Part III: Antarctica and Academe - Scott Polar Research Institute

and sheltering from a thunderstorm, then had dinner - a magnificent bifé de lomo - in a
traditional restaurant and went to bed about 11 o’clock.
Next day, 25 February, I was due to fly home. I wandered around until 9.45 am,
when Howard called to take me for talks with Senor Cuadri (or Quadri?) at the
Malvinas and Antarctic Department. The Minister (?) Jiminez Melo could not manage
such an early meeting. It was quite successful; he asked for my views on the
question of mineral exploration in the Antarctic and it was mostly of this that we
talked. At 11 o’clock Howard dropped me at my hotel and I spent a couple of hours
shopping, followed by a good lunch at the hotel - pepper-steak etc., desert, wine,
coffee, all for $1050 (=£2); it was a very good steak. This was a leisurely lunch, then
packed, showerd and changed and was collected by Mr Hunter of Houlder's (the
Agents) and taken to the airport; Hunt saw me smoothly through the formalities. I
had three seats in the Swissair DC8 to myself, with extra legroom because it was the
emergency exit row! We took off for Geneva at 6.05 pm.
This had been a very interesting and informative ‘tour’ on which I gained
experience of the BAS operations as they were now developing, and explored a lot of
issues. The relief operation at Halley had been an eye-opener on just how
unexpectedly and problematically logistics can go astray, outside my previous
experience; also I had gained confidence through talking at length to a wide range of
people about their varied experiences and thoughts. The diplomatic incident
towards the end, had added interesting international relations, problem solving of
another kind, and the opportunity to see another part of the world that few visit.
Lasting nearly three months (84 days) it was shorter than the 1970- 71 and 1973-74
journeys and had been profitable in terms of augmenting my Antarctic experience
and fostering relations with staff. That was the main purpose after all.
The R/V ‘Hero’ Voyage: 1977
Crabeater Seals
In l977 I joined an international group to undertake research on crabeater seals in
the pack ice off the Antarctic Peninsula, from a small wooden vessel, the R/V Hero,
which was run by the US National Science Foundation, Division of Polar Programs.
This was at the invitation of Don Siniff, who organized the expedition.
On 16 October I drove to Heathrow in thick fog, with Maureen and then after she
had left there was a long wait - due to the fog and Air controllers action. The airport
was full of frustrated passengers; there was nowhere to sit; it was hot and
uncomfortable; and there was no information about our plight. At 6 o’clock, after
eight hours delay the plane took off and arrived in New York at 9 o’clock local time
after an uneventful flight, having missed the onward connection to Buenos Aires.
Don had remained behind to meet me with my ticket and we took a room at the
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