A News Bulletin New Zealand Antarctic Society
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A NEWS BULLETIN published quarterly by the NEW ZEALAND ANTARCTIC SOCIETY A mother seal rebukes her too playful pup. Photo: A. C. Bibby. Vol. 4. No. 5 MARCH. 1966 L vI. AUSTRALIA 4{: 'r Wint@r ana Summ~r bases ...... Scott (Ll Summer base enly.. t HaJleit , lIVerON NEW ZEALAND 1ra.nsferres ba.se... ..... Wilke~ c), U.S.ftJAust !J Temporarily nen -eperationaJ.. '~Syow~ ~TASMANIA • ~JHOBA.R.r .0 Marion 1. (lA) f,O·W. N.I.M.5.161 DRAWN IY DEPARTMENT OF LANDS" SURVEY W[lllNGTON, NEW ZEALAND, MAR.19b+ ],;",0 [DITION (Successor to U Antarctic News Bulletin") Vol. 4. No. 5 MARCH. 1966 Editor: L. B. Quartermain, M.A., 1 Ariki Road, Wellington, E.2, New Zealand. Assistant Editor: Mrs R. H. Wheeler. Business Communications, Subscriptions, etc., to: Secretar, ew Zealand Antarctic Societ , P.O. Box 2110, Wellington, .Z. co TENTS EXPEDITIONS Page New Zealand 218 McMurdo Ice Shelf: A. J. Heine ...... 2·19 N.Z. Party Re-visits Famous Fossil Site: Alan C. Bibby ..... 222 ~orthern Party: Campbell Glacier Area ...... 224 Biological Team 225 V.U. Geological Research in Dry Valleys: Edward D. Ghent 227 France 230 U.S.S.R. ...... 235 Visit to Vostok: M. M. Prebble 238 Australia 239 Japan 242 Belgium-Holland 244 United Kingdom 246 Chile 248 Argentina 250 U.S.A. ...... 252 Sub-Antarctic Islands 260 Auckland Islands Expedition 262 Antarctic Stations - 5 - Dumont d'Urville 233 50 Years Ago 247 Whaling 263 Obituary...... 264 Wintering Over: Poem by Alison Sanson 266 The Reader Writes 267 Is Antarctic Tourism Here? 268 Bookshelf ...... 269 218 ANT ARC TIC March, /966 o BA E H AO Although the topographical and glaciological reconnais ance of ew Zealand's Ross Dependency has now been completed, the detailed study of this historic slice of Antarctica has only begun. When the sun set for a short time During December at Scott Base at midnight on February 21, to the men were working outside in mark the end of another season, shirtsleves. However, jackets were eight New Zealand Antarctic Re needed for most outside work in search Programme field projects January. had been completed. 11 0 WINTER OVER The furthest south party was at the head of the Beardmore Glacier, The 12-man team to winter at about half-way between Scott Base Scott Base has been completed by and the Pole: the furthest north the addition of two men who have party 400 miles away at Cape Hal been members of the summer perty, lett. Biology and geology were the R. O. Bartlett and R. P. Greeks. principal sciences studied, as well Reference was made to Mr Bartlett as geophysics and glaciology. The in our September 1965 issue, p. 116. last field team returned to Scott Raynor Greeks (21) of Lower Base on the 22nd. All projects have Hutt will be the Base Carpenter been carried out to .the scientists' Field Assistant. He T\N'as educated at satisfaction. Naenae College 1957-9, and was an At Base, work in the science apprentice carpenter in 1959-63. At laboratory has ranged from seis 19 years of age he was the oungest mology to satellite tracking, from man in ew Zealand to pass the the earth beneath to outer space. examination for the Advanced Trade When "Endeavour" left McMurdo Course in carpentry. He is fond of on February 24 the eight summer fishing, hunting, tramping and support men were on board. motor-racing. NEW LOOK On D'ecember 13 he fractured an IScott Base is no longer painted ankle~bone while ski-ing near Scott yellow. The base has been repainted Base. The ankle was X-rayed and in two shades of green, the build the bone set at the McMurdo ings proper a lettuce green, and hospital. the covered ways a much darker shade. Most of the work was done A FEW DAYS EARLY by working parties including scouts, Gordon H. Banfield, assistant Boys' Brigade boys and visitors, as maintenance officer at Scott Base well as regular base members after this summer, was flown to Christ their day's work was finished. church on February 20 for an ap COLD JANUARY pendicitis operation. He had been Not only was January colder at due to come home just two days Scott Base than December, but it later, on It Endeavour". He had been was colder than January, 1965. The admitted to the McMurdo dispens average temperature during Decem ary on the night of the 19th suffer ber was 3.5 deg. below zero and in ing from severe pains. January it was 6.3 deg. below. He as flown in a special flight The maximum temperature in to the Christchurch Public Hospital, January this year was 1.8°C. and where he immediately underwent the minimum 17.5°C. below zero. an operation. His condition is re For January last year the maximum ported a satisfactory. was 3.5°C. and the minimum 12.5°C. Mr Banfi Id is the son of the below zero. Rev. C. W. Banfield of Masterton. March. 1966 ANTARCTIC 219 Dec mber 3, we found two female McMUR 0 IC SHELF seals and two pups. One of the adult seals was tagged, and I have PROJECT since learned that thIS seal was By A. J. HEINE tagged at White Island on Decem ber 16, 1964. Perhaps tbe seals live During the 1965/66 s~mmer, ex there all the year; during the tensive work was carrIed out on winter remaining under the ice, but the McMurdo Ice Shelf. The surve below air-giving tide c acks. work was carried out by Keith Two 'emperor pen uins were Lloyd and Andy Simm, travelli!1g sighted about 10 mil south of by Polaris motor toboggan, whIl Scott Base; in fact th y remained Roger Bartlett and myself measured in that area for several weeks. On accumulation markers and cop1 Februar 22 a seal wa sighted b pIeted a series of now densIty Roger Bartlett and Ray Greeks measur ments begun the previou about 16 miles east of Scott Base, summer. In the course of this work, while a week earlier, had found we also measured temperatures another seal 15 miles s 'uth of Scott down to 30 feet which is the point Base, and eight miles N.E. of Black at which the temperature is ap Island. proximately equal to the mean an nual air temperature of that area. We found the mean annual temper ICE CORES ature of the Wi.ndless Bhsht area For the glaciological and geo to be about -25°F. to -26°F., con physical proiect initiated by Dr M. siderablv colder than that of Scott Hochstein, the drilling team J. H. Base, about -20°F. This would D. Hill, B. T. °Muddiman and geo agree with Wilson's observations of physicist G. Riske, with R. Rae as extremely cold temperatures during a replacement when Hill was in "the worst journey in the world." jured and evacuated, struck blizzard While taking snow density meas conditions when they reached Scott urements in the thinner parts of Base on November 7, and had only the Ice Shelf, the "brine layer" was one fine day in their first fortnight. struck on numerous occasions. Pre The three men first bivouacked on viouslv mea ured up to two miles the ice four miles from Scott Base in day tempe atures ranging from from J the Shelf edge, it has now been sampled about nine mil~s 20° to 43°F. Subsequent drilling site from the nearest open water. Thls were about 5 and 12~ miles from phenomenon is unusual, as far a the base. ice shelves are concerned, and the The team drilled holes to about reason for the sea water soaking 100 ft. in pure glacier ice, taking into the shelf is not yet clearly regular temperatures and other understood. measurements. The c re samples Following the discovery of sub \vere brought back to ew Zealand surface melting in the clear ice area for detailed analysi at the D.S.I.R. north of Black Island, further in laboratories. vestigations were made this sum mer. The V.S. Navy has built a new ice run ay on the northern limit of Two technicians from the En this area, about eight miles south gineer-in-Chiefs office f the Wel of Observation Hill. The problem lington East PDSt Offic , W. V.. Gla of melt pools forming below the vin and W. Gray, in taIled sIngle surface \vill need to be overcome side-band radio equipment at Scott before the runway is operational all Base thi summer to replace the the summer. much less powerful t ~hich has been in use at the ba sInce 1957, As reported last year, a number and which will be maintained as a of penguins and seals were sighted stan -by and for contact during on the McMurdo Ice Shelf. During sumrner seasons with ew Zealand our fir t vi it to White Island on field partie . 220 ANTARCTIC March. 1966 ICE BREAKOUT SPECTA,CULAR Scott Base men back from the On ebruary 3 the sea ice started Antarctic are talking about the mag to bre k out in front of Scott Base. nificent scene in mid-February Last summer, the sea ice south of when the midnight sun was II wink Ross I land and some of the Mc ing behind high landmarks along Murdo iceshelf broke out further the horizon-Mt. Discovery, Black than 'n any other summer since Island and White Island". On the Scott ase was built.