Part I: Seals teeth and whales ears - Scott Polar Research Institute ...

filled the gaps with wood wool and other insulation material from the now
redundant packaging of our stores. The floor of the extension would also be
insulated in this way - in great contrast to our living hut, which had a solid, rough
wooden floor that conducted heat out.
We were concerned to achieve as much building as possible before a snowfall
interrupted our work, so worked through the days, finishing the foundations and
making many journeys across the slope to collect materials for the construction. It
was heavy work for the three of us. As we had feared, a change in the weather
stopped building in mid February, when we had a snowfall of six inches. However,
we were able to cover the site with a tarpaulin after brushing off the snow.
Three days later work on the roof began, using large beams carried up from the
old whaling station to build a triangular gable end and rafters fitted on to the main
hut. By then we were very fit and quite expert at carrying heavy weights, but the
wind made our loads almost unmanageable at times. Also snowdrifts had
accumulated in places and the terrain was very difficult when we were laden.
Somehow the three of us managed to lift all the beams into place and Ralph's skills
became even more evident as we fitted the structure together. At the end of the
month we coaxed the gable end into position, expending much foot-poundage
raising it, and at the end of that day had most of the rafters and ceiling joists in
position. We used 6" x 2" beams for these; Ralph informed us that this size was
never used for an ordinary house in England; only such buildings as Town Halls
required them! In the sun it was quite warm when working out of the wind, and we
had about 3 1 2 hours of sunshine.
Five days later, we were still transporting timber and that afternoon we were
able to get half the roof on the laboratory. Another two fine days should see the roof
finished. But a rapid fall in temperature overnight took us down to -7°C at
breakfast next day and it remained low. A force 6 wind made it colder and of course
by then we were engaged on a sedentary occupation - nailing on the roof planks.
That night the roof was complete and awaited the application of roofing felt, which
we had to bring indoors to thaw out near the stove to make it manageable in the
cold. We also laid part of the floor, between the tongue-and-grooved bottom floor
and the true floor we placed an insulating layer of straw, wood wool or sawdust of
which we had plenty. Next day we put two windows into the lab walls.
The clouds on Coronation Island then dispersed exposing the whole length of
the mountain ridge. There were 3.4 hrs of sunshine and, as the wind was light, work
outside was pleasant even though the temperature was only -3°C. We put on
roofing felt, 39 yards of it. The felt on the outside walls of the existing hut was a
major factor in the production of condensation patches inside, so instead of felt we
planned to apply an extra layer of match-boarding to the walls. Across the hillside
the Norwegian hut was gradually disappearing as we removed its walls and floor!
Despite being exposed for over twenty years, the wood was in excellent condition,
except for surface weathering, no doubt due to the absence of rot fungi. We worked
on until the felting was complete and it was too cold to work any longer and were
very relieved that the roof of the main hut was now waterproof again.
So the finished laboratory had double walls with an insulating layer of wood
wool, it had a double floor (also insulated), and it measured 12 ft x 10 ft with a
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