Part III: Antarctica and Academe - Scott Polar Research Institute

iology and answering questions until about 00.30 am. The result of the General
Election was announced - Labour had a lead of 5 seats, with 2 results to come. There
was speculation on the prospect of a Conservative-Liberal coalition.
We arrived at Stonington on a lovely clear day, calm and still, with ideal
conditions for discharging the seals and unloading the cargo which was completed
by 5.30 pm. I went ashore after lunch and had a long talk with John Newman (Diesel
Mechanic) about mechanical transport and field travel. He was strongly pro skidoos,
saw no safety problem compared with dog sledging, and was very impressed with
the performance of the Valmont 440 skidoo. I suggested that he might be interested
in a job (5 year contract) to develop an even better vehicle - perhaps a Valmont
chassis, combined with another engine. Then I walked round the island again and
went back to the ship, all in superb weather.
The base gave a party for the ship and we went ashore in the launch at 9 o’clock.
It was a very enjoyable night and I was talking in a quiet corner with Tony Gannon -
another pro-skidoo man - when the launch returned to the ship at 10.30; I stayed and
the launch returned later. Chris Elliot came up to the base and said "What about a
nightcap?" - the launch was standing off. So it was midnight before we got away. As
we were walking down to the shore a pink flare was fired, lighting up the night.
Then once we were on the launch, Steve Wormald, with his men gathered round on
shore, said "Three cheers for the Director and BAS. Hip hip hooray, hip hip ... “etc.
Fireworks were lit and in a lurid red glow, with roman candles and star shells
bursting above I sailed away literally in a blaze of glory! Or that's how it felt. It had
been a very worthwhile visit - and despite the fact that I'd had to disclose that my
plans included the closure of Stonington and the end of an era, we parted the best of
friends. Back on the ship we sat up talking until about 1 o’clcok in the morning.
We left Stonington at 7 o’clock next morning, Sunday 3 March, and went straight
to Adelaide, where we found HMS Endurance already there. I had a radio sched to
talk to Palmer Station at 1 o’clock and then went ashore on Avian Island about an
hour later, with Barry and Jerry. A leopard seal followed us in, raising its head to
look at us from time to time in a sinister fashion. We landed on the north side and,
while the other two looked at the ponds, I wandered around the island. Endurance
was landing a ‘Hifix’ (survey) party, so the helicopters were droning around. The
island wasn't particularly interesting at that time of year; the penguins have nearly
all left, but there was an unusual number of skuas and the giant petrel chicks were
still on the nests. Weddell and crabeater seals were hauled out. We returned to the
ship at 4.30 pm, but made a detour to photograph the ships.
I found that Chris Isache (Endurance Captain) had been on board and I was
invited aboard for drinks before she sailed. We went across in the launch and
Malcolm and I had drinks with Isache and the Admiral (a passenger, retired,
President of the RN Bird Club, who was having a marvellous time). We met the
Officers in the wardroom and returned to Biscoe at 6.30 for dinner. A letter from
Maureen awaited me and all was well at home. We up-anchored and moved over to
Cape Rocca anchorage for the night. The ship steamed and drifted through the night,
the wind increasing and we returned to Adelaide and dropped the anchor at 10.30
am. I was writing up notes, and had a final talk with Jim Roberts before lunch. The
base Fids had a film aboard and left at 5 o’clock. Biscoe set off around the south end
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