aniamcik Bulletin Vol. 13 No. 6 June 1994 VOIlOdVlNV Antarctic Vol. 13 No. 6 Issue No. 149 June 1994 Contents Polar New Zealand 226 Australia 238 France 240, 263 ANTARCTIC is published Germany 246 United Kingdom 249 quarterly by the New Zealand United States 252 Antarctic Society Inc., 1979 ISSN 0003-5327 Sub Antarctic See France Editor: Robin Ormerod Please address all editorial General inquiries, contributions etc to the: Editor, P.O. Box 2110, Able restored 269 Wellington N.Z. Antarctic Heritage Trusts 268 Telephone: (04) 4791.226 Antarctic Treaty 262 International: + 64 4 + 4791.226 Cape Roberts deferred 229 Fax: (04) 4791.185 Last dogs leave 249 International: + 64 4 + 4791.185 Emperors of Antarctica 264 Lockheed Contract 231 All NZ administrative enquiries Vanda Station 232 should go to the: National Secretary, P O. Box Obituaries 404, Christchurch All overseas administrative Dr Trevor Hatherton 271 enquiries should go to the: Overseas Secretary, P.O. Box Books 2110, Wellington, NZ Mind over Matter 274 Inquiries regarding back issues of Shadows over wasteland 276 Antarctic to P.O. Box 16485, Christchurch Cover: En route to the Emperor pen guin colony at Cape Crozier April 1992. \C) No part of this publication may be produced in any way without the prior permis sion of the publishers. Photo: Max Quinn ANTARCTIC June 1994 Vol.13 No. 6 New Zealand Successful airdrop breaks winter routine for 11 New Zealanders The midwinter airdrop took place in good conditions as scheduled on Tuesday June 21 and Thursday June 23. Each flight was undertaken by a Starlifter, refuelled en route by KC10 Extender, and crewed by up to 28 members from the selected team, some of whom came from 62nd Group McCord Airbase in the US. Among the cargo handlers were four from the New Zealand army including Staff Sergeant Wayne Henry who has been involved with the drop for many years and who was making his last trip before retiring. Approximately 50001bs of goods and equipment packed into five bundles was designated for Scott Base. Overall it comprised some 5001bs of mail, over 4001bs of fresh fruit and vegetables, 201bs of chocolates, and, packed separately, making up the actual cargo of 3,877 lbs, was one axle and some field equipment required for the summer programme. The resupply, which included some 37,056 lbs of cargo for McMurdo, was dropped from 1,000 feet in the designated zone at Williams Field shortly after 1100 hours on both days. The next series of flights south are scheduled to begin on August 22 when between nine and 12 will be made as part of WINFLY Six of the Scott Base team assisted 26 with a dinner on the Saturday and a with the first airdrop, two in a Search BBQ and swim on the Sunday. The and Rescue, capacity and four in the dinner was to begin about 7 p.m. Al cargo recovery and five of the Scott though the final menu was not available Base team helped with the second the likely format was a smorgasbord operation, two on SAR and three on including whitebait fritters with garlic cargo recovery. The drop was made in and herb butter; grilled sea-food in Ital good conditions and, as press time for ian sauce; oriental kebab with chutney Antarctic coincided with midwinter cel curry and rice; fried chicken; corn in ebrations, it was assumed that the Spanish aspic; roast beef and roast cargo had arrived accordingly. pork with roast potatoes, fresh mid- Midwinter weekend was being cel Winter Williams Garden Salad, baked ebrated at Scott Base on June 25 and Mt. Erebus Flame Thrower; hot choco- 226 Vol.13. No.6 June 1994 ANTARCTIC late sauce, coffee and Alabama iced tea. fined mainly to ground based measure (No mention has been made of the alco ments at Arrival Heights. During the holic component but Antarctic is confi winter one of the NIWA team Stephen dent this would not have been over Wood has been launching balloons to looked.) gather data. The programme involves a The fresh supplies dropped at mid range of balloons. winter are being supplemented by the The first winter flights of the produce from the hydroponics depart 160,000 cubic metre balloons with in ment This programme has operated struments to measure the concentration for a number of years now but this of nitric acid, particles of various sizes, season it has been split into two sepa ozone and temperature was launched rate units to allow a broader spectrum on March 27, later than scheduled of plants to be grown. Lettuce and because of problems with the equip tomatoes are regularly produced but ment that allows the liquid helium to because they require very different lev cool to an extraordinarily low tempera els of nutrients, a stronger solution has ture. However the flight went well been used in the tank where tomatoes covering 54 km in three hours and land are grown while in the other, it is of ing only 23 km from Scott Base. The medium strength. The second tank is equipment was recovered by ground being used for lettuces, herbs and other vehicle. A second flight was attempted leafy greens. In the greenhouse basil, on May 12 by which time the whole of thyme, chives, mint, lettuce, savoy cab the atmosphere up to 30km had expe bage, silverbeet, capsicums chillies, rienced sunset. Because of premature sugarsnap peas, radishes, daikon (Japa balloon failure and instrument prob nese radish) are being grown. Mari lems a second flight was launched on golds and petunias are also being pro May 27 after waiting several days for duced in the programme which is oper calm enough weather. This was more ating under the watchful eye and at successful but it will be the last flight of tendance of Belinda "Green-fingers" the big balloons until further supplies of Bennett, the Scott Base Hydroponics liquid helium arrive on WINFLY in Au Horticulturist, who also doubles as an gust. assistant science technician and base In the meantime smaller 19,000 support officer. cubic foot balloons with ozone and tem Since March the science and engi perature sensors are being flown twice neering work programmes have been a week with additional equipment to proceeding according to plan and some take water vapour measurements on are ahead of schedule. alternate flights. Slightly larger 54,000 cubic foot Winter ozone studies balloons with particle counters are also being launched about once a fortnight One of the major winter science when polar atmospheric clouds are likely to be present. The timing will be judged programmes is the measurement of trace from temperature soundings from the gases in the atmosphere to see how they small balloons, satellite measurements affect the amount of ozone. The pro and the lidar experiment operating at gramme is being undertaken by the McMurdo and is important because the NIWA (National Institute of Water and clouds are one of the key elements in Atmosphere) team at Lauder in Central ozone depletion. Otago and it has previously been con The final sunset for the winter team 227 ANTARCTIC June 1994 Vol.13 No. 6 this year was on April 22. Although by other facilities to dabble in ceramics, that time it hadn't been seen from the country and western dancing, and ori Base for two weeks team members trav gami while three are involved in run elled regularly to Castle Rock to observe ning a popular music session on the its departure. The occasion was marked local radio station. by a formal dinner, a sunset swim and the usual barbecue. For the dinner Winterising French onion soup, garlic bread, a seafood platter and pasta, New Zea Not all the New Zealand activities land lamb a la Wellington, Chicken have been confined to base or McMurdo. dumplings, curry and rice with chutney, In late March three parties travelled to and roast potatoes and steamed veg Black Island, some, with the intention of etables made up the first two courses. climbing Mt. Aurora, which at 1041 They were followed by Pavlova and metres, is the highest point on the is cream chocolate mousse, fruit salad land. The exercise was designed to fa and Baked Mount Erebus. It was all miliarise the party with winter condi served with a Corbans Marlborough tions and was tempered with a little Muller Thurgau 1993, a Montana team building. Gisborne Chardonnay 1992 and a From the reports the composition of Corbans Gisborne Cabernet Sauvignon the parties is not totally clear but the and followed drinks in the bar. first comprising Grant West, Dominic A shuttle service brought 46 espe McCarthy, Jeremy Ridgen and two cially invited Americans to the base in Americans left Scott Base in "nippy" groups of eight or ten. All, including the but clear and calm conditions unaware New Zealanders, wore ties and dinner that the temperature was dropping. It suits, or evening gowns and when the reached - 43 Celsius one of the coldest mess (sorry) dining room doors opened March temperatures ever recorded at at 7.30 p.m. there were rows of neatly Scott Base. About 100 metres from the arranged tables, complete with cloths, top of Mt. Aurora the air temperature wine and port glasses, a full suite of was -47deg C, with a wind of 35 knots cutlery and candles. giving a chill factor of -90 C. They The occasion created quite an im turned back! pression on the participants. Regular The second party were more fortu contact is now being maintained with nate and Steve Wood, Eric Trip, Grant the Americans at McMurdo with drinks Avery and Arturo Bosman took four once a week which, as the leader says, hours to reach the summit "taking a should ensure that each of the neigh rest once an hour or after a particularly bours has enjoyed some Kiwi hospitality tough patch or whichever came first!" over the winter months.