?7*&zmmt ■ ■ ^^—^mmmmml RfvOTsfroeaT A NEWS BULLETI N p u b l i s h e d q u a r t e r l y b y t h e NEW ZEALAND ANTARCTIC SOCIETY (INC) AN AUSTRALIAN FLAG FLIES AGAIN OVER THE MAIN HUT BUILT AT CAPE DENISON IN 1911 BY SIR DOUGLAS MAWSON'S AUSTRALASIAN ANTARC TIC EXPEDITION, 1911-14. WHEN MEMBERS OF THE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL ANTARCTIC RESEARCH EXPEDITION VISITED THE HUT THEY FOUND IT FILLED WITH ICE AND SNOW BUT IN A FAIR STATE OF REPAIR AFTER MORE THAN 60 YEARS OF ANTARCTIC BLIZZARDS WITHOUT MAINTENANCE. Australian Antarctic Division Photo: D. J. Lugg Vol. 7 No. 2 Registered at Post Office Headquarters. Wellington, New Zealand, as a magazine. June, 1974 . ) / E I W W AUSTRALIA ) WELLINGTON / I ^JlCHRISTCHURCH I NEW ZEALAND TASMANIA * Cimpbtll I (NZ) • OSS DEPENDE/V/cy \ * H i l l e t t ( U S ) < t e , vmdi *N** "4#/.* ,i,rN v ( n z ) w K ' T M ANTARCTICA/,\ / l\ Ah U/?VVAY). XA Ten,.""" r^>''/ <U5SR) ,-f—lV(SA) ' ^ A ^ /j'/iiPI I (UK) * M«rion I (IA) DRAWN BY DEPARTMENT OF LANDS & SURVEY WELLINGTON. NEW ZEALAND. AUG 1969 3rd EDITION .-• v ©ex (Successor to "Antarctic News Bulletin") Vol. 7 No. 2 74th ISSUE June, 1974 Editor: J. M. CAFFIN, 35 Chepstow Avenue, Christchurch 5. Address all contributions, enquiries, etc., to the Editor. All Business Communications, Subscriptions, etc., to: Secretary, New Zealand Antarctic Society (Inc.), P.O. Box 1223, Christchurch, N.Z. CONTENTS ARTICLE TOURIST PARTIES 63, 64 POLAR ACTIVITIES NEW ZEALAND ... 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44 UNITED KINGDOM 48, 49, 50. 51 SOVIET UNION 52, 53 JAPAN 54, 56 FRANCE AUSTRALIA 57, 58 UNITED STATES ... 59, 60, 61, 62 GENERAL UNIVERSITY OF CANTERBURY 45, 46, 47 ANTARCTIC PILOT OBITUARY VOYAGE ROUND ANTARCTIC SUB-ANTARCTIC THE READER WRITES B.A.N.Z.A.R.E. VETERANS "Midwinter's Day! For once, the weather rose to the occasion and calmed during the few hours of the twilight day. It was a jovial occasion, and we celebrated it with thc uproarious delight of a community of young men unfettered by small conventions. The sun was returning, and we were glad of it. Already we were dreaming of spring and sledging, of the ship and home." Sir Douglas Mawson's words in "The Home of the Blizzard" were written 62 years ago. They are a reminder that several hundred men —and two women—of 10 nations will celebrate the same occasion this month, and, like Mawson and his men, look forward to the return of the ANTARCTIC WINTER DARKNESS FOR NEW ZEALAND TEAMS Winter darkness fell over the Antarctic on April 24. Most of the 12 New Zealanders at Scott Base and the four men at Vanda Station in the Wright Valley watched thc sun sink below the horizon at 12.45 p.m., know ing that they would not see it again until August 29. Since the last aircraft left New Zealand on February 25 the men at Scott Basc and Vanda Station have made all preparations for four months of darkness. Food has been stacked for thc clogs at Scott Base, and huge piles of ice have been placed at the front and back of the base to provide a reserve water supply. The men at Vanda Station have prepared emer gency lighting, heating, and cooking equipment in the refuge hut. Winter parties in the Antarctic always climate of the Wright Valley. During the have problems. This year there are two first winter there was little wind and tem which concern the Antarctic Division, peratures were reasonable. Last winter Department of Scientific and Industrial there was considerable wind, and tem Research, in Christchurch. Long periods peratures were low. Mr Thomson says of calm weather in the Wright Valley this winter seems to be following the have meant that there is only enough climatic pattern of the first. diesel fuel at Vanda Station to run the generating plants for two-thirds of the HUSKY DEATHS winter. In December last year one of the Mysterious husky deaths are the prob huskies, Vaska, gave birth to six pups, lem at Scott Base. Seven dogs—pups and and five survived. She rejected one. which grown dogs—had died in thc three died soon after birth. The previous year months to the middle of April. Only 16 Vaska rejected her entire litter and ate dogs are left—enough for one sledge team her pups. Of the latest litter three bitches and a half. The Antarctic Division's survive, and now weigh more than 401b superintendent, Mr R. B. Thomson, says each. this is the worst period of dog ill-health An older bitch, Uglan, gave birth to to have been experienced at the basc, and nine puppies towards the end of Feb the reason is not known. ruary. Three were born dead, and of the Because there has been no wind for 30 remaining six only two survive. They consecutive days at times the wind live in a box in the sledge room at the generators at Vanda Station have not base, and are fed milk and minced meat been working, and the diesel generating several times daily. But in March Uglan plants have been running all the time. To began to fail, and died within a few days. conserve fuel it is likely that the gener Mr Thomson says that when the pups ators will have to be cut ofT occasionally. started to die it was thought that some Mr Thomson says this will not affect the inbreeding might be the cause, but the scientific work, but it will affect the older dogs which died should not have creature comforts. There is a reserve of been affected by this problem. Now the propane gas at the station which might Antarctic Division hopes to buy four have to be used to heat the buildings. huskies from the United States next sum This is the third winter that research mer, although they are not easy to obtain, has been carried out at Vanda Station to and their price, $1200, and transport will establish, among other things, the normal be expensive. Artificial insemination will ANTARCTIC also be considered. It works well with with other information about the earth cattle and sheep, and Mr Thomson sees and its magnetic field, could increase no reason why it should not work with understanding of the interaction with the dogs. earth of high speed particles given oil by Before total darkness fell the men at the sun. Scott Base were able to do survival train Scientists need this information to help ing, climbing, and crevasse work, exercise them predict short-wave radio conditions, the dog teams, and field test some modi and to forecast magnetic storms for space fied snow toboggans. These were bought vehicles. An understanding of the inter from thc American engineer, Mr W. action could also assist progress towards Pederson, who once planned to drive them power generation by nuclear fusion. overland from McMurdo Station to thc South Pole. They have been modified because they travel too fast, and do not work in extreme cold. Caretakers for In the first winter newsletter the leader, Mr H. W. E. Jones, reported that most of huts March had been spent preparing for Two members of the New Zealand winter. The dog lines had been moved Antarctic Society will have the oppor closer to the base, seal carcases cut up tunity to go south next season to act as with chain saws for dog food and stacked caretakers of the historic huts at Cape nearby, and a multitude of leaks in the Royds, Cape Evans, and Hut Point. buildings caulked and plugged. Applications are now being called for two Although the weather in March was men to spend three weeks in the An overcast with poor visibility, there were tarctic, starting early in December. There a few fine periods. During these thc men have been caretakers working from Cape were able to observe the usual Antarctic Royds for thc last five summers. The Antarctic Division of the Depart phenomena—mirages manifesting them selves as towering ice cliffs, parahclia or ment of Scientific and Industrial Re sun dogs in the air full of ice crystals, and search, which will provide special cloth auroras in reds, greens, and blues span ing, transport, food, and accommodation, ning the sky. has suggested certain qualifications of value to anyone applying. JULIE AT WORK These qualifications include interest in On March 28 two members of the team, one or more of the Antarctic research Messrs A. Atkinson and S. Clarke, put projects, particularly biology or meteor Julie out in the snow. But she did not ology, and knowledge of and interest in mind. Julie is a photometer which will the historic huts at Cape Royds and Cape run at intervals through the winter to Evans, and the conservation of fauna and find out much man-made light there is flora. Other suggestions are that appli near thc basc and at Arrival Heights three cants should have practical experience in miles away. some trade profession, and mountaineer Julie was built in the physics and ing and/or tramping experience. engineering laboratory of the auroral The two caretakers, who will be re station at Lauder, Central Otago. Read quired to attend the training camp at ings from it during thc winter will help Tekapo for the Antarctic research team, scientists to decide whether highly sensi will be selected from a panel of repre tive optical equipment for measuring sentatives from the society, the super auroral and airglow emissions can be intendent of the Antarctic Division, and installed in the Ross Island area.