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

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Vol. 8, No. 3 87th ISSUE September, 1977 Editor: J. M. CAFFIN, 35 Chepstow Avenue, Christchurch 5. Address all contributions, enquiries, etc., to the Editor.

CONTENTS

ARTICLES ANTARCTIC WASTE 101-102

POLAR ACTIVITIES NEW ZEALAND UNITED STATES AUSTRALIA UNITED KINGDOM JAPAN

GENERAL OBITUARY WHALING COMMISSION 98-100 TOURISM ANTARCTIC REUNIONS ANTARCTIC September, 1977 NEW ZEALAND LINKS WITH AUSTRALIA Closer co-operation between New Zealand and Australia in Antarctic research and logistics is proposed in the New Zealand Antarctic research programme for 1977-78. This summer a Royal Australian Air Force air crew will fly with the Royal New Zealand McMurdomm f*r,011 Station, lts suPP°rt an Australian lights glaciologist between will Christchurch work with New and Zealanders in the dry valleys, and officers of the Australian Antarctic Division will visit Antarctic to discuss future' programmes, including a New Zealand-Australian survey in North Victoria Land for three seasons from 1978-79 Once again New Zealand will glaciological and hydrological studies in participate in several international the dry valleys, which were cancelled programmes. Marine biologists and last year. Geological Survey and Soil oceanographers will work with United Bureau field parties which were also States scientists on the Ross Ice Shelf withdrawn will return this season. Project, and four men will take part in the meteorological programme at the Vanda Station's programme will Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station. cover geophysics, earth sciences, and Support will also be given to French and u p p e r a i r p h y s i c s , i n c l u d i n g Japanese parties which will work on meteorology. Its staff will also support Ross Island and in Victoria Land. the Ministry of Works hydrologists' monitoring of selected dry valley Two scientists from the University of glaciers, the flow of the Onyx River, and Waikato, Professor A. T. Wilson, the levels of Lake Vanda and other director of the university's Antarctic major dry valley lakes. research unit, and Dr C. Hendy, a geochemist, will work at the Soviet MAPPING SURVEY Station, Vostok, which is 3300m above sea level, and 1110km from McMurdo One of the main field events will be Station. They will fly there in a United detailed mapping by the Geological States Navy VXE6 Squadron Hercules Survey of the region between the to carry out geochemistry and isotope Koettlitz and Blue Glaciers. This work is a continuation of the work done by Dr D. geochemistry of snow samples. N. B. Skinner's party in the 1975-76 NO CUTBACKS season. Dr Skinner will lead the Geological Survey team this season, and Economic constraints reduced the the other geologists are R. Findlay, scope of the New Zealand programme Margaret Clark, and Anne Wright. last season, and there were some cutbacks. But summer scientific With helicopter support, and using activity this season will be about 30 per motor toboggans, the party will cover cent above last season's. This brings it some 1000 square kilometres among the back to the level of the 1974-75 foothills and ridges east of the Royal programme. Society Range. It expects to spend about 80 days in the field, starting from the This summer the normal scientific Skelton Glacier at a site north of the programme at Vanda Station will be Baronick Glacier early in November resumed, and also the Ministry of Works and finishing in the area of the Hobbs

;~.J^':^W f&* September, 1977 ANTANTARCTIC A and Blue Glaciers in January. Institution of Oceanography, who spent last winter diving beneath the ice of Scientific aims of the project will be to McMurdo Sound to study its benthic map in detail selected rock sections communities, Dr Bradford will do addit between the Koettlitz and Blue Glaciers, ional marine biological work in the area. to study the structural features, The scientists will define further the investigate the change from low to high recently-discovered microscopic grade metamorphic rocks, and to collect animals living at the ice-water samples for age dating. In their field interface. work the geologists will cover the Messrs J. S. Mitchell and P. Anderson unmapped massif between the Foster will study the composition and transport and Renegar Glaciers, the rocks of dynamics of suspended and bedload Heald Island, and the rocks in the sediment beneath the seasonal ice of Chancellor Lakes area. They will also McMurdo Sound. They will measure work at Lake Miers, in the Hobbs- concentration of suspended sediment Glacier-Blackwelder Glacier divide, over a tidal cycle at eight different and the Hobbs-Blue Glacier divide east stations, and monitor water temperat of the Hobbs Peak. ure, salinity, and current velocity. Four scientists from the Soil Bureau POOL DEATHS will study old weathered soils in the Wright and Taylor Valleys, and in the As part of a distribution study by the Asgaard Range region to assist in the Department of Health of the amoebae preparation of a book on polar soils. Two which cause "hot pool" meningitis,two scientists from the Geophysics Division m i c r o b i o l o g i s t s f r o m M a s s e y will make a gravimetric survey across University, Dr T. J. Brown, and Mr R. T. the mouth of the Taylor Valley at New M. Cursons, will sample Antarctic soil, Harbour, and across the valley near water, and ice, and study what environ Lake Fryxell to tie in with the old Dry mental factors are important in deter Valley Drilling Project holes. mining the distribution. They will work in the dry valleys, at Cape Royds, Scott ROSS ICE SHELF Base, and in the McMurdo Sound area. Last season because of technical An international group will resume drilling problems the Ross Ice Shelf observations on the summit area of Mt Project did not complete the hole Erebus this season. A French through the ice shelf, and New vulcanologist, Dr Haroun Tazieff, who Zealanders taking part in this major worked on Erebus in the 1974-75 season, international event could not complete and three other vulcanologists, will their work. This season three scientists spend up to three weeks with a New- from the New Zealand Oceanographic Zealand team making geochemical. Institute will be attached to the Ross Ice geophysical, and geological studies. The Shelf Project, and two will work in group will sample gases from the inner McMurdo Sound. crater, analyse snow and ice layers, and Temperature measurements at map warm ground areas. varying depths down the drill hole A New Zealand geologist, Dr P. R. through the ice shelf will be taken by Mr Kyle, now at Ohio State University, also N. J. Day. Mr W. Whitley will carry out plans to work on Erebus this season. He benthic biota studies (echinoderms has been awarded a grant by the United etc.) on the sea floor under the ice shelf. States National Science Foundation to Dr Janet Bradford will sample pelagic continue his studies of the volcano which copepods from under the shelf. She and began several years ago. Dr Kyle, who Mr Whitley worked with the project last worked with Victoria University of Wellington expeditions for a number of seasons, was a member of the New MARINE BIOLOGY Zealahd-French-United States exped With Mr J. S. Oliver, of the Scripps ition on Erebus in the 1974-75 season.

*:r^i^t ANTARCTIC September, 1977 OTHER PROJECTS Some New Zealand support will be provided for a Japanese Antarctic Apolotok to be Research Expedition party led by DrT. Preserved Torii, which will work in the dry valleys, and use Vanda Station. Other members of the party will be Dr T. Cho, and Messrs. A. Yamada, and T. Yukawa. Apolotok, the big Scott Base husky Japanese scientists, particularly Dr which lived and died in the Antarctic, Torii, have worked in the dry valleys for will be preserved in the Antarctic cen several seasons in co-operation with tre of the Canterbury Museum. The body New Zealand scientists. of the six—year—old dog was flown from Scott Base to Christchurch early For the third year New Zealand will this month. co-operate with the United States in the meteorological programme at the Pole To enable the dog to be prepared and Station. Two men from the Meteorolog mounted the New Zealand advisory ical Service will spend a full year there committee of the Trans—Antarctic conducting routine upper air and Association has granted $1800 to the surface observations, and two observers museum. It has stipulated that $600 be will work there for the summer. used for a specific display illustrating the role of the husky in Antarctica. New Zealand's men at the Pole next winter will be J. M. H. Waller (34), a Contributions to the cost of the display c o m p u t e r p r o g r a m m e r i n t h e are being made also by the Christchurch Meteorological Service, Wellington. The artist, Mr Maurice Conly, who has made technician will be K. T. Bisset (21) a two Antarctic visits to work for the An New Zealand Army technician from tarctic Division, and the Royal New Trentham. This summer the observers Zealand Air Force, and Mr Neville will be K. F. Herrick (28), who works at Peate, information officer at Scott Base Invercargill Airport, and T. J. Hurst for the last two seasons. (29), a meteorological trainee, who Mr Peate has a particular interest in comes from Masterton. Apolotok' 'Snow Dogs", because about he thehas huskies written aat book, Scott NINE FLIGHTS Base. Mr Conly has drawn several New Zealand will join with the United sketches for the book. States again to provide logistic support for their respective programmes. This season R.N.Z.A.F. Hercules aircraft of No. 40 Squadron will make nine flights, two more than last season, betw.een New Zealand and McMurdo Station. Air crews to load aircraft will be provided, Another New Zealand has been and Army cargo handlers will work at honoured for his service to the United Williams Field near McMurdo Station. States Antarctic research programme As in past seasons New Zealand will by having an Antarctic feature named provide courses in basic snowcraft and after him. He is Mr W. J. Heaphy, who survival techniques for United States worked for the National Science Found Navy air crews, United States Coast ation at Christchurch Airport for nine Guard icebreaker crews, and American years. and New Zealand research staff. Three Heaphy Spur has been approved by Antarctic Division field assistants will the United States Board on Geographic conduct the courses, and two R.N.Z.A.F. Names as the name of a geographic physical training instructors and a Dn,.»l KTH... rr . 1 1 ft ..... feature at 77deg 14min S/161deg 15min E MlU»--itTnim:JiHl Corps orderly will assist them. Victoria Land. September, 1977 ANTARCTIC WINTER TEAM AT SCOTT BASE A retired New Zealand Army officer who was actively associated with the establishment of New Zealand's first embassy in Peking will be in charge of the New Zealand Antarctic research programme for the 1977-78 summer. He is Mr R. S. Straight, aged 50, who retired from the Army in 1974 with the rank of lieutenant-colonel after 21 years' service. Mr Straight, who was born and educated in England, lives near Nelson. His service career began in 1945 with the British Army. He joined the New *^ & Zealand in 1953, and he served for three years in Israel and Syria as senior operations officer with the United Nations forces. In 1974 he joined the Department of Internal Affairs, and assisted in planning that year's Royal tour. Then he served for two years in Peking with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, retiring in 1976. Mr J. R. Lythgoe, aged 32;of Welling ton, will be deputy-leader at Scott Base for the summer. He was an assistant maintenance officer at the base in the 1967-68 season. Ten men have been selected to winter MR STRAIGHT at Scott Base through 1978. Nine members of the team are New Zealand- He teaches physics at a technical college born, and one is an Australian. There is in Revesby. one 19-year-old, and other ages range W. C. Kimber (30), Otorohonga. Science from 21 to 38. technician. He is a television service man. Members of the winter team are: D. C. Drake (23), Hawera. Science J. R. Lythgoe (32), Wellington. He is a technician. He is a technician with senior ranger with the Mt Aspiring Radio New Zealand in New Plymouth. National Park Board. R. N. Arnott(21), Queenstown. Cook. He J. R. Thomson (25), Temuka. Base is an R.N.Z.A.F. cook at Wigram. engineer. He is a former Royal New R. W. Waller (19), Dunedin. Zealand Air Force fitter-mechanic, and Postmaster. He is a senior clerk in the served at Scott Base in the 1975-76 Chief Post Office, Dunedin. season. W. P. Dennison (33), Wellington. Post 3. D. Hiscock (28), Temuka. Fitter- Office radio technician. He is a senior mechanic. He is a motor mechanic in radio technician in Wellington. Temuka. M. G. Lord (38), Howick. Fitter- electrician. He is an electrician in Howick. W. H. Williams (29), Revesby, New South Wales. Senior science technician.

■ ■ ; $ * * j ■ >jp» •Vi^iC'v- ■ September, 1977 SUMMER FIELD PROJECTS Two New Zealand scientists from the University of Waikato will work at the Soviet station, Vostok, 1110km from McMurdo Station on the Polar Plateau, this season. Oceanographers will work on the Ross Ice Shelf, and two meteorologists will winter at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station again. They are members of the support staff of 130, including eight women, who will take part in the Antarctic research programme for 1977-78. Scientists from six New Zealand Victoria Land. Another, Jocelyn Lang, universities will conduct research will work as a field assistant in projects, and the programme will draw McMurdo Sound and the dry valleys on staff from the Antarctic Division, the with a Victoria University of Wellington Geological Survey, the Soil Bureau, team. Geophysics Division, Oceanographic Institute. Institute of Nuclear Sciences, Elspeth Wingham will work for a second season with the University of Chemistry Division, Physics and Engineering Laboratory. Meteorolog Canterbury team at Cape Bird, am ical Service, Health Department, Roslyn Freelh will take part in the Ministry of Works and Development, University of Otago parasitilogical Lands and Survey Department, and studies of seals and fishes near Scott Post Office. The programme will also Base. Patricia Harris will do general include guest scientists from, France, duties at Scott Base during the summer, and Dr Janet Bradford, of the Oceano Japan, Israel, and Australia, and other workers from England, and Canada. graphic Institute, will be working again further from Scott Base than any other Men and women in the programme New Zealander in the field when she will work at or from Scott Base, Cape flies to the Ross Ice Shelf in December. Bird, in the dry valleys of Victoria Land, and in McMurdo Sound. New Zealanders This summer Scott Base will have a will work with Americans at the South chaplain for the first time. He is the Rev. Pole and on the Ross Ice Shelf. They will M. H. Brown, vicar of the Christchurch also work with the French on Mt. parish of St. Mary's, Merivale, and a Erebus, and with Japanese and Austral Territorial Army chaplain. ian scientists in the dry valleys. Since the 1961-62 season represent Vanda Station, in the Wright Valley, atives of New Zealand youth organis which has been a summer station since ations have visited Scott Base and 1970, was occupied in the winter of 1974. assisted with the research programme. Last season it was occupied only for This season Peter Stevens (Boys' short periods to provide operational Brigade), Peter de Jong (Scout Assoc support for parties working in the dry iation) and Ross Barnhill (St John valleys. This season the normal Ambulance Brigade) will go south from scientific programme will be continued Wellington in the United States Coast by a team of four men led by Mr E. J. Guard icebreaker Burton Island, and Saxby, who will spend his third summer return to Lyttelton in the supply ship in the Antarctic. Schuyler Otis Bland. Last season's representatives were Ian Landreth Two of the eight women in the prog (Boys' Brigade), Jim Trotter (Scout ramme are geologists, Margaret Clark Association), and Ian Wilson (St John and Anne Wright, who will work for the Ambulance Brigade). Geological Survey in the region between the Koettlitz and Blue Glaciers of September, 1977 ANTARCTIC

SCOTT BASE Geological Survey. Geological mapping of region between Koettlitz and R.S. Straight, Nelson. Leader Blue Glaciers. Dr D. N. B. Skinner, J. R. Lythgoe, Wellington, Deputy leader; R. Findlay, Margaret Clark, leader. and Anne Wright, geologists. R. G. O'Donnell, Oakura. Maintenance officer-carpenter. Meteorological Service. Upper air and A. D. MacLeod, Dunedin. Assistant surface observation programmes at maintenance officer. South Pole Station. J. M. Waller and K. S. P. Chambers, Waiouru. Assistant T. Bisset (winter); K. F. Herrick, T. J. maintenance officer. Hurst (summer). W. F. Turnbull, Napier. Storekeeper. Institute of Nuclear Sciences. Contin P. M. (Patricia) Harris, Ashburton. uation of monitoring programme by General duties. Scott Base laboratory staff as part of M. C. Bradstock, Wellington. Informat Southern Hemisphere study of carbon 14 ion officer-photographer. content of the atmosphere. E. C. Day, Chatham Islands. Post Office clerk. N.Z. Oceanographic Institute. Marine D. D. Picard, Wellington. Post Office biological and oceanographic studies in clerk. Ross Ice Shelf Project. Dr Janet S. D. Cooke-Willis, Auckland. Post Bradford (marine biologist), N. J. Day Office radio technician. (oceanographer) , W. Whitley C. A. Roper, Christchurch. Technician, (oceanographer). Study of sediment Physics and Engineering Laboratory. beneath seasonal ice of McMurdo A. L. Burrows, Christchurch. Sound. J. S. Mitchell and P. Anderson Technician, Physics and Engineering (oceanographers). Laboratory. T. O'Neill, Christchurch. Technician, Geophysics Division. Gravimetric Physics and Engineering Laboratory. survey in Taylor Valley. S. R. Hicks, D. M. Gill, Christchurch. Technician, J. Bennett (geophysicists), M. J. Wenden (field assistant). Physics and Engineering Laboratory. R. Dunkley, Christchurch. Trainee, Physics and Engineering Laboratory. Physics and Engineering Laboratory. Continuation of upper atmosphere VANDA STATION studies, aurora and air glow, earth currents, geomagnetism, and recording E. J. Saxby, Queenstown. Leader. He of ionospheric absorption at Arrival was an assistant maintenance officer at Heights with University of California. Scott Base in the 1974-75 season, and a field leader in the 1975-76 season when he Antarctic Division. Adelie penguin worked with the Americans at Dome C census at Cape Royds rookery, now in Wilkes Land on the recovery of their designated by the Scientific Committee crashed Hercules aircraft. on Antarctic Research and the Antarctic C. K. Longson, Auckland. Technician. Treaty nations as a site of special B. J. Scott, Rotorua. Technician. scientific interest. New Zealand is now R. R. Brice, Christchurch. Field assist required to provide annual reports to the ant. committee and the 13 nations from this southernmost rookery. Continuation of University projects are outlined else the Weddell seal population census in where. Other projects and the McMurdo Sound-Ross Island region. participants are: Snowcraft and survival training for Ministry of Works and Antarctic Division. Glaciology and hydrology in United States and New Zealand staff. P. the dry valley area. T. J. Chinn, leader/ Farrell (field leader), B. Carter, J. T. Omundsen, hydrologist; J. Palmer Horsley (field assistants), A. Waugh, and N. Nalder, Lands and Survey J. Allan (R.N.Z.A.F.), S. Sluce (R.N.Z. Department surveyors. Army Medical Corps).

• h--{ mm ,£3gWFffii • *i. M : n ■!•— --"7 »•».>•—"«*•*'■:' 'V^lr*.^?' T-*V ^B ANTARCTIC September, 1977 Scott Base staff will continue the aluminium corrosion project which was Work on Historic begun for the University of Canterbury in the 1974-75 season. Huts Antarctic Division, Victoria An inventory and pictorial record of University of Wellington, and Univers relics in the historic huts on Ross Island ity of Canterbury. Physiological and will be made for the Canterbury * wj psychological studies of winter teams at Museum's records by one of the New Scott Base (1977 and 1978). Professor A. Zealand Antarctic Society's two care .J. W. Taylor, professor of clinical takers this season. The caretakers, both psychology, Victoria University of from the Canterbury branch of the Wellington, Professor R. A. M. Gregson, society, are Messrs. D. Harrowfield and Dr A.Barabasz.J. Barton (technician), C. Buckley. psychology department, University of Canterbury. Messrs. Harrowfield and Buckley will fly south in December. They will spend International projects. Dr H. Tazieff several weeks on Ross Island, and will and three other French vulcanologists continue the restoration and mainten will work with scientists from the ance work at Scott's huts at Cape Evans Chemistry Division, D.S.I.R., and the and Hut Point, and Shackleton's hut at Institute of Nuclear Sciences, and make Cape Royds. Caretakers nominated by geochemical, geophysical and the society have worked at the huts geological studies on the summer area every season since 1969 with a break in of Mt. Erebus. the 1975-76 summer when the project was cancelled because the New Zealand A Japanese Antarctic Research research programme was reduced Expedition party will work in the dry because of lack of air transport. valleys with New Zealand support. DrT. Torii, Dr T. Cho, A. Yamada, T. Mr Harrowfield, who is 36, will make Yukawa. the inventory and pictorial record. He is the museum's Antarctic curator. He spent 10 days on Ross Island in the 1974- Antarctic TV Team 75 season when he worked with Dr R. M. Kirk, of the University of Canterbury, Aspects of New Zealand's Antarctic •studying the beach formation and the research programme will be filmed for recent glacial history of a small coastal television this season. A team of four landform at Cape Bird. men from TV1 will fly south in Mr Buckley, who will celebrate his November to gather material for three 21st birthday in Antarctica, is a port or four documentaries which will be agricultural officer with the Ministry of screened in the "Sunday's World" Agriculture and Fisheries. He has been programme. a member of the Antarctic Society for 11 Members of the team are Messrs R. years, starting as a junior member, and Harley (science reporter), G. Smith has been interested in Antarctic history (environmental reporter), A. Hutton since he was a schoolboy. (cameraman), and D. Anderson (sound recordist). They will visit Scott Base A special mail drop was made by the and Vanda Station, and the historic huts Royal Australian Air Force early this at Cape Evans and Cape Royds, and film month to the winter party on Macquarie the wildlife. Island in the sub-Antarctic. An Orion long-range marine reconnaissance air craft on a training flight from an airfield in South Australia carried more than 200kg of mail for the 18 men and two '3tik&£'& women at the base, and dropped it by parachute on September 7.

; H; ^^"..fo'^rt?'11 ■ ^M September, 1977 ANTARCTIC SIX UNIVERSITIES IN PROGRAMME Two Massey University microbiologists will sample Antarctic soil, water, and ice this summer as part of a distribution study by the Health Department to determine the distribution and sources of amoebae which cause primary meningo-encephalitis (more popularly known as "hot pool" meningitis), and what environ mental factors are important in determining this distribution. The study is one of the main projects which university scientists will carry out during the Antarctic research programme this season.

Six universities — Auckland, Waikato, The Antarctic environment, partic Massey, Victoria, Canterbury and ularly the ice-free regions, provides a Otago — will contribute teams to the unique natural environment for the programme. Field parties will work on study of specialised micro-organisms the ice-free valleys west of Scott Base in such as PFLA, and it is intended to Victoria Land, scientists from Auckland correlate distribution with factors University will study polar fishes and which determine the distribution of marine invertebrates in McMurdo PFLA. Sound, and a Waikato University team will fly to the Soviet station, Vostok, to FIELD STUDIES survey salt accumulation in the snow of the Antarctic ice-cap. These field studies will provide the basis for complementary laboratory THERMAL WATERS studies later. More specifically, Dr Brown and Mr Cursons hope to Massey University's project, which will be carried out by Dr T. J. Brown and determine the temperature range which v - **. T. M. Cursons, is part of a prog- the amoebae can withstand, and find out whether the pathogens evolved from tl '""«ne, "Epidemiology, environmental physiology, and occurrence of the aetio- logical agents of primary amoebic in their environmental preference:.. meningo-encephalitis". Research in these aspects of the disease, known as Although primary amoebic meningo- "hot pool" meningitis because New e n c e p h a l i t i s ( PA M ) i s u s u a l l y Zealand victims contracted it in contracted in waters above ambient mineral pools, is now being carried out temperature, the Norwegian studies in and round New Zealand's thermal have shown that both pathogens and waters. A complementary study has non-pathogens can be isolated from been carried out in frozen swimming temperatures of 0 to 2 deg Celsius. In areas in Oslo with the Norwegian Antarctica Dr Brown and Mr Cursons Institute of Water Research to deter will be able to sample areas which have mine the absence or presence of both been subjected to much lower pathogenic and non-pathogenic forms of temperatures, and which have been the amoebae and their ability to very little disturbed or contaminated. withstand low temperatures. For their active state (trophozoite) to Amoebae were isolated from develop, the amoebae require water, but Antarctic lakes in 1970, but detailed they readily form cysts which can exist studies of pathogenic free-living dry for long periods. Dr Brown and Mr amoebae (PFLA) were not carried out. Cursons hope to sample the dry ANTARCTIC September, 1977 Antarctic soils and attempt to isolate ICE TEMPERATURES amoebae cysts. If they exist in such an environment it seems likely that they This season the monitoring of ice would be almost permanent cysts. temperatures, velocity and ablation will be continued in conjunction with STERILE SOIL mapping the extent of the glacial drift associated with advances of the glacier. Previous studies on samples collected This mapping will be carried out in the in 1970, and those of other workers, have dry valleys surrounding the Taylor shown that there are indeed areas of Glacier by Paul Robinson, who will be sterile soil in Antarctica. Bacteria and continuing a Ph.D. study. The team will organic detritus constitute the food of include an Antarctic Division field PFLA, and a comparison between leader, W. Fowlie, Alan Hull, a V.U.W. sterile and non-sterile Antarctica soil honours student, and two surveyors, J. will provide a readymade experiment to Palmer and N. F. Nalder. They will correlate the importance of bacteria as spend three months in the field from late against temperature and moisture. October to early January. Salt has been shown to be a selective Dr J. Johnston will undertake the geo factor in experimental conditions for chemical study, assisted by N. Logan some spe'cies of amoebae. The very high and J. Metson, and a field assistant, salt levels in the dry valley lakes will Jocelyn Lang. The party will spend undoubtedly have a marked selective between five weeks and two months effect on the amoebae present. Prelim from early November to early January inary isolation work on water samples investigating weathering of rocks. from the Taylor Valley has shown that Particular study will be made of iron there are a number of species of amoeba oxides and oxy-hydroxides which may present. prove to be sensitive indicators of the nature and extent of chemical DRY VALLEYS weathering and processes in the This summer the seven members of Antarctic climate. The party will visit Victoria University's 22nd expedition areas such as Capes Barne, Evans, and will make three separate studies of a Royds, the Taylor Glacier, Wright glaciological, geological, and geo Valley, and Vanda Station to collect and chemical nature. One team will work in study weathering effects. the dry valleys surrounding the Taylor GLACIAL BEDS Glacier, another at Capes Barne, Evans, and Royds, on the Taylor Dr Barrie McKelvey, assised by A. Glacier, in the Wright Valley, and at Pyne, a third-year student from V.U.W., Vanda Station, and the third will work in will attempt a reconstruction of the the Kennar Valley. Permian glacial landscape over an area of 35 square kilometres in the Kennar During the last three field seasons Valley. A brief reconnaissance in 1969 Victoria University field parties have indicated that the Maya Erosion been making a continuous study of the Surface, which underlies the glacial Taylor Glacier and its surrounds. A beds, may be plotted by careful general reconnaissance of the glacier mapping. The sediments which overlay snout and the drift surrounding Lake the Maya Erosion Surface, and which Bonney (1974-75) was followed in 1975-76 were formed by the Permian ice sheets, by a detailed study of till sheets and will also be studied. moraines round the snout. Last season's programme involved an investigation of This party may also study the effect of the dynamic thermal and chemical geological time, burial and palaeohyd- properties of Taylor Glacier, using rology on the sandstones, siltstones, measurements of ice thickness, temper shales and coals of the Beacon Super ature, velocity and ablation. Debris group. It will spend about eight weeks in from within, on, and around the glacier the field from early December to late were also sampled. January. September, 1977

■ ■ i ■ ■ ■ mm Summer in the dry valleys leaves little ice in Lake Bonney, and raises its level almost to the doorstep of the hut build for science programmes in the Taylor Valley. Lake Bonny was named in 1911 by Griffith Taylor's western party. Antarctic Division photo: Neville Peat As in previous years the Waikato Waikato has developed a uranium- University Antarctic research unit will thorium dating laboratory, and has been have a multi-discipline team of six in the dating and studying the isotope New Zealand programme this season. abundances of lake sediments in the Professor Alex Wilson will lead the valleys. party, and with him will he Dr Chris Hendy (geochemist), Professor Wallace Broecker, a geochemist from Columbia These have shown the presence of University, New York, Dr Benno Meyer- expanded lakes during interglacial Rochow (zoologist), Keith Thomson periods (0-10,000; 90,000-125,000; 190,000- 210,000-300,000 years ago). Many of (botanist) and Don Cowan (post these lakes appear to have resulted from graduate student). expansions of the Taylor Glacier down the Taylor Valley, and probably indicate GLACIAL ADVANCES that the East Antarctic ice sheet, which contains about 80 per cent of the world's Several projects will be undertaken, fresh water, grows to a maximum in but the prime one is the consolidation of interglacial periods such as the present. some five years' work in the This growth is probably sufficient to identification and radiometric dating of cause the world-wide sea level to drop glacial advances in the dry valleys of the noticeably during the course of the inter McMurdo Oasis. The University of glacial. ANTARCTIC September, 1977 In this study the University of Waikato from their tissues show maximum team will combine with a party from the activity at very low temperatures, and University of Maine. This party has their blood contains unique glyco been studying the Antarctic glacial protein molecules which serve as a history, but has used completely biological antifreeze. The object of the different techniques. Auckland University project carried out by Dr J. A. Macdonald and Dr R. M. LAKE SURVEY Wells, of the department of zoology, will In addition to the glacial history the be to determine how constant low Waikato team plans to continue its temperature affects the function of two survey of present lakes and their sedi key physiological processes: the mentary record by doing a bathymetric conduction of the nervous impulse, and and sediment survey of Lake Fryxell. the transport of oxygen by the blood. Keith Thomson, in particular, will study the accumulation of the organic-rich sediments which occur in shallow lake NERVE IMPULSES waters and small ponds, often forming When Dr Macdonald worked with a peat-like deposits. United States scientist, Dr ArtdeVries, Two members of the team, Professor in 1974, he conducted preliminary Wilson and Dr Hendy, plan to spend a experiments to determine conduction few days at the Soviet station, Vostok, velocities over a range of temperatures where they expect to continue a survey for spinal nerves and lateral line nerves of the accumulation of salts in the snow of the Antarctic cod (Dissostichus of the Antarctic ice-caps. These studies mawsoni) and for leg nerves from an are particularly useful in determining isopod crustacean (Glyptnotus antarct the extent of sublimation (direct evap icus), and a sea spider, (Collosendeis oration) of the snow fall, and hence the robusta) .All of these nerves conducted material balance of snow accumulation impulses at temperatures below minus on the ice-caps. 2deg Celsius, and showed no sign of nerve block. The effect of changing Dr Mayer-Rochow will study a temperature was much less pronounced number of benthic forms which, because in the nerves of Antarctic fishes than in Of low temperatures and rich nutrient those from warmer waters. supply, occur in unusual abundance in McMurdo Sound. Therefore, unlike his Dr Macdonald will make further five colleagues, he will spend most of his determinations of nerve impulse time working out of Scott Base. conduction velocity, working from Scott Base, to confirm his earlier findings. He COLD ADAPTATION will also try to determine the biochemical basis of neural cold Marine cold-blooded animals (poikilo- adaptation. therms) have body temperatures nearly identical to that of the environment, and Dr Wells will investigate oxygen therefore are particularly suited for transport in the blood of Antarctic experiments on cold adaptation. fishes. Certain aspects of respiratory Because of their nearly constant physiology in Antarctic marine animals temperature of minus 1.85deg Celsius, may be investigated with some the waters of McMurdo Sound can serve precision since the previous thermal as a natural laboratory for the study of history of the animal under study is biological adaptations to cold environ constant and accurately known. Thus ments. the effect of temperature on red blood cell metabolism and haemoglobin Work by United States scientists on function might provide an insight into the metabolism of Antarctic fishes has mechanism for the control of the blood's revealed that they respire at a higher affinity for oxygen under circumstances rate than tropical fishes reduced to the not easily obtained in temperated same temperature, enzynes extracted conditions. It is possible that information 1976-77 seasons. obtained about the role of the red cell in In addition to the culture study of oxygen transport may be helpful in parasites this year's team will study the understanding problems associated host response to the tapeworm larvae with" the storage of human blood at low which invade the gut wall of nototheniid temperatures before transfusion. Also fish. The fish will be collected from a the knowledge may be helpful in under hole drilled in the sea ice in McMurdo standing the physiological effects of Sound, and Dr Featherston's assistants, hypothermia. Miss Roslyn Freeth and Mr Craig PENGUIN STUDIES Ellison, will work with him in a fish hut with a hole in the floor over the ice hole. This season the University of Canterbury's biological research unit Another Auckland University project will be unable to continue the study of an will be carried out by a final year isolated Weddell seal population at medical student, Mr A. Young. He will White Island, which it began last season. work at Scott Base with Antarctic But one member of the 16th expedition, Division staff in a study of the physio Miss Elspeth Wingham, will return to logical responses of human subjects to White Island by dog sledge from Scott different modes of insulation employed Base to take tide crack samples of the in Antarctica. benthic community before she continues her work with epontic copepods on the sea ice edge at Cape Bird and Turk's A 23-year-old assistant advisory Head. officer in the Department of Trade and Industry, Miss Margaret Cullen, has An Antarctic Division field assistant, been appointed information officer for Max Wenden, will fly south next month the Antarctic Division, Department of to open the Cape Bird station. He and L. Scientific and Industrial Research. She Davis will be there until Paul Ensor, gained a master's degree in history at leader of the team, Miss Wingham, and the University of Canterbury. Dr Y. Yom-Tov, from the University of Tel Aviv, arrive in November. During their stay at Cape Bird the New Research Post team will continue the annual studies of the Adelie penguin rookeries, and the After 27 months as director of the penguin and skua census, mapping of United States National Science territories and band recoveries. They Foundation's Division of Polar will also carry out marine physiological Programmes, Dr Robert H. Rutford has studies on selected invertebrates. Dr been appointed vice-chancellor for Yom-Tov will study the effect of inter research and advanced studies at the ference on penguin breeding success. University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Dr SEAL PARASITES Rutford has had a long association with Antarctic research; it began in 1959 This year the University of Otago's when he man-hauled a sledge around the project will extend the work started last shores of McMurdo Sound. season on culture studies of parasites found in nototheniid fish which develop Dr Rutford led the University of into adult tapeworms of the Weddell Minnesota research team to the Antarc seal. Dr Warren Featherston, who will tic in 1963, after having been south twice be returning to the Antarctic for a fifth before. After several years teaching season, began this research first in the geology at the University of South 1961-62 season as a member of the Dakota he went to the University of University of Canterbury research unit, Nebraska-Lincoln in 1972. Later he was and continued it in 1962-63. Then he director of the international Ross Ice returned as leader of the University of Shelf Project until he went to the Otago biology team in the 1975-76 and Division of Polar Programmes. ANTARCTIC September, 1977 Spring and Sunshine on Ross Island Mail, fresh fruit and vegetables, and the sun appearing over Mt. Erebus, made September 1 a real spring day for 78 Americans and 10 New Zealanders on Ross Island when two ski-equipped Hercules aircraft arrived from New Zealand. Six flights were made in the first week of this month by United States Navy VXE-6 Squadron aircraft to prepare for the United States scientific programme for the 1977-78 season. Men — and one woman who also McMurdo Station. wintered on Ross Island — realised their winter isolation had ended when they Captain C. H. Nordhill, commander of were able to enjoy the scent and colour the United States Navy's support force, of spring flowers, and the taste of fresh flew the first Hercules south to meet the fruit, and read all their letters from winter party at McMurdo Station, and home. They had been isolated except for prepare for a busy summer. Also on the radio and telephone calls for more than flights were 13 New Zealanders — Mr N. six months, and had waited more than C. McPherson, executive officer, Antarctic Division, Mr C. Monteath, four months for their first sight of the field operations officer, and two men of sun. the Scott Base summer staff, Messrs S. This year all the flights of the P. Chambers (assistant maintenance operation known to.the United States officer) and R. G. O 'Donnell naval support force as Winfly were (carpenter). Mr V. G. Erridge led a completed in the first days of the Ministry of Works construction team southern spring which begins officially which will complete the interior work on on September 1. The first aircraft, the new accommodation block built last leaving Christchurch in the early hours of the morning, reached Williams Field, Although the sun appeared over the McMurdo Station, on a clear, cold, and horizon on August 20 it could not be seen almost windless day. The temperature from McMurdo Station for more than a was no lower than minus 30deg Celsius, week because of cloud. And Mt. Erebus several degrees higher than the temper and Hut Point Peninsula kept the New atures just before the sun rose again for Zealanders at Scott Base from seeing it the first time on August 20. at first. But they saw it for the first time FOOD AND MAIL on September 1 when it came up over Mt. Erebus. In their six flights south the Hercules aircraft carried 18,143kg of cargo. This After six months of isolation mail included 2037kg of mail, and 2891kg of from home has first place ahead of the fresh food. Among the 147 passengers sun with the winter parties on Ross were scientists who will make an early Island. Next comes fresh food, partic start on summer research projects, and ularly fruit. This year the cargo on the technicians, construction workers, and first flights included not only fruit but also 179kg of yoghurt and 943kg of eggs. others, who will prepare the annual ice runway in McMurdo Sound for the FRESH FRUIT major airlift by Hercules and Starlifter aircraft which begins next month. The For the New Zealanders at Scott Base first flights brought the spring popul the first aircraft brought 158kg of fresh ation to more than 200 at Scott Base and fruit and vegetables — apples, oranges, September, 1977 ANTARCTIC lemons, bananas, lettuce, cabbages, laboratory, now more than 45cm high, and cucumbers. To remind the men of had no flowers to match the spring warm, sunny days at home there was a offering. They have had no sun, only special treat — two large water melons artificial light. and 9kg of Californian grapes. After reading all their letters and Most welcome of all at Scott Base enjoying their first fresh food the winter were the spring flowers — daffodils, residents at McMurdo Station and the violets, carnations, freesias — and even new arrivals settled down to prepare for some orchids. They were given a place the summer influx. Their neighbours of honour in the messroom — the first over the hill continued their prepara flowers the men have seen for nearly a tions for the New Zealand summer year. The tomato plants in the science contingent. Winter Dives in Chilly Waters Working 18m beneath thick ice in the from the dark depths of the sound. dark, chilly waters of McMurdo Sound, two American marine biologists made Beneath the ice the scientists had an 41 dives during last winter from array of mesh-enclosed areas McMurdo Station. Messrs John Oliver containing or excluding sea bottom and Peter Slattery, of the Scripps dwellers. It was bounded by a post- Institution of Oceanography, began supported safety rope to prevent the their scuba diving studies of shallow- divers from straying from the vicinity of water benthic communities in McMurdo the entry hole. All winter Weddell seals Sound last December, and continued the took an inquisitive interest in the work in the winter darkness. activities of the human intruders sharing their habitat. Messrs Oliver and Messrs Oliver and Slattery wore Slattery believe that equipment left foam-insulated suits while working in a behind on the seabed was disturbed by water temperature of minus 2deg the seals investigating the experiment Celsius, and their gloves were filled with al sites in their absence. heated water before each dive. They Messrs Oliver and Slattery made their dive through holes .68m square cut last and 41st dive of the season on August through ice 1.7m thick with explosives 19 in the waters of Winter Quarters Bay. and a drill. Each dive lasted 30 to 40 Peter Slattery's two previous dives had minutes, and although the water was been particularly unpleasant because only just above freezing point, it became zip sealing problems with his suit a little warmer as the divers neared the allowed the chilly water to soak into the seabed. lower portion. Conditions on the ice in winter were Observers of the last dive had to wait unpleasant for the divers' helpers, John for 35 minutes in a chilling wind which Oliver's wife, Donna, and Dan Watson. was accompanied by light driving snow. They had to wait for the divers in But even the wintry weather seemed temperatures that dropped as low as minus 51deg C, including the wind chill more attractive than what lay beneath factor. Donna Oliver, a biological the ice in the dark depths of the sound. technician, acted as a safety tender Early this month John and Donna while John Oliver and Peter Slattery Oliver left the Antarctic for the warmth were under the ice, and helped to and sunshine of the Great Barrier Reef. analyse the specimens they brought up. On Lizard Island they will compare Dan Watson assisted the men with their tropical benthic organisms with polar air bottles, filled their gloves with and temperate water species. Next heated water, and kept the hole free of month they will fly back to McMurdo mush ice while waiting to assist the men Station to complete their studies. ANTARCTIC September, 1977 SPRING AND SUN EARLY FLIGHTS END WINTER ISOLATION Men who winter at American and New Zealand bases in Antarctica follow the same living pattern, and have the same experiences as their predecessors of the last 20 years. This winter 109 Americans, New Zealanders, and one Russian exchange scientist, who wintered at McMurdo Station, Scott Base, and the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, have shared isolation, darkness, snow storms, cold, and strong winds, and looked forward to the return of the sun.

Usually the men on Ross Island can for the last time on March 29. They have expect to see the sun towards the end of had to cope with heating, lighting, and August. It did arrive, but was hidden plumbing problems, low temperatures, behind the clouds, and was not seen until and spells of hard digging to keep spring began officially on September 1. buildings clear of drifting snow and The first sign of spring, the end of more accumulated ice. than six months of isolation, and the arrival of United States Navy Hercules There was one change from the aircraft with welcome mail, fresh food, normal pattern before the men settled in and New Zealand spring flowers, for the winter. The last American coincided. So 10 New Zealanders, 78 aircraft departed early in February, but Americans, including one woman, and on February 23 a Soviet ski-equipped the Scott Base huskies, who last saw the aircraft flew over the station. sun on April 25, really had something to After the unexpected "heat wave" at celebrate. the end of May when the temperature Eighteen Americans, two New reached a near record of 33deg C, the Zealanders, and one Russian, at the Pole bite of winter began in June when Statio 1327km to the south will have to temperatures dropped to the minus 60s, wait a little longer for their Antarctic and remained there. Mid-winter's Day, sunshine. They observed the refracted the half-way point, was celebrated by a glow of the sun on the horizon from the four-day festival, christened Amundsen roof of the skylab on September 2, but Days. Special events included a their spring visitors, mail, and fresh champagne breakfast, the traditional food, will not arrive until early formal dinner, a barbecue, volleyball November. In the first week of this inside the geodesic dome, a costume month the temperature was minus party, and a treasure hunt. 70deg Celsius, and it will have to be much higher before aircraft can return WINDY WEATHER after an absence of nearly nine months. Cold and windy weather followed in WINTER PROBLEMS July, and drifting snow piled up round the station buildings. Temperatures Now the Pole Station is no longer new. remained between minus 67deg and This is the third year it has been minus 69deg. The first week of August occupied. But the winter living began with a slight rise in temperature, problems have not changed for the and the weather was still cool and civilian scientists and support staff windy. But in the second week a very since the sun dropped below the horizon faint glow was sighted on the horizon. September, 1977 ANTARCTIC Then on the weekend of August 13-14 peak of 44 knots, and then July arrived the mercury plummeted to minus with more snow, strong winds, and real 73.39deg or minus lOl.ldeg Fahrenheit. winter temperatures. When the century mark is exceeded it is On July 1 there was a full moon: it was time for station staff to seek member at its southernmost declination for the ship of the South Pole's unique Club 300. season. But the temperature dropped to To qualify each man sits in the station minus 36.1deg, and the northerly winds sauna at a temperature of plus 200deg F kept on blowing. There was a peak gust for about 15 minutes, and then dashes of 56 knots in the first week, a temper out bare to be photographed in minus ature of minus 37.9deg in the third week, lOOdeg F or lower temperatures. and the last week was marked by the This time the ceremonial pole site was heaviest storm of the season. marked in advance with lanterns so no HIGH WINDS man would lose the way. Sixteen hardy souls dashed out into the darkness, and High winds averaging 54 knots and the event was recorded by a fully- reaching a peak of 75 knots on July 27 clothed photographer. On August 24 the blew out several heaters in station club gained four more members. They buildings. The weather improved exposed themselves in a temperature of minimally on July 29 when the temper minus 75deg C (minus 103deg F), which ature rose to minus 25.6deg, and there made the week the coldest of the year. was less than an inch of snow. July ended with a colder day — the temper SNOW SHOWERS ature was minus 30deg. Before winter began in earnest There was some relief in August with a McMurdo Station had a spell of warm succession of mild, cloudy days. But weather at the end of May. Snow then came high winds, blowing snow, showers left the ground coated to a depth and fog. On August 10 the wind peaked to of 5.3in. But June brought the customary 56 knots. In the third week the wind winds with one gust rising to 52 knots on dropped slightly, and the strongest gust June 14. There was more snow with falls was 40 knots. There was another sharp ranging from .8in to 7.3in. Temper drop in temperature to minus 37.8deg on atures were high by Antarctic winter August 16 and 17. standards, the thermometer recording Even 4.9in of snow, and low temper minus 24.5deg Celsius on June 16, and the wind speed reaching 43 knots. atures of minus 46.7deg and 42.2deg on August 18 and 19 did not reduce the Mid-winter's Day, celebrated on June spring feeling. The sun was welcomed 21, was marked by a sharp drop in sight unseen on August 20 under bleak temperature to minus 35.6deg. But the and cloudy skies, and the station's flag sun, which departed late in April, gave a was hoisted in a bitter north-east wind hit of its return when the northern sky which whipped fresh snow from the was lightened for an hour or so. slopes of Crater Hill across the 193cm- thick sea ice of Winter Quarters Bay. Like all the winter parties in the Then on the first day of official spring Antarctic those at McMurdo Station the sun and the first aircraft arrived celebrated the shortest day of the year in almost together. traditional fashion. Everyone enjoyed an elaborate dinner, which included WINTER WORK lobster tails and fillet steaks, and some Like their neighbours over the hill the hardy souls still had enough appetite to take part in a pie-eating contest. New Zealanders at Scott Base were kept busy in June with jobs inside and outside After the excitement of the shortest the buildings. Richard Wills, the dog day, the winter party settled down to handler, moved the huskies to their weeks of high winds and low temper winter quarters — a miniature town of atures. On June 29 the wind reached a kennels and street lights — and ANTARCTIC September; 1977 repairing equipment, painting jobs, and flour bombs, and the Americans calling preparations for the coming season left out the station fire brigade in their the rest of the team little time to reflect defence. The New Zealanders were on the rigours of an Antarctic winter. supported by four of the biggest and most ferocious looking huskies from Although June was the darkest time of the winter, on clear days a red glow their base, each carrying the New could be seen on the horizon from Zealand flag into battle. After the fun Arrival Heights. And the weather was was over everyone enjoyed a cake fairly normal with a maximum temper specially baked by the Americans, and ature of minus lldeg (much warmer the liquid supplies brought by the New than at McMurdo Station) and a mini Zealanders. mum of minus 45deg. The strongest gust Ross Dependency Day was celebrated of wind was 54 knots. on July 30 with a barbecue in the garage After experiencing the Mid-winter's to which the Americans were invited, and the month ended with an arts and Day hospitality of the Americans on crafts exhibition at McMurdo Station. Scott Base was well-represented with

himself with a magnificent menu of five courses, which included turkey, ham, LOW TEMPERATURE chicken, and lamb, plum pudding, Extensive ionospheric disturbance strawberries, raspberries, and ice and auroras caused some communicat cream. The traditional exchange of ions trouble about the middle of the home-made gifts followed, and the day month; it did not stop one of the science ended with a party to which all ihe technicians, Ian Minchington, from Americans were invited. ringing a friend in England to celebrate his birthday. The average temperature HINT OF SUN for the month was minus 25deg C, and the lowest was minus 45deg. On July 27 As July went by the noonday skies the wind gusted up to 68 knots. grew steadily lighter, and beautiful red glows to the north indicated that the sun August was notable for the steady was definitely on the way up again. The return of daylight, from a couple of first good glow with red and purple tints hours a day at the beginning of the was observed above the mountains to month to almost a normal ration by the the west of the base on July 23, and the end. Rumours that the sun had been hint, that the sun and the first aircraft peeping over the horizon at noon since could be expected in just over a month August 20 were not accepted because the brought an increase in activity by the intervention of Mt Erebus and Hut Point winter team. Peninsula does not allow it to be observed from Scott Base until later in Work around the buildings and the month. preparations for the new season kept everyone busy during the month, but But the Americans acted on the there was time for social and individual rumour, and raised their flag for the activities. On July 4 the Americans season on August 20 to mark the return celebrated their Independence Day, and of the sun. Their ceremony, attended by were reminded of the fighting two some New Zealanders, was preceded by centuries ago when the New Zealanders temperatures of minus 46.7deg and launched a raid to capture Mrs Donna minus 42.2deg on August 18 and 19, and Oliver, the only woman at McMurdo was marked by a bitter north-east wind. Station. There was not the slightest sign of sunshine, and the view up McMurdo A cheerful battle was fought with the Sound at noon consisted entirely of New Zealanders using fire crackers and cloud. September, 1977 ANTARCTIC FLAG RAISED the own fashion by two of the base huskies, Teia and Betty. The results of Two days later in similar weather the their union are expected towards the end base cook, Roel Keizer, ran up the flag of October. first flown at the Scott Base 20th anni versary celebrations in January. But the winter party and a small American contingent did not wait for the sun to 87 Men and One appear; they hastily retired to the warmth and security of the mess for tea Woman and sausage rolls. Later in the month One woman lived and worked on Ross Kevin Weatherall, the senior science Island last winter. Mrs Donna Oliver, technician, and Howard Richards went who was also the only woman to winter to Arrival Heights and claimed to have in the Antarctic this year, will return seen the sun from there, but the report next month to McMurdo Station where was dismissed as just another she will help her marine biologist traveller's tale. husband in his studies of benthic In the last two weeks everybody was communities in McMurdo Sound. too busy to waste time trying to locate Life on Ross Island, where she was the the elusive sun which had not been only woman among 87 men (including sighted since April 25. One of the busiest her husband) at McMurdo Station and was the postmaster, Ian Johnstone, who Scott Base, was a happy experience for had to deal with a rush of stamp sales, Donna Oliver although she did not see and a flood of mail to be flown back to the sun until the day she flew to Christ New Zealand by the first aircraft in church on her way for some weeks of September. sunshine on the Great Barrier Reef, Maintenance of the transmitters, Queensland. She was quickly accepted overhauling toboggans ready for the as one of the winter team — a scientist summer, and keeping the base vehicles with a job to do. in running order, kept the winter team John and Donna Oliver went south in busy both inside and outside the base. December last year. During the winter And the weather did not make some he made 41 dives in the waters of tasks any easier as the Post Office radio McMurdo Sound through holes in the sea technician, George Money, found when ice, and she was a safety tender in he had to fix a broken stay wire on an freezing temperatures above each time. aerial mast. The job involved climbing When off duty as a scientist Donna took 9m up the mast to the accompaniment of her turn with the men on the mess duties a 20-knot wind and a temperature of roster. In her leisure time she did about minus 30deg. 20 minutes transcendental meditation twice a day. This reduced tensions, and DOMESTIC TOUCH helped her keep to a regular sleep and work pattern during the winter night. To end the official winter the thermo meter recorded the lowest temperature Donna also did daily exercises — in of the year so far — a bracing minus spite of them she put on 5lbs extra 47deg. The strongest wind for the month, weight — and spent one hour and a half though not the highest for the year, was each day writing a diary. She believes it a respectable 60 knots. And during the will be helpful when she does her dissert month the base seismograph in the ation for a doctorate in psychology. laboratory identified the strongest When Donna left McMurdo Station earthquake ever recorded (8.9 on the Richter scale) somewhere in the Indian this month she still had masses of Ocean. untouched wool which she had intended to knot and crochet during the winter. A nice domestic touch during the But she did manage to do a needlepoint month was the celebration of sunrise in rug and a wall hanging. ANTARCTIC September, 1977 Australia to Increase Operations Plans for a major build-up of Australia's operations in the Antarctic have been announced by the Minister for Science (Senator James Webster). These include design and feasability studies for a ship to transport men, equipment, and supplies south, a major rebuilding programme at the four Australian stations in the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic, and more research in southern waters. For many years Australia has had to aircraft will be able to fly between support its Antarctic stations by Australia and the Antarctic. chartering Danish ice-strengthened polar ships. But the Nella Dan and the In the past Australian Antarctic Thala Dan will soon reach the end of research has been confined almost their useful lives. Australia's own exclusively to the land and ice mass. expedition ship would cost between $15 Senator Webster says that the decision million and $20 million, and could be to begin marine research this financial completed in time for service in 1982-83. year in waters off Australia's sector is of It would be supported by a chartered major significance in view of the cargo ship. potential of Antarctic waters to con tribute to the world's supplies of food To reduce its dependence on ships and and minerals. It is also in the national allow more short-term visits to Antarc interest to have a sound scientific basis tica by Australian scientists, Australia for safeguarding the unique will co-operate now with the United environment from the threats posed by States and New Zealand in the transport exploitation of the Antarctic oceans. of scientists and support staff, and in science and logistics. This season a MAJOR PROGRAMME Royal Australian Air Force crew will fly, with the Royal New Zealand Air Responsibility for the new initiatives Force on the annual supply flights by in the Antarctic will be in the hands of Hercules aircraft between Christchurch the Antarctic Division of the and McMurdo Station. Department of Science. As well as being designed to carry the bulk of expedition NEXT SEASON staff and cargo to Mawson, Casey, and Davis, the ship which the Antarctic Next season the R.A.A.F. will have its Division will operate, will also be Hercules aircraft in the summer airlift equipped to support scientific studies of by the United States and New Zealand. the marine areas of Antarctica In return the United States Navy's ski- equipped Hercules aircraft will fly Aust A major programme of building ralian scientists and support staff from reconstruction and replacement at the McMurdo Station to the Australian present stations will be carried out by station, Casey, more than 2000km away. the Antarctic Division. Expenditure on Eventually Australia will have an air the first phase during the financial year strip at one of its three continental will be $1.2 million. A contract has been stations, Davis. Feasability studies are let already for the prefabrication of a now being made to enable an airstrip to new weather laboratory at Mawson, be built at an estimated cost of $10 which will be shipped south in million to $11 million so that long-range December. September, 1977 ANTARCTIC This laboratory is the first of a new officers with Mr R. B. Thomson, super intendent of the Antarctic Division, mwMmWmmaWmmm D.S.I.R., in Canberra and Melbourne tested successfully at Mawson earlier last month. He suggested the transport this year. The new design will provide of Australian scientists by way of Christ for larger buildings, economies in church and McMurdo Station to Senator heating and maintenance, and better Webster when the Australian Minister accommodation at all stations. visited Scott Base and McMurdo Station in January this year. To carry out the new programme the Antarctic Division will need more staff. New Zealanders and Australians will Approval has been given for the begin their co-operation in scientific employment of 15 more scientists, research this season. A leading technical, and building trades staff. Australian glaciologist, Dr W. F. Budd, of the Antarctic Division, will spend two FUTURE PLANS to three weeks working with New Zealand glaciologists in the dry valleys Arrangements for co-operation of Victoria Land. Next season a joint between Australia, New Zealand, and scientific survey of North Victoria Land, the United States in future Antarctic extending over three seasons, is planned programmes were discussed by Senator Webster and his Antarctic Division by the two countries. Bryan O'Brien Served in Second Byrd Expedition

One of the 36 New Zealanders who known for his children's series, "Story- helped to crew the ships of Rear time with Bryan O'Brien", and his Admiral Richard Byrd's second travel series. He retired from broad Antarctic Expedition in 1933-35 died in casting in 1966. ^^^^^^ Wellington last month. He was Benjamin Roy O'Brien best known as Gardeners at Scott radio broadcaster under the name of Bryan O'Brien, and served aboard the Base Jacob Ruppert on her first voyage from Tomato plants grown this winter from Wellington to the Bay of Whales. a packet of seeds found on a shelf in the science laboratory are still flourishing O'Brien, who was 76, was a former at Scott Base. By the end of last month 32 president of the Wellington branch of the plants had reached a height of 45.7cm. New Zealand Antarctic Society. He travelled extensively round the Pacific With the aid of a packet of potting mix after the Second World War, and spent also found in the laboratory, Kevin two years in Thailand from 1950 when he Weatherall, senior science technician, was public relations officer in the Far and another science technician, Ian East for the United Nations Inter Minchington, managed to germinate national Children's Emergency Fund. their seeds in March. Grown under Later he visited the United States, fluorescent lights, the plants are now in Mexico, Middle East and Japan. larger pots, and vermiculite obtained from the biological laboratory at A law graduate from Victoria McMurdo Station has been added to the University of Wellington, O'Brien original potting mix. But because of the practised his profession in Wellington lack of sunshine the leaves on the plants from 1926 to 1934. He joined the are smaller than usual, and some are Wellington commercial radio station showing traces of yellow because of the 2ZB when it opened in 1937, and became artificial light. *:■'-- mm ANTARCTIC September, 1977 B.A.S. NEWS Damaged Aircraft Will Be Replaced All the British Antarctic Survey bases reported an unusually mild start to the winter, and at Signy Island in the South Orkney Islands persistent northerly winds kept pack ice away until early July. There are 80 men wintering at the five main bases, 46 of them first- year men. They have completed their usual winter routines, and are looking forward to the summer arrivals by the Royal Research Ship John Biscoe, which sailed from Southampton on September 21, and the R.R.S. Bransfield, which sails on October 21. This season the B.A.S. will be able to and Halley Bay have been abbreviated resume normal summer activities with to Rothera, Signy, and Halley. The last adequate air support. In spite of present change is an overdue rationalisation as financial stringencies the National the embayment in the ice front to which Environmental Research Council has the name of Halley Bay was given in 1956 decided to replace the Twin-Otter has long since disappeared, although aircraft which was damaged beyond several small creeks remain. repair when it flew into a snow slope on January 22 during field operations south King Edward Point on South Georgia of George VI Sound. Last season's field is also to be renamed. It may revert to work had to be curtailed, but as the new Grytviken, the name of the nearby aircraft will be available this season disused whaling station by which it was programmes will not have to be known during the International Geophy reduced. sical Year. Plans have been made for the R.R.S. Trips to various field huts on Signy John Biscoe to be withdrawn for a major Island continued through the winter, but refit in 1978-79. She has been in contin lack of ice around the island delayed uous service since she was launched in more extensive travel. Persistent 1956, and has needed only normal main northerly winds kept the area free of tenance. pack ice longer than ever before recorded. Its arrival on July 9 was accompanied by the usual sudden drop the N.E.R.C. in its submission to the in temperature to about minus 20deg Celsius, and the sea then froze. Advisory Board for Research Councils to cover the cost of the refit. This GARDEN CROPS provides for a new engine, alteration to the superstructure, and accommodation Although the winter started mildly, .amh f^»iiifios The worj< should fast ice in Borge Bay, Signy Island, enabled winter diving programmes to Jiscoe's period of be resumed in June, and first-year men Antarctic service by 10 to 15 years. were initiated into the techniques of NEW NAMES diving through holes in the ice. Two land-lubbers who remained ashore New names have been adopted for concentrated on indoor gardening, four B.A.S. bases, and a fifth will also be producing large quantities of mustard renamed. The Argentine Island base is and cress, and bean shoots, and now Faraday, and the bases at Rothera successful crops of tomatoes, straw Point on Adelaide Island, Signey Island, berries, onions and broad beans. September, 1977 ANTARCTIC

Buildings under construction in the 1976-77 season at Rothera, the new British Antarctic Survey base on Adelaide Island off the Antarctic Peninsula. The base, originally named Rothera Point, is 64km to the north east of the old Adelaide Island base. b.a.s. photo: b. cane In July the men at Faraday made NEW RECRUITS recreational excursions from the _ „ , ...... „ . .. _ AMDn»inQToionHcnn05rhvi<:ianHc ,nH Staff numbers and activities at the

Marambio and Palmer stations. On the back from the Antarctic are writing return ingot it uroppeu uneApeuieu cum welcome gifts of food and new being completed for the coming season. magazines. Whale and seal research is now Thirteen men at the new Rothera base concentrated in Cambridge. Several 64km north-east of the old Adelaide rooms in the B.A.S. headquarters are isiana Dase, nave continued interior normanontlv r»r»mini«»H V»V thp SaAIS work on the new buildings. The kitchen, Research Unit of the Institute for Marine Environmental Research, which moved from Lowestoft last year, room, have been in use for several and the Whales Research Unit of the months. Institute of Oceanographic Sciences, Winter work at Halley Bay included which moved fro/n London at the end of digging an emergency shaft down to the 1976. ionospherics hut which is some distance Both units remain separate bodies but away from the main buildings, and is augment the B.A.S. Life Sciences now buried under 6m of show. Division, and the Whales Research Unit Fortunately the right spot was chosen, is now under the personal direction of and the shaft was completed in 24 hours. the B.A.S. director, Dr R. M. Laws. The Men at King Edward Point visited International Whaling Commission their new Maiviken hut during the secretariat, which has also moved to winter. They had a Polish visitor in June Cambridge, is in a separate building, — a trawler fishing for krill, and operat and remains part of the Ministry of ing from the new Polish base, Henryk Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food, Arctowski, on King George Island in the entirely separate from B.A.S. and the South Shetlands. Scott Polar Research Institute. ANTARCTIC September, 1977 JARE-19 PLANS Rocket Launchings at Syowa Station Upper atmosphere research projects form the major part of the scientific programme of the 19th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition (JARE-19) which will be conducted at Syowa Station and Mizuho Camp about 300km to the south-east on the inland ice, in 1977-79. Next year six sounding rockets will be launched at Syowa Station — two in summer and four in winter — to continue Japan's observations for the International Magnetosphere Study (IMS 1977- 79). Geological and biological surveys will be made near Lutz-Holm Bay this summer, and four men will winter at Mizuho Camp to carry out upper atmosphere and meteorological research. This season's programme will be have a peak altitude of 130 km, and carry initiated in November when the ice a payload of 11kg. Equipment carried by breaker Fuji sails from Tokyo under the both types is designed to obtain inform command of Captain Tsunezo ation on electron density, auroral Kuramoto, who will be making his fifth particles, VLF radio waves, ozone, and Antarctic trip. After a call at the magnetic field. Fremantle, the Fuji is expected off Syowa Station late in December. Geophysical data transmitted from satellites — ISIS 1 and II, NOAA III and There are 40 men in the JARE-19 IV, and EXOS-A, will be received by the winter and summer parties. An Antarc auto-tracking system installed at Syowa tic veteran, Dr Takeo Hirasawa, will Station in January last year. Other lead the winter party of 30. He is an relevant research projects in upper upper atmosphere physicist from the atmosphere physics will include a study University of Tokyo, and first wintered of the aurora and the ionosphere, with JARE-8 in 1967-68. In 1969-70 he natural VLF emissions, and went south with JARE-11's summer geomagnetic variations. party to take charge of the sounding rocket programme. Then he returned to Scientific programmes at Syowa lead the 1973-74 winter party. Station will also cover various disci plines such as meteorology, seismology, In February next year Japan's three- oceanography, geochemistry, and year programme for the IMS will medical science, which will include continue when the first of six sounding studies of bacteriological and other con rockets will be launched from Syowa taminations by men in Antarctica. The Station. The rocket will be one of the S- seismological programme will include 310JA type, which has a payload of 40kg, the recording of natural earthquakes. and can reach an altitude of 200km. MARINE STUDIES SMALLER PAYLOAD Biologists will make an ecological S-210JA rockets, which have a smaller survey of land arthropods in ice-free payload, will be launched in March and areas along Soya Coast, and study the April. A second S-310JA will be launched physiology of marine animals near between May and June, and the last two Syowa Station. Other summer activities S-210JAs in July and between August in the vicinity of Lutzow-Holm Bay and September. The smaller rockets where Syowa Station is located on East September, 1977 ANTARCTIC Ongul Island include a geological survey JARE-18 winter party at Syowa Station of ice-free areas on the east coast of the led by Dr Kou Kusunoki, head of the bay, and a similar survey of Sinnon research division of the National Rocks and Ryugu Point on the Prince Institute of Polar Research, the Fuji will Olav Coast. sail for Port Louis, Mauritius. She is expected in Tokyo in April after a call at Activities planned at Mizuho Camp Singapore. between February, 1978 and January, 1979, will include studies of the aurora SUMMER PARTY 1977-78 and airglow, VLF signal measure Masami Ohse (acting-leader); ments, and ionospheric absorption. These will be conducted between March Masakatsu Nobukuni, Katsuyuki Oda, and October next year. The small winter (oceanographer); Hiroshi Kanda (biologist); Toshio Kunimi (geophysic- party will also continue the meteorolog ical and geomagnetic programmes. ist-surveyor); Yutaka Nakai, Takashi Kano, Shinichi Yoshikura (geologist); Marine science programmes and Yukio Suzuki (logistic support); upper atmosphere physics studies will Katsutada Kaminuma (geophysicist). be carried out aboard the Fuji by the WINTER PARTY JARE-19 summer party. This season marine biological work will include the Takeo Hirasawa (leader); Masahiro collection of benthic animals in Lutzow- Yasuda, Tatsuji Sato, Takashi Holm Bay again, measurement of Matsumoto, Susumu Kaneto (meteor chlorophyll content in the surface sea ologists); Kiyoshi Igarashi (upper water, and ecological study of phyto- atmosphere physicist); Kazuharu plankton and zooplankton. Koike (geophysicist); MasanoriNishino OTHER PROJECTS (upper atmosphere physicist); Masasuke Kanemitsu (rocket engin Other summer projects planned are a eer); Kiichiro Suzuki (upper atmos geodetic control survey along the Prince phere physicist); Takashi Nakayama Olav Coast, and an ecological survey of (rocket engineer); Hisao Yamagishi bryophytes in the ice-free areas along (upper atmosphere physicist); Osamu the coast. The ecological survey will Watanabe (rocket engineer); Kenji also be done along the Soya Coast.s Ishizawa, Shigehiko Tsuzurahara (upper atmosphere physicists); Six Japanese scientists will work in Tomoyuki Ito (meteorologist); Yoshi- the McMurdo Sound area this summer kuni Ohyama (biologist); Miho Minooka with the United States and New Zealand (human physiologist); Sadao Takeuchi, research programmes. Dr Keizo Yanai Mitsuyoshi Suzuki, Keizo Ushiki, Masa- and Minora Funaki, geologists from the michi Ebizawa (mechanics); Michio National Institute of Polar Research in Akiyama (radio engineer); Tadashi Tokyo, will continue the search for Okuda, Fusao Saito (radio operators); meteorites and geological studies of Katsuo Koike, Kazuo Aburaya (cooks); dike rocks in the McMurdo Sound region Akira Minami (surgeon); Tatsuo (mainly in the Wright Valley and the Ohkubo (logistic support); Hiromi Carapace Nunatak areas). Last season Mitsuhashi (architect). 11 meteorites were collected by a United States-Japanese party. Last season a Japanese team led by Dr Tetsuya Torii worked in the dry valleys of Victoria Land and made limnological studies of lakes in the area. Dr Torii will return this summer, and will work with Dr T. Cho, A. Yamada, and T. Yukawa. After the relief in February of the

L.I?*:»M?j ANTARCTIC September, 1977 WHALING QUOTAS CUT BY COMMISSION Once again calls for a 10-year moratorium on all commercial Whalingu£ rng r?r Commission a11. sPecies at its were 29th not annual accepted meeting by inthe Canberra International But it made a cut of 38 per cent in quotas for the 1977-78 and 1978 seasons as a result the total catch of all species has been reduced to 17 839 Last year's quotas were set at 28,591. The cut is the largest ever made by the commission in one year. A report to the meeting on whaling activities in the 1976-77 Antarctic season, and the 1976 season elsewhere showed that 27,484 whales were caught compared with 32,640 in the previous season.

Hardest hit by the cut are the two Animals, International Transport lajor whaling nations, Japan and the Workers' Federation, World Federat oviet• 75 Union,per cent which of all jointlywhales accounted killed last ion for the Protection of Animals, Worlc Wildlife Federation, Friends of tl son. This is because the commission Earth, Greenpeace, International reduced the sperm whale quota in the Ocean Institute, Sierra Club, Project North Pacific this season to 763 females Jonah. only. Last season's quota was 7200 (4320 males and 2880 females). Lower quotas STIFFER LIMITS were set also for Bryde's and minke whales in the North Pacific. The Bryde's There have been calls for a 10-year whale quota was reduced from 1000 to moratorium on all commercial whaling 524, and minke whale quota from 541 to since 1972 when the proposal was made 400. first by the United Nations conference on the human environment in Seventeen nations were represented Stockholm. Pressure for a moratorium at the meeting — Japan, Britain, Soviet has come from the non-whaling nations Union, United States, Canada, on the commission, chiefly the United Australia, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, States, and international conservation South Africa, New Zealand, Brazil, groups. The calls have not been Mexico, Argentine, Panama, and the accepted by the commission, but it has Netherlands. Ten of these — Argentina, responded to demands for stiffer limits Britain, Canada, Denmark, France, on whaling to protect existing stocks. Mexico, New Zealand, Panama, United States, and the Netherlands, are non- This year no country actually whaling nations, New Zealand rejoined proposed a moratorium at the commiss the commission last year after eight ion meeting, not even the United States, years' absence, and the Netherlands despite a personal message from joined this year. President Carter reaffirming American support for a 10-year moratorium, and Non-government organisations with promising that no whaling would be per observers at the meeting were: Inter mitted in the recently-imposed 200-mili national Council for the Exploration of fishing zone. Acceptance of the Sea, International Commission for moratorium requires a three-quarteia South-East Atlantic Fisheries, Inter majority of members of the national Union for the Conservation of commission, and at present there are Nature and National Resources, Inter seven whaling to 10 non-whaling national Society for the Protection of countries. September. 1977 ANTARCTIC New Zealand expressed support for a Japan and the Soviet Union again total moratorium if scientists had any objected when the commission accepted reasonable doubt about the survival of a United States resolution to reduce the the species. The New Zealand delegate, Southern Hemisphere minke whale Mr J. V. Scott, said that quotas had to be quota from 8900 to 5690. The two nations clearly seen to err on the side of caution, called for a marginal reduction to 8585. and fully and firmly enforced. New Minke whales are relatively small, but Zealand's policy was based on the princ have been sought by Japan because they iple of conservation through proper yield meat for human consumption. international management of all whale Southern Hemisphere sperm whale stocks on a global basis. quotas by country for the 1977-78 season, WHALE STOCKS agreed to after the meeting were: Soviet Union, 3213 males, 950 females; Japan, Japan and the Soviet Union opposed 772-226; Brazil, 17,17; Australia, 536,177. calls for a 10-year moratorium, and In 1976-77 Australia's quota was 508 expressed concern about increasing males and 116 females. pressure by the majority of the nations of the commission, and international Catch limits for the North Atlantic in conservation groups to reduce or stop the 1978 season were set at almost the whaling. Both countries criticised the same level as those that applied in 1977. commission's management and They are (1977 quotas in brackets): conservation policy which has been in minke, 2555 (3024); fin, 459 (455); operation since 1975, and also question sperm, 685 (685); sei, 84 (132). Bound ed the scientific committee's assess aries for most North Atlantic whale ment of sperm whale stocks. stocks were adopted by the commission. There will be seven fin, four minke, and Both Japan and the Soviet Union two sei whale stocks. objected strongly to the recommend ation by the scientific committee for a OTHER NATIONS reduction of 90 per cent in the quotas for sperm whales in the North Pacific. This Action to reduce the activities of the recommendation followed calculations six non-member whaling nations — by the commission's scientists that the Peru, Chile, Spain, Portugal, South North Pacific sperm whales are being Korea, and Somalia, which together over-exploited. The Soviet Union called account for 10 to 15 per cent of the world for a further scientific analysis of the catch, was taken by the commission. It sperm whale population. adopted a Canadian resolution urging commission members not to import As a result of these objections the whale products from non-member commission agreed to a special meeting countries or to transfer vessels, of the scientific committee in November equipment, and technology to them. to reconsider information on North Pacific sperm whale stocks before the This resolution was designed to apply start of the 1978 season. Depending on pressure on Japan. Statistics from the the outcome of these discussions, the Japan Marine Importers' Association chairman of the commission, Mr A. G. show that last year Japan imported 1492 Bollen, may call a special meeting of the tonnes of whale meat from Peru, and commission to consider amending the almost equal amounts from Somalia, North Pacific sperm whale quotas. Spain, and South Korea. NEW QUOTAS Peru, Spain, and South Korea had observers at the commission's meeting. Sperm whale quotas in the Southern They made statements of intent to abide Hemisphere have been increased by the by the commission's quotas in their commission to 4538 males and 1370 whaling. Another non-member whaling females, compared with 3894 males and country, Chile, also had an observer. 897 females last year. The sei whale quota has been reduced from 1863 to 771. Two more whale species were added

■ *^ ■ %-mW ■ ■ -: s I j.IH ■

ANTARCTIC September, 1977 to the commission's protected stocks. It protected, sustained management, and took steps to bring all medium-sized initial management — according to whales under its control. These include their relative abundance. bottlenose, beaked, pilot, and killer whales. New procedures were laid down for Full protection was given to the bottle- prior international scientific review of nose whale which is found on Norwegian national special permit applications. waters. It has been rapidly declining in Under the I.W.C. Convention member numbers during the last few years. nations may issue permits to take Catching of the bowhead whale, tradit whales for scientific study. ionally hunted by Eskimos in Alaskan waters, was prohibited. A research programme on humane killing of whales will be developed by the Maintenance of its management and commission. It will be based on a conservation policy was agreed to by the comprehensive review of all available commission. Under this policy all whale information, and whaling nations will be stocks throughout the world are classif required to report on more humane ied on the basis of the latest scientific methods. Australia and Iceland have advice into three categories — agreed to participate in such research. TOURISM Antarctic Day Trips

by Airlines V- ' ■ ■ Two international airlines, Air New Zealand and Qantas will provide' 'day trips" to Antarctica again this summer. Last summer the airlines made five flights south from Australia and New Zealand; this time seven flights are planned between October and February. Air New Zealand, which made two Auckland the DClOs will fly over Inver DC10 flights to the McMurdo Sound area on February 15 and 22, will make four on cargill, the Auckland Islands, the ■ Balleny Islands, and Cape Hallett to "' '"' '" ' N" 'srl, 8, and 15. McMurdo Soum mmmmsm Campbell Isiai.„ .... _,, to the South Magnetic Pole on February Christchurch on the return journey. 13 and 20, and a Boeing 707 from Mel bourne to Cape Washington in Victoria Qantas flights will be made on special Land. This summer all the flights by charters for Dick Smith Electronics Boeing 747B will be from Sydney, the Pty. Ltd, whose founder organised the first to the South Magnetic Pole on first two flights last summer. Three December l, and the others to the hundred seats will be offered for each Admiralty Range area of Victoria Land flight, and the fares will be A$305 first on December 8 and February 6. class, and A$249 economy class. Each Air New Zealand flight will be On the flight to the South Magnetic made from Auckland to McMurdo Pole the organisers hope to sight and Sound or, if weather dictates, to the photograph Sir Douglas Mawson's hut at South Magnetic Pole and along the Cape Denison in Commonwealth Bay, Antarctic coastline past the Mertz .and which has been there for 65 years. The Ninnis Glaciers — the destination of the flights to the Admiralty Range area will first Qantas flight last summer. From pass over mountains up to 4114m high.

vt&tfS't'b*■ I September, 1977 Waste Not Left Behind at Scott Base By Colin Monteath As man's involvement in the Antarctic grows so does the pile of waste left in his wake. To dispose or recycle this waste properly in an ecologically sound and economic fashion, has become an increasing problem to all who work on the continent. Traditionally most coastal Antarctic the strict measures accepted by the stations have dumped tons of unsorted consultative meeting of the Antarctic garbage on the sea ice in front of their Treaty nations at Oslo in 1975, and now base, relying upon the annual breakout observed by most of the treaty nations. to remove the pile "out of sight". Scott Base too, from its inception, pushed its DISPOSAL PROBLEM unwanted material into the tide crack and pressure ridges in front of Pram Each year now New Zealand Antarct Point. Spasmodic and unpredicable ice ic research programme staff are movement in this area resulted in briefed at their training courses on the garbage being constantly regurgitated disposal problem, and the sorting amongst the pressure ridges. system in use at Scott Base. Separate bulk containers are used at the base for By the early 1960s the volume of metals, plastics, glass, burnables, acids pollutant was so great that a concen etc. trated campaign was started to clean up the waste. Considerable quantities were Field parties have become very sent to the McMurdo Station dump in conscious of the need to remove all Winter Quarters Bay where "better waste (including human waste) from breakout occurs". their camps. They play a significant part in localising potential pollution and This was not the complete answer but at least it was a start. Some of this early increasing its chances for proper waste is now permanently frozen into disposal or removal from the treaty the rolling ice ridges near Scott Base, but Pram Point is at least a reasonably Colin Monteath is field operations officer, Antarctic Division, Department aesthetically appealing area once of Scientific and Industrial Research. again. In the late 1960s an extensive cleaning area. Careful sorting of garbage at its campaign began in the Dry Valley source is as yet only a partially-solved region. Many old food dumps and problem, individual awareness still unused equipment were removed. Great being by far the major barrier. When an care is now taken throughout the dry item is declared "unwanted" the daily valley system to ensure minimal Scott Base 'mouse', field assistant or disturbance of the environment and the storeman places sorts articles in removal of unused material. containers ready for return to New New Zealand made a series of Zealand, generally by ship. proposals to the 1972 SCAR meeting in In the 1972/73 season a Harco Canberra containing suggestions for the industrial incinerator was installed management of waste disposal. These near Scott Base's hangar, and with recommendations formed the basis for blower and oil burner attachments it C T I C S e p t e m b e r , 1 9 7 7 can handle all the base's burnable eliminated in Christchurch to minimise material. A combination of Antarctic the build up of unwanted material at diesel fuel and waste oils is used to fire Scott Base. this incinerator. To my knowledge it is the first operational incinerator in We do not pretend to have all the Antarctica. answers yet to the problem of waste disposal in Antarctica. But a conscious HUMAN WASTE effort is being made in New Zealand. Antarctic research each system to com Human waste was burnt rather bat the growing accumulation of waste inefficiently and spasmodically for a materials. Any comment by those while, and then most "honey bucket" concerned with pollution of the bags were transported to Winter Antarctic environment would be Quarters Bay, particularly during the welcomed. winter. But during the 1976-77 season a formaldehyde chemical toilet system References: was installed in the base so effluent can be piped straight into the tide crack. (i) Pollution and Conservation of the This is permissible as a result of a Antarctic Terrestrial Ecosystem. R. recommendation made at the Oslo Cameron (pp267—306) in "Conservation Problems in Antarctica", edited by B. meeting in 1975. Parker. Allen Press, Kansas, 1972. Since the 1972-73 season increasing (ii) Recommendation VIII — 11 of the quantities of scrap metal, glass, plastic, 8th Antarctic Treaty Consultative- batteries, and battery acids, have been Meeting, 1975, Oslo. "Man's Impact on returned from Scott Base to New the Antarctic Environment", SCAR Zealand. No records were kept before Bulletin No 53, May, 1976. Scott Polar 1972, but the following figures indicate Research Institute, England. the quantities each season. 1972-73: Scrap metal, 300kg, glass Crab Fishing Plan 60kg. 1973-74: Scrap metal, 500kg, glass Japanese interest in exploiting the 60kg. marine resources around the Auckland 1974-75: Scrap metal, 850kg, glass, Islands, which are 305km south of 320kg, plastic, 190kg, batteries and Stewart Island, was reported last battery acid, 250kg. month. A Japanese company, Taiyo 1975-76: Scrap metal 2800kg, glass Gyogye Ltd, wants to catch and process 700kg, plastic, 160kg, batteries and large crabs (Jacquinota edwardsii) battery acid, 350kg. round the islands, which are New 1976-77: Scrap metal, 3280kg, glass Zealand's main crab grounds. 600kg, plastic, 460kg. This Japanese project is proposed to employ two mother ships which work RECYCLING PLANTS the northern waters around Hokkaido during the northern summer. These Where possible these materials are ships have to be laid up during the returned to manufacturers or recycling winter. plants in Canterbury (glass, batteries, acid, some metals). But aluminium, In recent years several surveys have rubber, tin cans and plastics are still been made of the potential of the crab dumped locally. resources in the waters round the Auckland Islands. The Antarctic Division does pay attention to the original packaging of the stores purchased. Preference is given to commodities which are sensibly packed IK in recyclable containers and often wrap- m pers, poor, containers etc, are ■ H September, 1977 T.A.E. Winter Party Holds First Reunion Twenty-three men who wintered at Scott Base 20 years ago came together again for the first time since 1956 when they held their first reunion at Mount Cook last month. They were members of New Zealand's first Antarctic expedition — the winter party of the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition led by Sir Edmund Hillary, and the International Geophysical year party led by Dr Trevor Hatherton. Mount Cook was chosen for the first rial relations, was another surveyor in reunion because the 23 men trained for a the party. He led a northern survey month in the spring of 1956 in Mount journey which sledged more than Cook National Park. It was not possible 1600km, climbed 31 mountains, two for to repeat the Mid-winter's Day celebrat pleasure, and made a topographical and ion at Scott Base on June 21, 1957, but geological reconnaissance of 32,186 before the reunion some members of the square kilometres of mountain country party were guests of honour at Mid between the Mulock and Mawson winter's Day functions in other parts of Glaciers. He added to his experience in New Zealand. the Arctic and Antarctic by climbing in the Himalayas with a British services "Self-elected convenor" of the team after the New Zealand expedition. reunion was Murray Ellis, one of the three members of the winter party who One of the two geologists with Richard went to the South Pole with Sir Edmund Brooke was Bernard Gunn. Now Dr Hillary. The others were Peter Mulgrew Gunn, and a former professor of geo and Jim Bates. With the assistance of chemistry in Montreal, he went back to the British Council the two Englishmen the Antarctic in 1959. Since then he has in the party were able to travel to New been in Australia, India, the United Zealand for the reunion, and Neil States, and Mexico. He arrived back in Sandford, a technical officer in the New Zealand early this year in a 15.2m I.G.Y. party, flew from Australia for the yacht he and his family built, and then occasion. sailed down the St Lawrence into the Atlantic, and across the Caribbean and One of the Englishmen was Dr George the Pacific. Marsh, who was in charge of the New Zealand huskies, and was also the R.N.Z.A.F. FLIGHT winter party's medical officer. Now a haematologist, Dr Marsh made a Of the 18 men in the party led by remarkable southern survey journey Sir Edmund Hillary three formed the with the deputy leader and senior Royal New Zealand Air Force Flight surveyor, J. Holmes (Bob) Miller, which supported the expedition with its present chairman of the Ross Depend Beaver and Auster aircraft. Like Bernie ency Research Committee. They Gunn, the chief pilot, John Claydon, now sledged 2700km in four months and a a retired wing commander, was drawn half — one of the longest sledge journeys to the Himalayas in later years — he in polar history. spent two years in Nepal. The others in the flight were Bill Cranfield, second SURVEY JOURNEY pilot, and Sergeant Wally Tarr, aircraft mechanic. Lieutenant-Commander Richard Brooke, R.N., who now works in indust For their reunion the T.A.E. and 1 P- ;T I C September, 1977 I.G.Y. men were not separated from members was proposed by Sir Robert their wives as they were in the winter of Falla, a veteran of Mawson's British, 1957. They held an informal function at Australia, New Zealand, Antarctic the Hermitage tourist hotel on the night Research Expedition of 1929-31, who of August 6, and the next day were the represented the Antarctic Society on the guests of the New Zealand Alpine Club. Ross Sea Committee. Bob Miller replied A formal dinner was held at Glencoe on behalf of the T.A.E. men. One of the Lodge on the evening of August 7. first two New Zealanders to winter at the South Pole, Mr B. V. Maguire, proposed This T.A.E. and I.G.Y. reunion was a the toast of the Antarctic Treaty nations, unique Antarctic occasion. A regular and the French Ambassador (Mr de occasion in Antarctica and elsewhere is Schonen) replied. the celebration of Midwinter's Day, carrying on a tradition established in the CLOSEST TO POLE early days of the Herioc Age of Down in the "deep south" five former exploration. Antarcticans and their wives organised TERRA NOVA MAN the biggest of the reunion dinners held to mark Midwinter's Day and bring In Christchurch Dr Hatherton was the together men who had worked in the guest speaker at the dinner arranged by Antarctic. The dinner was held on June the Canterbury branch of the New 25 in Gore where the five men live, and Zealand Antarctic Society. The chair which is the closest venue to the South man, Mr R. G. McElrea, presided over Pole for New Zealand Midwinter's Day an attendance of 71. Guests included Bill dinners. Burton, one of the two survivors of the Many of the 98 people present crew of the Terra Nova — Bill McDonald travelled hundreds of miles to attend the could not attend because of ill-health — dinner, some even from the North the president of the society, Mr J. M. Island. Most of the 20 years of New Caffin, and the superintendent of the Zealand Antarctic activity were repres Antarctic Division, D.S.I.R., Mr R. B. ented, and there was a good mixture of Thomson. scientists and Scott Base support staff. Traditional toasts were drunk, and to Guests included Commander R. Moss, end the evening the branch provided an commander of the United States naval Antarctic night-cap. The drink was support force base in Christchurch, and "moose milk," a mixture of rum, Mr C.W.H. Tripp, of Otaraia, a nephew condensed milk and hot water. It was of Mr Leonard Tripp, one of Sir Ernest introduced to Scott Base by Richard Shackleton's closest friends in New Brooke, and became popular with the Zealand. The reunion also brought New Zealanders during the 1957 winter. together two men who had served aboard Antarctic whaling ships, and SEVEN NATIONS some who had served on Campbell Island in the sub-Antarctic. In Wellington the Antarctic Society's branch held its Midwinter's Day Convenor of what was described as the function on the Sunday nearest to the southern region reunion was Mr Harold day. The chairman, Mr R. M. Heke, who Lowe, leader at Vanda Station in the led the construction team which built winter of 1970, and field leader in the Scott Base, presided over an attend 1972-73 programme. His associates are ance of 60. Among the guests were Dr Peter Strang, medical officer with diplomatic representatives of seven of Sir Edmund Hillary's expedition to the the Antarctic Treaty nations — France, Cape Hallett area in 1967, Ron Garrick, Norway, Australia, South Africa, Maurice Sheehan, and Roger Jones. Argentina, Chile, and the Soviet Union. Their wives planned and presented a five-course candlelight dinner, and As the theme of the occasion was the coffee was served in mugs specially 20th anniversary of the T.A.E party, it crafted at a local pottery, and marked was appropriate that the toast to its "O.A.E." (Old Antarctic Explorer).

yv- ANTARCTIC is published quarterly in March, June, September, and December. It is the only periodical in the world which gives regular up-to-date news of the Antarctic activities of all the nations at work in the far south. It has a world wide circulation. Yearly subscription NZ$4.50, Overseas NZ$5.50, includes postage (airmail postage extra), single copies $1.00. Details of back issues available, may be obtained from the Secretary, New Zealand Antarctic Society (Inc.), P.O. Box 1223, Christchurch, New Zealand. Back issues more than five years old are $1.50. Discount of 10 per cent for 20 or more copies. Overseas subscribers are asked to ensure that their remittances are converted to New Zealand currency.

The New Zealand Antarctic Society (Inc.)

The New Zealand Antarctic Society was formed in 1933. It comprises New Zealanders and overseas friends, many of whom have seen Antarctica for themselves, and all of whom are vitally interested in some phase of Antarc tic exploration, development, or research. The society has taken an active part in restoring and maintaining the historic huts in the Ross Dependency and has been involved in the establishment of a national Antarctic centre at the Canterbury Museum, Christchurch. There are two branches of the society and functions are arranged through out the year. You are invited to become a member, South Island residents should write to the Canterbury secretary, North Islanders should write to the Wellington secretary, and overseas residents to the secretary of the New Zealand Society. For address, see below. The yearly membership fee is NZ$3.00 (or equivalent local currency). Membership fee, overseas and local, including "Antarctic", NZ$6.50. New Zealand Secretary P.O. Box 1223, Christchurch Branch Secretaries Canterbury: P.O. Box 404, Christchurch. Wellington: P.O. Box 2110, Wellington. - • . 1 , ■ 1 m ■

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