Part III: Antarctica and Academe - Scott Polar Research Institute

hundreds of tons detached and fell into the sea, creating small tidal waves.
Sometimes these rushed 30 ft or more up the beach and stranded large chunks of ice.
All around were mountains, glaciers and sea, with icebergs, floes and brash
reflected. The mountains were varied in colour - Red Rock Ridge for example quite
brilliant in the sun. I had come ashore with a bag for the night and had dinner on
base, watched them unloading and helped with the seals. I talked with the three
Geologists, Singleton, Anckhorn and Edwards. A sad story emerged. They had not
had a very good initial training before coming south, in particular they had not been
told what areas they would work in and had not learnt this until they opened sealed
envelopes when they got south! So they hadn't specifically read up on the
background and previous work in their designated work areas. They were badly
provided with equipment, for example microscopes. This was doubly unfortunate
because they had spent the majority of their time on base, not in the field. In the field
they had had to spend time travelling at the expense of Geological work – it was a
snag about dog travel. It might take all day working very hard to cover ten miles,
time was spent lying up in bad weather. On base they had to spend much time
looking after the dogs. In all they estimated that they managed about 90 days
productive geology a year! Chris Edwards was particularly bitter (and throughout
his career remained a critic of BAS).
At 10.30 pm I spoke to the whole base about policy, the economic crisis, and
changes in BAS, including my ideas about a possible shift from dog transport to
skidoos, the new Cambridge building and the possible closing of Stonington. They
took it very well and there were many questions and wide ranging discussion. The
‘doggie men’ advanced all the familiar arguments in favour of dogs and opposed to
mechanical transport, but I had key support from several base members - mainly
engineers and technicians who held the other view. I didn't get to bed until 3 o’clock
in the morning.
Next morning, 21 February, was overcast and blowing hard. I spent the morning
talking with John Yates (Surveyor) and Steve Wormald. Then out to the ship at noon
for lunch. As the wind was now rising, Malcolm decided to sail early and we left
after lunch, going around Neny Island, heading for Horseshoe Island. The main
objective was to collect seals for dog food. It was blowing about 35 knots by then.
The San Martin (an Argentine icebreaker) was in the vicinity; her helicopter flew over
Stonington during the morning and we passed her as we left. I spoke to her Captain
over the radio and thanked him for his assistance over our sick man, Morris, who
was now in hospital in Buenos Aires. (Sadly a message came next morning to say
that Morris had died in hospital). We took 28 seals and anchored for the night at
Horseshoe Island, but it was still very rough. In fact we dragged anchor and so
steamed and drifted through the night. I got up several times to look out and saw
the searchlight playing on wild seas; the motion was violent.
Next day we went back to Horshoe Island and went ashore to the, by then,
unoccupied Base Y at about 9 o’clock in the ship's launch. It was still blowing hard,
but there was a good landing place alongside a rocky platform. I inspected the base,
which was in very good shape. There were bunks for six and provisions and fuel for
at least a year; it had been occupied for only three years (l967-70?). Neil and Eric
checked the manfood and dogfood depot. There were two pram dinghies in good
90