Part III: Antarctica and Academe - Scott Polar Research Institute

year, but the fog brought duskiness and the Base had switched on the light at
Berntsen Point. We anchored at about 11 o’clock and a boat came out from base to
collect their mail. Our anchorage was outside Bare Rock and Outer Islet and we
sat in the wardroom talking shop until about 2 o’clock in the morning. It was
exciting to be so close to my old home.
The first scow went ashore at 9 o’clock. On a beautiful sunny day, with perfect
visibility it was good to see all the well-remembered places on Coronation and
Signy Islands. It seemed as though I was last there only yesterday, instead of
nearly 20 years before. There were twelve men on base. I went ashore, helped to
unload stores and took a quick look around the base which seemed exceptionally
well designed and equipped. I took my gear ashore at 4 o’clock, changed and
went out to the ship again for dinner, when I showed some African slides in the
wardroom. I went ashore at 11 o’clock and the ship was to sail at 6 o’clock in the
morning. I had enjoyed the ship life again, but was glad to be ashore, sharing a
cubicle in the two storey ‘plastic palace’ with Ian Rabarts, a marine biologist. The
ground floor held the laboratories and living quarters were above.
Next day was calm but Föhn wind conditions were brewing on Coronation -
over the Laws and Sunshine Glaciers. I helped with shifting and opening crates
for most of the day, but was keen to renew acquaintance with the island, so after
tea I went across to Three Lakes Valley with Barry and Jerry Light (Limnologist).
We took the wooden dinghy "Biscoe Kid" to Mirounga Cove where a mooring
buoy was positioned and then walked over to the Second Lake, where Jerry had
his Rollalong field cabin. It was a very good set up and he could keep his field
equipment there and sleep there when necessary. He had a rubber dinghy there
for use on the lakes, a sledge and tent as well.
We walked over to the Wallows where I had done so much work in the l940s,
but there were very few seals at that time of year and a great profusion of the
green alga, Prasiola. On the way to Stygian Cove we passed the Dominican gull
colony, where the chicks were hatching. We continued to the North Lake, still icecovered,
and up to the next lake, before returning to the dinghy again.
My strong impression was of a considerable ice recession compared with 20
years ago - both in the vicinity of the higher lakes and behind Jane Peak, but also
the Orwell Glacier had retreated. The rock outcrops near the head of Moraine
Valley looked very much larger and there was a large area of bare ground that
was not there before. We reached base a little late for dinner, passing my first
Weddell seal on the way. Much talk ensued until midnight.
My time at Signy was spent mainly in the field, interspersed with work and
discussions on the base. One day I accompanied Owen Darling (Biological
Assistant) and Bob Cook (the cook) in the other dinghy, Desmarestia, on a routine
water-sampling trip in Normanna Strait, about 11/2 miles north of the base. This
involved taking two sets of 2 water bottles at 2m and 30 m depth, photometer
readings down to 30 m with 2 different filters, a ‘Mackereth’ oxygen probe, and
temperature readings. It was a fine day with Föhn clouds over Coronation and
brash ice moving into the bay. They did this routine station once a month and
similar ones closer-in off Billie Rocks and in the Cove below the base. Back at base
the water samples were filtered and chlorophyll measured by spectrophotometer,
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