Monday 13 May 1974
Bill Johnson serviced the Listers, Chris Wilkins repaired the Post Office fans, Mike Wing completed his survey of necessary sledge repairs and Bob Grant carried out the monthly service on the front end loader. I made several pieces for the heat machine, Stuart Clarke made a routine check of the equipment at Arrival Heights and Garth Cowan searched for, and found, yet another break in the earth current line.
Conditions at 0900 hours Wind North 2 knots Temperature -25.5°C
Tuesday 14 May 1974
We had gale force winds during the night but they died by early morning. Chris Wilkins is repairing the Mess fans, Mike Wing with the front end loader is shifting seal meat blocks from their present location to near the thawing wannigan. They were becoming drifted over. Stuart again went to Arrival Heights to adjust the alignment of the photometer but by the time he got there, about 1400 hours, the winds were so strong he could achieve nothing. Garth Cowan recorded an unusual number of earthquakes but has no way of telling where they occurred.
Conditions at 0900 hours Calm Temperature -30.0°C
Wednesday 15 May 1974
Almost everyone is working at stocktaking between other jobs. Tony Atkinson is having more trouble with the ionosonde brilliance control system. Stuart Clarke is working on the all sky camera film and repairing tears in the photometer canvas cover. Although Bill has stripped and adjusted the sewing machine yet again and it is working well, it just isn’t working well, it just isn’t suitable for heavy canvas repairs. Mike Wing decided to take Vaska’s bitch pups out of the cage and chain them behind the hangar. They are six months old and will soon have to go in the span. At midnight, as fire watch, I went to have a look at them but a strong wind had got up raising such a thick drift that I found them by sound and feel only. Still they seemed to be alright although I woke Mike to see if he wanted them moved. He didn’t.
Conditions at 0900 hours Wind South-East 14 knots Temperature -17.6°C
Thursday 16 May 1974
At 0200 hours this morning we experienced a 70 knot wind. I have been stocktaking books. Bill Johnson and Chris Wilkins worked on the laboratory and C Hut Waterbury heaters. Mike Wing has cleaned out the mess made in the garage cold porch by the younger pups and is going to move them up to the cage. Stuart is stitching the photometer cover and Garth Cowan has fired up the incinerator. This latter is quite a big job as it is necessary to build a good fire inside with waste timber before adding rubbish.
In the afternoon Cdr Sutherland from McMurdo called. The Holmes and Narver Biolab Manager, one Greg Nickell, had been missing since 11 pm the night before and his body and crashed truck had just been found in the cirque above the ice caves and close to Scott Base. The most likely explanation is that at about 2245 hours he set out to visit a friend at the Cosmic Ray laboratory on the road to Scott Base, drove pasted it in poor visibility, realized his error on getting to the junction of Scott Base Road with the road to the transmitters, trued to turn his vehicle and in doing so backed over the cliff. That no search party was mounted for 12 hours is a consequence of the US system. My apparent obstinacy on Saturday night seems to have been vindicated.
Conditions at 0900 hours South 25 knots Temperature -14.5°C
Friday 17 May 1974
Attended a memorial service for Greg Nickell at 1000 hours. I walked over without difficulty with a brisk Southerly at my back. On my way home I was facing into a somewhat stronger wind and missed the turn-off to Scott Base just south of the “Gap”. I could only see a small radius around my feet but could tell from the slope of the ground that I had gone too far. After crawling about on hands and knees for about half an hour I finally found the fork and came home the rest of the way without trouble. I was properly dressed and so in no danger.
McMurdo wish to leave the wrecked vehicle in its present position as a combined memorial and object lesson. I have said it is beyond my authority to agree. In the evening we had some 13 of the Det Alpha communications branch men to dinner. Almost everyone spent the day either on routine or else stocktaking. Stuart Clarke however is busy stitching canvas into a cowl for the photometer. This will give his head and shoulders protection from the wind whilst he is operating the switches and will also prevent light from his torch (needed to see the dials) from diffusing into the receiver.
Conditions at 0900 hours Wind South 25 knots Temperature -20.1°C
Saturday 18 May 1974
A routine day. Tony Bromley, Vanda Leader, called. He has a warty growth on one buttock and asked for advice about treatment as he was afraid it might be contagious. For the lack of anything better he is treating it with tinea ointment. Chris Wilkins is repairing the vacuum cleaner blower – otherwise routine.
Conditions at 0900 hours Wind East 15 knots Temperature -16.7°C
Sunday 19 May 1974
A day of high winds. At the 1800 hours radio contact Tony Bromley called to say he had rain at Vanda. Yesterday they too had high winds but at about 0900 hours a light breeze had come from the South or South-West, the temperature had climbed from -48ºC to -2ºC and at about 1300 hours a light rain began to fall. In the midday dark he was at first unaware of what was happening but then was able to see fine droplets in the station lights and wet patches on the lee sides of rocks and other objects. The humidity is so low at Vanda that moisture does not appear on the windward side. Thankfully I made this into a press release as it is believed to be the first recorded winter rain in the area.
Conditions at 0900 hours Wind South 40 knots Temperature -8.0°C
The “Met” station at Vanda
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