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Bulletin Vol. 13 No. 1 PENINSULA O 1 0 0 k m Q I Q O m l s

1 Comandante fettai brazil 2 Henry Arctowski poono 3 Teniente Jubany Argentina 4 Artigas Uruguay 5 Teniente Rodolfo Marsh chile Bellingshausen ussr Great Wall china 6 Capitan Arturo Prat chile

7 General Bernardo O'Higgins chile 8 Esperania argentine 9 Vice Comodoro Marambio Argentina 10 Palmer us* 11 Faraday uk SOUTH 12 Rotheraux 13 Teniente Carvajal chile SHETLAND 14 General San Martin Argentina ISLANDS jOOkm

NEW ZEALAND ANTARCTIC SOCIETY MAP COPYRIGHT Vol.l3.No.l March 1993 Antarctic

Antarctic (successor to the "Antarctic News Bulletin") Vol. 13 No. 1 Issue No. 145 ^H2£^v March .. 1993 . .ooo Contents Polar New Zealand 2 Australia 9 ANTARCTIC is published Chile 15 quarterly by the New Zealand Antarctic Italy 16 Society Inc., 1979 United Kingdom 20 United States 20 ISSN 0003-5327 Sub-antarctic Editor: Robin Ormerod Please address all editorial inquiries, Heard and McDonald 11 contributions etc to the Macquarie and Campbell 22 Editor, P.O. Box 2110, Wellington, New Zealand General Telephone: (04) 4791.226 CCAMLR 23 International: +64 + 4+ 4791.226 Fax: (04) 4791.185 Whale sanctuary 26 International: +64 + 4 + 4791.185 Greenpeace 28 First footings at Pole 30 All administrative inquiries should go to Feinnes and Stroud, Kagge the Secretary, P.O. Box 2110, Wellington and the Women's team New Zealand. Ice biking 35 Inquiries regarding back issues should go Vaughan expedition 36 to P.O. Box 404, Christchurch, New Zealand. Cover: Ice biking: Trevor Chinn contem plates biking the slope to the Polar (S) No part of this publication may be Plateau, Mt. Littlepage, Mackay Glacier. reproduced in any way without the prior per Photo: Jane Forsyth mission of the publishers. See note page 40 regarding cover to Vol. 12 No's 11 and 12 Antarctic March 1993 Vol 13. No. 1

NZAP Field work aimed at solving * 'geological jigsaw'' completed

The third and final season of a major international study of the geology of was completed last summer. It involved two scientists each from New Zealand, the United States of America and Britain. The area is of particular interest because the is relatively young in geological terms and prior to 85 million years ago, Marie Byrd Land and New Zealand were a single piece of continental crust. Today the eastern part of the New Zealand continent is mainly submerged and extends to a line running southwest from a point beyond the Chatham Islands. Marie Byrd Land provides clues to the geology of the submerged section of the New Zealand continent and a way of investigating the process of continental breakup. Russian and American scientists researching the area 25 years ago produced significantly different results; the work of this new party should resolve these differences.

During the first year of the project Throughout the project the three na undertaken in the 1990/91 Antarctic sum tions have shared the logistic requirements. mer season the party focussed on The This season the US provided all the fuel, Ruppert Coast and Hobbs Coast areas. Like including aviation fuel, and transported all the present season it was supported by BAS the equipment and people to the field, the Twin Otter. That season's work was limited British Antarctic Survey Air Unit provided a by bad weather for half the days the party Twin Otter and crew; Lee Proudfoot was the were in the field. The second season concen pilot and Steve Tucker the air mechanic, trated on the many islands in Pine Island Bay and New Zealand contributed the field equip with support from a USCG icebreaker Polar ment, food and two field leaders, Andy Sea. Both helicopters and boats were used Harris and John Roberts from their Antarc to reach the outcrops and the work was tic Programme. undertaken in good weather conditions. As This season the scientific party in the ship returned to Valparaiso the party volved Associate Professors John Bradshaw were able to visit and Peter and Steve Weaver from the University of I Island. The scientific party included staff Canterbury, Dr's Brian Storey and Bob from the US Geological Survey who re Pankhurst from the British Antarctic Sur assessed the position of critical islands and vey, Dr's David Palais from the University of headlands on this rarely visited section of the Michigan and Vic DiVenere from the Lamont Antarctic Coast. Doherty Geological Observatory in New York. March 1993 Antarctic

Expedition members are, from left: standing, Dr Bob Pankhurst of Britain, Dr John Bradshaw, Andy Harris, Dr Steve Weaver, and John Roberts all from New Zealand and Dr Brian Storey of Britain; in front are the two American members, Victor di Venere from the University of Colombia and and Dr David Palais of the University of Michigan. Photo: Josie McNee, . Late in November 1992 the eight men Kohler Range, mainly along the Kohler Gla were taken by a United States Navy Hercules cier, the eastern and western sides of the to their field camp was established at Bear Peninsula and the spurs of Mt. Murphy. 70degllminS/113deg 24min W on the The eastern side of Bear Peninsula involving south side of the Kohler Range near the Goepfert Bluff, Barnes Bluff and Eckerman northern side of the in eastern Bluff were considered too risky to visit be Marie Bryd Land. This e plane made three cause of overhanging ice cliffs. Precipitation flights each of four and a half hours to the is high in this region and they saw abundant area which is on e of broad low relief with evidence of recent snow, ice and rock smooth surfaces and moderately soft snow. avalanche activity making other sites also It was more windy than some of their other too hazardous to visit. work sites but they used it exclusively and did Because of the weather conditions they not set up satellite camps as previously. party were only able to achieve three days The main targets for research were the work in first 13 in the field , but during the Kohler Range, the Bear Peninsula and the next 15 days they were able to work for all basement of the Mt. Murphy volcano. Rock but one. They left the area in two flights on exposures were limited to the margins of the December 30. During their stay 36 sepa- Antarctic March 1993 Vol 13. No. 1 rate outcrop areas were visited during 84 region fit together. The result is "like a individual Twin Otter flights with a total jigsaw" but the geological picture does not duration of 36.40 hours. Closer exposures match. Pieces of New Zealand that do how could be reached by the two "skidoos" ever match the Marie Byrd Land area in which covered approximately 550km. They clude rock units from the West Coast of the usually operated as two groups and gener South Island but many of the rocks that form ally spent between two and six hours at each the eastern part of the North Island and the site. Some were visited twice. Southern Alps have no counterpart in this They found the basement rocks which remote area of . With only a third are generally poorly known to be mainly of the laboratory work so far completed the granitic intrusions which are strongly de signs are favourable for some interesting formed in places. The main rock types are results. granitoids, ranging from mafic diorite to leucogranite, deformed granitoids with Glaciation mylonitic shear zones and paragneiss. In the Mt. Murphy area there is also a belt of Another party of four spent six weeks in metasediments (paragneiss) which includes Antarctica studying two different aspects of a number of lenses of marble, the most extensive carbonate rocks yet seen in Marie glaciation. Auckland University lecturer in Geography Wendy Lawson and Chris Nel Byrd Land. Poorly preserved plant remains son, an engineering geologist focussed on were discovered in cleaved volcanic breccia the nature and causes of the mechanical at Rogers Spur. behaviour of debris-bearing ice and the im In all over 30001bs of rock was collected plications of this behaviour for ice dynamics. from the field and laboratory study has Sean Fitzsimons, a lecturer from the Univer already begun. Geochemical analysis is sity of Otago and student Kath Humphreys being undertaken at the University of Can also from Otago examined the linkages be terbury, uranium/lead analysis at the Uni tween ice marginal sedimentation, the gla versity of Michigan, Rubidium/Strontium cier thermal regime and climate. dating at BAS and fission track dating at The Auckland party operated near the New Zealand's University of Waikato. Col snout of the where they inves lections were also made forpaleommagnetic tigated the effects of the presence of debris work at the Lamont-Doherty Geological on the mechanical behaviour of ice. Their Observatory in New York. field work comprised a programme of ice Geochemical, isotopic and paleomagnetic strength testing on both in situ and sampled results from the first season's work on the ice. The strength tests carried out on debris- Ruppert Coast are now available and work laden and clean ice included uniaxial on the rocks from the Pine Island Bay area compressive strength tests, shear strength visited by icebreaker earlier last year is and point load strength tests. The underway. unprocessed field data suggest that the de Preliminary results from the project show bris-laden ice (10-20percent by volume) has general similaritiesbetweenthe Ford Ranges a peak strength in uniaxial compression of and the Ruppert Coast but marked differ approximately 1.2-1.5 MPa. In point load ences in the details. This is of particular tests the clean ice was more than twice as interest to the group because data from the strong as the debris laden ice and the modes ocean floor and satellite gravity work shows of failure between the two were quite differ very clearly where and how New Zealand ent with the clean ice acting as a homog and Marie Byrd Land in the enous material, despite its inherent Vol.l3.No.l March 1993 Antarctic anisotropy, and the debris laden ice acting At Mount Littlepage, a nunatak at the Polar highly heterogeneously and often failing Plateau margin south of the Mackay Glacier, along a layer contact. The results have they were confined to their tents for three implications for the dynamics of ice masses days by a katabatic gale and at Vishnia Peak, The Otago party mapped described and three days of snow blanketed much of the measured the sedimentology, structure and rock exposure they had hoped to examine. stratigraphy of the deposits and landforms In all they lost some 22 percent of their field associated with the small dry based alpine time because of the weather but most of including the Taylor, Rhone, their intended programme was completed Hughes, Sollas, La Croix, Suess, Canada and the mapping is now sufficient for publi and Commonweath glaciers in the Taylor cation of the sheets started by Australian led and the Wright Lower, Clark, Hart, parties in the 1982/83 and 1984/85 sea Meserve and Bartley Glaciers in the Wright sons. Valley. Their observations and measure The party found new areas of granitoid ments of the sedimentology and structure of and Koettlitz Group basement rocks, and the deposits suggested that previous inter hope to be able to correlate the granitoids pretations of the origin of many of the with plutons mapped in adjcent areas. They diamicts associated with the alpine glaciers better defined the Beacon Supergroup in are oversimplified and in many cases even the area of the Balham Valley High, where incorrect. Recognising the sublimation till several Taylor Group units are absent and previously also described by other research either Arena Sandstone or Beacon Heights ers proved difficult and the team concluded Orthoquartzite directly overlies the base that there were no reliable criteria for recog ment. Photogeological maps of the Clare nition and that previous interpretation was Range compiled by Australians showed the speculative. Overall however their work has proment bluff-forming unit there to be identified areas in which there are problems Feather Conglomerate, but field mapping interpreting the sedimentary sequences. proved it is Beacon Hgihts Orthoquartzite, a much older unit raise'd up east of Skew Peak Geological mapping by differential sill uplift of 400 metres. The field party was flown back to Scott Base on December 16 and all returned to New Zea Geological mapping was undertaken by land two days before Christmas. a combined party from two different branches See pages 33ff for details of their indi of the Institute of Geological and Nuclear vidual experiment in logistic support Sciences Ltd. Led by from Auckland it com while in the field as featured on the cover prised fellow geologists Steve Edbrooke also from Auckland and Jan Forsyth from of this issue. Dunedin. They were joined by Trevor Chinn, A party from the Department of Geol a glaciologist with the organisation also from ogy at the University of Otago continued Dunedin and flew south on November 2 their studies of the basement rocks in south arriving at their camp site in the Arena begun some years ago. Ini Valley some four days later. tially these were undertaken by MSc stu The programme was undertaken from dents but this a PhD project wasadded to the field camps at Mount Thor in the Asgard programme. Led by Geology Lecturer Dr Range, the South Fork of the Wright Valley, Dave Craw, the party comprising Yvonne McKeh/ey Valley, Mount Littlepage, Vishniac Cook, a PhD student and Guy Simpson who Peak and the Victoria Upper Glacier neve. is studying for his M.Sc, were in Antarctica Antarctic March 1993 Vol 13. No. 1 for six weeks from mid-November. They morphic history of the Wilson Terrane gov were accompanied by Ross Cullen and erned by regional deformation and the local Brian Alder from the New Zealand Antarctic ized effects of rock rheologies, and develop Programme .Guy Simpson worked mainly ments such as pluton intrusion. in the Renegar Glacier area while the Yvonne Cook divided her time between there, the Mosses and the Williams Peak area. All field camps were supported by helicopter A team from the University of Waikato from Scott Base. spent 25 the days of January in Antarctica. Their results so far indicate that the rocks Comprising Dr Dieter Adam, a lecturer in in the Renegar Glacier area are transposed and recystallised and have been subjected to genetics, Dr Marie Connett, a lecturer in plant molecular biology and Dr Patricia structurally controlled veining .Where trans Selkirk, a senior lecturer from MacQuarie portation has been intense these veins are now thought to occur as planar bands paral University in Sydney, Australia and visiting bryological expert and Shaun Walsh, an lel to the overall foliation and consequently M.Sc. student from the University, they were previously unrecognised as veins. spent time at Cape's Bird and Royds and at Eleswhere in the Renegar Glacier area little Lake Fryxell in the Taylor Valley. Members deformed metasedimentary and of the team also wentto Garwood Valley and meraigneous sequences occur which are to theBotany Bay. Their objective was distinct from the remaining Keottlitz Group collection of moss specimens from these and can be correlated to low grade Skelton areas for analysis of genetic divesity which Group in the skelton Glacier region. The may shed light on colonisation patterns. Koettlitz Group has undergone varying Excellent weather permitted wide-ranging amounts of strain and transposition on a collections of four species. These will be regional scale. analysed for variation in levels of enzymes In the field rock types were extensively and DNA over the next two years. sampled and mapped and many conclusions were drawn from the structural data. How ever a consderable laboratory based compo Fish studies nent involved in both projects will concen trate on the geolchemical and mineralogical Among the adaptations which allow Ant evolution of the rocks sampled. Radiometric arctic fish to survive at a point so close to dating is hoped to be caried out on a granitoid freezing is a low but variable number of intrusion in order to chronologically con blood cells. During rest the low cell numbers strain the structural and metamorphic his reduce the viscosity of blood and lowers the tory of the Wilson Terrane. Future work, to work carried out by the heart. When the fish be undertaken by the University, will con is'' exercising'' the heart beat increases mark- centrate on geochemical analysis of the vining edly and the cell number increase to allow found in the Renegar Glacier area and the more oxygen to reach the tissues. Scientists origins and significance of its structural con know that such an increase is not caused by trol. The results will then aid the group in adrenergic stimulation but by a lessening of identifying the thoroughly transposed vein cholinergic inhibition but more knowledge is arrays found eleswhere in the Koettlitz needed before they understand fully how the Group. The contact between the Skelton heart functions and blood circulates in two and Keottlitz Groups will be examined and species of fish, Pagothenia borchgrevinki related to the overall structural and meta and Trematomos bernacchii. The team Vol.l3.No.l March 1993 Antarctic involved in the programme comprised Dr's annual Lake levelling, to the Mackay Glacier Bill Davison and Murray Forster from the Tongue and along the seismic reflection line University of Canterbury and Professor S. set up in the Hut Point Peninsula area (see Nilsson and Dr M Axelsson from the Univer previous issue pages370ff). In addition he sity of Gotteborg in Sweden who are experts undertook a number of projects around in comparative cardiovascular physiology. Scott Base. A new method of cannulating the dorsal aorta has been developed by scientists. It Tide gauges allows recordings of pressure from this blood vessel to be coupled with simultane No tidal data was collected at Scott Base ous recordings of ventral aortic pressure, during 1992, the installation being rendered heart rate and blood flow and means that inoperable by ice movement at the begin they can measure stroke volume of the heart ning of the year. Because similar conditions and systemic and gill resistances. Prelimi have prevailed during the previous two sea nary work was undertaken at Scott Base but sons it was decided not to reinstate the gauge much of the exercising of the fish for record until a more satisfactory site can be found. ing has been completed at the aquarium at The tide gauge at Cape Roberts however Canterbury University and analysis of blood has continued to collect data throughout the and tissues samples is being undertaken at year producing a constant record since 1990. Gotteborg. The results are still being ana This data is shortly to be forwarded to the lysed. World Ocean Circulation Experiment (WOCE) and the Permanent Service for Survey work Mean Sea level (PSMSL) data centres.

Survey assistance as required by various project leaders and in support of ongoing work undertaken by the New Zealand Ant arctic Programme has traditionally been RDRC provided by the Department of Lands and New committee meets for Survey. Following restructuring of that de partment and its subsequent renaming as first time the Department of Survey and Land Infor mation this arrangement has continued. The newly reconstituted Ross Depend During the 1992/93 season one surveyor, Kevin Taylor, this year from the depart ency Research Committee has recently been ment's Gisborne office, travelled south and announced. It will be chaired by Sir Robin Irvine, comprise five departmental repre provided survey support for sixteen different sentatives and five other individuals appointed projects. He was assisted when required by other NZAP personnel. His work usually in their personal capacity by the govern involves levelling/heighting, position fixing, ment. movement monitoring, topographical map Their first meeting was held on Friday 2 ping, site surveys and precise setting out, April. It was attended by the new members, took to the historic hut sites at Dr Tom Clarkson, an international authority and Evans and Hut Point for dislevelment on ozone depletion, Dr Clive Howard- and subsidence work, to Cape Roberts for Williams, an international environmental topographical and site surveys and current biologist with ten years Antarctic experi meter hole fixing, to the Dry Valleys for the ence, Professor John Montgomery, an ex- Antarctic March 1993 Vol 13. No. 1 pert in Antarctic zoology from the University were discussion on the Long term science of Auckland and Professor Vernon Squire strategy covering the next five years which from the University of Otago, a noted au was approved in principle and with its final thority on climate change studies, particu amendments is due to be released at the end larly sea ice research. In addition ex officio of April and the institution of a system of members represented the Ministry of Re RDRC awards under two young and prom search, Science and Technology, (Professor ising scientists will received some funding Don McGregor); the Foundation for Re for study of subjects of Antarctic interest. search, Science and Technology, (Sean Devine); Departments of Defence (Lieuten ant Commander Peter Hurndefl), and Con servation, (Hugh Logan); and the Ministry Winter personnel at Scott for External Relations and Trade, (Stuart Prior); and New Zealand Antarctic Pro Base gramme personnel Gillian Wratt and Malcolm McFarlane. Observers from the Base engineer: Andy Goodall, 28, Royal Society and Greenpeace were also in Auckland attendance; the chairman of New Zealand's Engineering manager: Roger Moffat, committee to scar Dr Fred Davey was unable 37, Christchurch to attend. Mechanic: Greg Harris, 29, Paraparumu Sir Robin Irvine, who chairs the new Electrician Brian Green, 37, Nelson committee, has been Vice-Chancellor of Chef: Catherine George, 28, Dipton Otago University since 1973. He has a (summer 1991-92) medical background but has also had exten Domestic: Pam Davies (summer 1991- sive involvement with the New Zealand 92) Planning Council, and been a Director of Stores officer: DaveBrice, 35, (sum the Institute of Environmental Health and mer 1985-86, winter 1986/87, winter Forensic Sciences. In releasing details of the 1988/89) appointment the Rt. Hon Don McKinnon, Technician: Mike Mahon, 37, Minister of External Relations and trade said Christchurch "Sir Robin brings a great deal of experience Senior technical officer : (telecom) and wide-ranging contacts to RDRC His Callum McGowan, Chirstchurch substantial involvement in New Zealand so Base assistant: Rob Johnston, 29, cial planning and research areas will greatly Wellington aid the committee in its role of developing long term priorities for New Zealand Antarc tic science. The new appointments are for International Antarctic periods of up to three years. Centre shortlisted for award RDRC, as the committee will continue to be known, advisesthe Government on long- The International Antarctic Centre in Or term priorities and directions for New Zea chard Road, Christchurch has been land's scientific effort in Antarctica as well as shortlisted for the National Architecture assessing and reviewing projects to be un Awards. Designed by Christchurch archi dertaken as part of the New Zealand Antarc tects Warren and Mahoney, it is one of three tic Programme. buildings in Christchurch and 15 in the four In addition to the election of the chair main centres to be selected from 36 entries. man the two priorities for the first meeting The other finalists include university build- Vol.l3.No.l March 1993 Antarctic ings, a children's hospital, a multi-use devel Graeme Scott of Andrews Dvcott Cotton opment, a vineyard complex and a book on Associates also in Auckland, Wayne Mowatt, a building of major architectural significance. presenter for ta national radio programme A jury comprising Jon Craig of Craig, and Cheryll Sotheran, director of the Dunedin Craig and Moller, architectects and interior Art Gallery visited the sites in mid March this designers based in Wellington and archi year. The results will be announced at a gala tects Felicity Wallace from Auckland and dinner in Christchurch on May 5.

ANARE A deep hole on Law Dome

During this last season a team from Australia's Antarctic Division has drilled one of the deepest holes in Antarctica. They reached silty ice on bedrock 1200 metres below the surface of the Antarctic at Dome Summit South on Law Dome, 120 km from Casey Station about 22 February, 1993. The depth is thought to have been exceeded only by American scientists at Byrd who drilled to 2164 metres in 1968 and Russians drilling several times at Vostock between 1980 and 1990 to reach 2,000 metres. The series of cores the Australians have obtained will provide evidence of past environmental changes covering a period to 15,000 years before the present. Ice from the bottom of the hole, however is expected to be as old as 30,0000 years.

The site was located and first occupied prior to station and field resupply. Ian on 22 December, 1987. During that sum Goodwin was the surveyor and Russell mer season a hole 95.9 metres deep was Brand, the senior diesel mechanic respon drilled through the f irn into the impermeable sible for field station operation. ice. For the first 84 metres the team used a That summer, also a 18 x 7 metre pre specially constructed thermal drill which fabricated steel arch drilling shelter, weigh makes a hole with a diameter of 27 0 metres. ing some 18 tonnes, was constructed at Glass fibre reinforced plastic casing nor Penguin Pass ready to be towed to the site mally used in artesion well sites was set in the later in the year when a three metre deep hole to make it fluid proof for subsequent trench was cut around the borehole casing electromechanical drilling. The team led by and the shelter moved into place over it. A Vin Morgan and comprised Colin Wookey 12 metre high access tower with a spiral and Dianna Patterson who were responsible staircase was built at the end of the shelter for core analysis, involving stratigraphy, and drill winch and tower assembly, a heated density measurement and isotope ratio sam control room and an analysis mod pling; equipment for conductivity measure ule were set up in the shelter. The hydraulic ment was lost on the Nella Dan which sank -pump station was installed together the Antarctic March 1993 Vol 13. No. 1 plumbing and wiring connecting it to the drill During this last season drilling to bed tower. The winch and drill were tested. The rock was completed at the final depth of party for the second season of operations 1200 metres. The core is 100 mm in was led by David Etheridge a glaciologist and diameter and the last few sections contain comprised X.Q. Gao and Colin Wookey, rock fragments of up to 5mm and are visibly also glaciologists, George Musil and Athony discoloured by fine silt. Olejnicki, electronics engineers and techni The core from between 391 and 553 cal officers Andrew Heming and Brett Gogoll. metres, which was drilled in the 1991/92 The senior diesel mechanic was again Russell season was too brittle to be handled and has Brand. Operational difficulties with the driU been subject to strain relieving in the drill led to a postponement of the programme in shelter for a year. Apart from the bottom 1990-91 while the problems were solved 6.3 metres of core drilled this season, the but drilling was resumed the following sea brittleness has been a significant character son when further improvements were made istic and the scientists experienced consider in techniques and procedures. able difficulty in making thin sections for The party for 1991/92 was again led by crystal fabric analysis. No other sampling or Vin Morgan and comprised Colin Wookey analysis was possible and the sections will (core analysis/analysis organisation), Alan remain in the drilling shelter for a further Eklchiekh (electronics/ice drilling/ Russell year and be retrieved when the drilling gear Brand (Pi/station management, Li Jun (ice is removed in the 1993/94 season. They crystal analysis), Bill Skinner (core conduc will then be shipped to the new Antarctic tivity), Mark Richardson (computing ice/ Cooperative Research Centre at the Univer drilling, Steve Land (peroxide analysis) and sity of Tasmania where Antarctic Division Eric Le febre (ice core cutting/sampling). scientists will analyse them for evidence of Three people worked full time and one part changes in air temperature, the amount of time on the drilling which continued for up precipitation and atmospheric composition to 14 hours a day and from which they over thousands of years. This is likely to be obtained 20 metres of core. Conductivity undertaken by Vin Morgan, Colin Wookey, was measured continuously and peroxide Melanie Fitzpatrick and scientists from analysis was used to interpret the seasonal CSIRO. A small quantity of core will also be layers giving the team a preliminary time sent to France for analysis. The Australian scale for the core. scientists who will undertake the next stage By the end of the season some 6,500 of the programme were part of the drilling samples had been sent to Australia where team this season; others included Alan oxygen isotope ratio analysis will yield Elcheikh (electronics/ice drilling); Jo Jacka information relating to climate, snow accu (ice drilling); Peter De Vries (ice drilling); mulation and ice cap variations; 5,000 sam Russel Brand (Pi/station management); Li ples are being subject to hydrogen peroxide Jun (core analysis - crystal fabrics); Mark measurement which will provide informa Richardson (computing/ice drilling); Ursula tion on atmospheric chemistry and snow Ryan (core analysis) and David Russell-Head, accumulation and beryllium 10 samples are (core analysis and auto crystal fabric ana measured by CNRS in France for studies of lyser). accumulation changes associated with cli Drilling averaged 126 metres a week and matic variation from the last glacial maxi was undertaken in three shifts. Significant mum to the Holocene and investigations of logistics and communications support was solar variability. Core material is also being provided by the personnel at Casey Station. measured for past air composition. Antarctic thanks Vin Morgan for assist ance with this article. 10 Vol.l3.No.l March 1993 Antarctic

the criminal laws) of the Australian Capital Australia moves towards Territory and the criminal laws of the Jervis Bay Territory; ratification of protocol >using the Ordinance making powers under section 11 of the Australian Antarctic Terri Australia's drive for an international re tory Act 1954 to legislate specifically for the gime to protect the Antarctic environment Territory; has completed a major step with the passage >declaring the Australian Antarctic Terri of key legislation by Federal Parliament. tory a nature reserve under the National The legislation, introduced by the Minis Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 1975; ter for the Arts, Sport, the Environment and incorporating Heard and McDonald Is Territories, Mrs Ros Kelly, is a major step in lands within the state of Tasmania; and the process towards Australia's ratification >the Australian Government vigorously pur of the Protocol on Environmental Protec suing the application for World Heritage tion to the Antarctic Treaty, signed in 1991 listing for Heard Island. and known as the Madrid Protocol, which The Government has three months in designates Antarctica as "a natural reserve which to respond to the report. devoted to peace and science." It puts in Wendy Fletcher, Legal Officer, Antarctic place a mechanism for prior revaluation of Division. ANARE News 71/726 all activities to ensure minimal impact on the Antarctic environment. Conservation consultants The Protocol will enter into force when all the Antarctic Treaty countries which signed appointed it have taken the steps necessary to make its The Australian Antarctic Foundation has provisions binding on all their citizens. At this stage only Spain has completed the chosen Canberra conservation consultants ratification process. DAF. McMichael and Associates to under take a major project in Antarctic environ mental planning and management. Changes to Australian Antarctic The project involves the preparation of Law recommended. a conservation strategy which will describe Australia's long term management intent for A report tabled in Federal Parliament on the Australian Antarctic Territory (AAT) and 5 November 1992 is the culmination of an address a range of issues relevant to the inquiry by the House of Representatives area. The Protocol on Environmental Pro Standing Committee on Legal and Constitu tection would be the basis for development tional Affairs to examine the laws and legis of the strategy, which will provide guidance lative structure of Australia's external terri for Australian activity in the AAT. Develop tories and the Jervis Bay Territory. The ment of the strategy will involve wide consul second phase of the inquiry, set up in 1988, tation among interest groups, including sci centred on the Australian Antarctic Terri entists, conservations and the tourism indus tory and the Territory of Heard and try and those contemplating fishing activities McDonald Islands. in the area. It s development will be guided by a sub-committee of the Antarctic Founda The recommendations include: tion Board and will include a representative >defining the legal regime of the Australian of the Australian Antarctic Division of Antarctic Territory as including the laws of DASET. Tasmania, rather than the laws, (other than 11 Antarctic March 1993 Vol 13. No. 1

was to be built near the main store, the Station maintenance work operations building floor re-propped, and new aerials erected for physics research. At The Antarctic Division's 1993 Antarctic Mawson a new more efficient hot water Asset Maintenance Program (AAMP) in system was installed, the waste treatment volves summer and winter operations. plant was overhaul and the incinerator During the summer personnel at Casey, rebricked. The enlarged laboratory at Mac Macquarie Island and Mawson undertook quarie Island was fitted out, the surgery re- preventative maintenance work and some roofed, reclad, refined and better storage minor new projects. At Casey a hard stand facilities were installed.

ANARE - feature in new configurations, all driven by enor mous for forces deep within the molten core Ancient forests of the earth. Antarctica was the central player in one revealed in Beaver Lake of these super continents, the great southern land mass called Gondwana. Gondwana fossils comprised the current continents of the AndrewN. Drinnan andDavidJ. Cantrill, southern hemisphere, Antarctica, Australia, School of Botany, University of Mel South America and Africa, as well as India. bourne. It was in existence about 280 million years ago, and began to break up approximately Antarctica as we all know it today, is a 160 million years ago. The last Gondwana event was the separation of southern South frozen, ice-covered continent that supports a very sparse terrestrial flora consisting only America from the lead of mosses and lichens in those rare locations ing to the opening of the Drake passage. where underlying rocks are exposed. How This resulted in the meteorological phenom enon known as the Antarctic Convergence, ever, this now familiar landscape is only which effectively separates the weather pat relatively recent in terms of the geological tern of Antarctica from the rest of the world. history of the continent, with the formation of the polar ice cap and development of a From this time onward cold air and water were trapped in the polar region, gradually permanently frozen wilderness occurring only over the last ten or so million years. The refrigerating the continent to the extent we earth's climate is strongly influenced by the see it today. positions of continents on its surface, for During the existence of Gondwana, how these determine the flow of ocean and at ever, the situation was very different. Much mospheric currents around the globe and warmer climates and a correspondingly ice the distribution and mixing of warm and cold free environment supported a lush vegeta water and air. Over the past several hun- tion over the area of present day Antarctica, dredsof millions of years the continents have and the evidence of this ancient vegetation is drifted over the surface of the earth, creating revealed by the occurrence of plant fossils new and destroying old sea floors, welding from different geological periods in various together to form massive super continents, parts of the continent. and then breaking up again and dispersing One of the most spectacular and impor- 12 March 1993 Antarctic tant of the Gondwana floras comes from the a river system in vast rift valleys formed geological period known as the Permian era, early in the separation of India from from about 285 to 245 million years ago, Gondwana. A fortunate combination of just before the age of dinosaurs. It was geological processes and an ice-free area dominated by species of a a now extinct plant have exposed a small sequence of river and called Glossopteris. A great deal remains to flood plain sediments deposited in Permian be learnt about Glossopteris plant and the times. Within the sandstones are numer general vegetation, but clearly some species ous minor coal seams, the remains of low were trees that formed substantial forests lying swamp vegetation dominated by over large swampy areas. Glossopteris trees. Glossopteris has a particularly special These plant fossils from the Prince place in both geological Charles Mountains play two vital roles in and the early exploration of the continent. reconstructing the history of the Earth's Glossopteris leaves are very distinctive and vegetation. First they allow information easily recognised and their fossilised remains from , by far the largest are found in all the Gondwana continents. part of the continent, to be incorporated They are the first plants that show a truly into the global picture. This is particularly southern hemisphere distribution, and were relevant given the central position of Ant a significant part of the evidence that first led arctica in the Gondwana super continent. scientists in the early part of this century to Observations made in the field suggest that hypothesise the existence of Gondwana and the uniformity of vegetation and climate the drifting of continents over the earth's surface. In many instances Glossopteris flo ras are now of great economic importance, as their once vast swamps have turned to coal that is commercially exploited in areas such as the Hunter Valley in New South Wales. Glossopteris leaves were the first fossils discovered in Antarctica. The specimens were collected from coal seams in the region, on Scott's ill-fated return journey from the . Wilson, the expedition doctor and a learned naturalist, Foss/7 Glossopteris leaf from near Radok Lake, Permian (260 MYA) Photo A Drinnan recognised their scientific importance and requested that the fossils be retained at all cost. They were amongst the 16kg of geo logical specimens found alongside the bodies of the polar party, and are now in the collections of the Natural History Museum in London. The Beaver Lake area, northern Prince Charles Mountains, is one of the few fossil- bearing areas in Antarctica, and the only place in the whole of East Antarctica yield Thin section through silicified peat (Permian) Glossopteris fossils. from Radok Lake, showing cross-section of Now a frozen embayment of the massive wood with growth rings. Photo A Drinnan Amery , this region was once part of Antarctic March 1993

deduced from the other Gondwana conti est floor in its original position - a mass of nents also pertained to the Beaver Lake leaves, twigs, wood, fruits, seeds and pollen, area, namely a cool temperate climate with all intertwined with the roots of other plants rainfall far exceeding evaporation, resulting growing in the swamp. Because forest-floor in extensive swamps and Glossopteris for debris is a faithful representation of the ests in low lying areas. The second impor plants of the overstorey above, analysis of tant aspect concerns new information about the fossil layer will reveal a detailed picture of the plants themselves that cannot be gained the immediate vegetation of the swamp. At from fossils found elsewhere in the world. It present little is known of the plants that grew is this' 'unique' aspect that make some of the with Glossopteris; indeed there is still much Beaver Lake fossils of major botanical sig to be learnt about the nature of Glossopteris nificance. itself. Within a narrow seam of coal is a zone During five weeks of fieldwork in the 40 cm thick of exceptionally preserved plant Beaver Lake area we collected about 1000kg fossils. This layer was prevented from being of fossil plant samples, which will form the compressed and turned into coal under the basis of laboratory analyses at the School of pressures and temperatures generated when Botany, University of Melbourne, over the the sediments were buried. Ground water next several years. When the new informa percolating through the overlying river sands tion and results from the study have been became very rich in silicate, which crystal made available to the general scientific com lised out of solution when it came into con munity, the specimens will be lodged in the tact with the buried plant remains. Thus a collections of Australian and overseas muse narrow zone of swampy peat and leaf litter ums where they will be available for exami of the forest floor was solidly and perma nation by other interested scientists. nently entombed in pristine condition, em This feature has been reproduced from bedded in rock hard, glassy quartz. ANARE News Spring/Summer 1992-93 Such an immacu pages 10 and 11. late preservation of plant fossils yields a rate view of the plants un paralleled by other kinds of fossilisation. Details of cell structure i are revealed down to the minutest level, growth rings in tree trunks are easily ob served, and the absence of any distortion allows the shape of complex plant features to be re constructed with confi dence. The Beaver Lake fossil layer has encap sulated the leaf litter and other debris of the for Vol.l3.No.l March 1993 Antarctic Chile Eleven bases opened for 1992/93 programmes Six vessels and 13 C-130 flights are providing the logistic support for the 1992/93 summer and winter operations being undertaken by Chile in the Antarctic. Four stations are scheduled to operation throughout the coming winter while seven smaller stations were used to support 18 summer scientific programmes. The C-130 flights supporting the 1992/ tonnes and able to carry 12 passengers. She 93 Chilean Antarctic activities commenced was under the command of Capitan de on 29 July 1993 with one each month until Fragata and left Punta Arenas for Antarctica November through to January when there on 2 December returning to the port on 26 were two. Then there will be one flight again January. The third vessel in the fleet sup each month until April with none scheduled porting summer operations was the AGS for May and June 1993. All operated Yelcho. She has a displacement of 1544 between Punta Arenas and Marsh where air tonnes and carries 12 passengers and left support was supplemented by Twin Otter Punta Arenas on 2 December, returning 15 and DH6 operations. Marsh has a hard rock January. ATF Galvarino, an 1,800 tonnes runway which is 1,292 metres in length and vessel able to carry , 12 passengers left 39 metres wide. (There is also an ice runway Punta Arenas for Port Williams on 30 No at O'Higgins which can support DH6 and vember returning to the port on 28 January. Twin Otter operations.) The ATF Lautaro was at sea from 28 Six vessels comprise the Chilean Antarc November until mid February 1993 tic flotilla and have provided the main logis Of the four bases operating throughout tic support for summer operations which the year Capitan Arturo Pratt in Bahia Chile were carried out over a wide area involving on the Greenwich Island and General a number of islands, the Antarctic and Fildes Bernardo O'Higgins were relieved in mid- Peninsula.. The 29th scientific expedition December. The main annual relief at aboard M/N Quellon a merchant vessel of Teniente Rodolfo Marsh was scheduled for 240 tons, carrying ten people undertook 20 November while Rides was tobe relieved two major voyages the first leaving Pto. on 15 February. Montt on 28 December 1992 was sched Seven smaller bases were in operation uled to finish on 1 February. The itinerary over the summer. They are located on Ad from P. Montt included elaide Island, on the Munita Peninsula, on area, Coppermine Island, Covadonga, the Palmer Archipelago, on King George Shireffe, Point Williams, Cape Potter, Island, Robert Island, and two on Livingstone Armonia, Almirantazgo and a return jour Island. ney. On 10 February she was scheduled to Seven different nationalities were sched depart again on a similar voyage but with a uled to be involved in the programme slightly different itinerary and this was sched during the summer. They included Spanish, uled to end on 7 March 1993. Her captain French, Peruvian, Mexican, New Zealand- for the season was Sr Eugenio Oliva Bernabe. ers, Germans and Jamaicans. (See Antarctic APPilato Pardo, is an ice strengthened Vol 12. No. 9 page 308.) A number of cargo vessel with a displacement of 2785 expeditions from other countries also oper-

15 Antarctic March 1993 Vol 13. No. 1

ated out of Chile; they were supported by ANI and comprised DC-6; DH-6 and Cessna Italy operations. (See page30) Yoshiro Shirakawa President of a Japanese Institute Summer plans of Photography was scheduled to visit . limited by finance Summer science programmes Funding for the full 1992-93 Italian Three earth science programmes were Antarctic Programme was not available because of major restrictions of govern planned; one party spent 24 days in the Fildes Peninsula Area mapping the soil types ment expenditure however a late revi for a cartographic purposes; another visited sion allowed some of their scientists to five different locations during a 21 days stay work in the Terra Nova Bay area and in Antarctica to study the concentrations with other national antarctic Pro and accumulation of radioactive contami grammes. The principal logistic support nants as part of a world wide study and a enabling the major part of the pro third undertook another mapping pro gramme to proceed by transporting the gramme in Fildes Peninsula area over 26 Italians south was provided by the Polar days designed to produce a multi disciplinary map. Queen, chartered for the Ganovex VII Six biological and ecological programmes expedition, by the Federal Institute for were to be undertaken; they involved chemi Geosciences and Natural Resources, by cal studies of marine organisms in the Fildes a US C130 Hercules. A Squirrel Bay area, work on the comparative ecosys AS350B from Helicopters (NZ), based tems at on Robert Island, coastal ecology in Nelson, provided support for the and physiology in South Bay, photosyn- scientific and other programmes under thetic work on microalgae; biosynthetic taken by the Italians in the Terra Nova work including species quantification also on Robert Island . Penguin and fish studies Bay and adjacent areas. were also undertaken on Livingston and The Polar Queen was loaded in Lyttetton Ardley Islands and in the Fildes Peninsula by November 26 and sailed the foDowing area. Some work on krill provided the thrust day, arriving at Terra Nova Bay on Decem for another programme. ber 6. In addition to the participants in the German programme there were six Italians, Three atmospheric studies were included some of whom were to work with the Ger in the overall programme, two to be under mans, and Jim Wilson (pilot) and his engi taken from Marsh and involve thermospheric neer from Helicopters New Zealand, a irregularities and cosmic ray work. A com Nelson based company. A further 13 Ital parative study of ultraviolet radiation and how it affects the photosynthetic ability of ians flew south by US CI30 Hercules on December 13 and were transported from aquatic organisms was part of the pro McMurdo to the base by their chartered gramme. Other projects included paleobotanic aircraft and by two German Squirrel heli work in the , satellite copters, one of which was an AS305B2. observations at O'Higgins and the establish The entire party returned to New Zealand on ment of a scientific marine at Arturo Prat. board the Polar Queen, arriving in Dunedin on January 26, a week later than scheduled

16 Vol.l3.No.l March 1993 Antarctic because of bad weather encountered during operation. Throughout their stay at the sta the deployment of German scientists in the tion this season fuel was regularly cached for Yule Bay area future operations and empty drums returned Terra Nova Bay station lies at to the base. 74deg41'42"S/164deg07'23" East, on the coast of the northern foothills which are Other programmes north-east of Gerlache Inlet in Victoria Land. It was established during the 1986-87 sea In addition to operations in the Terra son a support a variety of scientific Nova Bay area two Italian atmospheric physi programmes being undertaken by the Ital cists M. Cacciani and P. Di Girolomo from ians, many of which are operated on an the University of La Sapienza in Rome, international basis. This summer the expedi spent part of the summer at Amundsen- tion leader was A Cucinotta and the station Scott South Pole station where they contin manager D. Voli. ued summer observations on stratospheric Atmospheric and earth sciences pro aerosols by means of the LIDAR installed vided the focus of the programme. Massimo there during the 1987-88. Annual mainte Frezotti from ENEA/C.R.E. - Casaccia in nance of the equipment and training of Rome continued glaciological observations personnel to operate it for the winter was with the positioning by GPS, of some data also undertaken. A similar programme at points on the Drygalski, David, Strangling McMurdo involved A. Adriani and G.P. Rat, Priestley Glaciers and on Brown Gobbi, atmospheric physicists from C.N.R. ing Pass; the programme involved some 50 the Institute of Atmospheric Physics in Rome. to 60 helicopter hours. For much of the time Italian scientists worked at Scott Base he was accompanied by Guiseppi Zibordi with the New Zealand programme where from C.N.R./IMGA at Modena who under measurements were made by Dr Carlo took a telesurvey as part of the operation of Valenti from the Institute of Atmospheric the AVHRR (Advanced Very High Resolu Physics in Rome of the column ozone con tion Radiometer) for the collection and tent, using a Brewer spectrophotometer. processing of cloud and ice coverings. This L. Ciattaglia from the same organisation data will be used to provide information for was at Base Belgrano with the Argentinians future aircraft operations. where a spectrophotometer in operation General maintenance of the seismic and and where a sun photometer has been geomagnetic observatories was undertaken installed to undertake systematic measure and Lorenzo De Silvestri, of ENEA/C.R.E. ments of the optical thickness of the aerosol. Casaccia in Rome was extensively involved At Esperanza, another Argentinean base in the work data collection, replacement and F. Fanzutti, a seismologist from the repair of on the various automatic weather Osservatoria Geofiscio, Sperimentale in or "Meteo" stations which have been in Treiste optimised the seismic and gravimetric stalled within a range of 150km from Terra stations put into service last year. The opera Nova Bay. The 12 solar powered stations tion of these stations is designed to facilitate collect data all the year round and during the a study of the structure and tectonic evolu summer this information is integrated with tion of the Antarctic margins and of the that collected from other meteorological Scotia Arch. stations and radio sounding balloons. A Dr Bruno Marino (see Antarctic Vol 12 volcanological observatory, comprising five No's 11 and 12 pages 370ff) also worked clinometric stations and four seismic stations with New Zealand scientists in a seismic on Mt. Melbourne was also restored to full programme originally to be carried out at

17 Antarctic March 1993 Vol 13. No. 1

in the Wilkes Basin area but rescheduled to Mountains. His party operated from Terra the Hut Point Peninsula after an accident Nova Bay using one of the huts at the Station with a US Navy Hercules limited the avail and returned to Dunedin on the Kapitan able logistic support for deep field opera Khlebnikov tions. G. Caneva and A. Colla from the Uni Seasonal festivities versity of Genoa and M. Chiappini from the National Institute of Geophysics in Rome The close proximity of the German and continued airborne magnetic surveys with the scientists from GANOVEX VII. This Italian programmes this year provided an occasion for the exchange of hospitality. programme began during the 1991-92 sum Gondwana was the venue for celebrations mer. on Christmas Eve and the Italians recipro Three Italians were based either at cated on New Year's Eve. The participating Dumont D'Urville or operated from the nationalities included Germans and Italians station; F. Vannutelli, an engineer specialis of course, but there were also Australians, ing in atmospheric physics from Quanta Dutch, Austrians and Norwegians as well as Sytems S.r.l in Milan operated the LIDAR a small group of New Zealanders. DIAL (POLE) as part of a coperative pro gramme to study the ozone vertical profiles, polar stratospheric clouds and tropospheric The next five years clouds. This equipment has been operating continuously since 1991. SODAR meas Italian Antarctic activities had previously urements were undertaken by S. Argentini been funded under a special law passed on from C.N.R. Institute at Atmospheric Phys 10 June 1985 but which expired in 1991. ics at Frascati in Rome and R. Buccolini A new law was approved by the Italian participated in a French organised traverse Government in June 1991 but still had to be from Cape Prud'homme on the Antarctic passed by the two branches of the Italian plateau towards Dome -C where a base is parliament. This was achieved in November likely to be established in future. (See Ant 1991 and is defined in act n 380. Three arctic Vol 12 No 9 page 304ff). hundred and ninety billion liras has been P.Giulani from ENEA -C.R.E./Casaccia allocated. Parliament also reconfirmed the in Rome participated in a multi national organisational set up of the pervious Act Antarctic inspection organised by the British 284/85 and gave to the Minister for Univer (See page 20.). sities and for Scientific and Technological Research the task of formulating, with the assistance of a National Scientific Commis Photographer uses base sion for Antarctica, a five year programme and of submitting it to CIPE, a government M/V Frontier Spirit called at Terra Nova body for economic planning, for approval Bay from 9 to 12 January this year and with the advice of the Inter ministerial Con transferred fuel and a AS350B Squirrel sultative Committee for Antarctica and of Helicopter also from Helicopters NZ) to the the National Science and Technology Coun area. The crew comprised. Bob McElhinney and Steve Power. They flew in support of Mr cil. The formulating criteria were that Yoshikazu Shirakawa, a photographer and >scientific activities will be improved and president of the Shirakawa Institute of Pho renewed on the basis of global problems tography who isundertaking a photographic programme covering the Transantarctic connected, mainly with global change Pro grammes, as indicated by SCAR; 18 Vol.l3.No.l March 1993 Antarctic

> International collaboration will be stimu System of Museums and Scientific Centres. lated and enhanced: part of the budget for Logistics scientific research will be devoted specifi The Italian Base at Terra Nova Bay has, cally to international Programmes; since its construction, generally been in op >it will be possible to carry on research in eration for two months of the summer sea subantarctic and arctic areas, in connection son, but this can already be extended to a five with Antarctic scientific problems; month operation. Logistic arrangements can >the collection and conservation of Antarc be made for rotation of scientific staff. Cur tic samples in the National Museums is rently the base can sleep 60 but it is likely to encouraged, in view of the establishment of be expanded to accommodate 80 although a National Antarctic Museum; t some of the service facilities such as fuel >the project of building a winter headquar storage, labs and recreational rooms and ters, provided with the high technological vehicles shelters have still to be completed. equipment is foreseen, encouraging col Logistic support is likely in future to be laboration with international parties for its provided by aircraft of the Italian Ministry of realisation; defence. A cargo ship may be chartered and >a polar vessel, for oceanographic and cargo a purpose-built or adapted vessel is likely be purposes, willbe chartered on the long term. acquired on long term lease for oceano The main themes for future scientific work graphic work. Helicopters will continue to are be used for medium to short distances and 1 Geological structure and evolution of the the acquisition or charter of a light aeroplane Antarctic continent and of the southern is being considered for future scientific and ocean. logistical needs. 2. Glaciology and Paleoclimate. Operational support on an international 3. Climate: Atmosphere, ocean and their basis will be further developed and Italy is interactions. likely to join with France in the construction 4. Sun-earth interactions and astrophysical of the proposed base at Dome C as well as research. maintaining logistical and scientific coop 5. Biology, ecology and environmental con erative Programmes with USA, New Zea tamination. land and Germany. 6. Observation stations, geographic infor mation etc. Agreement with Australians 7. Advanced technological research. Some 20 percent of the activities must concern Programmes which are to be con On 12 August 1992 Italy and Australia ducted at an international level. signed an "arrangement for Scientific Coop Within two years of its entry into force, eration in Relation to Antarctica." The the Act, 380/91, also provides for the estab arrangement is initially for five years and lishment of a National Museum on Antarc was made between the Italian National Sci tica for the conservation, study and en entific Commission for Antarctica and the hancement of the finds acquired during the Australian Antarctic Division and comprises scientific expeditions and of any other evi joint research projects, information and dence of Italy's presence in Anta Antarctica. personnel exchange and logistic and tech The decree of 1992 also makes provision nological cooperation. for the creation of an ad hoc national study Areas identified for initial cooperation group charged with the formulation of a include remote sensing of sea ice, LIDAR proposal for the museum as one of the stratospheric measurements, geological and elements that will make up the National geophysical investigations aimed at 19 Antarctic March 1993 Vol 13. No. 1

Gondwana reconstruction, Southern Ocean programme, the OGS Explora undertaking biology and winter research most particu geoscience studies in the Prydz Bay region larly in atmospheric physics, limnology and and joint investigations into the use of all sky terrestrial botany. cameras, as well as joint environmental stud Developments since the signing include ies, glaciology, logistics and technology and discussions on participation of Italian ocea- political science. nographers in the ANARE marine research

U.K. Treaty inspection included tourist vessels

A multinational Antarctic Treaty Inspec tive meeting to be held in Japan in May of tion team involving representatives from 1994. Britain, South Korea and Italy, carried out a series of inspections in the Antarctic Penin sula area between 12 January and 14 Feb ruary 1993. The team travelled aboard the Royal Navy vessel, HMS Endurance. The team led by Mr Munro Sievewright US from the British Antarctic Survey in Cam bridge, comprised Captain Robert Turner Design competitions go and Lieutenant Commander John Larby from the HMS Endurance and Pietro Giuliani a stage further from the Italian Antarctic Project and Dr Soon Keun Chang from KORDI in Korea. They visited the Korean Station King Environment 2: A new Town for Science Sejong, the British stations Faraday and was a 1992 design competition for students Rothera, Juan Carlos Primero and Gabriel at US universities, wriich was administered de Castilla, established by the Spanish, the by the American institute of Architecture Argentinean stations Espiranza and San Students and partially supported by a grant Martin, the USA's Palmer Station, Arktowski from the National Science Foundation which belonging to the Poles, the Brazilian station, stipulated that the winners of the competi Comandante Ferraz and the Chilean base tion, their faculty mentor and the architec Arturo Prat. Visits were also made to the tural jurors would visit McMurdo refine the abandoned American and British bases on design and present it to the residents. and the abandoned Brit A party of 11 comprising three students ish and Argentinean bases on Deception from the University of Oregon and their Island. For the time also inspects under the professor and five of the six member jury treaty system were made of tourist vessels. were at McMurdo from January 1-11. At These were the Explorer, Akademic Sergei. the end of their stay they produced a Vavilov and Europa. cyclostyled booklet which contains a mission A report of the team's findings is cur statement defining their objectives which rently under preparation and will be submit were to ted to the XVIII Antarctic Treaty Consulta >develop a built environmental that pro- 20 Vol.l3.No.l March 1993 Antarctic motes a sense of affiliation with the station's highest point of the east . research purpose of research and its com The temperatures there, averages-7Odeg C patibility with the natural environment; and below and the night is five months long. >to create a resource management system While this secluded and forbidding site may that maximises human potential, conserves seem an odd location for a research station energy and materials and minimises detri it has long been a compelling attraction for mental environmental effects; scientists from many disciplines and now for >to renew substandard buildings and sys US college and university students of archi tems; tecture, engineering and related disciplines, >to provide a sense of place and community it is also providing a unique challenge- to where individuals can seek enrichment; create a space analog on the highest point of >to facilitate and reduce maintenance; and the polar plateau. >to create environments for quality living. These students are competing in Envi The proposed a plan that was' 'evolution ronment 3: An Antarctic high station. The ary rather than revolutionary", utilising the competition is the third that has been jointly majority of the existing facilities, separating sponsored by the American Institute of Ar traffic and incompatible uses, and grouping chitecture Students (Al AS) and the National related functions in adjacent structures. Com Science Foundation's Office of Polar Pro munity facilities have been grouped to form grams. Environment 1 provided students a town centre, reducing large barren open with the opportunity t develop a conceptual space to create a sense of place and feeling design for the U.S. research station at the of identity. A board walk system creates a geographic South Pole, and Environment 2 strong organising element, uniting the town focused on producing a master design for from the housing units to the Science and McMurdo Station that incorporated the Engineering Center. needs of the science community while con Community facilities in the town centre sidering community, social, and environ include a new food service facility, a recrea mental issues. tion centre, a dispensary, a reception and The site on the polar plateau was chosen information centre,, an education centre - because the dry, cold atmosphere above this the Peter E. Wilkniss Education Centre - region makes it advantageous for astro clubs, coffee houses and short-term accom nomical research at infrared and millimetre modation. The related facilities would be wavelengths. The region is also magnetically connected with raised board walks located, connected to the polar cap and, conse in most instances, over utility piping. quently, gives scientists new opportunities to Although the NSF is not committed to study the magnetosphere. For geologists the using the final plan it is trying to develop site is of interest because it is above the design expertise for science support in cold subglacial Gamburstev Mountains, a rarely regions and to developing McMurdo as a studied feature of the east antarctic craton. community of the future that supports sci The objectives of Environment 3 are to: ence efficiently, provides professional and >meet research and living needs of science personal fulfilment to residents and has the teams; minimal possible environmental impacts. >maximise their working effectiveness and The results of the study are being consid comfort in the most severe climate in the ered. world; And in the meantime nearly 1,400 km >minimise the environmental impacts of from the eastern coast of Antarctica, Dome human presence; and A, at an altitude of 4,000 metres, is the >develop and use advanced architectural

21 Antarctic March 1993 Vol 13. No. 1 concepts and engineering technologies. the plateau is equal to an altitude of about The guiding philosophy is that the design 5,000 metres, the students have been en decisions should consider science objectives; couraged to consider design features that provide for comfort and safety; be easy to may seem more appropriate for the Moon maintain; have internal flexibility and mini or Mars. mum environmental impact; and meet re Full and part-time students, regardless of quirements for interpersonal dynamics and their major, enrolled at US. institutions are quick simple installation with minimum on- eligible to participate. Teams of three stu site construction. dents will be accepted and interdisciplinary The students must envision a small, self- groupsare encouraged. Registration opened contained base that will house 12 research on 8 September 1992 and closes on 21 ers along with the necessary support per May, 1993 with submissions due on 28 May sonnel. As in space, the science teams will to be judged on 5 June in Washington, D.C. live in work in the remote enclosure. Be Prises are $1000, for first, 750 for second cause the pressure altitude at this point on and 500 for third.

Subantarctic fit, returned to Campbell on the Solander II a Nelson based fishing vessel which de Macquarie: parted New Zealand about March 20. The International Union for the Conser vation of Nature (IUCN) decided in Septem 200 teddy bears visit ber 1992 to defer the nomination of Mac quarie Island to the World Heritage list pend Mawson's Hut. ing a review of all Southern Islands for World Four men and 200 teddy bears visited Heritage status. Macquarie Island had been Mawson's Hut in Commonwealth Bay in jointly nominated by the Tasmanian and January of this year. Federal Governments for World Heritage Buttercup, a steel yacht was specially listing in 1991. constructed for the 1990-91 single handed The IUCN has set up a working party of around the world yacht race. Skippered by representatives from countries with respon her owner Don Mclntyre of Mclntyre Marine sibility for Southern Ocean Islands including Services in Sydney, the vessel was crewed Australia, France, New Zealand, Great Brit by Wade Fairley, an adventure photogra ain, and Chile. They will assess and pher, John Miles and Hans Sturzenneger report on the application of the World Her also of Sydney. The teddy bears were itage Convention to the islands of the South entrusted to them by their owners who paid ern Ocean. $60 to Camperdown Children's Hospital in Sydney in return for their passage south. Campbell They were photographed in front of the hut The MVGreenpeace made a brief call and the results will be used in a teddy bear into Campbell Island to pickup the me calender to be produced in 1995. chanic Steve McAllister and bring him back On their return to Australia the expedi to Dunedin and Wellington for medical tests. tion leader called for urgent action to con He arrived in Dunedin on about Thursday serve the remaining structures, including the 11 March and, having finally been declared main expedition hut and the many historic artefacts still scattered around the site. 22 Vol.l3.No.l March 1993 Antarctic CCAMLR International scheme for scientific observation finalised

The eleventh meeting of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources was held in Hobart from 26 October to 6 November, 1992. Among the major achievements were the f inalisation of the CCAMLR scheme of International Scientific Observation, the setting of a precautionary catch limit on krill in the South Indian Ocean area and the acceptance of significant conservation measures for the protection of selected finfish.

In addition the meeting received a She emphasised the unique character of the preliminary report from SCAR on the status organisation which bases its conservation of Antarctic seals and seabirds, discussed the measures on the ecosystem and has evolved mortality from longline fishing, net monitor relevant techniques to manage exploitation cables and marine debris, agreed to design and monitor developments accordingly. a survey to facilitate the assessment of krill Drawing attention to the United Nations stock and the fish-by-catch during krill trawl Conference on the Environment and Devel ing operations, and agreed to further opment held in Rio de Janeiro in June develop guidelines and formats for research 1992, and the growing appreciation that cruises. Additional work is also to be fisheries and other resource based industries undertaken on the development of guide had to take place within the context of lines for the protection of the organisation's sustainable development she suggested that ecosystem monitoring programmessitesand the "rest of the world had finally caught up for the development of new fisheries in the with CCAMLR". CCAMLRarea. Whaling and climate change Delegations attending the meeting came were also discussed briefly during the meet from Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, ing which concluded with the appointment Chile, the EEC, France, Germany, India, of a new executive secretary and the next Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Norway, chair for the commission as well as other Poland, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Swe administrative matters. den, United Kingdom, United States of CCAMLR XI comprised sessions of the America. Scientific Committee held between 26 and Observers came from: Bulgaria, Fin 30 October, and of the Standing Committee land, Greece, Netherlands, Uruguay and the on Observation and Inspection which also Ukraine. The International Organisations met during the first week. General plenary represented included the IUCN, the Interna sessions made up the rest of the Xlth Meet tional Whaling Commission and SCAR. Two ing of the Commission which was formally non-government representativesfrom ASOC opened on 26 October by Penny Wensley, in New Zealand and the World Wildlife Fund Australia's Ambassador for the Environment. in the UK also attended. 23 Antarctic March 1993 Vol 13. No. 1

New Zealand's delegation comprised thorities and submit copies of their reports to Nigel Fyfe from the Ministry of External the captains of the vessels and, if requested, Relations and Trade, Dr Don Robertson, to assist them with recording and report Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, and procedures and to undertake other tasks as Michael Donoghue from the Department of may be decided by mutual agreement of the Conservation. parties involved. Under the scheme as adopted at the Observation meeting each member of the Commission may designate observers in accordance with the relevant Article in the Convention but During the first week of the meeting the Standing Committee on Observation and the activities of the observers are specified Inspection (SCOI) met on several occasion. by the Commission. Scientific observers are It was chaired by Jan Arvesen of Norway nationals of the member who designates and their priority was the completion of the them and are individuals who must be famil CCAMLR scheme of International Scientific iar with the harvesting and research activi Observation as required by article XXIV of ties to be observed, the provisions and the the Convention. The Scheme will allow des measures of the Convention and adequately trained to carry out their duties. They must ignated observers to be placed on board vessels operating in the Convention Area, also be able to communicate in the language by agreement with the flag states concerned. of the Flag of the vessels on which they are The observers are generally empowered to observing. On board they have officer sta "observe and report on the operation of tus. fishing activities in the Convention Area with the objectives and principles of the Conven Review of seals and seabirds tion for the Conservation of Antarctic Ma rine Living Resources in mind". CCAMLR had previously requested The specific tasks of the observers are SCAR, the Scientific Committee on Antarc specified in an annex to the Scheme. They tic Research, to undertake a five yearly include an obligation to record details of the review of the status on Antarctic seals and vessel's operation (e.g. partition of time seabirds. Its June 1992 report contained the between searching, fishing, transit and de following conclusions: tails of hauls); taking samples of catches to Seals: For the land-breeding species, determine biological characteristics, record censusing is much simpler, and more confi ing biological data by species caught; re dence can be attributed to the estimates. Fur cording by-catches, their quantity and other seal populations are continuing to increase biological data; recording entanglement and throughout the Convention Area. Elephant incident mortality of birds and mammals; seal populations are declining in the Indian recording the procedure by which each de and Pacific Oceans while the status of the clared weight is measured and collecting South Georgia stock is uncertain. data relating to the conversion factor be The SCAR scientists were unwilling to tween greenweight and the final product in make any assessments of the status or trends the event that catch is recorded on the basis of ice-breeding Antarctic seals, because of of weight of processed product. They are the paucity of reliable data. An international also required to prepare reports on their programme of research on the behaviour, observations in the special format approved abundance and distribution of pack-ice seals by the Scientific Committee and submit them is currently under preparation and a plan to CCAMLR through their respective au ning workshop has ben scheduled for mid- 24 Vol.l3.No.l March 1993 Antarctic

1993. were rolled over. The new measures relate Seabirds: Although there is a lack of long- to five species in the South Georgia area for term monitoring data for many species, the two seasons and limit and define the method SCAR Bird Biology Subcommittee estimated of the catch of Cgunnari for the 1992/93 the status of penguin populations (King, Catches of lanternfish in South Georgia Adelie, chinstrap and macaroni) as all ap area have also been limited for the 1992/93 pearing to be increasing or stable. All spe season and a requirement for biological cies of albatrosses and the southern giant information was set. Limits for the catch of petrel were declining, most probably be D eleginoides in the South Georgia area cause of incidental mortality in longline fish were established and all commercial fishing eries. For other species there was inad in the South Orkney and Antarctic Peninsula equate data to make a reasonable estima regions remains prohibited. Limits were also tion. imposed on the catch of N squamifrons in Incidental mortality areas of the Southern Indian Ocean for the current and next season. Incidental mortality from longline fisher ies, net monitor cables and marine debris Krill and the by-catch have been under discussion at recent meet ings of the Commission. This year the adop It was noted that there had been a 19 tion of a Conservation Measure CM29/X percent decline in the catch of krill in the stipulating the use of streamers and other 1991/92 season and this was attributed methods to reduce the capture of seabirds by largely to reduced trawling during the disso longline vessels was taken a step further and lution of the Soviet Union. Russia however it was recommended that streamers should was noted as still being the largest catcher. now be used at all times including night-time It was closely followed by the Ukraine, and deployment. Conservation measure 30/X then Poland and Chile. Australia is also also adopted at the 10th meeting, at New interested in operating a four vessel fleet to Zealand's urging, prohibits the use of net catch krill in future seasons. monitor cables in trawl fisheries from the Generally the krill stock is considered to 1994/95 season and prescribes modifica be healthy but concern was expressed as to tions to be adopted in the interim. Only the quality of the data available to the work Russian vessels continue to use such cables ing group and at its next session the and the meeting was assured that this would Scientific Committee will consider the de be stopped by the time the measure comes sign of a synoptic survey to determine the into effect. Entanglement in marine debris abundance of krill in a specified statistical continues to be a significant problem. area. The fish by catch problem was during Fish stock assessment krill trawling was discussed and considera tion is likely to be given to measures to A working group on fish stock assess reduce this. The time of year and locations ment met at CCAMLR headquarters in at which young fish are most are risk will Hobart prior to the main meeting of the need to be considered as part of any detailed commission. Using the assessments of the monitoring of the krill fishery to assess the working group and scientific committee, a true magnitude of the problem. number of new conservation measures relat Research cruises ing to finfish have been adopted by the The Guidelines relating to research commission and several existing measures cruises were tightened up. A new conserva- 25 Antarctic March 1993 Vol 13. No. 1 tion measure stipulates that catches taken successor. Dr De Salas is an experienced during research cruises would be counted as fisheries administrator. The new Chair of part of the overall catch limit. A further the Commission, replacing Ambassador resolution outlines the requirements to be Jorge Berguno of Chile, will be provided by observed during planned research cruises in the delegation from the European Commu which the catch limit exceeds 50 tonnes. nity. The Scientific Committee has been requested During 1993 the Working group on to develop standardised guidelines and for Krill will meet in Tokyo from August 4- mats for such cruises. 14'on Cemp in Soeulfrom 16-23 August; on Fish Stock Assessment in Hobartfrom CEMP 15-21 October. The Scientific Committee will meet next in Hobart from 25 October Further work is being undertaken on the to 5 November during the same period as guidelines for the protection of CEMP the Commission. (CCAMLR Ecosystem Monitoring Pro gramme) sites. New fisheries Whaling sanctuary The rules relating to proposals for the development of new fisheries were also con In late February the World Wildlife Fund for sidered. Such a fishery is defined as being a Nature in New Zealand called on the Gov "fishery on a species using a particular fish ernment to declare all of New Zealand's 200 ing method in a statistical subarea" for which mile exclusive economic zone a whale sanc no information on such matters as distribu tuary. This follows the declaration by Japan tion and potential yield have been supplied in January of its intention to resume catch or for which data has not been submitted for ing up to 2,000 minke whales a year in the two most recent seasons. Any proposed southern waters, an action which encour fishery is subject to advance notification and aged Greenpeace to seek out the fleet and may not be initiated until the Scientific Com assess the situation. Currently the WWF's mittee and the Commission have considered proposal is limited to waters under New the proposal. A precautionary principle is to Zealand jurisdiction, while at a different level be embodied in the procedure which is being the International Whaling Commission is developed to govern the development of considering an independent proposal sub new fisheries during their exploratory stage. mitted by the French at its last meeting to This will enable CCAMLR to ensure that a establish a sanctuary south of 40degrees fishery cannot expand before sufficient in which includes also two thirds of New formation is available to enable manage Zealand and Greenpeace favour a sanctu ment decisions to be made. ary. The question of establishing a sanctuary Administration around the Antarctic from the ice edge to 40deg S latitude was discussed at the last Dr Darry Powell, the Commission's first meeting of the International Whaling Com Executive Secretary retires at the end of mission. (Antarctic Vol 12. No. 9 page 1993 after 11 years service. Dr Esteban de 320f f) As usual the meeting was in two parts Sala Ortueta of Spain was selected as his and the scientific committee discussed the value of sanctuaries as a management tool 26 Vol.l3.No.l March 1993 Antarctic and for research and at the main meeting whale are: the French Government proposed the es a) the establishment of the Indian Ocean tablishment of the Sanctuary in accordance Sanctuary and with Article V(IXc) of the 1946 Convention b) the long standing prohibitions of pelagic for the Regulation of Whaling. The adop operations by factory ships north of 40deg tion of the proposal would call for amend south, of the killing of calves and lactating ments to the main schedule which are likely females and, of killing whales smaller than to be presented at the next meeting. the designated minimum length. For 17 years following the negotiation of The proposal takes into account the the International Whaling Conference in guidelines suggested in 1982 by the Techni 1938 all southern waters between 160 de cal Committee Working Group on Whale grees to 70 degrees west were set aside as a Sanctuaries by which the Commission took sanctuary to protect part of the Antarctic note at its 34th meeting, and subsequently feeding grounds not yet subject to commer as well as the comments made at that meet cial whaling. In 1955 the Japanese gained ing by the delegations on the report of the support at the IWC to overturn the protec working group and summaries initatives tion. made by organisations such as the IUCN and On this round the French have chosen others and principles endorsed bythe United the Southern Ocean as being an area where Nations. The full document is comprehen a sanctuary would contribute to a marine sive and contains 54 points, many, drawing ecosystem that has been severely but not on current and newly evolved principles, irretrievably damaged by human exploita such as sustainable yield and its relation to tion in less than 100 years. The proposal, the trends in environmental management. It they state, integrates with other current then deals with the characteristicsand choice international actions towards protection of of an appropriate sanctuary, further consid the entire Antarctic region and given its erations regarding the selection of the South distance from industrial centres seems to ern Ocean, the boundaries of such a sanctu offer the best prospects for securing a satis ary, its duration, research and monitoring factory habitat for cetaceans and other ma and inclusion within the sanctuary of certain rine life in the long term. Moreover all of the coastal areas under national jurisdiction area has the legal status of High Seas and no (which applies mainly to the Indian Ocean). Southern Hemisphere Nations have declared The document also lists other supportive any interest in resuming commercial whal and supplementary activities and aspects of ing and there is no aboriginal subsistence the guidelines prepared by the Technical whaling in the region. Committee Working Group on Sanctuaries. Specifically they stated that "The pri At the IWC meeting New Zealand mary purpose of this proposal is to contrib welcomed the French initiative in bringing ute to the rehabilitation of the Antarctic the proposal forward stating that it was marine ecosystem by reinforcing and com consistent with the IWC's mandate and re plementing other measures for the conser sponsibilities to consider such a conserva vation of whales and regulation of whaling. tion proposal but stated that thorough dis In particularly by the protection of all South cussion at the scientific level and in the light ern Hemisphere species and populations of of the Revised Management Procedures, baleen whales and the Sperm whales on which a sanctuary could enhance. However their feeding grounds. Other measures re through discussion was essential. SCAR ferred to, which specifically concern the and CCAMLR are also involved and the protection of breeding groups of the migra item should be on the agenda for the 1993 tory species and of the tropical Bryde's meeting of the Commission. In the mean- 27 Antarctic March 1993 Vol 13. No. 1 time the World Wildlife Fund for Nature includes all the waters around New Zealand. initiative covers a more limited area but

Greenpeace the port early in the afternoon of 31 Three pronged December. The vessel then proceeded across the approach to Beagle Channel and Drake Passage to King George Island to visit the bases around 1992/93 season . They called in at Jubany (Argentina); Artigas (Uruguay); Great Wall (China); King Sejong (Korea); Bellingshausen Geenpeace used two vessels and under (Russia); and Ten. Marsh (Chile). At Jubany took three main programmes during the they briefly encountered the Canal Beagle, summer. The first comprised the char the Argentinean vessel involved in the re ter of the yacht Pelagic, the visiting of moval of the last of the oil aboard the Bahia bases and monitoring of fishing fleets in Paraiso {See Antarctic Vol 12. No's 11 and the Peninsula and South Shetlands area, 12 page 400). the second, a check of the site of its About 13 January they arrived in Ad dismantled at Cape miralty Bay on the others side of the island, Evans in the and and visited the Polish station Arctowski, a visits to other bases in the vicinity and Czech refuge on Nelson Island and subse quently calling in at Ferra, a Brazilian Station the third, involved the monitoring of the and Macchu Piccu, the Peruvian Station, Japanese whaling fleets in the oceans abandoned in 1989. They then proceeded between New Zealand and Antarctic in to Chile's Arturo Pratt on Greenwich Island. order to draw attention to the proposed During their stay am small fire occurred in whale sanctuary. the attic and they were able to assist and they Janet Dalziel of New Zealand was voyage undertook some sampling of the site of an oil leader on the Pelagic, a 16.5 metre long spill in the 1970's for the Chilean govern steel hulled yacht (see Antarctic Vol. 12 No. ment. They the visited Moldenado, the 9 page 326) owned and skippered by Ameri Ecuadorian station on the other side of the can Skip Novak. Julie Crossley, an Austral bay. By now it was January 20 and they ian was first mate and Peter Malcolm, from proceeded to Juan Carlos, the Spannish Tasmania, Hank Haazen from the Nether station on Livingston Island and then onto lands and Jorge Gutman from Argentina where bad weather de made up the rest of the crew with Gutman layed them until January 26. Then it was doubling as medic. All however assisted with down the strait called into visit Bernard the sailing of the vessel. The chief scientist Stonehouse whose party were working on was RicardoRoura from Argentina who was Coh/ille Island before visit Gonzales Fidea also assistant campaigner and the photog and Almirante Brown. The vessel then rapher; Bruce Adams from New Zealand proceeded to Faraday, the British base was the cameraman. where a two fuel spills last summer has The party departed for Ushuaia on apparently had a noticeable affect on the Christmas Day, boarded the Pelagic and left flora and rocks below the station, and contin- 28 March 1993 Antarctic ued onto an abandoned Brit nese whaling fleet operating in southern ish Station. By early February they were waters after announcing their intention in back in the Magellan Straits and sheltered January to take over 2,000 minkes during briefly at Greenwich Island during another the summer of 1992/93. period of bad weather before observing the During the next 97 days the vessel sailed trawling activities of a Japanese krill fishing along the North Victoria Land coast, visited fleet. By the 12 February they had pro Dumont D'Urville, sailed along the North ceeded back across the Drake Passage and Victoria Land coast and called in at the arrived in Ushuaia. During their travels they Balleney Islands. Extreme weather condi encountered a number of the cruise ships tions encountered between the Balleneys chartered by American organisations over and resulted in extensive dam the summer (see Antarctic Vol. 12 11 and age to the landing gear on their helicopter )• which would subsequently limit their opera As a general comment Greenpeace tions. However they arrived at expressed their concern about the number on 10 February but conditions precluded of station officers in charge who were their going ashore before the following day unaware of the new environmental proto when they used zodiacs to gain access to the col, did not have copies or had been told beach. that operational changes were not vet Greenpeace scientist Grant Harper tak required. ing soil samples at the former site of In the meantime MV Greenpeace, under World Park Base, Cape Evans, Ross the command of Arne Sorenson, left Ho Island, in February 1993. Photo: bart on 6 December in search of the Japa Greenpeace Antarctic March 1993 Vol 13. No. 1

The shore component of the expedition ples should reveal further information about comprised scientist Grant Harper, (New the behaviour of fuel under these unique Zealand) and Dana Harman (USA); Marc conditions. Other soil surface samples were Defourneaux and Chris Robinson who was taken for microbiological analysis. involved in the establishment and disman The vessel then proceeded to Scott Base tling of the base. Considerable support was and to McMurdo, staying for two nights in also provided by the crew. The site, this the area and providing open-ship hospitality season was completely free of snow and ice for some 75 of the personnel at the stations. and there was evidence of the return of From there they sailed to Terra Nova Bay, skuas, seals, two Adelie penguins and an having encountered in the interim the Emperor. The area was relatively free of Kapitan Khlebnikov, which had put in a debris apart from some nails and wood cache of supplies for ANI's operations next scrapings left after the withdrawal of the season. The cache comprises 60, 55 gallon anchors which had secured the buildings. drums of Jet Al, two Yamaha skidoos and Members of the New Zealand Antarctic Pro associated Mogas and some Avgas for Cessna gramme had inspected the site in November operations. There are also 15, 25 kg boxes and marked the area of the fuel rack with a of Australian mutton for use by the Vaughan cairn. The Greenpeace team sampled the expedition, (see page 38). site finding that the Jet Al had evaporated Prior to departure from the the with the snow melt and left no residue. They vessel encountered the Japanese catcher repeated their sampling programme carried Nissan Maru and another vessel belonging out previously over most of the area of the to the whaling fleet and called in on the spills and found that the concentration was German party involved in the GANOVEX mostly less the deeper they investigated expedition in Terra Nova Bay. They finally except for one area where the concentration left the area on 28 February calling in at had increased. Contaminated surfaces were Campbell Island at the request of the New removed and backfilled with material from Zealand government to pick up an ailing the beach. Subsequent analysis of the sam member of the currentteam. (See page 22).

on February 11 gave up their attempt to Seven first footings to reach Scott Base. Four cross-country skiers of the Ameri south Pole can Women's Trans-Antarctic Expedition intended to continue past the Pole to Fiennes and Stroud McMurdo Sound and join a tourist cruise ship about mid-February. But they were break two records flown out to Chile less than a day after their Only two of the seven men and women arrival, because, they were behind schedule, who walked and skied to the South Pole in and two members were suffering from the January unsupported by dogs or vehicles rigours of the journey. continued past 90 degrees south. They returned to the United States as the The two Englishmen, Sir Ranulph first women to reach the Pole under their Fiennes and Dr Michael Stroud completed own power. Th e leader Anne Bancroft their intended crossing of the Antarctic land achieved a personal record. She became the mass and the longest unsupported journey first woman to reach both the North and in polar history - 2172 km in 94 days - but South Poles by surface transport.. 30 Vol.l3.No.l March 1993 Antarctic

A 29-year-old Norwegian corporate law Hercules Inlet (80 deg05minS/78deg30 yer, Erling Kagge, was the first of the seven min W) is part of the south-west margin of to reach the Pole walking alone. The journey the Ronne Ice Shelf which is on the western of 1310 km took him 50 days, and he side of Berkner Island. The Filchner to the returned to Oslo on February 3, with two east between Berkner Island and . records - the first solo walk and the fastest trip ever made to the Pole. Changes to womens team All the skiers were flown to their starting points by Adventure Network International, Two changes were made in the original which takes mountaineers, tourists, and pri team. Anne Dal Vera (37), a ski and wilder vate expeditions into Antarctica each sum ness instructor and Sunniva Sorby (31) man mer from Punta Arenas, Chile, using a 1957 ager of an outdoor clothing store, and a DC-6B, two de Havilland Twin Otters, and teacher of navigation, rock climbing and a 1980 single engined Cessna 185. backpacking, replaced Kellie Erwin-Rhoads The company has a relatively comfort and Reinette Senum. Sue Giller (44) a com able base camp at patriot Hills (80 puter programmer, whose 20 yearsof moun degl9minS/81deg 20 min W) in the Herit taineering included ascents of Mt. Everest age Range of the Ells worth Mountains, and Mt KcKinley completed a team with which is close to a runway that can special skills. be used by wheeled aircraft. It is 1080 Km Although the women were in touch with from the South Pole. Punta every three days little was heard of their progress after their departure on No The first away vember 11. They averaged 10km to 13km a day at the beginning of the journey. On the Fiennes and Stroud were first away on last stage the average run was just under 24 November 10 from Gould Bay (78deg00S/ kms, when their sledge loads, originally up 45deg00W) which is at the junction of the to 90 kg were much lighter. Filchner Ice Shelf with the north-east corner Unlike the Englishmen and the Norwe of Berkner Island in the sector. gian, the women did have air support. ANI They did not start from the extreme edge of put in supply caches, half way between the the shelf but slightly inland. Filchner Ice Shelf and the Pole, at the Pole By November 28 they had reached 80 and on the Beardmore Glacier. deg 55minS/39deg55minW. Ann Bancroft and her team reached the Pole Eighteen days later they were at the on January 14. They took 64 days for the Pole, crossing the 90 degree line on January shortest distance -1012km on a route by 16. way of the Thiel Mountains, which included They did not waste much time there, expanses of sastrugi, and a monotonously and headed north into the Ross Dependency bland landscape. on the 81st anniversary of Scott's arrival at the Pole on 17 February, 1912. Kagge When the American women first decided to cross Antarctica in the 1991-92 summer Because Kagge was walking alone and their departure point was named as the only to the Pole he was more accessible to Filchner Ice Shelf. In a list of planned itiner the media. Some English newspapers did aries for private expeditions in the 1992-93 their best to suggest that there was a race summer Hercules Inlet was given as the between the Englishmen and the Norwegian starting point. to reach the Pole first. 31 Antarctic March 1993 Vol 13. No. 1

ANI flew James Buchan from Punta his first Argos message from 78deg 12min Arenas to the Pole to report Kagge's arrival S. for'' The Independent. "Its readers were told Kagge had aimed to reached the Pole by in the Sunday issue of February 14 that the January 15, his 30th birthday. He was flown quotationfrom Tennyson's poem "Ulysses" to Patriot Hills later than he expected be "To strive, to seek, to find and not to yield" cause of bad weather which stopped the was the epitaph engraved on Scott's monu Twin Otter flight. ment at Cape Evans. But Buchan gave a lot more detail about Delayed departure Kagge, who reached the North Pole on foot with a companion Boerge Cusland. A third When he, the American women, and man, had to be airlifted out. Mrs Morag Howell, the chief radio operator A most efficient skier, Kagge, planned for Fiennes and Stroud reached Patriot Hills his route from Berkner Island meticulously, they had to wait almost a fortnight for ANI's consulting experts, notably the British leased DC-6 to arrive and fly them to Punta glaciologist, Dr Charles Swithinbank. With a Arenas. Unfortunately the DC-6 had lost an personal stereo for entertainment he pulled engine. his 125 kg sledge at an average of 26 km a ANI finally tracked down a spare engine day - faster than his forecast 22km. in Laredo, Texas. It was trucked to Miami, Florida, and then made the last transport to Philosophy Punta Arenas before March. Mechanics worked 30 sleepless hours to fit the engine, Kagge walked for ten hours a day with and the veteran DC-6, brought back skiers, four 15 minute rests. Alone in his tent at scientists and tourists to civilisation. night he wrote a "philosophical" journal Kagge reached London on February 1, which he intends to publish. To keep his and returned to Oslo a hero's welcome on mind occupied while he pushed south into February 3. He was greeted at the airport by chilling winds he read such books as Oscar his family and friends and with flowers and WiWe's"The Pictureof DorianGray" Herman musical bands. While children begged for his Hesse's "Siddartha", J.D. Salinger's "The autograph he did his best to demolish a large Catcher in the Rye" as well as the bible. slice of cream cake. He needed it, as he was There were some chinks in his armour, 10 kg lighter than when he set out. however. He left his crampons at home This February 3 in Oslo was a day of music, was his only bad moment and when he flowers, and cream cake. For Feinnes and realised what he had done he talked to Stroud it was just another day of desperation himself for the first and only time on the in their progress down the Beardmore Gla whole journey. cier. Eighty-six days of fighting tempera He decided in advance not to use his tures plunging to minus 25 degrees Celsius radio., His sponsor insisted he should take or worse, dragging sledges laden with all one but for some reason he left the ice their food and supplies and battling chilling batteries in the Twin Otter which took him to winds gusting up to«40 knots had pushed Berkner Island. their bodies to the edge of human endur His only means of communication was ance. by a Norwegian Army Argos satellite system There was little indication of their ex which could transmit only his position in and tremely critical situation in earlier press re a a few brief pre-coded messages. Before leases to the British Media by a London starting for the Pole he skied north and sent public relations firm. Most of these were 32 Vol.l3.No.l March 1993 Antarctic more concerned with the team's two mation reducing drugs. Stroud's hands were objectives - breaking an 84 year-old record frostbitten, and both men's body weights for the longest unsupported polar journey, had been reduced - Fiennes from 95 kg to 64 and the first crossing of the Antarctic Conti kg and Stroud's from 72 to 51 kg. Food nent on foot without land or air support plus rations calculated to last 100 days were low, the expedition's appeal to raise two million and did not provide sufficient caloric intake sterling for the Multiple Sclerosis Society. to compensate for the loss of body weight. But on the night of February 3 the By February 6 an expedition spokes expedition's chief radio operator, Mrs Morag man revealed that Fiennesand Stroud had to Howell spoke to the British journalist James rely on short-wave radio as they had not Buchan from the ANI Base at Punta Arenas. been able to repair their damaged satellite Mrs Howell was the vital link for the expe beacon. The antenna of the second radio dition organisers with Fiennes and Stroud had also been broken when one man fell into who reported their progress to her by short a . wave radio. She was based at Patriot Hills In the first 20 days of the journey and flew to Chile after the summer opera Stroud fell into a crevasse, and his sledge had tions ended. Buchan was on the same been snapped. It was retrieved and lashed aircraft. together with rope. Movement down the treacherous glacier ice became more haz Deteriorating conditions ardous when Fiennes and Stroud were re duced to one ski pole each, without baskets "The Independent's" readers on Febru for support. When they started their 87 th day ary 4 learned that the expedition was in severe difficulties. Fiennes and Stroud were Fiennes and Stroud had cleared 1931 km. It was a long march across the suffering from frostbite and hunger and a breakdown of equipment. to Scott Base and they still had almost four An auxiliary SARSAT radio system which more days on the Beardmore. gave satellite positions and pre-coded mes sages from Fiennes and Stroud to the rear Questions of safety base in Scotland by way of Mrs Howell, was either malfunctioning or had been smashed Although the statement by an expedi on the descent of the Beardmore Glacier. tion spokesman expressed concern for the Communications with Patriot Hills had evi physical state of the explorers, and how safe dently been very poor. it was for them to continue, the emphasis Mrs Howell's chief concern was that was still on the first world record and the with Antarctic temperatures falling quickly second in sight. At the time the distance the question was weather the two Twin covered (2022km) was actually 8 km short Otters at Patriot Hills would find good flying of the 1909 recorded (2030km). weather and conditions for a rescue mis Earlier releases credited a record sion. The expedition had a rescue insurance (2004km to an Australian expedition led by policy with ANI. . This time, two Austral But Fiennes and Stroud had more seri ians, Mawson (Yorkshire born) and ous worries. For 50 days Fiennes had Edgeworth David (Welsh born) and Alistair marched with an intensively painful infected Mackay, a Scot, were named. But they were frostbitten foot. The infection had not re members of Shackleton's 1908-09 expe sponded to treatment with anti-bodies in the dition. Led by David, they walked 2030 km low temperatures, so he had to inject inflam to fix the position of the South Magnetic 33 Antarctic March 1993 Vol 13. No. 1

Pole wife Virginia. Arrangements had been made By February 7, after 90 days Fiennes with the New Zealand Antarctic Programme and Stroud had passed 2030 km and also for Lady Fiennes to call Scott Base at 8 a.m. completed the first unsupported crossing of on Friday. Antarctica on foot. Emaciated, exhausted, Soon after 11 a.m., two exhausted men and close to they reached the base "more dead than alive" as Fiennes told Pa of the Beardmore Glacier. Despite the loss triot Hills from the aircraft, were on the way of another ski pole, and still pulling sledge home. Scott Base heard from them last at loads of 90 kg, they made better than aver 11.15 a.m. age progress down the glacier on February After 94 days of acute hardship Fiennes 6, covering 29 km. and Stroud were able to relax and eat prop On February 8, they were camped on erly again. When they reached the Patriot the Ross Ice Shelf. They had 563 km more Hills camp on the evening of February 13 to walk to Scott Base and take advantage of they had eggs for breakfast the next morn the presence of the Frontier Spirit which ing, and were able to enjoy their food and the was in McMurdo Sound until February 17. pleasure of clean clothing left by Mrs Morag But time and distance were against them. Howell when she flew to Punta Arenas late Food supplies, calculated to last 100 days, in January. were getting low, and Fiennes was still in Because the weather closed in on Febru severe pain with his infected foot. ary 14, the Twin Otters could not make the last flight out to Punta Arenas until Monday Rescue imminent February 15. Fiennes and Stroud were able to avoid waiting journalists as they did not By this time ANI's two Twin Otters arrive until midnight. were in position on the Ross Ice Shelf. Fuel After a good nights' sleep they were on depots had been laid to enable the pickup a KLM flight to Amerstadam where they plane and its support to return to Patriot stopped off to fill up on some of the comforts Hills after picking up Fiennes and Stroud of life they had not seen for more than three and flying them on to Scott Base. months - duty free goods. Fiennes and Stroud decided to march on, not so much for the third record but to Return to London add distance for the sponsors and the Multi ple Sclerosis Society funds. The Twin Otters Early on February 17, they arrived at remained about 100 km north of the route London's Heathrow airport. Sir Ranulphs taken by the two men. wife Virginia, and Dr Stroud's wife, Thea, Finally, with only five days food remain and his two children were there to greet ing, Fiennes ended their journey on Febru them. It was day 100, the crossing of Antarc ary 11, the 94th day. Fiennes called one of tica from the Filchner Ice Shelf to Scott Base the Twin Otters and told the pilot of the had been planned to take the same time. decision. After a press conference at which Sir Since February 8, the two men had Ranulph said the months it took to make the moved on over the ice to a position just over trip were "the nastiest of my life", the pair 69 Km north of the Beardmore Glacier. The were taken to meet the Prime Minister at 10 aircraft were in position about 9 km from the Downing Street. Dr Stroud had some of his last camp. frostbitten fingers strapped; Sir Ranulph Fiennes called Scott Base at 7 a.m. the wore padded ski boots to protect his feet and next morning to pass on a message to his carried his ice axe.

34 Vol.l3.No.l March 1993 Antarctic

Mr Major congratulated the pair on their Army Personnel Research Establishment at exploits and asked them immediately to Farmborough in Hampshire, where Dr back Manchester's bid to host the Olympics Stroud is head of applied physiology, to in 2000. "Manchester certainly deserves it", undergo the days of .medical tests to deter replied Sir Ranulph. mine how their bodies have reacted to the From No. 10, the two men went to extreme conditions of their journey.

dry and loose for wheels. Ice-biking on But what of bicycles on glaciers? There should be no environmental problems here the Polar Plateau as any tracks must be ephemeral and most Antarctic glaciers are agreeably smooth and Trevor Chinn gently sloping. It is perhaps not until one has seen and travelled some of the huge, smooth Picture two figures on skis, methodically bare blue-ice slopes of the polar plateau that one realises the enormous extent of gentle plodding up a glacier slope leading to the plateau of the Antarctic , bulkily sloping country that lies at the ice sheet dressed against the - 20 deg C tempera margins. On close inspection, one immedi tures, with the majestic vista of miles and ately discovers that this ice is super slick, but miles of huge glaciers sweeping between the also that just a few grants of sand are enough for boots to get a grip, while the sastrugi peaks below them. Incongruously a third figure appears bumping along beside them surrounding these areas is normaDy so hard - and this figure is casually pedalling along on and wind-packed that one barely leaves any a bright red bicycle. footprints. Consequently a bicycle tyre that There is nothing new about bicycles in mimicked a handful of sand would be bound Antarctica. There was one on Ross Island on to get a grip. Scott's expedition and currently there are In the 1992-93 season, the geological some at Scott Base for both private and mapping programme of the Geological Sur general use. What is new is the concept that vey was continued by its is replacement a bicycle might be an asset for fieldwork on organisation, the Institute of Geological and the gentle slopes of the polar plateau. The Nuclear Sciences, with an expedition planned idea was impractical until the advent of to work along the western margins of the dry mountain bikes with their very low gears on Valleys, up to heights which include much of a sturdy frame, wide tyres and a seat that the margin of the ice sheet. Because of does not seem to be designed to cut one in associated logistics problems and the high half. demand by other parties., no motor tobog No doubt many have considered the gans were to be used on this expedition. I was not enthusiastic about the prospect of possibilities of biking in the Dry Valleys, and one season a party even fitted bicycle wheels walking huge distances to see yet another to a banana sled to save on helo hours. The plain rock as I have attained sufficient matu heavily laden contraption was met with mixed rity to be content to cover as much country success. Nowadays we have sensibly de as possible with as little agony as possible. So creed that any form of vehicle in the Dry I declared that I would take an ice-bike for travelling the big shiny areas of flat ice! Valleys shall be prohibited on environmental In preparation a bike had to be fitted out grounds, and in addition the majority of the with tyres that would grip on those very slick valley floors are either too bouldery or too 35 Antarctic March 1993 Vol 13. No. 1 surfaces. Spikes, like crampons, seemed to vember 1992, and it was not until work be technically difficult, while sand a proven moved high up onto the edge of the ice sheet success, had much better potential. So two near the Mackay Glacier that the bike was of the roughest, toughest industrial sanding flown out on resupply. After being hatched belts in town were purchased. Fortunately from its crate and assembled, the bike per the stock belt size was just under two inches formed well on the rock pavements around wide with a perimeter that exceeded the the camp. When all was ready to run biking circumference of a bicycle wheel. This 'sand trials on the adjacent glacier, the camp was paper' strip was glued to a strip of 'cordura', hit for three days by a vicious katabatic gale. with pop rivets added in case the glue ob During this time the tent was turned into a jected to the cold. The material was cut into workshop while a carrier and pannier bags a series of flaps extending from each side of were fitted, to carry the attendant equip the sandpaper, and the composite strip was ment like spare clothing, coffee thermos to stretched along the tread of the tyre. The geology hammer and rock samples. Han tyre was deflected and the flaps tucked firmly dling tools at -20deg C can be a bit clumsy. between rim and tyre which once reinflated During this interlude, it was found that the ensured no escape for the sand paper. sandpaper tread could not be persuaded to fit through the calliper of the back brakes, so Backup systems the trials were carried out with sandpaper on the front only and a studded back tyre. Backup systems were arranged in case Out on the glacier, the bike was wheeled the sandpaper wheels' did not work, since out while the remainder of the party at there would be little hope of any modifica tached skins to their skis. It was immediately tions or repairs being able to be carried out a great success, easily pedalling up the hard in the Antarctic environment. The first snow beside the skiers. On the blue ice of the backup system was to fit the bike with stud plateau, the driving wheel still had traction ded tyres as used in Canada and other places but would accommodate no sudden move were icy roads a re common, although it was ments. Despite their sparse distribution, the considered that the few studs in these tyres studs did actually grip on the brittle ice would have little grip on the vary hard Ant although it did take a little more than the arctic ice. The second backup continued the usual bicycling care and courage. It should sand philosophy with, "why not glue the be noted that this was on "cold" brittle ice sand directly on to the tyre?'. So a pair of with temperatures from -15deg C to -25deg smooth treadless tyres called 'road slicks' C, where snow has a sandy consistency were bought for the purpose. These were under skis. During the day it was found that pasted with one of those very tenacious shoe the bike was three to four times faster than repair rubberised preparations, then, while the skiers on this terrain, and was only the glue was still tacky, the tyre was rolled stopped by soft snow patches. Once the through loose sandy roof grit - as used on wheels sank to two to three centimetres into metal roofing tiles. The final tread had a very the snow, cycling became too arduous to aggressive grip, but the tyre itself was much continue. narrower than the studded counterpart.. An attempt was made to reach the The bicycle, complete with its two sets of outermost nunatak across a strange hum- tyres , two roDs of sandpaper 'overtreads', mocky blue ice field. It was found that the carrier and pannier bags, was left packed at hummocks were the result of wind Scott Base when the expedition left for the over , and it was also found that the first of the Dry Valleys camps in early No loading of a bike wheel is quite high so that

36 March 1993 Antarctic

it smartly breaks into small crevasse lids. Extreme glacier biking - ski biking trials After the crevasses increased from the harm undertaken by Trevor Chinn on the upper less 10cm wide to the 20 to 30 cm widths, Victoria Glacier. Photo - Mike Issac and obviously got bigger further on, the attempt to reach the nunatak was aban About two centimetres of new snow re doned. The downhill cruise back to camp mained over the hard snow of the Victoria was a high speed, rough and bouncing Upper Glacier neve of the last camp, and this descent of unforgiving sastrugi where con proved ideal for travel by ski, but was just too trol was actually better than on skis. One soft to make any headway on the bike. As a unforeseen aspect of ice-biking was that compromise, trials were made of riding the your feet get cold, despite wearing good bike while wearing skis, and this combina boots, because they are not being worked by tion had very mixed results. The limited walking movement. steerage meant a smooth launch was re The next camp had an area of bare ice quired, but at any stage and at any speed, the some 5x15 km across, coalescing glaciers bike could be safely abandoned in the case of where it was planned to use the bike to map trouble. the unusual patterns in detail. Un Finally the bike was tried out on lake ice fortunately 15 cm of new snow fell as t this during a stopover on the Upper Victoria camp, and although the bike was ridden 300 Lake. Here the warmer lake ice around -deg m down to the bare ice areas, it was found C was almost too slick for the studded rear absolutely impossible to ride on any thick tyre, so it was changed for the true-grit tyre. ness of new snow. The snow is packed over It was then found that in addition to the the ice surface and everything fell heavily rough terraced multi-year ice, the bike could onto the frictionless surface. easily handle the smooth new ice in top gear Antarctic March 1993 Vol 13. No. 1

and at top speed without any real danger of unhesitatingly recommend taking a moun falling (well, at least we didn't frill off!). tain bike for any prospective work in bare ice However it was found that a dusting of snow areas of the plateau, lower glaciers and the on the tyres under these 'warm' conditions lakes. Steel studded tyres are a minimum was immediately fatal to equilibrium. requisite, and if it can be arranged "sandpa What of the future of ice4>iking? I would per tyres" are the ideal modification.

The Mount Vaughan Antarctic Expedition

Colonel Norman Vaughan, the 88 year as they could and old veteran of the 1928-29 Byrd Antarctic the mapping was undertaken largely by Expedition is planning his third trip to Ant Thome and O'Brien. Three days were arctica during the summer of 1993/93. spent exploring the lower part of Liv's Gla Vaughan, first travelled south as a dog cier before they found it inexcessible and handler responsible for the teams used by moved to the western portion of the Axel the geological expedition undertaken as part Heiberg where they established Strom Camp. of the Byrd Expedition of 1928 29 which On December 6 half the party left the created Little America, pioneered aerial camp to climb a saddle between two spurs mapping and made the first flight to the on the southern slope of the mountain, South Pole. He has returned to the Antarc discovering that it comprises a great series of tic once in the interim and that was to join sandstones containing toward their top, in the celebrations making the 50th Anni seams of impure coal- like material and that versary of the historical flight on the 19 it was part of a great uplifted fault block November 1979. system of mountains. On December 8 the The original geological party was led by party moved further westward and Vaughan, Dr Laurence E. Gould, a geologist who also Goodale, Thomson and Gould climbed navigated, and comprised Frederick E. another spur of the mountain. Another day Crockett, dog driver and radio operator, was spent in the area and they returned to Edward E. Goodale, dog driver; George A. Strom camp after climbing what they as Thome dog driver and topographer; Nor sumed to be Mt. Betty, both to search for a man D. Vaughan, dog driver and in general cache left by Amundsen and to look at the charge of all the dogs; and Jack O'Brien eastern part of the . who supported much of the survey work. The discovery of the cache is not mentioned Departing Little America early in No in Little America, the book by Byrd, but vember they made fast pace across the first Reader's Digest "Antarctica" states they 100 miles to depot No. 4, the last outpost found it on a lower ridge. It contained a tin of the party supporting the Pole flight and of kerosene, a waterproof packet containing depot laying for the geological party. From boxes of matches and a can with its lid the following day they headed south and by tightly in place. "It wasa climax wrote Gould, 4 p.m. November 25 they could distinguish "the high spot of the summer for all of us" Mt.Nansenand steered towards a gap in the when I pried off the lid of this tiny can and solid rock of wall which was Liv's Glacier, took out the two little pieces of paper. One and camped in the shadow of the mountain. was just a piece crudely torn from a book and They were trying to chart as much of the contained the names and addresses of 38 Vol.l3.No.l March 1993 Antarctic

Wisting and Johanssen who had helped claim this land as a part of Marie Byrd Land, Amundsen build the cairn and the other was a dependency or possession of the United a page carefully torn from the notebook of States of America. We are not only the first Amundsen himself Americans but the first individuals of any On 12 December Gould and Goodale nationality to set foot on American soil in the recovered a cache laid by Byrd to support Antarctic. Thisextended sledge journey from the polar flight and brought the food back to little America has been made possible by the camp giving the party a greater margin of cooperative work of the Supporting Party safety in terms of supplies. On 13th, a composed of Arthur Walden, leader; Friday, they began their eastern trip; the Christopher Braathen; Jack Bursey and Joe barrier was blanketed in clouds, ahead and de Ganahl. They then gave the composition toward the east lay a great range of moun of their party. In all had mapped 175 miles tains and 15 miles to their right was Mt. of the front ranges of the Queen Maud Nansen. Part way up the Axel Heiberg Mountains and demonstrated that the great Glacier they camped with Mt. Ruth Gade fault block mountain system continued al towering above but for the next three days most due eastward from Axel Heiberg Gla they were tent bound in deteriorating cier for more than a 100 miles, that there weather. On the 7th they were underway was no such highland as Amundsen thought again and proceed eastward towards the he saw called Carmen Land and they had Barrier before coming acrossa great ice field helped to push the known limits of the Ross and turning sharply to their right to go into Ice Shelf more than a 100 miles further east the mountains. than they had been known to exist by the base laying flight made by Commander Byrd Their achievement They retraced their steps, deviating to avoid obstacles and were slightly delayed by On 21 December, 1929 they summa weather but arrived back at Little America rised their route and mapping, as being on 19 January . "east from Mt. Alice W. the mountains were lower and continue as far west as we could And next summer see. The highest peaks in Marie Byrd Land do not exceed 5,000 feet while Mt. Ruth This coming season Vaughan and his Gade beside Axel Heiberg is 15,000 feet. party plan to retrace the steps of the geologi The eastern part of the area is characterised cal party and climb Mt. Vaughan named for by greater glaciers than Axel Heiberg or him. The expedition comprises a party of Livs." They charted three great valley or seven with his wife Carolyn Muegg Vaughan outlet glaciers that could be classed with the as co-leader with the Colonel. Other mem Beardmore. While Thornton completed the bers are Dr Peter Goth, a mountaineer and mapping the others climbed the nearest physician widely known for wilderness medi peak which they called Supporting Party cine skills. Vern Tejas, who made a success Mountain; it was their farthest point from ful solo winter ascent of Mt McKinley and little America and lay at 85degs,25min, 17" Brian Horner, a skier, climber and cold S/147deg55'W. They built a cairn and left weather survivalist. Two of the following: a note "This note the farthest east point Beverly Johnson, Dolly LeFavor and Paul reached by the Geological Party of the Byrd Marcolini, will also be involved and are likely Antarctic Expedition. We are beyond or east to remain at base camp, one to operate the of the 150 meridian and therefore in the radio. name of Commander Richard Evelyn Byrd ANI will support the expedition by flying

39 Antarctic March 1993 Vol 13. No. 1 them from Punta Arenas to Patriot Hills on to the States on December 31, 1993. The 25 October and subsequently across the high point of the expedition will be the continent by DC3. Twenty two northern ascent of Mt. Vaughan on December 19, polar huskies will be taken south as part of Colonel Vaughan's 88th birthday. the expedition. Some will be provided by Dog food and fuel has been cached at Earl and Natalie Norris of Willow, Alaska. Marble Point this season by the Kapitan Navigation will be by GPS and a suitcase Khlebnikov in preparation for the expedi telephone and Collins' state-of-the-art tel tion. The skidoos in the cache will be used by ephone will be taken for communication. A National Geographic film team which will be limited meteorological science program will filming the expedition. The remaining caches be undertaken during the course of the are scheduled to be laid next season along expedition which has been estimated to cost the route of the 1929 geological party whose US $1,500,000 and is scheduled to return footsteps they will be retracing.

Display grant for museum the first comprising the Filchner Project, an investigation into the mass balance of the The Australian Antarctic Foundation re Filchner Ice Shelf and its interaction with a cently pledged grant funds of $ A111,300 to changing global climate and the second, the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery in involving the location and retrieval of the Hobart, to design and develop a new exhibi tent left by at the South tion on Antarctica's geophysical 1 nature and Pole in 1911. (See Antarctic Vol 12. No. 7) its role as the "Climate engine of the world''. It is scheduled to open in early December Schedule for Antarctic: 1993. This issue of Antarctic is the fourth to appear The exhibition, "Antarctica", Secrets of in the last six months and represents the end the Frozen World", will use computers, sat of a catchup phase implemented by the ellite communications, photographic murals Council of the New Zealand Antarctic Soci and other special effects in tactile and par ety. From June 1993 issues will be available ticipatory displays. to branches for dispatch by the 21st of the The Tasmanian Government has also pro last month in each quarter with the excep vided $50,000 towards development of the tion of the December issue which should be exhibition, but to fully realise its plans the available by 10th of the month. This means Museum needs local and national sponsors. that copy deadlines have been brought for It will draw on local scientific, engineering ward to the 20th of the second month of and computer expertise to develop the exhi each quarter - e .g. 20 May for the June issue bition. - with the exception of the December issue for which the deadline will be November 10. Caption error: The caption for the cover Highest award of Antarctic Vol 12 No's 11 and 12 ap peared as the Frontier Spirit in the Beagle Monica Kristensen was, last year, Channel, however the photograph was of awarded the Explorers' Club's highest level the Society Explorer in the Neumeyer Chan of endorsement for the Aurora Programme nel - a minor "change to the advertised which was undertaken in 1991/92 and programme". The photograph, was still 1992/93. The programme has two parts, however, taken by Colin Monteath. 40 The New Zealand Antarctic Society Inc.,

The New Zealand Antarctic Society Inc., was Branch Secretary, formed in 1933. It comprises New Zealanders Wellington Branch, and overseas friends, many of whom have seen New Zealand Antarctic Society, the Antarctic for themselves and all of whom P.O. Box 2110, are vitally interested in some phaseof Antarctic WELLINGTON, 6000 exploration, history, development or research. South Island residents should write to the: The annual subscription entitles mem Branch Secretary, bers to: Canterbury Branch, • Antarctic, published quarterly in the au New Zealand Antarctic Society, tumn, winter, spring and summer. It is unique P.O. Box 404, in Antarctic literature as it is the only periodical CHRISTCHURCH, 8000 or the which provides regular and up to date news of Branch Secretary, the activities of all nations at work in the Otago Branch, Antarctic or subantarctic. It has a worldwide New Zealand Antarctic Society, circulation. (Airmail postage is extra for over P.O. Box 7083, seas members.) DUNEDIN, 9030 • Newsletters for New Zealand members Overseas residents should write to the: and an annual newsletter for overseas mem New Zealand Secretary, bers. Regular meetings are held by the Auck New Zealand Antarctic Society, land, Wellington, Canterbury and Otago P.O. Box 2110, branches. WELLINGTON, 6000 NEWZEAL\ND Subscriptions are Advertising rates • NZ$40 in New Zealand Full colour (outside back page only) $400 • NZ$45 in Australia and South Pacific* Whole page (b & w only) $200 • NZ$49 in North America and Asia* Half page (b & w only) $ 100 • NZ$50 in South America, Africa, Europe Quarter page (b & w only) $35 and the Middle East* Rates are negotiable for regular placement. • includes airmail postage. $NZ43 surface Deadlines are the 1st of March, June, postage to all destinations. September and December. Enquiries to the Treasurer, New Zealand Ant You are invited to join: arctic Society, P.O. Box 2110, Wellington. North Island residents should write to the: Fliers and other advertising material can Branch Secretary, be inserted at a cost of $ 150 per issue plus any Auckland Branch, additional postage incurred through such in New Zealand Antarctic Society, sertions. Enquiries should be made to the P.O.Box 8062, editor whose address, telephone and fax num AUCKLAND, 1035 or the bers appear in the front of this issue. PRINTED BY SPECTRO PRINT LIMITED