Part III: Antarctica and Academe - Scott Polar Research Institute

hypothesis. It was film night: James Bond, "A view to a Kill"; quite amusing with a
topical polar beginning. I was up on the bridge later, the searchlight, a diffuse beam,
picking out the driving snow in the darkness. (Noon position: 58°51'S, 25°06'W).
Next day we continued as before, reduced speed to 71/2 knots during the night
but picked up speed again after 4 o’clock. I read a novel, one couldn’t do much with
the violent motion. At lunchtime the waves loosened fuel drums on the foredeck and
they had to be re-lashed. It developed into a full gale (force 9), the wind lashing the
waves and creating clouds of spray that were driven horizontally. The ship's motion
was violent and Stuart reduced speed to 4 knots. After dark, with the searchlight on,
it was impressive; the wave heights were only about 30 ft though. Another film
night: 'Becket '- quite good. (Noon position: 56°35'S, 30°28 W). Kevin the steward told
us the wind had abated somewhat when he brought us our morning tea. I pulled up
the blind and saw that it had, but we were still rolling heavily. I noted one series of
rolls were 32°.
South Georgia came into sight at 9 o’clock, creamy-white and glowing in the sun.
The radar gave a distance of 96 miles to the nearest peak, so we were probably at
least 80 miles away. I talked on the radio with John Biscoe and eventually we
arranged to meet at Husvik for some of us to go aboard for dinner. I watched and
photographed black-browed albatrosses and at mid morning saw three of them
sitting on the water eating a 11/2-2 ft squid which was just under the surface. I
climbed up onto the monkey island for a while to admire the views.
We passed Clerke Rocks and Nobby and the Office Boys - two high rocks
standing clear of the mist. The sun was out and glittering on the waves. We
approached closer and could make out more detail on the peaks, but the lighting was
a bit flat due to cloud. About 3 o’clock we were off Cape [ ? ] and then running up
the east coast in a freshening wind, with clouds gathering and obscuring the higher
peaks. At about 7.30 pm we turned into Stromness Bay and saw the Biscoe, like a toy
ship, anchored off Husvik against a backdrop of black hills and silver-lined clouds.
Bransfield ‘s launch took us across to Biscoe.. (Plans had been changed so we had
already had dinner on Bransfield). I climbed up the short ladder onto the foredeck
where Chris Elliot was waiting. Their flags read "Happy l987"; ours on Bransfield
read: "Fishing is prohibited in this area" was told ! We climbed up to Chris's cabin
and had about an hour talking about their programme to date and future plans:
Martin White, Paul Rodhouse, Tony North, Vladimir Slosarcyck (Poland) and Ken
Dunn (of Ian Johnston's group) were there. They were to test a 25 m net to fish at
2000 metres for squid. Down to the wardroom for further drinks and general talk
and back in the launch towards midnight as a wind was getting up. Biscoe looked
very trim and decorative, with lights on and standing out against the blackness. We
climbed our higher rope ladder and then had about an hour talking with Mick
Roscoe before retiring. (Noon position: 55°13'S, 34°47'W).
The ship moved around to Bird Island during the night and anchored; we were
called for a Humber trip ashore at 6 o’clock. Kitted up in survival suits we climbed
down the ladder into the inflatable. The fog was so dense that no shore was visible;
there was a slight swell. The other inflatable was launched and we went in to
Jordans Cove, where the base was located, still in thick fog. Some fur seals were
frolicking in the kelp and prions flying very close to us. On the way in too there were
large numbers of giant petrels on the water. It was an experience to cut through the
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