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

journey, asking for details. Derek worked on the triangulation. We had further morse
lessons and I found that I could get along quite well at 4 words/minute although
there were about seven or eight letters I still didn't know.
Another morning was spent creosoting the lashings on the sledge and oiling the
handlebars. I tarred the sledge runners and then Derek and I took the 22 set, some
way out on the ice to test the equipment for performance. After preliminary
problems it worked well - both reception and transmission being excellent. It began
to get colder and we returned, having given John an opportunity to tune the R/T. I
tarred 3 pairs of ski. In mid-July there was a message from Dr Fuchs re sledging
rations etc. which was very helpful - it appeared that most of his suggested
alterations had already been incorporated in the year's ration boxes a great
improvement on last year.
So it continued: Derek sewed, Charlie made winter bindings; I was now busy
cooking but found time to make some equipment. Derek stitched his sealskins;
Charlie finished his bindings. John had a long session with Terry Randall (Base E),
who advised against taking the 22 set sledging on account of batteries freezing.
Derek continued working on his skins and finished one evening, when Charlie
immediately began on his. I began to unpick my skins in preparation for re-sewing
them, which kept me busy all of one day.
Derek plotted the triangulation and transferred it to a planetable sheet; it looked
very satisfactory. When he finished the plotting he went out around the glacier stakes
and I pasted the sheet onto a board for the planetable. I worked on another ski and
Charlie worked on his. So our preparations continued.
One morning I brought in extra clothing from the Nissen hut - new socks and
gloves for the field trip. It looked as though we should be able to get away on the 21 st ,
which would give us 30 days away. I had a talk with John about radio
communication; the accumulator was freezing and losing its charge and John
thought it was unreliable. - so we decided to take the 18 set instead. In any case it
would be much less weight to pull - a major consideration.
Check-list of equipment and stores for a longer journey:
Survey preparations: Complete triangulation and plotting; draw rough map.
Food ration: plan for about 28 oz (800g) a day.
Equipment:
1. Tent - check tapes, 12 hardwood pegs.
2. Sledges: put 2 into first class condition.
3. Make 3 sets of man harnesses.
4. Repair skins for skis
5. Make ski wax - fairly soft consistency.
6. Medical: Pack small first aid kit in haversack:
7. Clothing:
8. Bedding:
9. Radio and batteries
10. Survey:
1 plane table and tripod; 2 prismatic compasses; 1 aneroid barometer and
thermometer; - notebooks
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