Monday 6 May 1974
Our USARP party endeavoured to continue North-East along the coast of White Island with the USARP toboggan leading and Mike Wing and I following with the dogs. Naturally the toboggan got well ahead and then to my consternation we were overtaken by a Southerly wind which quickly raised so much drift that we lost sight of our US friends. Their tracks were also just starting to disappear when to my great relief we came upon them waiting for us and all at once made camp.
Back at Base Garth Cowan recorded an unusually large number of earthquakes.
Conditions at 0900 hours Calm Temperature -25.0°C
Tuesday 7 May 1974
Today our USARP party endeavoured to make a single stage back to Scott Base but the toboggan gave trouble. First it iced up and to save some time Mike Wing and I went ahead with the dogs. After thirty minutes I looked back and was disturbed to see that the toboggan party seemed to have separated into two with the machine and two walking. Visibility was falling and I thought this very unsafe so I stopped the dogs and called Scott Base by radio to ask for a vehicle to come out and take over towing the toboggan sledges. Mike and I then turned back but shortly discovered that the toboggan had been made mobile and had overtaken the walking group. We all went on again together but the toboggan shortly again began to give trouble and one of the towed sledges was hitched behind the dogs. Finally the toboggan could go no further and we camped. In the meantime Scott Base had been unable to set out because of high winds and low visibility.
Dog team at rest
During the night the supercharger turbine in one of the Caterpillar generators failed and the standby plant had to be brought on load. In the laboratory Garth Cowan had trouble due to a dirty relay contact in the proton magnetometer.
Conditions at 0900 hours Wind West-South-West 5 knots Temperature -26.8°C
Wednesday 8 May 1974
Both our USARP party and the Scott Base back-up were pinned down all day by high winds and poor visibility. The weather cleared at 1500 hours and from our camp on the ice shelf we could see the lights of Scott Base. Although by arrangement we held up a Tilley lamp on a pole they were unable to see us. I decided not to attempt a night march. The wind could have got up again and I wished to avoid having to make camp in the dark in a high wind. Vital equipment can easily blow away or be dragged and covered by drift.
During this trip I had a leadership problem. I was nominally in charge but both Bill Lokey, the USARP Field Manager, and Mike Wing were more experienced than me and tended at first to consult together and then tell me what the decision was. As always such behaviour starts with small things that are not worth a fuss. The problem was aggravated because Mike Wing as dog handler had to go in front of the team whenever we stopped and I had to stay at the back of the sledge with my foot on the brake. Bill Lokey from the toboggan would walk back to Mike Wing and chat and then away we would go again without me learning what if any-thing had been decided. When the situation deteriorated I had to make it clear to both of them that I expected to get their advice but intended to make the decisions.
Conditions at 0900 hours Wind North- North-East 25 knots Temperature -26.7°C
Thursday 9 May 1974
The weather still holding clear we broke camp at 0500 hours and by 0700 hours were on our way to Scott Base. The USARP toboggan took a new lease of life and set off in advance. The rest of us with the dogs and two sledges followed. In two hours we were home.
Back at Base despite cold weather the 920 Front End loader was in action getting ice. Mike and I spent the day unpacking and drying gear. In the evening at dinner we were awarded the Polar Medal with Budweiser bar.
Conditions at 0900 hours Wind West 8 knots Temperature -29.1°C
Friday 10 May 1974
Bob Grant repairing the Power Wagon transfer case. Most people completed monthly reports. I found four hampers of medical equipment in the ration store. Some of it looks expensive and since we don’t know how to use it, it is all useless. I repaired the sleeping bag I burned on the trip. Late in the day a “Condition One” was declared by McMurdo.
Conditions at 0900 hours Wind North-East 14 knots Temperature -34.2°C
Saturday 11 May 1974
Awoke and went into the wash room to find Chris Wilkins on his back on the floor working on the shower water pump. It had failed just after midnight and he had been working at it ever since. Bill Johnson completed repairs to the Caterpillar turbo-charger and it is back in service. In the afternoon eight of us set to and washed the walls and ceiling of the Mess. It had been starting to get a little dingy. In the evening one or two of the staff took advantage of an invitation to visit the CPO’s club. As late mouse I noticed that Titch, who had gone to McMurdo had not returned. After some telephoning, the duty officer located him sleeping on the couch in the room of a Lt Chris Stockwell. I had him awakened and brought to the phone whereupon I told him to put on his cold weather clothing and walk home. At the time it was still night. Half an hour later he had still not arrived and a 25 knot wind was raising a lot of drift. 45 minutes later when the wind had reached 30 knots I was just about to rouse a search party when in he came. He told a story about falling asleep whilst playing chess and I let matters lie, feeling I had made my point.
Conditions at 0900 hours Wind North-East 15 knots Temperature -32.1°C
Sunday 12 May 1974
A routine rest day. Tony Atkinson repaired the Post Office tape recorder. In the evening three of us went to a slide show put on by Bill Lokey, the Holmes & Narver Field Centre Manager. It dealt with a walk to the top of Kilimanjaro he had made with his parents and girl friend.
Conditions at 0900 hours Wind North-West 30 knots Temperature -24.5°C
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