Week 11. The dogs fight

Monday 17 December 1973

At Base, John Fenwick and Harry Shilling departed for NZ. With the aid of Maurice Conly, obviously an early riser, we had the sledge packed and away by 0440 hours. A southerly had got up during the night and all the loose pack ice in front of the rookery had disappeared leaving open water. With a south wind I was afraid the sea ice would go next so was delighted that the dogs made splendid time to Cape Evans. There we had breakfast and after trying to raise Scott Base with the defective radio pushed on. On turning the corner of Cape Evans we could see nothing in the direction of Scott Base except a great black cloud from which wind was blowing briskly. Fearing that a blizzard was coming towards us I turned back to the wannigan at Scott’s Hut and we had lunch and a three hour wait there whilst frequently checking the weather to the south. It seemed to get no worse so I decided to push on.

As soon as we were off the ice and on snow the dogs began to tire. With 14 miles to go we had to take turns at running in front. Nigel developed cramp and I began to feel my years so a lot of this fell on Bob Newland who did a tremendous job. To add to our miseries the bitch Uglin came on heat. After we had untangled one tremendous fight Asinga was so badly hurt that he was bleeding and refused to walk. The team towed him for about two miles but finally we had to put him on the sledge.

Five miles from the Base the dogs were down to a crawl. On my turn as pointsman I could easily have kept ahead of them except that I too was running out of steam. Finally at 1915 hours we came past the front of the Base in fairly good order but the dogs were so tired that after stopping they had, in some cases, to be dragged to the dog lines.

Conditions at 0900 hours Wind North-North-East 8 knots Temperature -5.2°C

Ration Strength 38

One of the husky’s after a fight

Tuesday 18 December 1973

The snow which was falling yesterday continues. It is melting as it falls which makes it impossible to avoid leaking roofs. Yesterday whilst I was away John Fenwick and Harry Shilling left for Christchurch. Off the same plane we welcomed Warren Featherston, Ian Clements, Neil Thompson and Chris Sloan. Major Gen Holloway, a guest of the US Navy, called over for a tour of Scott Base in the morning. In the afternoon I joined a group going round the Nuclear Power Station and the Fire House. Bob Newland and I both have mild cases of snow blindness.

Shaun spent the day finalizing arrangements for Warren Featherston and Ian Clements to commence their projects. DVDP have now called on us to replace two drillers who will be taking a break in McMurdo. With the replacement of Ray Colliver by Max Tunnicliffe we will then have Max, Bill Whitley, Ross Cooper, Gary Brehaut and George Kendall at the drill site. Since Colin Monteath goes back to the Italians as soon as possible this leaves us short of manpower. Because of the early effort put into Vanda we are running behind hand with the maintenance programme and with all field assistants committed we cannot continue with our survival training for the Americans.

Conditions at 0900 hours Wind East-North-East 8 knots Temperature -4.9°C

Ration Strength 39

Wednesday 19 December 1973

Today, because it was very wet, we were plagued with melt water running under the corrugated iron in the cold corridors and into the corridors where it refroze. In the spaces between the huts and the corridors snow has compacted to ice at least a foot thick. With the sun on the iron of the corridor the temperature of the iron rose and by conductivity downward heated the ice adjacent to it which then melted and flowed under the iron skirt or through its joints submerging service pipes, blocking drains and causing a slippery footing. The only remedy, to clear all the ice from the outsides of the buildings right down to the scoria, is a tedious task since in the confined spaces concerned it is difficult to use power tools. Nevertheless we are getting on with it.

Bob Grant has made a new axle for one of the SnoTracs. This was a praiseworthy piece of tradesmanship. Without either SnoTrac we are greatly inconvenienced.

Event 9 has been moved from Alligator to Rotunda. The C130 for Christchurch left today with Gill McNoe, O’Neill, Upritchard, Reid and Jensen on board. Stranded at Vanda because of the weather and unable to reach the plane were Barry McKelvey, John Falconer and Robin Holdsworthy.

Conditions at 0900 hours Wind East-North-East 2 knots Temperature -4.2°C

Ration Strength 39

Thursday 20 December 1973

A busy helicopter day. Event 10 was assembled at Lake Bonney with Alex Wilson and Tim Healy being brought up from Lake Trough, Chris Reynolds from Scott Base and Adrian Field and John Gumbley from Vanda. Bob Parks and Paddy Fenton flew from Scott Base to Vanda trailing a bundle of aerial masts under the helicopter.

Events 1 and 3 were also moved in to Vanda. Colin Monteath was at last able to return to the Italian party who, rather unscientifically, are setting out to climb Obelish. This doesn’t seem to be part of their programme but as international efforts are always sensitive I have not commented. McKelvey, Falconer and Holdsworthy finally got a lift back to Scott Base and will fly to Christchurch tomorrow. Clement and Ramsden have gone to Cape Evans with a toboggan. Ray Colliver arrived back at Base having done such a good job at the drill site that the drillers were reluctant to let him go.

In the beauty contest at McMurdo, Titch Gibson has been nominated as “Mr Ice King 1973”. At the moment he leads the voting. Max Tunnicliffe and John Starr have been flown to the Vida drill site for DVDP. The data logger arrived for Event 11 and Steve Warder was dispatched with it to Vanda.

Conditions at 0900 hours Wind North-East 14 knots Temperature -7.3°C

Ration Strength 33

Friday 21 December 1973

A fairly routine day. Tony Atkinson and the Laboratory staff have rearranged some of their recording devices to take advantage of the space left by the “whistler” equipment removal. They completed the necessary carpentry without calling on the maintenance staff. On the maintenance staff side Brian Fisher has completed the pre-cutting of doors and frames for Vanda, Chris Wilkins has crated and packed the charged batteries and Bill Johnson has made a number of drip trays for the Petter Shed and elsewhere. We should now be able to attack our own maintenance problems.

Bob Newland vaccinated all the dogs against canine hepatitis. Today’s C130 brought in Ian Thomas and Leo Slattery and took out Barry McKelvey, John Falconer and Robin Holdsworthy. Antarctic Division must have worked some miracle to get fresh on-move bookings for all three of them.

Dog team out for a run

Tony Bromley arrived in from Vanda. He has been sick for some time and Ian Curpley sent him out to “get cleaned up”. Tony is staying with us whilst being treated at the McMurdo dispensary. The equipment for Event 14, Canterbury University’s Cape Bird party, has arrived but that for Event 12 Warren Featherston has not. Bill Whitley arrived back from the Vida drill site at about midnight. Apparently he had worked at packing the rig for 36 hours continuously. Since eight hours of this constitutes a physically tiring day he looked and was absolutely bushed.

Conditions at 0900 hours Wind North-East 8 knots Temperature -9.7°C

Ration Strength 29

Saturday 22 December 1973

Today we were allocated a helicopter to withdraw Event 9 John McPherson and Harry Keys from Rotunda. We also used it to distribute the Xmas re-supply to Vanda, Alex Wilson's Event 10 and the Italians. Bill Johnson went with the helicopter to ensure that the right items were left at the right places and to give him a break. The flight was successfully completed by 1800 hours. We were also to have re-supplied Cape Bird and taken Bob Stanley, Nigel Bingham, Bruce McLachlan and Gordon Nation into the site for a visit. Unfortunately the flight was continually postponed and finally cancelled.

We are having great difficulty in clearing ice from between the buildings and the cold corridors. We have got rid of the snow but the last two feet is solid ice and can only be broken up with a jack hammer. It seems to me to be more than one year’s accumulation and I am beginning to wonder if the game is worth the candle. We entertained 12 Army aircraft loaders and three Kiwi helicopter pilots to dinner. Afterwards we auctioned various items to raise funds for Titch's campaign. Proceeds go to a Christchurch charity. I brought Tony Bromley's old singlet for $10. It is not one of your immaculate Antarctic Division substitutes but a genuine tatty filthy germ infected Bromley and cheap at the price. The McMurdo hospital has diagnosed Tony's complaint as pneumonia.

Conditions at 0900 hours Wind North East 8 knots Temperature -10.2°C

Ration Strength 28

Sunday 23 December 1973

After an abortive attempt in the morning we finally got the Cape Bird re-supply flight away at 2100 hours. On it were Gordon Nation verifying Bird Hut stores, Bruce McLachlan trying to improve Bird radio transmission, Nigel Bingham recording and interview with Joy Woods and Fred Szydik with camera. They had two hours on the ground and returned a little after 0100 hours.

During the day Bob Newland, Harry Keys and John McPherson got to the South Pole. We were still unable to get the two for Siple dispatched. I am told the weather is bad but suspect that in a conflict over whether to complete delivery of South Pole cargo or start Siple cargo, South Pole is winning. Uglin the bitch is still on heat. We are endeavouring to mate her with Oscar, a good dog and genetically the most suitable. He was in the process of serving her when the other dogs became so excited that they broke their common wire line. This is a length of ½ inch diameter steel wire rope but it is very old and seen hard usage. Vaska and the pups are occupying our only pen so we had little choice but to chain the pair together. It was unfortunate that the line broke and we were lucking that Oscar wasn’t badly savaged in the fight that followed. We will have new steel wire fitted as soon as it arrives on the USN re-supply ship Towle.

Shaun took Tony Atkinson, Bob Chambers, Bob Grant and Lt Carmen on a reconnaissance trip towards Cape McKay. We may need to get to the damaged helicopter soon.

Conditions at 0900 hours Wind North-West 8 knots Temperature -2.5°C

Ration Strength 27