Part III: Antarctica and Academe - Scott Polar Research Institute

Goodale (BC) was at the landing and we looked at everything. The base was not at
its best but looked in reasonable repair. The only problems concerned the fitting of
new windows - which was being done that summer by a summer builder - and the
disposal of spent waste caustic soda (used in the process to generate hydrogen for the
met balloons). The new system was more efficient but took about 100 amps of
current, thus stretching the base electricity supply - but it did obviate the
environmental impact. The new Doppler experiment was set up and working well.
A cruising yacht was anchored off the base and the owners - a young Belgian and
his wife - were on the base. They expected to leave next day. They had come down
from Buenos Aires via Terra del Fuego and Beagle Channel, to Ushuaia and thence
across the Drake Passage. They hoped to go on to Adelaide base, which seemed to
be pushing their luck in the ice conditions, and then to winter at South Georgia. He
said he had a hut that could be erected on shore. I told them that they would need
permission from the Governor. I was not very happy about this development, which
I foresaw could have unfortunate consequences. I talked with Graham [?] about
plans for himself and Mike Walker to make an ascent of Mount Peary during the
winter. Both were experienced mountaineers and they claimed that it was really
quite an easy climb. I told them to formally submit their proposals in the usual way
and I would consider them. Then back to the ship - in darkness - it looked like a
cruise liner, all lit-up among the bergy bits.
On 9 February it was dull and raining when I rose and we sailed at 7 o’clock. The
low cloud and rain persisted and the mainland was obscured except for the lower
1,000 ft or so. At the entrance to the Lemaire Channel (amazingly scenic on a sunny
day) the motor lifeboat was lowered and the BBC team went ahead to photograph
the ship coming through. It should make a ghostly impression - and counteract the
general impression given by the previous perfect weather they had experienced.
They did their photography and were picked up again. Just after this a snowstorm
hit us and there was little to be seen as we went on to Damoy Point. It cleared
however and the wind dropped, though the cloud base was still quite low. The ship
anchored off Damoy and we went in by Gemini to look at the hut, which supported
this BAS 'Northern Air Facility'. With me were Eric, Will Hudson and Duncan Carse
- Marty driving the inflatable. It was flat calm and we roared in. The point was
flatter than I expected and the ridge behind, which formed the snow airstrip, was
also quite flat. The approach to the beach was easy and we walked up to the hut,
painted bright orange and set on concrete piers. It was excellently constructed and
clearly very comfortable and well-furnished.
Visits were recorded in the hut book and included the Italian party on the
Norwegian Rig Mate and the Belgian yacht Trismus, as well as the Bahia Aguirre. Eric
and I walked up to the air strip. It was a gentle climb, but in deep, wet granular
snow - up to our calves. Then back to the Biscoe, past floes with sleeping Weddell
seals. After lunch the BBC filmed Malcolm and me talking about the Halley relief
and the Biscoe's season. It took a long time. A bunch of telegrams came in that
needed answering, including a long confidential one to be encoded that took me until
10.30 pm.
Next day, we were off the Byers Peninsula at 5.30 am and I woke at 6 o’clock to a
pleasant morning, calm with stratus clouds, but not gloomy. The uplift of a field
party went well with three gemini making two trips to bring out the four Aberdeen
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