Part III: Antarctica and Academe - Scott Polar Research Institute

acks. We then headed north, intending to call briefly at Faraday Station for mail
which Hero had brought down from Punta Arenas.
It was early morning on 19 March as we approached Faraday along the Penola
Strait and so foggy that we could see nothing much. The sea was pewter-grey with
plates of new ice floating on it, not yet pancakes. We could see the islands on the
radar screen and approached from the east. Then Erebus (ship’s workboat) was
lowered to make its way via the narrow Meek Channel to the base. Visibility was
still very low, so it was told to return to us if, when about to lose sight of us, they
couldn't see land. It went off, but then took a long time to find the entrance to Meek
Channel and proceed to base. Meanwhile we knew that Hero was in the vicinity and
suddenly she loomed out of the fog, looking very mysterious and sinister and flying
a pirate’s 'Jolly Roger' and the Union Jack - no US flag. In the mist and ice we could
initially see only her masthead lights. They lowered an inflatable and several came
aboard Bransfield, including Captain Peter Lenie and Dr John Dearborn, both of
whom I'd met before - Lenie on the l977 Hero cruise and Dearborn at Antarctic
biology meetings. They came up to the bridge and we talked for a while and they
stayed for lunch. It was particularly good to see Hero and Lenie again – one of the
world’s real ‘characters’. He was wearing his Confederate Air Force Colonel's
uniform, but managing to look quite villainous. He professed to find the bridge of
the Bransfield much too spick and span, and also our officers' uniforms too smart,
ribbing Stuart about it. He told us he had just been into Paradise Harbour and had
sailed past Almirante Brown Station, close in, with the Jolly Roger and Union Flag
displayed!
Finally Erebus returned with the mail and we went north to Lemaire Channel -
still in fog and very calm sea. It began to clear so that we could see the mountain
peaks again at last, their bases still skirted with cloud or fog. There was little
contrast, so it was a grey, black, white and ice-blue morning - austere. The Lemaire,
as usual was beautiful and we emerged into clearer weather at the northern end.
After passing along the coast of Doumer Island, and having lunch, Donald, John
Hall, and I with Tony Reading (Third? Officer) went in to Damoy in the inflatable. It
was an exhilarating trip and a pleasant 11/2 hrs ashore - looking at the hut, the
skiway and the penguins. Another party went to Lockroy in the Erebus to look for a
'garden' planted in l944 and to collect samples from it.
Once both boats were back aboard we headed up the Neumayer Channel through
magnificent mountain scenery. Discussing plans with Stuart we decided to cancel
the proposed call at Almirante Brown, because time was short, and to aim for an ETA
Presidente Frei Station (Chile) at 9 o’clock next day. It was a film night : "The Belston
Fox"- very good, but I was called out to speak on the radio with Steve Martin (BC
Grytviken).
One of the BAS field parties at South Georgia had just reported that an Argentine
ship, the Bahia Buen Succeso, a naval vessel, was at Leith Harbour and had put a
military party ashore. They had been shooting reindeer (because carcasses were
seen) and loading cargo containers. The field party learnt that the Argentines
expected to be there for 16 weeks and delivered a note instructing them to proceed to
Gryviken for clearance. Some shooting continued on shore. Our field party was all
right and returning to base. This was the first major incident that was to lead up to
the Falklands War in a few weeks time.
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