Part III: Antarctica and Academe - Scott Polar Research Institute

o’clock on Sunday 10 February we were approaching the Brunt Ice Shelf and turned
into Second Chip at 9 o’clock. The fast ice had all gone out, leaving only the ramp
and the chip looking much longer and narrower. At 9.30 am we had a radio
schedule with Adelaide, but they reported low cloud and rain, so it looked as
though no flying would be done that day. We could expect another weather report
at noon though. Meanwhile Bransfield was lying alongside the ramp and the sun
continued to shine. At noon we spoke again with Adelaide and Fossil Bluff and
some of the sledging parties. The weather at Adelaide was still very bad, but it was
clear at Fossil Bluff, with very good visibility to the north, and some of the southern
field parties also reported good weather. So Dave decided to fly to Fossil Bluff and
we packed hastily and made farewells before going up to the landing strip in a 'keg.
We took off at 2.15 pm after a very long run, when it seemed that we would never
get into the air. The weather was perfect, the sea glittering in the sun and no sea ice
in sight as we flew westwards into the sun.
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