Monday 29 July 1974
Tony Atkinson is still wrestling with the field mill. The tradesmanship displayed in its construction is not impressive and at cold temperatures its wiring falls apart at a touch. Consequentially it must be brought inside and thawed before it can be worked on.
I am starting to rebuild the heat machine and have rebuilt one end cap. Several staff took advantage of the improving weather to take the young bitches for a walk in dog harness. Bill Johnson has made baffles to defect snow coming into the engine room through the fans. The snow will be defected into containers which, whether it melts or not, can easily be emptied.
Conditions at 0900 hours Wind North 8 knots Temperature -35.0°C
Tuesday 30 July 1974
There is a reasonable case for arranging a rendezvous with Vanda during August. One of the cups has blown off their anemometer and they do not have the correct replacement, they are out of thermograph charts, Tony Bromley has an uncomfortable growth on his buttocks for which he lacks the specific drug, they are down to one Petter driving belt and, of course we could take them some mail. However the crossing of the Wilson Piedmont Glacier is reputed to be hazardous and the Superintendent may withhold approval.
Bob Grant is overhauling the Lincoln welder. With the burner tower for the incinerator and my heat machine we have been giving it heavy usage lately. Mike Wing has been through all the survival packs.
Conditions at 0900 hours Wind North 13 knots Temperature -39.5°C
Wednesday 31 July 1974
This morning Assinger was found dead on the span. He had not strangled and there is no apparent cause. In the evenings the maintenance staff has set a map of the local area under Perspex on one of our Mess tables. Tony Atkinson has calibrated the tachometer for the heat machine and I have fitted it with trunnions and made gimbals in which it can hang.
Conditions at 0900 hours Wind North 12 knots Temperature -35.2°C
Thursday 1 August 1974
Mike Wing has started checking the ropes in the field store. Dave Console the McMurdo doctor has undertaken to assist with a post mortem on Assigner. We are unfreezing him in the garage.
Conditions at 0900 hours Wind North-East 14 knots Temperature -23.8°C
Friday 2 August 1974
Bill Johnson has been in bed for nearly 24 hours. He has a headache and pains in his joints. I have decided to send Mike Wing and Bob Grant in a Power Wagon (the welldeck) to Marble Point with the US coring and flagging party. This will give us an indication of the route to the proposed DVDP drill sites. They spent the day checking their equipment and consulting Chuck Vorce the US party leader. I have given Mike Wing written instructions putting him under the control of Vorce throughout.
Marble Point opposite Hut Penninsula on the mainland
I have been running to the transmitters most evenings when weather permits in an effort to get fit.
Tony Atkinson has found that a rotating setting switch on the field mill can be rotated past the indicated settings and then introduces a situation which he thinks is responsible for most of the troubles experienced with it. Operators have turned the switch as far as it will go thinking they have selected the nearest indicated setting and so caused the apparent excessive sensitivity.
Conditions at 0900 hours Wind North-North-East 22 knots Temperature -21.2°C
Saturday 3 August 1974
The post-mortem on Assinger suggests that he died of pneumonia. Otherwise routine.
Conditions at 0900 hours Wind North 14 knots Temperature -24.0°C
Sunday 4 August 1974
A quiet day with increasing wind and falling temperatures. In the evening Ray Colliver saw a red glow from Erebus.
Conditions at 0900 hours Wind North 14 knots Temperature -26.5°C
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