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

should provide about 4 500 calories a day. (Captain Scott's party man-hauling to the
South Pole were on 4,600 calories a day, for a much longer period).
The weather was windy, but fine, and after breakfast we skied across the bay toward
Shattered Ridge, and the adjacent glaciers and conspicuous tilted strata. To where a
200 ft snow slope near the ice cliffs gave access to Sunshine Glacier below the eastern
end of the ridge. We found this slope very steep and of hard ice near the top. I kicked
steps up the first bit and then had to cut steps in the ice with my ice-axe, Derek then
came up and we decided to leave our skis and proceed on foot. We climbed up to the
exposed rocks of Shattered Ridge, Derek collected specimens and I set up the planetable,
whereupon squalls and snow flurries covered everything and I had to stop. We
decided to turn back as it was getting late and the weather looked settled bad. But
first we climbed the slopes towards the steeper rock strata and were engulfed by a
thick blizzard and strong winds buffeted us, so we set off back down the slopes. A
small avalanche swept over me, fortunately just as I had belayed to take in Derek and
the rope. We then went across to the foot of Shattered Ridge to collect rocks and were
back in camp by 4.30 pm.
There were snow petrels on the moraine in Shingle Bay, with pronounced greywhite
vermiculations on their backs. They behaved normally, but I watched one pair
apparently attempting to mate - one hovering in the wind above the back of the other
and attempting to land, but frustrated by the strong gusts.
Next morning, 7 September, Derek was on cook; outside there was a strong wind
and driving snow, so we thought at first that it was better to stay put. But when the
sun came out and the snow stopped we decided to go westwards over the col to
Marshall Bay. We cleaned up the campsite, loaded the sledge and so on - and left a
note for Ralph, pinned to the depot (pyramid) tent. The scenery was great and we
took photographs. The slope up to the col soon steepened and we had to use blockand-tackle
to get the loaded sledge up. Derek fixed the block and pulled in the rope,
while I pushed from behind; I had to embed the skis transversely in order to get a
footing as the snow was soft and deep. We got over the worst of it by very strenuous
and tiring work; then the ice axe we were using to anchor the block snapped in the
middle and we had to adopt a different tactic. We took it in turns, one pulling and
the other pushing, up to the top of the col. Although it was only 500 ft above sea level
it took us three hours in the force-10 wind. We went down again to collect our skis as
the wind increased and pitched camp about 5.30 pm just over the top in the lee of
some rocks. It had been a grueling day's work. According to the army manual for the
training of mountain troops, which had just come out, 200 lbs was the maximum load
for three men with an extra man to push behind! As Ralph decided not to come,
Derek and I had been pulling 500 lbs up steep slopes. We had supper and went to
bed early; there was more order that night although we had camped late.
We had a very bad night, wind force-12 and drift snow coming through the
inappropriate mosquito netting ventilators. I had an inch of snow covering my
sleeping bag and head that morning. The wind rattled the tent and there were
crackings and other loud reports; then there would be a lull for a few moments while
one waited in apprehension for the next blast. Surprisingly our flimsy tent stood up
to it, even though the side-guys came loose, perhaps because we had chosen a
relatively sheltered site. I had been awake all night except for a short dream before
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