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

The menu was:
Soup
-
Turkey
Sage and Onion Stuffing
Roast and Mashed Potatoes
Green Peas
-
Christmas Pudding
-
Sherry
Graves, l943
Macon, l942
We adjourned to the cabin of the First Officer (Lord Headley) for coffee; he
was a short balding Irish peer with a droll sense of humour. Dr Stuart Slessor,
the only one of us with Antarctic experience (at Stonington) began a long
discourse on polar travel, on which he was very knowledgeable, but was not
allowed to finish as David entered and spilt several cups of coffee. The party
was growing quite wild when I left and took up a seat in the stern to watch six
great skuas that were following the ship. They are beautiful birds of very subtle
mixtures of browns, black and white. They glided effortlessly to and fro behind
us, and the predominant impression was of a sleek, almost pigeon-like body to
which the wings seemed only remotely connected. Later Dr Fuchs talked to me
about the Polar Medal and told me that I would be in charge of the base at Signy
Island. Derek had indicated that he would like to go there also and the chances
of our being together appeared quite good.
After tea there was more liquor and Captain McFie, ‘tight as a tick’, kept
us all amused by reciting humorous poetry. He had lost his gold tooth filling
earlier on and so to the slight slurring of words was added a sibilant whistle. A
rumour was spread by the Chief Officer to the effect that the water supply was
very low and a visit to Madeira for fresh water would be necessary. But the
Captain was in no state to make any pronouncement. The water supply was
turned off, and in the general confusion ‘Tubby’ the cook was seized with a fit
of manic depression and had to be restrained from jumping overboard. Quite a
start to the voyage.
It was very hot below and so I dressed and went up to the bridge at 2.30
am. The night was beautiful with the moon very high in the heavens and low
cirro-cumulus scudding across its face. The sea was calm and holding the
moon’s silver gold reflection, constantly changing. Below me the creamy white
bow-wave stirred up the plankton and pinpoints of greenish luminescence
showed the presence of ctenophores or Noctiluca and possibly an amphipod. At
3.15 am the Second Officer took a star-sight with the sextant which I timing for
him. Venus and Orion were very bright, but the other stars were by this time
obscured by moving cloud forms. I stood out on the port side until 5.30 am
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