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

above sea level. The rock walls rose vertically on either side and a curious formation,
looking rather like a pig, stood guard over the entrance: shades of Rider Haggard!
Through it one could see the icy hills of Laurie and Powell Islands. We scrambled
through and had our first good view of these islands, but unfortunately the sun was
obscured all day so the view lacked depth. Here we had an unpleasant surprise, for
the ice in Lewthwaite Strait was very thin and appeared to have frozen over only
recently. It was really not very safe. The rock there was new to us - a coarse
conglomerate, composed mainly of metamorphic fragments. It appeared to extend
west of the Divide as far as the rocks of a snow dome buttress. Powell and Laurie
Islands were imposing and not quite what I had expected. We pitched the tent
expecting to spend a few days at the Divide before moving on and this might permit
the sea ice to thicken.
The temperature was -22°C the following morning and the sun was lighting the
tops of the peaks. The low cloud moved away and we left camp at 1 o’clock,
intending to make for Spence Harbour across the sea ice in Lewthwaite Strait. I wore
my Lawrie boots, which were much warmer than the sealskins. All went well until
we rounded the corner where a dolomite-like ridge ran southeasterly out from the
Divide Range. Here we struck a patch of rotten ice, so headed out for an island in the
middle of the strait. It was delightful to be out of the mountains' shadow and in the
sun again. The misty clouds formed and dispersed and reformed, and the beauty and
variety in form of Powell Island impressed us. A gull flew over and when we
reached the island we found another dead Dominican and a few feathers, but only its
own tracks. It had been dead for some time as there was a thick hoar frost deposit on
the body; perhaps it had died of cold?
I set up the planetable, resected the position and did a round of angles. Derek
collected rocks and Charlie walked around the island. There were traces of a mixed
rookery of Adélie and chinstrap penguins. As the ice was not safe to proceed further,
we retraced our steps and had lunch on the coast of the headland south of the Divide.
Powell Island looked very fine, with a strand flat glacier to the south and extensive
highland glaciation, becoming heavier towards the north. There was a continuous
ridge running from north to south. Petter Bay was only slightly indented and Spence
Harbour an extension of it separated by a small morainic peninsula.
The hinterland of Coronation Island was very impressive from where we were
now - a relatively low ice-sheet blanketed the land, with rock peaks rising from it.
The Divide Range was almost as steep to the East as it was on its western face, but
much more heavily iced and the massive rock slabs, where they appeared, covered in
a thick deposit of rime. There was a col to the Northwest of these peaks, which led
over to our camp 5 and was a simple walk this side. North of this was a striking rock
ridge and then a large peak with Square Peak behind.
When the mists dispersed we saw The Turret, which was as fine a piece of rock
as one could wish, almost vertical on all sides and with a small cap of highland ice.
Behind it to the west was a flattish col leading to Gibbon Bay, and in the distance the
ridge leading to Cape Bennett was visible. We were shocked to see open water just
north of Spence Harbour; any attempt to travel northwards would have to be
overland, crossing glaciers, and would require reconnaissance. Charlie and I went up
to the col between the two peaks south of The Divide, but I was unable to get the
angles I had hoped for, so we returned, having seen a splendid view of Signy Island
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