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

Chapter 10
Earth Sciences, Communications and
Ships: 1948-49
We awaited a final call from the Biscoe to deliver missing supplies and bring in a
fourth man to make up our complement for the winter. Then, on 20 March a long
code message came through from Dr Fuchs; the Biscoe had been delayed due to
serious engine trouble. He sought an indication of our minimum requirements to
maintain the efficiency of the base throughout a year. It looked as if the Biscoe was
not coming and with luck we might receive some other vessel instead. Apart from
the incoming mail, none of us would mind if no ship came! We speculated that one of
the infamous crew had thrown a spanner or something larger into the works and
discussed the possibilities in a facetious vein.
Next day we listened to the Stanley Newsletter on the radio and heard that the
Fitzroy (the Falkland Islands Company supply ship) had picked up engine spares for
the Biscoe in Montevideo, and was on her way to Stanley. On 25 March a code
message came through saying that the Biscoe couldn’t make a second trip, but the
Governor was coming on another ship. We had a message from Dr Fuchs on 6 April
saying that the Fitzroy had been chartered (said to be at a cost of £6,000) and would
arrive at Base F (Argentine Islands) in a couple of days time. It also sought the names
of men with one-year contracts who wished to stay for two years. We heard the UK
budget broadcast and Derek decided to stay on!
By 10 April the Fitzroy had not been able to reach the Argentine Islands and two
days later we overheard a message to Base D (Hope Bay) stating that her order of
calling would now be D, G (Admiralty Bay), H (Signy), then presumably on to South
Georgia. Four days later we received a message telling us that the she couldn’t get to
D on account of ice and H was regarded as impossible due to a heavy concentration
of pack ice. Consequently we didn't get any mail and a large portion of our stores
didn't arrive that season. Fortunately nothing absolutely essential was missing. A
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