Part III: Antarctica and Academe - Scott Polar Research Institute

my own hair; this has saved me both time and money, even if the results haven't
always been perfect!). The weather was improving slowly and the sunset was
glorious. We heard that Endurance had turned back - due to ice - and I was to
transfer to her tomorrow.
Next day 5 March, we left at 9 o’clock in snow, for Almirante Brown (an
Argentine base) at Paradise Harbour. We passed through Le Maire at speed, seeing a
great deal of wildlife: six minke whales, gentoo penguins and seals in the water. The
crabeater seals were mainly in 2s and 3s, but in the centre of the strait we overtook
two groups of c.200 and c.50 fairly close together, separated by 100 metres, and
swimming rapidly to the north at about 10 knots. They were porpoising, their bodies
often almost clear of the water, which was in a boil, and the bodies were white under
the water too. They were swimming fast even before we came up with them and it
was clearly a purposeful 'migration'.
The weather remained overcast and we found Gerlache Strait free of ice., arriving
off Almirante Brown about 1.30 pm. We found we were unable to anchor there
because the water was too deep and the usual anchorage was occupied by ice floes. I
went ashore in the first boat and, after the usual coffee and cognac, was shown
around by the biologists. The BC went out to the Bransfield to buy some scotch! The
base was very shipshape and well cared-for - everything in the right place - and it felt
more like a BAS base than the usual Argentine base. I returned to Bransfield , saw the
Argentine BC in my cabin and arranged for his biologists to talk with Terry Whitaker
and see the laboratory. We left at 4 o’clock, after the Fids had been ashore.
As we were leaving Paradise Harbour two inflatables holding four people chased
us. I decided to stop and found they were the Hoover expedition who had manhauled
over the Plateau and back, hoping to climb. There were three men and a girl.
They thought we were the last ship out and hoped to get a lift! I told them there
were two more Argentine ships due. The Fids passed down a crate of beer and some
oranges; they didn't know the background to this and probably thought I was being
very unkind! (The background was that at BAS HQ we had had a lot of trouble from
the Hoover Expedition at the planning stage, because they expected a great deal of
help - dogs, depots etc. It would have impinged on the BAS operations. Our policy
was not to help private adventure expeditions because if they got into trouble, which
was quite likely, the BAS programmes would suffer - and consequently Fids' PhDs or
careers might be adversely affected if their field time was cut short for a rescue). We
rendezvoused with Endurance in Gerlache Strait - off Capstan Rock at 6 o’clock that
evening. The two ships turned north and stopped and I transferred to HMS
Endurance in Erebus. I was sorry to go.
I found myself in a 3-berth cabin with two of the helicopter Flight - rather
cramped. I had a very good dinner with Jim and Dierdre Parker and Captain James
Lord in his cabin - which was rather cramped. Later I had a long talk with the
Governor and got to bed at 12.30 am. On 6 March we had a good start to the day and
it continued to improve. We drifted off the Mechior Islands, while the helicopters
flew, undertaking vertical aerial photography for David Sugden and Chalmers
Clapperton for their geomorphological studies. They reported on the presence of fur
seals. It developed into a lovely balmy day of sunshine and brilliant mountain
scenery. We had meals in the Captain's cabin, which were very good and I
discovered from ship's orders on the bulletin board that I was considered to be the
170