 4, sunny calm days Northern Victoria Land. One also does not sunbathing in dry still air at minus 10. Well The Dry Valleys, Black Island, Brown - it was difficult to find enough time to sleep. forget the Hercules flight which ran into in bad ahead of schedule, we were able to spend Peninsula and Koettlitz were the territory for Other memories are of the long traverses of the weather - unable to return and landing so January in the Taylor Valley. VUWAEs 8 and 9. Each team was a diverse ice free areas, lots of drillholes in the lakes, expertly in poor visibility at McMurdo. and committed group of individuals from and an occasion when two of us broke through The Taylor is a magic place. Memories of the many disciplines and with different tasks, all the thin ice on the moat of Lake Bonney and Antarctica was for me and probably for all of 24 hour traverse from the coast to the Taylor driving towards a common plan. That in itself floundered to shore. It was good to get into our us in some way a milestone if not a turning Glacier snout with Tom Haskell, Colin Bull and was a fairly unique experience for us at the spare clothing which we always had in our point in our careers. The memories of his gravity meter are special; The long cool time. It was matched by novel scientific packs and watch the wet clothes gel and set friendships and teamwork achieved are many. shadows of the Kukri Hills. Midnight on objectives - solar heated lakes, their solid. Hours later on our way back to camp the The underlying trust and companionship Nussbaum Reigel. Brilliantly sunlit mountains chemistry, physics and biology; ground wet set of gear had dried out by ablation. experienced are precious. Lastly there are the and icefalls on the other side of the valley, hugging glaciers, Antarctic surficial geology, memories of those whose vision, enthusiasm, Lake Bonney to the west and McMurdo sound Polar Plateau snow balance and I remember the ease with which we moved hard work and skills made it all possible in the and Erebus to the East. Ice covered lakes and carbonaceous chondrites, implications for the around the Dry Valleys, the stunning landscape first place. The person who immediately comes ponds in the floor of the valley, wadis, dunes history of the ice cap and glacial movements of beautifully sculptured rock outcrops, the to mind every time is Bob Clark, to whom I and and lag pavements. Total silence and stillness and more…. sand dunes and ventifact fields, the saline others owe a lot.

Victoria University of Wellington Antarctic Expeditions: The First 50 Years 27 VUWAE 11 (1969-70) Vince Neall into marine zoology. With the aid of an when Adam Wooller said, “I think I'll ring VUWAE 13 led by Peter Webb and Barrie obliging Weddel seal, we caught a 50+kg fish, Mum.” So he whipped out the hand held radio, McKelvey, with myself (team medic) and fellow One lasting memory I have was when Colin which we identified from a 200mm long type called Scott Base via a repeater in the Dry student Mike Gorton (mechanic) completing Vucetich and I spent Christmas 1969 in the specimen as a Dissostichus mawsonii or now Valleys and got patched through the satellite the team, aimed to explore the Boomerang- Lower Taylor Valley. On our meanderings called a tooth fish, the first time found in link to Mum's phone. A very sleepy voice Warren Range-Lashly Mountains area. We around the landscape we crossed a low recent times in the Ross Sea. We gave it to the answered. Mum was in Devon. were accompanied by two famous Italian saddle, only to find in the pristine Antarctic Natural History Museum, so I must check if mountaineers/journalists who guided us atmosphere a pungent rotten odour attacking it's still there. I've enjoyed my 38 years span in Antarctica - through dangerous areas - they were the our nostrils. Further investigation revealed it the camaraderie - the blizzards - the brilliant precursors to Italy setting up an Antarctic base to be areas of very shallow water in which The next VUWAE trip in 1975 saw us with days and the times you can see forever - not to in later years. With little English between algae had been growing, but now as the Doug Northey, Eric Broughton, Colin Brown & mention the scientific rewards. them, we soon found we could 'converse' fairly season progressed, the waters were drying up How Kin Wong from the University of well without hands, especially when it came to and the algae rotting. I suggested we called it Michigan, carrying out a magnetic and seismic rationing fresh meat or alcohol we had taken Lake Puhipuhi, when Colin turned to me and survey of McMurdo Sound and Terra Nova to break the monotony of freeze-dry rations. nonchalantly said, “I think Hannibal came VUWAE 13 (1968-69) Barry Kohn Bay. At times our magnetometer was being We covered about 500 kilometres with our through here with his elephants”. It was just towed over the ice, but, unbelievably, still I first landed in Antarctica in 1968 after a 14 Polaris toboggans and Nansen sledges that one of those occasions when I well remember gave reliable readings. Our measurements hour flight in the US Navy Super Constellation - season. Scientific highlights were many, but cracking up with Colin's unexpected humour helped determine optimum locations for the Pegasus. After about 7 hours into our flight the undoubtedly topped by the discovery of of the moment. MSSTS drill holes. pilot announced that he had both 'good news Permo-Carboniferous tillites and rich deposits and bad news' - we had now passed the half of beautifully preserved Devonian fossil fish. The first venture on to terra firma was with way mark, but had also reached the point of Peter Garden on Mt Bastion collecting VUWAE 11 (1966-67) Chris Christoffel no-return, so we would be landing at Williams One of the main plans of VUWAE-15, under the samples for palaeomagnetic measurements, Field no matter what the conditions. I was leadership of Peter Barrett and myself as My first visit to Antarctica was in 1958 when I where we teamed up with Peter Barrett and reminded rather vividly of how quickly deputy leader was to take a large party, was in the Navy and towed my magnetometer Alex Pyne. Cloud conditions at McMurdo and conditions could change on the ice during the including Australian vertebrate from the wooden ship HMNZS Endeavour Bastion were out of phase so that supplies 1970-71 season (VUWAE 15). between New Zealand and Antarctica and were running low by the time we were While at Scott Base, a few days Barry Kohn and Rodney Grapes relaxing during VUWAE15. carried out an extensive survey in the Ross collected. Peter and I continued to Beacon before setting out for our field Sea, in conjunction with a biological survey Heights, one of the most scenic locations in season some of the staff carried out by members of the Institute of Antarctica. This was equalled in 1981, when invited us out on a 'looting' Oceanography. On the return trip we carried we camped on the cirque near Mt Kempe and expedition to check out what VUWAE members including Colin Bull, Peter could see 250 miles out over the Ross Sea could be retrieved from Webb & Barrie McKelvey. I didn't have much beyond Mt Melbourne and Franklin Island. Mt Pegasus before it was shoved time to talk to them as I was too busy in the Erebus seemed to be in touching distance. off the ice into the sea. Pegasus hold tending my magnetometer. had slid off the 'runway' while Communications with the outside world landing in a whiteout resulting That first trip got me hooked, and I changed drastically over the years. In the in considerable damage (luckily subsequently had another 15 to Antarctica, 60's, one had to book a time with the PO no-one was seriously injured). some in conjunction with VUWAE. The first of operator weeks ahead and then for a half That marked the end of the these, with Ian Calhaem, in 1966, measuring hour on the phone you'd be lucky to get five Super Constellation era and on heat flow through the bottom of McMurdo minutes of intelligible conversation. But in to the C-130 Hercules and Sound by sending our probe through a US 1994, we were on the summit of Mt Feather at C-141 Starlifters. fishing hut hole was notable for our launching 10,000ft on the edge of the Polar Plateau

Victoria University of Wellington Antarctic Expeditions: The First 50 Years 29 katabatic winds and JATO bottle assisted takeoffs with rock VUWAE 17 (1972-73) Harry Keys and rolled some laden aircraft…… and many more…. Long live "One memory"? - many memories! 50 m or so down a VUWAE - an immeasurable treasure. rough scree slope. There are so many memories for me because Luckily, when I VUWAE played such a big role in my life and woke up I was VUWAE 15 (1970-71) Peter Barrett career. Preparing for the field outside the only heavily hanger, first going-to-the-toilet epic in a bruised with It would be hard to beat my first VUWAE blizzard at Cape Royds, sand in the dehi in dry nothing broken expedition sledging around the Skelton Neve valleys, ratting chocolate from old food boxes (including my with Barry Kohn, 3 of the Honours class (Rosie (often VUWAE ones) there, mail drops after camera inside my Askin, John McPherson, Dave Reid), Rodney two months, search and rescue in a blizzard down jacket), but Grapes and the fish boys from the Australian across McMurdo Sound, night-long sessions in was nevertheless Museum (Alex Ritchie and Gavin Young). An the sunny bar at Scott Base and hangovers to evacuated back to unhealthy tent-bound start was followed by match, generous welfare from Phil Kyle after NZ and only toboggans falling apart on the rough sastrugi, the same at Black Island and Erebus, and not returned to join and a blizzard in which much food and our to forget those long hours back at VUW writing Alywn Chinn, Rosie Askin, Dave Bamford and our group a few entire tomato sauce supply for the season was the thesis. The strongest memories are of Doug Bright on VUWAE16 weeks later. That mountain later became lost in the snow. But over 5 km of Beacon people and Erebus - Peter Barrett and Russ known as Mt. Kohn-descending! strata were measured and sampled, beautiful Plume glissading in the midnight sun at Table palaeontologists Alex Ritchie and Gavin Glossopteris and Dicroidium leaves collected, Mountain, field life with Janet Andrews and Besides the deep friendships made and Young, and locals Rosemary Askin (the first thousands of paleocurrent directions Rosie Kyle at Shapeless, pancakes 24/7 with wonderful scientific stimulation during my NZ female student to travel south), Rodney measured, Devonian soils recognised and John McPherson in the Skelton, and VUWAE days, which added so much value to a Grapes, John McPherson and Dave Reid to described, a spectacular Permian glacial valley expeditions to Erebus punctuated by the traditional university education, rich recover some of rich fish fossil finds we had discovered, a ton of Devonian fish quarried, the exciting challenge of the craters and French memories that still remain include: the discovered during VUWAE 13 but did not have Allan Hills mapped and the Darwin Mountains Beaujolais. Thank you VUWAE. the proper equipment to recover without vastness and raw beauty of the Antarctic reconnoitred, all leading to 2 PhD theses, many damage. As the only member from VUWAE landscape (especially the Dry Valleys), the papers and a large monograph on the fish. 13, I was given the task of leading the group silence, the inability from a distance to judge back to some of the important fossil sites. I scale, the coastal wildlife, the loss of sense of managed to locate one of our key campsites smell (making it interesting arriving back at by fortuitously finding underwear frozen in Christchurch airport), adjusting to no showers the snow (left by our Italian colleagues) - and 24 hour daylight, sledging over different better than a GPS! Having Rosemary in the terrain (including that wind eroded sastrugi), group worked very well (she taught us all that mechanical repairs in the field (especially temperament was more important than touching metal), camping on slowly moving strength) despite the fact that the Americans blue ice, conversations during radio scheds, Peter Barrett, were reluctant at first to fly her to their having more than 2000 year old pieces of ice Gavin Young, Antarctic base. For me, the expedition was core placed in my whisky at a McMurdo party Shamus Cureen marked by a climbing accident I had while on with US Navy pilots, adventures with landing an icy slope with Alex Ritchie searching for airplanes - such as very short landings on at the Darwin new fish fossil sites. Working near the top of unknown snowfields, waiting five days for a Mountains a section I was blown off a ledge by strong pick-up (need to keep your thinking flexible) on VUWAE 15.

Victoria University of Wellington Antarctic Expeditions: The First 50 Years 31 VUWAE 17 (1972-73) Trevor Hunt alongside and pulling on the starter cord. what might take just a few minutes back home. wind. Presumably it had escaped from the This was the first time I had driven this It often took three hours to get up, have previous reconnaissance expedition a few Panic in the air On the way to Shapeless machine so I copied his technique, or thought breakfast and get ready to leave camp. This years back; it wasn't from our camp because Mountain we were detained at Vanda Station I did. I wrapped the throttle, got off and leads to slippage of time: 24 hours becomes 28 we did not have any Weetbix. It brought home for several days by bad weather. The weather pulled the starter cord, the engine roared into or 30 hours. After a while we found we were to us that nothing decays in this place. finally improved, and I was on the last of three life, the centrifugal clutch engaged and before getting up one day at midday and returning to flights from Vanda up to Shapeless. We were I could grab it the machine was away. The the tents at midnight, and getting up at three in No gas stations in the Wright Valley Because packed like sardines into the back of the helo. snow bowl was shaped like a shallow saucer the afternoon the next day. the equipment to measure water currents in At about 7000 ft over the heavily-crevassed and the snowmobile went round and round in Lake Vanda failed soon after we got there, Rick Airdevronsix Icefall at the head of the Wright ever widening circles. My attempts to catch it Bamboo poles When we got to Shapeless Allis and I had some time to spare. One day Valley a bright red warning indicator saying as it roared past were fruitless. After about 10 campsite, we found amongst other things a we borrowed the Gnat, a quaint two-seater, “hydraulics out” began flashing on the minutes and several circuits of the bowl it pile of bamboo poles about 2 metres long with three-wheeled farm bike and headed down the instrument panel. One of the pilots indicated reached the edge and plunged over a steep a flag on top. Nobody seemed to know what Wright Valley to visit the Meserve Glacier. to us that this signified loss of hydraulic bank opposite the ridge. We all trudged to these were for or who asked for them, and so Officially we were going to change the connection between the cyclic control stick the edge to view the damage. Surprisingly, it they were just left on the snow along with meteorological screens. On the way down we and the main rotor hub. Momentary panic - I suffered little visible damage: cracked other stores not immediately needed. A stopped and climbed up to Bull Pass and saw knew from helicopter flying experience this windscreen and a few other minor things. couple of weeks into our stay we had a the ventifacts, and further down we saw some was serious and it was clear that this was no Once we had dragged it back up to the snow blizzard and heavy snowfall which covered up mummified seals. The Gnat had a very small place to have an emergency landing. bowl it started without hesitation and no our stores. This resulted in our digging fuel tank, insufficient to get us back to Vanda, However, he then went on to say that this had internal damage was evident. We kept quiet frantically one morning to find the stores and but we were assured there was a petrol dump happened a couple of times recently and that about the incident, but I did hear later that in particular for the box with the toilet paper. at the Meserve Hut from which we could refuel. since there was a dual hydraulic circuit there the mechanics at Scott Base reckoned that As usual it was about the last box to be However, we searched high and low but could was no problem. Indeed, he fished out a the students were hard on equipment. uncovered. We then realized the poles were not find the dump. Fortunately we did find an movie camera and began taking pictures of for marking where the stores were. old whisky bottle labelled “White Spirits”, and the instrument panel. Clarity of the air I have a “snapshot after some hesitation poured the contents into memory” of standing, at midnight, on the top Animal life on the Plateau? Rick Allis and I the fuel tank. We gingerly drove back and Wheelies After 35 years I can finally confess. of Shapeless Mountain, looking eastwards to were making gravity and magnetic anomaly arrived in time for dinner. We left a few days At Shapeless Mountain we had two Johnson Erebus. Even though Erebus was more than measurements out on the polar plateau near later and don't know if the Gnat's engine snowmobiles for transport. One day there 150 km away, the air was so clear that I felt as Shapeless Mountain. We had our heads survived missing its customary feed of lead. were four of us out in the field together (two though I could reach out and touch it. When down, absorbed with getting the instrument on one of the snowmobiles and two on a people say to me here in New Zealand that readings until at one point, out of the corners Honey buckets At Vanda Station it was the sledge towed behind). We got to a large snow the air is clear, I say “not really - to experience of our eyes, we sensed irregular movement; custom for the men to urinate into a 44-gallon bowl, partly rimmed by a ridge of rock. We clear air you need to go to Antarctica”. like the scurrying of some small creature drum. When full, these drums of frozen urine, stopped near one end of the ridge and the darting from cover to cover. We knew that colloquially called “honey buckets”, were geologists indicated they would like to walk Time One of the things I remember about there were no animals here and so we at first helicoptered out and placed on the sea ice for along the ridge collecting samples. I offered tenting at Shapeless Mountain was the felt some consternation - were we going mad? disposal. The American helo pilots, often from to stay with the snowmobile, take some slippage of time. In New Zealand we are After a short while, looking out on to the the southern states, liked to keep the cabin at photographs then drive over to pick them up accustomed to getting up when it gets light sastrugi we saw something small a few Miami temperatures; this resulted in the honey at the other end. This particular snowmobile and going to bed after dark, and generally hundred metres away, scuttling from behind thawing during the long flight and an was always hard to start, and Ken (field operating on a 24 hour cycle. However, in the one sastrugi to another. Plucking up our unpleasant smell pervading the cabin. So leader) had developed the technique of partly summer field season in Antarctica it is light all courage we went to investigate. It was an there was often refusal by the pilots to fly out opening the throttle and wrapping a cord the time, and it may take half an hour to do empty Weetbix box being blown about by the this cargo. However, the guys at Vanda hit on around it to hold it open while standing

Victoria University of Wellington Antarctic Expeditions: The First 50 Years 33 the scheme that they would not wait until the international scientific relations had been drum was full - just (say) three-quarters full - strengthened. and then top it up with general rubbish. The drum, along with several others completely full with general rubbish, would be loaded and the poor unsuspecting pilots would not VUWAE 18 (1973-74) Paul Luckman realize they had been duped by the Kiwis until Feeling elated at being selected to go to the they were about 20 minutes out of Vanda ice...Being frozen as never before or since, at when the thaw was underway. Apparently the the Tekapo training camp...learning how to do pilots never guessed why the Kiwis were ice axe self-arrests in a white-out on the always helpful in loading the helo - so that Tasman Glacier....Arriving at McMurdo, jet they would not know from the weight of the engines screaming, eyes hurting from the drum that it contained more than just general glare, being transported by Nodwell to Scott rubbish. Base....waking up at 2 am the next morning and going for a walk above the Base, with Cheap beer The Yanks at McMurdo Base were Erebus looming over the landscape... fussy about their beer, and once the resupply savouring the view as far as Mt Terror... ship had arrived they would not drink the old George (field assistant) and I motor- beer. This provided a windfall for the thirsty tobogganing out across the sea ice to Cape Back: Rosie Askin, ?, Janet Andrews, Ken Blackwood, Graeme Rowe, Front: John McPherson, Kiwis. I remember those of us staying at Evans which we used as the base for my study Russell Plume on VUWAE18. Vanda (January 1973) putting in a bulk order of the hyaloclastites of Turks Head... the for some of this disdained beer, and a helo incredible silence out on the ice...holding a tough guy) and Gil Ankenbauer (never left Figuring we'd cross-country ski out to Castle coming in fully loaded with cans of Budweiser conversation in normal tones over a distance Illinois before, or seen the sea before coming Rock to complete my hyaloclastite project field (about 40 cases). It was not great beer, but at of 100 m or more....getting in (too) close to to Antarctica) ...Setting up the DVDP camp at work, and finding out that walking was a more 2 cents a can it was a bargain, and it lasted all the terminus of the Barne Glacier, and being Lake Fryxell...climbing up the side of the valley, reliable way of going forwards... Looking of a week as I recall. awed by the size of it....being similarly awed enjoying the solitude...looking back across to forward to returning back to NZ in the middle by the height of the cliffs at Turk's Head, and Ross Island... All of us being anxious what sort of February.... arriving back in Wellington and New Year with the Japanese Rick Allis and I wondering if Jim Cole would be desperately of Christmas dinner (if any) the drillers' volatile being struck by the vivid emerald living stuff got dropped at Vanda Station on 31 December upset if I didn't risk my neck to climb to the cook would serve up.... but having a great growing all over the hills.... Getting baked in 1972 to undertake his work on measurement top and produce some sort of structural map meal in the big tent...moving on down to New the sun at the beach, and feeling privileged to of current flow in Lake Vanda. That evening of area (it's a mess)... staying in the Harbour for Holes 8 & 9... helicoptering out have had such a great experience... Very all those at Vanda were invited to celebrate wannagan at Cape Evans... Stepping back in the soil polluted by a DFA spill.... the special memories of a place that still had an New Year with the three members of the time in the dim light inside Scott's Hut.... homeliness of Scott Base, and the cook IGY flavour at that time.... Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition based shooting off umpteen rolls of film on the putting on a great spread for my 21st Thanks VUWAE, and DVDP, especially Jim Cole at Vanda. We repaired to the Japanese tent penguins, especially the emperors, and the birthday.... jumping a tour on a C130 to New and Peter Barrett (and remembering Bob Clark, about midnight and for the next five or six blue-black water at the ice edge at Cape Pole Station which was under construction, particularly) for making it all possible.... Also hours enjoyed their hospitality, drinking Royds... Joining the Dry Valley Drilling Project getting winded rushing around in the thin air thanks to Barry McKelvey and Peter Webb for excellent Suntory whisky, eating Japanese team at the Earth Science Lab at McMurdo, taking photos, leaving it a bit late to rejoin the making such a good impression on VUWAE 1 food and talking. However, we found the with its very own urine glacier... meeting up plane, and narrowly missing the props in that we all could follow on in later years. dried seaweed a little difficult; it was like with Sam Treves, Mike Mudrey, the Japanese, taking the most direct route .... Skiing on chewing boot leather. There were some sore and fellow students/assistants from Northern perfect powder at the Scott Base Ski Club, so heads later in the day when we woke up, but Illinois University, John Wrenn (ex US Marines that even a novice could do turns like a pro....

Victoria University of Wellington Antarctic Expeditions: The First 50 Years 35 VUWAE 19 (1974-75) Ray Dibble until I asked what happened to it! I was lucky begun, unfortunately coinciding with a 24 hour to get it back! burst of activity, with 6 eruptions which would My first trip was in 1962 with DSIR. I went have killed anyone in the crater. Contentiously down at Winfly on the Super Connie, and saw That I thought was it, but Phil Kyle (a VUW the French decided the risk was too high, and my first and best aurora through the plane student) asked if he could borrow a tape we all packed up and left. The New Zealand window. First impressions were the rhythmic seismograph to install in a warm cave at the public and the media were not impressed. freezing and thawing of the inside of my nose summit of Erebus volcano, where he had in the minus 50 o C temperatures at Williams discovered an active lava lake in 1972. For For VUWAE-1978, Phil Kyle was now in the Field, and the drive to Scott Base in the VUWAE 19, he organised a joint expedition USARP programme, and had persuaded NSF to Tucker Snocat. Entering Scott Base was a with Haroun Tazieff and his French team, and build a permanent hut at the Summit camp surprise too. Some of the winter-over party accepted my offer to operate a 5-station site. Haroun Tazieff came, and another attempt were scared of us, and played hide and seek. seismic network, and a visual recorder of to reach the lava lake was made, NZ style, seismic power, so that Haroun could plan his using a simple Z pulley system. Werner My task was to install the slow speed tape attempt to reach the lava lake at a seismically Giggenbach had reached the bottom of the recording seismograph I had designed at quiet time. crater, when the "Active Vent" in the opposite Cape Crozier, hopefully to record the ice- wall exploded. Fortunately it bulged first, and quakes from the calving of icebergs from the Werner Giggenbach and I arrived at Scott he was warned by radio, and swung his ropes Ross Ice Shelf. I left it recording for 3 months, Base on December 2 (1974) and next day out of the way of the flying bombs. One hit his but only one calved - during a storm at were sent up to the Summit without leg, setting his trousers on fire, and one Christmas which threatened to destroy the Ray Dibble gearing up to descend acclimatising to care for the 13-tent village at landed on the bench the rope handlers were Jamesway. The penguin scientists turned the into the Crater of Mt Erebus 12,600ft until the main NZ-French-US team on - within a metre of his lifeline ropes. I took heater off for safety, and the recorder froze up were ready. A major storm was brewing as the a photo from the rim opposite. The New magnetrician who was Director of NIPR, and stopped. Next morning the berg had main party were flown to the Fang Glacier Zealand public and media loved it! published the data before the rest of us could. beached in front of them so they could see acclimatisation site. At the Summit, all our His response to our protests was to pay us to what they had missed! The Scott Base staff tents except the two that Werner and I slept in My programme that year included a new visit NIPR, and work on the data at the same packed the recorder up and put it on a ship were blown down. I slept fully dressed infrasonic microphone and a simple induction time as they did. but not on the manifest, and it travelled back (including mukluks), but without worry, loop of wire around the crater, both connected and forth from McMurdo to the US via NZ because I already had a ladder into the warm to the tape seismograph recorders. Volcanic Also in 1980/81, David Iles and I made a cave which was my seismic recording room. explosions were recorded on all the detectors. seismic refraction study of the floor of McMurdo Sound from the sea ice near Butter Haroun persuaded VXE-6 to carry heavy Next was VUWAE-1980/81, when Phil Kyle, now Point. It was weird being able to record at far winches to pocket sized pads on steep slopes at New Mexico Tech, Jurgen Kienle of the higher gain than in New Zealand, when only a close to the rim of the crater, where a flying University of Alaska, and Katsu Kaminuma of metre of ice separated the geophones from fox to the main crater floor was installed. the National Institute of Polar Research, Japan, deep water. Unfortunately, the spread was not Werner had big boxes full of evacuated flasks and I, began the International Mount Erebus long enough to reliably find the seaward edge with which to suck volcanic gases from the Seismic Study (IMESS). We aimed to record to the shallow basement. Strong refractions/ lava lake, but as I saw at close hand, an earthquakes all year using radio telemetry to reflections from basement which was dipping attempt to improve the load attachment to Scott Base. NIPR was supplying the recording between 14 and 29 deg east were being the flying fox caused them to fall 90m, and equipment and supplies, and I provided a recorded right to the end. break about half of them. more substantial buried figure-of-8 loop, and several infrasonic sensors. The first expedition For VUWAE-1982/83, we used a longer spread, Fumarole on Mt Erebus that became the Finally, all was ready for the descent to the seismograph station in 1974 went well, but because all the recordings but the ice surface was dead flat this time, lava lake. A 24 hour watch from the rim was belonged to NIPR, Takesi Nagata, the famous

Victoria University of Wellington Antarctic Expeditions: The First 50 Years 37 allowing strong direct arrivals through the ice After 1985, the relationships between the (Phil's right hand man) was directed to remove gained the record for the highest capsize to obscure bottom refractions with similar IMESS partners were uncertain. The the telemetry receivers from Scott Base, and (3900m) in Antarctica. Since 1986, I had velocity. Worse still, the spread was in a International Mount Erebus Seismic Study reinstall them at McMurdo, thus preventing videoed 200 explosive eruptions and three different place, and the time-distance graphs ended, and NIPR were not invited to accurate time comparison between the seismic lava flows, the last of 20,000 cubic metres, and were quite different. No definite basement McMurdo, but all the IMESS equipment was and video recordings. I felt for him! I consulted recorded another seismic crisis on 2 December refractions were recorded, but the deepest still running at Scott Base, and on Erebus. I Bob Thomson and Trevor Hatherton on the 1987. We even added 16-channel digital refractor of 3.5km/s velocity could have been proposed a new VUW programme, the Mount ethics of buying our own receivers and seismic recording in 1988 so we could cross- basement of the New Zealand type Erebus Eruption Mechanism Study (MEEMS). I "stealing" the seismic telemetry signals from correlate seismic waveforms to find 10 families (greywacke). It wasn't, and Peter Barrett was needed NIPR to provide the recording the ether. They said OK, and I resumed of near identical earthquakes among the very disappointed when his CIROS hole didn't materials, and maintain their recorders. Bob seismic recording at Scott Base after only one roughly 5400 digitally recorded ones. reach basement. Thomson said they would be welcome at month. Thus I was able to unofficially display a Scott Base, and their director promised me poster confirming the shallow origin of Erebus Epilogue In 1984/5, while on Sabbatical Leave, I was (1) their full cooperation. Differences of explosions at the Cambridge Antarctic Earth In 1994 when Phil Kyle began his new Mount employed by NIPR in Tokyo as Invited interpretation as to the depths of earthquakes Science meeting in August 1987 during a Erebus Volcano Observatory (MEVO) Professor, (2) part of the NSF team on Erebus, accompanying explosions in the Lava Lake of holiday visit. programme with NSF funding, he invited me to where I loaded and fired 707kg of explosive Erebus were becoming serious because my manage the seismic array from 1993 to 1998, for seismic exploration of the volcano, (3) infrasonic signals were very coincident in VUWAE 1987/88 was the acid test. The top and I made seven more visits to McMurdo. invited to the University of Alaska, to search timing with the seismic signals from the NSF administrators visited Scott Base, and Thank you again NSF. Recently, I submitted a for signals from Erebus eruptions in the seismically located "deep" earthquakes were shown our TV and seismic recording paper to show the video pictures of changes in recordings of the Windless Bight Infrasonic "triggering" them. system. I thanked them warmly for allowing Array. A big jump in eruption activity at Erebus the programme to continue, and they crater morphology, eruptions, and lava flows, occurred on 13 September 1984, and I found For VUWAE 1986/7 I proposed a TV station on congratulated us on the results, in which I and comparing this to charts of seismic power enough data for a complete paper (1988) on the crater rim, recording the eruptions on a showed by stacking seismic recordings of and cumulative seismic magnitude. The paper infrasonic recordings of the eruption video cassette recorder at Scott Base, where it similar explosions that the apparent depths of fills the gap from 1986 to 1990 in the sequence. NSF gave me a US Antarctic Service could use the same recording clock as the the eruption earthquakes were caused by error descriptive record. I am also most grateful to Medal for the shot-firing. seismic recorder. NSF had no objection to the in the seismic velocity used in the location, Prof Bob Clark and Prof Peter Barrett for TV programme, but they were objecting to so which had been disguised by the emergent continuous support, the Antarctic Research many nations expecting so much support onsets of the seismic waves. It was 4km/s Committee for giving my proposals an A grade from the US. Phil Kyle was still going to instead of the previously determined 2km/s. so many times, Bob Thomson for friendship Ray Dibble looking at data at Scott Base Erebus in 1986/87, but not with IMESS and support since we worked together at the money. He and his team enthusiastically Thus the programme continued in VUWAE-88, Seismological Observatory during IGY, and helped me install the TV station, which 89 and 90, until I retired in 1991, but not Malcolm MacFarlane and everyone else at involved pioneering a skidoo route from Fang without incident. In the 1987/88 season the Antarctic Division. Glacier almost reaching to the Crater Rim. field assistant/safety officer objected to me Phil was happy that NIPR were helping me using full power in the Skidoo to climb the 30 degree slope to the crater rim. Obediently, I with the seismic recordings, but only if NSF VUWAE 20 (1975-76) Alan Palmer would give permission for me to receive tried to make the climb slowly, but when I signals from at least two of the US telemetry attempted to turn into the level park at the top My main job was to be field assistant to Paul stations on Erebus. without being able to shut the throttle and Robinson who was doing field work, principally transfer weight on to the steering skid, it in the Taylor Valley, for his PhD. For some time No doubt it was a knife edge decision, but refused to turn until the skid caught on a small we were camped on Lake Bonney, at the snout the answer was NO, and Bill Macintosh rock in the snow, and tipped it over. Thus, I of Taylor Glacier, and I was also able to take a

Victoria University of Wellington Antarctic Expeditions: The First 50 Years 39 week to collect samples for my Honours were on the first helicopter load with one Both John and Ken were motorcycle nuts who There is a limit to how many snow freeze project while Paul worked nearby. motor toboggan and one sledge. We had had carefully checked the machines and fuel at icecreams and frankfurters you can eat the selected a campsite on the Towle Glacier from Scott Base, and who lovingly maintained the first visit to the McMurdo mess and still walk Paul was great to work for, we got on well and aerial photographs. We set down and quickly machines in the field. Chris and I didn't have a back over the hill. I learnt a lot from him. We had no major unloaded the gear, helicopter motor running, clue. Ken's mountain climbing skills saved dramas, except that our campsite on the lake so there was the usual flurry of ice particles in Chris, John and I from doing stupid things on The day of the Erebus disaster, starting with ice at the snout of the glacier was flooded one the air affecting visibility. As the helicopter several occasions, both when negotiating the the growing concern of a missed radio call to unusually warm day while we were out. The left we realised how poorly chosen our site blue ice or crevasses on the glaciers, and when chat with base staff near lunchtime and ending melt water from the stream beside the glacier was. We were surrounded by blue ice and climbing and describing the sections of Beacon listening to the descriptions from those first spilled out over the lake ice and through our quite steep slopes. After a quick reconnoitre, Heights Orthoquartzite. back from the crash-site. tent. We did a lot of walking, both up and we found a much better site about half a My first ride in a helicopter where my only down valley, and up and down the valley kilometre away, up the glacier, but it was view was a close-up of the cabin ceiling then sides. George Denton was working in the going to be tricky to drive the toboggan there, hesitating to get out as I'd need to stand on valley that year too but he had a helicopter at such was the smoothness and slope of the VUWAE 24 (1979-80) Alan Ross sandstone with amazing current ripples (just his disposal. On several occasions we would ice. Ken was keen not to wait until the My thanks to everyone who made it possible like the specimen in the cabinet outside the see his helicopter buzzing overhead as we helicopter returned with the second load. We and added to the adventures. I was lucky as I lab at Vic). The silence after the chopper had trudged along heading for various outcrops. were concerned that during the unloading, spent my 13 weeks based between Scott Base, left, days later replaced by the roar of wind We would get there to find parallel marks in toboggan, sledge and gear could have slid the drill site on the sea ice and in the field at gusts arriving down from the polar plateau. the sand where the helicopter had landed, away down the glacier and over the 20m cliffs Shapeless Mountain. Walking in a field camp to Horseshoe and footsteps leading to and from the at the end, over a kilometre away. outcrop--usually less than 100m away. We I remember discovering that minus forty really Mountain with Barry and Alex then playing might have walked several kilometres to that What we did was as follows: He would drive was cold after finding the room we were sardines for three days in a small green tent, same outcrop. However, I would not have the toboggan, towing the sledge as fast as he warming up in while working in the hangar was the amazing hospitality of the Vanda staff on missed that walking for the world. On every could up the slick glacier ice until his traction the summer freezer held at minus 200C, that Christmas Day, a bath in the zinc tub in front of step there was something new to see. failed. I would then drive in an ice screw just shovelling a winter's collection of husky puppy the stove and seeing ventifacts at Bull Pass. behind the toboggan and he would let the pee and poo got lots of dogsled rides and that And the flight back to Scott Base, face riveted In 1976-77 we were a field party of four: Chris toboggan slide down hill, which then pulled slalom shovel skiing on a rope behind a to the window not wanting to miss a single Burgess (a new lecturer from Aberystwyth); the sledge up. I then had to hold the sledge snowcat was considered “unsafe”. The perfect thing. John Anderson (like myself having just until the runners were stuck to the ice, and we still and clear nights out on the sea ice and on The last couple of days before we went home completed BSc Hons); Ken Sullivan (a DSIR would repeat the procedure. the Blue Glacier helping Brian Sissans with his field assistant) and myself. We were gravity survey. we were back out on the sea ice, such a mapping the Beacon Heights Orthoquartzite By the time John and Chris arrived, a couple of different place in mid January after some and other sedimentary rocks in the Fry hours later, we were on a much better site, Trying to concentrate on my last Honours exam warmer weather and moving around with a Glacier region. Little work had been done in with tent erected and tea brewing. Ken had a in a yellow shed out on the sea ice with a drill chopper. And finally that first smell of green the area since the Gunn and Warren days, great big grin on his face, but I was still rig being set up outside, a kerosene lamp to grass and rain inside the Hercules, even before and they had just skirted the area we were shaking from the experience, imagining what warm my hands hissing loudly and still we landed at Christchurch. mapping. We travelled by toboggan train: would have happened if either the sledge or recovering from the discovery that American Ken leading, Chris sitting astride the first toboggan or one of us, had slid away down beer that had been frozen was only 3 cents a can. Taping records all night while doing sledge, John driving the second toboggan the blue glacial ice. VUWAE 27 (1982-83) Isobel Gabites and me standing on the second sledge “Mouse” at Scott Base, the view out the equipped with a brake. I am proud to say that we did not lose a single window and Americans with their I vividly recall, at the age of six, the crackly day that trip due to mechanical problems with disconcerting large tips for the bar person. phone call from my father at Scott Base “it's We almost started disastrously. Ken and I the toboggans, which was almost unheard of. minus 10 degrees Fahrenheit here - go and ask

Victoria University of Wellington Antarctic Expeditions: The First 50 Years 41 your sisters how cold that is” and I was the deeply emotional throbbing of mountaineer Rob Hall, and the expedition equally complicated electronics equipment in hooked. That was something I wanted to approaching helicopters (still moves me) . . . specific training in Terra Nova Bay with Rob's Australia, Africa, South America, and the understand for myself. Perseverance paid off of lying in stillness on the ice sheet - nothing climbing partner Gary Ball. Jack McConchie Canadian Arctic. Overall I remember the and Peter B eventually swung the funding there - nothing heard - floating in white space and I were assigned to the Campbell Glacier dedication of the Campbell Glacier team in through the government Student Employment . . . stupid inter-field party radio conversations Team, working on a traverse across the overcoming logistical restrictions, and Scheme of the day -great scam Peter! So in that cost us our spare batteries when we Campbell Glacier onto the flanks of Mt equipment problems to collect a significant 1982-83 I accompanied Barry Walker to study seriously needed them after an episode of Melbourne. The project was my first exposure amount of data and provide a valuable testing the paleobotany of the Lashly Formation so gas-cooker poisoning . . . the wicked humour to electromagnetic (EM) and ground ground for the technology. that got us to Allan Hills, Shapeless Mt, Mt that kept everyone on their toes . . .and being penetrating radar (GPR) methods in Bastion and Portal Mt. one of only four Kiwi females down there that season made me even more sensitive to the Nothing had prepared me for the way layers privilege of being there. VUWAE 32 (1987-88) Susan Ellis of Triassic sediments were peeled back Random memories as a student assistant to offering me a text-book like exploration of I've had a glacier named after me -a strange Ray Dibble on Mt Erebus: fossilised forests and peat rafts swept feeling to have a precious bit of 'my downstream by floodwaters, coal deposits, Antarctica' bound to the Gabites family for all - discovering that seals don't like violin music intact floodplain ripples and dunes, and time. For me it also serves as a memorial of fossilised soils complete with trace fossils. my father's involvement with IGY and - scrabbling around at the ice edge trying to Perhaps I jeopardised my research by leaving meteorological research on the ice. Just don't get out, after the requisite dunking as part pretty much all the evidence there in situ but I let it melt, OK? If anyone can help stop the Richard of the Vanda Swim Club experience simply couldn't bear to disturb those fantastic melting it's the phenomenon that is VUWAE Kellett - buzzing out-of-focus emperor penguins by glimpses of the continent's metamorphosis and the resulting work that might just breed a operating helicopter after joining the Vanda through time. Nevertheless, a MSc (Dist) new respect for our atmosphere. CSEM Drambuie Unity eventuated, plus a bad case of that well receiver chronicled illness of 'how can I get back down - the terrific cold, beautiful white and there' that persists through life. VUWAE 29 (1984-85) Richard Kellett pristine conditions on top of Mt Erebus Actually my most intense memories involve In 1984 I was in the third year of my - breath ice crystals falling into my sleeping the trauma of having unsolicited drugs undergraduate geophysics degree. The bag when dislodged from the tent wall intercepted by the black lab at Christchurch; request for applications for summer students each morning the subsequent interrogation in the hangar for the 84/85 VUWAE came out and I applied between field locations (I gather Alex had a for a position. Unfortunately I missed out on - Ray carefully sleeping with an orange stuck hard job convincing them to let me back into one of the slots for the geological field in his sleeping bag so that it would remain the field at all) and being banned from the ice projects. Luckily the Antarctic Research unfrozen (so much for any hint of a promising career, Centre was approached by the German thanks Bob - what ever happened to the Geological Survey (BGR) to provide two field - red icicle tusks on technical assistant (Terry concept of innocent until proven guilty) . . . of assistants for the German Antarctic North Ball) after he got a nose-bleed the noisy American explaining to me in the Victoria Land Expedition (GANOVEX IV). I was geophysics. I was fascinated by the bar how he smuggled his drugs in while - great friendships struck up with my fellow selected along with Jean Olson, an MSc complexity of the electronics equipment behind him Johnny Thurston (OIC and senior compatriots at Scott Base and some of the student in seismology, and Jack McConchie deployed in such a remote environment. police officer) had his ears flapping . . . of construction workers at McMurdo Station (NZARP field guide). I have vivid memories of Today I have worked in EM and GPR for over diamond dust shimmering in crisp blue air . . . the training camps at Lake Tekapo with 20 years and have enjoyed working with - hugging trees when I got back to NZ!

Victoria University of Wellington Antarctic Expeditions: The First 50 Years 43 VUWAE 33 (1988-89) These are all wonderful memories. Ken Woolfe; 1965-1999 Antarctica was very much part of Ken and VUWAE was where it all started. His Written by his partner Lisa Crossland stories gave me a glimpse into the Although I can't offer memories of the Ice, I'd southern continent and a huge respect like to offer my memories of the stories told for (and envy of) those of you who to me by someone I shared my life with who spend time exploring and working there. “went south” almost every single year from our first meeting at Victoria University in 1988. My partner, Ken Woolfe was made to go south VUWAE 37 (1992-93) Emily Gee (many at Victoria may remember his steadfast refusal to EVER wear long trousers, no matter I was the only girl in my team, and we were out on the ice for several weeks. what the temperature in Wellington)! Over the Drillers at work on the floor of Everyone I saw had a beard -- from the Drilling on Table Mountain with Knob Head years, various expeditions with Malcolm CIROS 1 (1986-87) Arnot, Dan Zwartz and Tony Teeling (to name a guys I was working with, to the helicopter in the background during VUWAE41 crew members who brought us out fresh food few) always resulted in a return after broken and anything soaked in alcohol and mail. I began to have dreams that I grew a up for a good caper, and he took on the task of Christmas (and usually after the New Year) suspended from the apex of the tent and beard too. I used to wake up quite panic stricken! drilling shallow core in permafrosted sediment with wonderful stories which I always now strategically positioned over hot water - the with a dogged determination. Our first day of think of as falling into the 3 'fs': funny, team-members lay on their backs in a circle drilling yielded 1 m of core and Webster's frustrating and fascinating. and inhaled the steam! pristine diamond bit, hard-frozen in the hole. VUWAE 41 (1996-97) Warren Dickinson Funny were those involving the descriptions Frustrating were the letters I received from Ken We spent almost 2 days trying to free that bit of mad recipes in field tents (literally) cooked- in the field, usually describing the weather - My first trip to the ice in November 1996 has before sacrificing it to the Antarctic god of up in the middle of nowhere, when food being stuck in his pit in high winds and driving been and will probably remain my most vivid sanity. After the sacrifice, Pat wasted no time supplies were low but creativeness was high - snow; digging out the ropes and gear after recollection, even though I have been to the in using a hacksaw and gas torch to fabricate a 'Magnetic Anomalies' spring to mind! There heavy snowfall; and weather that delayed ice many times since. I chalk these memories new bit that would prove to be highly was also the incident during overland travel helicopters when everyone was waiting for up to brain overload and fusing of engrams. successful in the coming campaign. We where a precious bottle of Canadian Club was mail from home. My event was to core the Sirius Group on Table spudded the next hole 6 inches from the first, Mountain in search of elusive in situ diatoms and Pat carefully cored 8.5 m with about 98% CIROS 1 (1986-87) drill site offshore New Harbour Finally, fascinating were the many below the surface. Our drilling kit, put recovery. Given the equipment, budget, and beautiful photos - striped outcrops, together on a shoestring budget, consisted of harsh conditions on Table Mountain, this has nunataks and a single, small person a tripod to hold the post-hole drill motor and a to remain one of the all-time greatest against a huge view across a home made air compressor, euphemistically successes in the Dry Valleys, and judging by glacier…not to mention the stories named Bitch. our consumption of spirits that evening it is about getting into difficult field areas remarkable I even remember that day so well. and the skill of helicopter pilots. Ken's A day before departing for the field in the Kiwi last trip south was as part of the Cape Iroquois, Bain Webster, our driller, knew he After this first hole, which reached the contact Roberts Project and I was lucky enough was in way over his head and decided to of the Sirius with the underlying Beacon, my to be party to discussions about the return to his business in Porirua. Before companions and I figured we could accomplish amazing science coming from that work leaving he seconded Pat Cooper, head driller anything. The rest however, wasn't exactly with international guests at our home from the Cape Roberts Project, to help the anticlimactic as we cored a further 8 holes here in Australia. 'beakers' on Table Mountain. Pat was always without getting stuck and reached 9.5 m in one

Victoria University of Wellington Antarctic Expeditions: The First 50 Years 45 of them. Cooper was never one call Cliff". I nodded and quietly thanked my the ice outside (at our head-height) while they to wait for a scheduled site shift lucky stars I hadn't tried to cross! were yelling for us to keep still. We could hear by the Kiwi Air Force, and under people scrambling around on the roof removing his command we had a great Alex knew that the sea ice break up was liable to the survival gear so our car would float higher time sliding the 400 lb Bitch on be worse further offshore where the rig was. at free up the escape hatch windows. drill rod, some 1.5 km downhill This was confirmed the following day from a to a new location. helicopter. A very wide crack had opened up The guy opposite me leaned over and quietly only a few hundred metres away from the said that water was leaking in through the side We left Table Mountain after 25 drillsite and the decision was made to abandon door down his back. We kept this quiet but a days with nearly 50 m of frozen drilling for the season. Everyone was pretty couple of people noticed the water slowly core. In the end, we never gutted by the news but got on with the job of rising in the cental foot-well. Finally the escape found those diatoms but breaking down the drillsite in less than 24 hours. hatch windows were opened and bridging learned much about how to core planks pushed across the broken ice to the frozen sediments and about the A few weeks later, I was on a Fam trip to the window and people climbed out one by one. chemistry and diagenesis that The Cape Roberts Project winfly crew (Peter Sinclair, J.R, Historic Huts. Our Hagglund was crammed full Another Hagglunds arrived about an hour later occurs over millions of years in Cliff Atkins, Jim Cowie, Alex Pyne and Brian Reid) of Kiwis and Americans, many of whom had not and hauled our stricken machine out onto the frozen sediments. Without at the open water near the rig after the storm. been in a Hagglund before. The mood was a ice. We drained out the water and headed doubt, a similar expedition little sombre that morning as news had just home to Scott Base very aware of every bump today would yield much more core in half the radio the camp, we managed to get through broken that three skydivers had been killed and lurch! That night we all enjoyed a few time. However, it would lack a similar feeling and confirm a “tactical retreat” for the night. after jumping from a Herc over the South Pole. beers in the bar re-telling our adventure to of accomplishment, which was largely possible Spirits were still pretty high, and we were Despite this, we had a great day marvelling at everyone and realising just how serious the because of the dogged and sometime heroic convinced we would be back drilling the next the huts of Scott and Shackleton. On the way situation had been. These days, everyone is determination of my four companions on Table day. After securing the drillsite, we drove back over the sea ice, everyone was napping in given a safety briefing before travelling in the Mountain. Since then one of my greatest joys back to the camp at Cape Roberts going the rear cab of the haggis when the whole haggis and told that they float as long as the has been to take students on their first trip to slowly from flag to flag in low visibility over vehicle suddenly lurched sideways, and we doors stay shut! the ice and watch their excitement and fresh snowdrifts. As we approached the could hear the engine revving hard and the determination long after the gloss has worn known sea-ice crack, I could see it had tracks ripping in the ice. The cab came back to off of mine. broken open and was 1-2 m wide with open upright but seemed to be swaying. It water! I stopped the haggis several metres occurred to a few of us that we had Passengers of our stricken haggis climbed out the escape VUWAE 42 (1997-98) Cliff Atkins back from the edge and went for a walk to broken through the sea ice and were hatch window over the planks. Photo by Vanessa Thorn. During winfly, I helped Alex Pyne measure the find a narrow place where we could cross. No hopefully floating! The realisation of thickness of the sea ice at the proposed Cape luck, so finally we radioed the camp and got what was happening, and the mental Roberts Project drillsite. Despite the marginal Alex out of bed. Now this is not a decision we image of the tracks under us hanging in sea ice conditions, the decision was made to took lightly at 4am! While waiting for Alex to the dark depths began to dawn on go ahead with the drilling season. After only come to the radio, I wondered whether we everyone. One guy in the back about 10 days of drilling a severe storm were making a big fuss out of nothing. After panicked and tried to open the door to descended on McMurdo Sound. During the all, the haggis can (technically) cross over a get out. Needless to say, he was told night, the drillers reported that the storm swell fairly wide crack. I relayed the situation to rather bluntly to leave the door alone under the ice was lifting the drill bit off the Alex and they decided to come out in the and informed that the haggis can swim, bottom of the hole, and it was decided that other haggis with bridging planks. When they as long as the doors remained SHUT! there was no point drilling under such arrived Alex took a long look at the extent of We scraped the ice off the windows and conditions. After several hours attempting to the crack and all he said to me was "good could see only the boots of people on

Victoria University of Wellington Antarctic Expeditions: The First 50 Years 47 VUWAE 48 (2003-04) Matt Wood However going into the field with such an experienced team soon put my worries at For me, field work in Antarctica was a lesson ease. In addition, we had brilliant weather in scale and perspective. I’d never really conditions for almost the whole two and a half thought about how important features on our weeks. Unfortunately, a fault with the drill unit landscape such as buildings and trees are, in put an early stop to our work, but we defining distances when we look out over a succeeded in obtaining 168 m of 'beautiful New Zealand vista. core' from the target depth of 209 m. This We had set up camp roughly in the centre of core has now been relocated to the new JARI the Victoria Lower Glacier. It was time to ice core facility at GNS in Wellington where it venture out to the southern valley wall on awaits further analysis. cross-country skis, to set up a GPS base The Antarctic experience is one that heightens station on an outcrop of rock. I figured we the awareness concerning the vulnerability of would be there in 15 minutes, perhaps 20 the environment to climate change. Changes minutes max. in the boundary conditions of the complex Two and a half hours later we arrived at the climate system reveal themselves as life- valley wall. Looking back across the icy affecting changes in this and other vulnerable expanse I could barely discern our camp as a ecosystems. The urgency for mitigating tiny black dot on the featureless white glacier action and further detailed research into the surface. Finally I could appreciate the vast many faceted problem of climate change is size of the place in which we were working. It abundantly clear. Climate change is one of was a humbling experience to say the least. the most complex problems humanity has faced, and ice cores are now providing us with an unparalleled account of our climates past.

VUWAE 51 (2006-07) Roderick Boys Nancy Bertler, Sepp Kipfstuhl, Rod Boys and In December 2006, I was fortunate enough to Glen Kingan before departing Erebus Saddle accompany Nancy Bertler (VUW), Sepp Kipfstuhl (AWI) and Glen Kingan (Webster Drilling) to Mt Erebus Saddle. Our objective was to core ice for a high resolution climate record. This data would extend the proxy data currently available from coastal, low- elevation ice domes in Antarctica and improve regional climate models.

The Erebus Saddle is one of the most hostile places on Ross Island, and tales of extreme 90 knot winds from those who were there the previous year had left me feeling a little anxious about my first Antarctic experience.

Victoria University of Wellington Antarctic Expeditions: The First 50 Years Then...

VUWAE 6 (1962-63) preparing to head south: Jim Kennett, Charlie Rich, Ian Willis, Tom Haskell, Warwick Prebble, G Smith.

...Now

Women working at ANDRILL drill site in December 2006. Tamsin Falconer (VUWAE), Terry Wilson (USA), Catalina Gebhardt (Germany), Christina Millan (USA), Alissa Quinn (NZ), Colleen Clarke (NZ), Diana Magens (Germany).