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

of soft snow over ice, which required a delicate balance. Ralph joined us on the top
and we went on along the ridge, stopping to make observations. There were some
very noticeable folds in the geological strata up there. On the eastern side of the Bluff
was some lovely pink quartz-rich pink schist. Derek showed me an odd crystal
formation in the limestone on the moraine islets that he thought might be a crinoid,
but I thought not.
One day as it was a fine evening and the sunset promised to be good I decided to
return from Gourlay over the top of Rusty Bluff. This meant kicking steps up a steep
snow slope, which was tiring work but well worth it. I sat for some time on the
summit watching the colour of the Coronation peaks turn from lemon yellow
through orange and salmon pink to a bright crimson alpen-glow, then fading to rose
and the characteristic after-glow of salmon pink. As I started downwards only the
highest peaks were lit up. The others had all assumed a uniform pearly grey colour.
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