Part III: Antarctica and Academe - Scott Polar Research Institute

fish traps and later as boatman to Ray and Barry, who did a snorkel dive, but was
in some difficulty with his breathing. On return, when I was alone and fixing the
boat to the mooring, the current carried her under the jetty and I was brushed off.
Although I managed to hang onto the jetty I got wet to above the waist before I
clambered out - stupid of me but I was none the worse for it.
A fine day followed and I had a dive with Ian, Ray and Adrian at Bare Rock -
to 30 ft for about half an hour. It was fairly clear and I felt much more at home
with an extra weight on my belt (26 lbs). We dived close to the rock and went
down to the lower entrance to a cave. The light was varied and there was a
beautiful, colourful fauna of anemones, gorgonions, brachipods, feather worms,
sea cucumbers, starfish, sea squirts etc. I had little trouble with my ears or mask
and swam through the cave a couple of times. It was beautiful and exciting. Then
I noticed that my gauge was on the red and had to surface; discovered it was only
half-full to start with. So back to the jetty where we practiced removing the
mouthpiece and removing it underwater; then sharing air with Ray - 2 breaths,
then hand to him, he takes two breaths and hands it back. It was not too difficult,
considering it was the first time I’d tried it. It was important to be proficient at the
method in case one got stuck underwater. This was only my fourth aqualung
dive. Barry did some snorkeling. That night I felt very stiff and sore - partly I
thought due to the tight wetsuit (not tailor-made!), and partly the strain of
hauling out into the boat with 60 lbs weight or so strapped onto me.
I had a close look at the moss, grass and Colobanthus on the bluffs. There was
very much more grass than there used to be 20 years ago, but very little
Colobanthus. It seemed to me that there were some young established plants of
another grass (Poa annua?) escapes from Edwards' experiments. This, if so,
contravened the Antarctic Treaty.
Next day was a Sunday, 10 January. Some of us went to Lake 4 which still had
ice on it in places. Jerry, Adrian, Pete and Mike dived and were amazed at the
unexpected luxuriant bottom flora including a zone of moss, starting at a depth of
15 ft and continuing to the bottom. It was filmy and about a foot long. There were
also sponge-like growths that haven't been identified yet. The water was +5°C
and the divers stayed in for some two hours. On the way back I noticed a seepage
through the moraine, which lowers the level in winter, after the inflow ceases.
There were half a dozen good streams flowing out over a spread of some 30
yards. Barry joined us; he had lost a net in Lake 2 and Jerry dived for it on the
way back. It was full of fairy shrimps, Branchinecta, which had evidently used it
for shelter.
Next day we went over to Gourlay via Rusty Bluff. I took a number of photos
of a splendid Föhn effect over Coronation, dropping down from Rusty Bluff by
way of a snow gulley to join the usual route over Khyber. The snow was deep
and heavy-going. In the bay north of Gourlay hut was a male fur seal; he was on
rocky ground about 150 yards from the sea, a handsome beast, the lighter tips to
the guard hairs giving him a flecked or mottled appearance. His whiskers were
long and white. He bounded off into the sea, where I later saw him gambolling in
the surf. It was hot and sunny and the young Adélies were, many of them, lying
prone, flat out with flippers and legs spread, gasping in the heat of their "fur
coats". Some were by now almost completely moulted, but the chinstrap chicks
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