Monday 30 September 1974
Today Tony Atkinson and I shovelled the snow out of Scott’s Hut and piled a cairn of rocks around Vince’s Cross. Garth Cowan went to Arrival Heights to align the radio receiver there. Chris Wilkins finally managed to repair the Typhoon Compressor used for charging BA bottles. We have no handbook or manual for this item so were unable to “trouble-shoot” systematically.
Memorial Cross to RN Able Seaman George Vince who lost his life when he slipped over a cliff into the freezing sea in March 1902
Vince’s Cross on the tip of Hut Point
Conditions at 0900 hours Wind North-East 1 knots Temperature -32.1°C
Tuesday 1 October 1974
At 0745 hours we had a superficial fire in the Post Office. Apparently Titch had been having a social session last night with one or two people waiting for phone calls to New Zealand and during this period he lit a decorative candle. Someone else may have put it under the counter to make room on the writing surface. Whatever the reason, it burned all night without detection by either the mice or the alarm system. Eventually it burned away and the wick fell over igniting some papers. These flared up, set off the alarm and scorched the wall. The fire team, assisted by Mike Wing quickly put the fire out and by 1000 hours most of the debris and powder had been cleaned up. I was surprised to find Mike working with the fire team. He is quite incorrigible. If any job interests him he simply moves in and starts doing it.
I finished making duckboards for the shower.
Conditions at 0900 hours Wind North-East 20 knots Temperature -32.7°C
Wednesday 2 October 1974
Today Tony Atkinson, Chris Wilkins, and Mike Wing rang a request session on the McMurdo radio during which people could ring and pledge money in return for their choice of record. The money is to go to charity so we did our best to support them.
Bill Johnson has screwed the bronze plaques for the Wind Vane Hill memorial onto their frame and painted it in readiness for erection. I removed the broken drawbar from the welder trailer.
In the afternoon Tony Atkinson and Mike Wing took two Americans, Dave Console and Chuck Vorce, for a short dog trip.
Conditions at 0900 hours Wind North-East 2 knots Temperature -34.5°C
Thursday 3 October 1974
We are continuing with our “clean-up” jobs. Bob Grant repaired the drawbar and Ray Colliver and I started work on dexion shelving in the freezer. Our hot water has been pretty cold in the ablution block lately as the heater element in the hot water tank cannot be put into operation without a circuit breaker which we lack. The heater element is a “booster” and without it the heat from the Caterpillar exhaust heat exchangers is only sufficient to bring the cold water to blood heat. This makes a shower a Spartan affair. As a temporary measure we have lit the engine room diesel-beck which improves the water temperature but, since it must be regularly de-coked makes more work for Bill Johnson.
Conditions at 0900 hours Wind North 5 knots Temperature -23.1°C
Friday 4 October 1974
Today a USARP, Mike Fussel, rang asking whether he and a friend could accompany our next party to Royds/Evans. We expect that on the weekend Bill Johnson, Ray Colliver and Ian Thomas will go. They will endeavour to:
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Evaluate radio interference and optical auroral viewing area for possible IPCO site.
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Locate and report on magnetic reference markers.
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Ascertain the state of the magnetic hut at Cape Evans.
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Erect the memorial plaques on Wind Vane Hill.
Inside Scott’s Hut at Cape Evans
Our group is stable and mature and is not really keen to have two “schoolboy scientists” along – but I could hardly refuse as they will provide their own gear and be self contained.
We have packed most of the cargo for dispatch on the early flights north and have left it at the cargo terminal. Ray and I are continuing with dexion shelving. Ian Thomas and the laboratory staff brought “Julie”, the photometer, back from Arrival Heights.
Conditions at 0900 hours Wind North 9 knots Temperature -20.7°C
Saturday 5 October 1974
This morning the temperature had risen and visibility had deteriorated so I postponed the Royds/Evans trip. Instead we washed the ceiling and walls of the Mess and ablution block. In the afternoon I continued with the freezer shelving. Stuart packed “Julie”.
Conditions at 0900 hours Wind North-East 14 knots Temperature -14.7°C
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