Eastwind (WAGB 279) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 84 text:

Bailey lil and Reid examine adult penguin at rookery campsite. Officer directs LCVP to best landing in ice-chocked waters surrounding Cape Adare f V

Page 83 text:

,ZZ ' , ,Q I g. B-ww v-nu I aww nun-v-u-W-me-..-..t.-.cw - z f Cape Adare Two scientists waved goodbye to over half a million penguins, when the Coast Guard ice- breaker Eastwind arrived to take them off wind- swept rock-bare Cape Adare in Antarctica, their campsite for three lonely weeks. The scientists, Brian Reid, 30, of Rotorua, New Zealand, and Colin Bailey, 26, of Adelaide, Australia, were the first men in 50 years to spend over a day at the site of the first land wintering-over party in the Antarctic. We wanted to study an 'isolated penguin rookery, explained leader Reid, So naturally we chose a place that was fairly accessable but untouched. Along with 400 pounds of food and supplies, the Eastwind landed the scientists by helicopter on Jan- uary 13. Then she had headed north for a week in Wellington, New Zea- land for reprovisioning after spend- ing over a month breaking ice for cargo ships supplying scientific sta- tions throughout the South Polar re- gions. A typical day for the two men at Cape Adare started at 9:30 in the morning with a hot breakfast of pork and beans, coffee, and cereal. Thenwe'd tramp about and count the penguins, said Bailey, an Aus- tralian medical doctor who is assist- ing Reid. Going from colony to colony of squaking, squabbling, birds, the scientists made preliminary esti- mates from which final figures would be worked out. They also counted the number of skua gulls, large grey- brown Antarctic birds which prey on penguin chicks. In all, it proved to be a very fruitful mis- sion, explained Reid. We now have the basis for future study of this rookery. Scientists ea- amining this same group in years to come will be able to tell if the penguin population is de- clining, remaining steady, or on the increase. During their stay, the men were frequently buffeted by cold, cutting winds that picked up rocks and hurled them through their tents. I guess it was the inconvenience of getting literally 'rocked' to sleep that made us decide to dig out one of the old huts, remembers Reid with a smile. I There are three wooden buildings still stand- ing at Cape Adare. One was built in 1899 by ' .4 '...f.. if . . Y QIQQ' ' U. L ez, ,-512' , :H A ,-. ..,, . -f'.,Lf- 1- ' V , 'QQ , T-11 . pf.--, N .. ei ' wwf fr 7 5. .1 .. 4 , 4 ,. . . , 9.4: . . pal' I figs in Uri-:'ii 1 , ,N by X1 the flfst Party Otfsiefx bythe Antarctic Continieiiit,T'he'adedT 'V A - . - -. ' ,f 1' ig ustrallan name- Borchgrevink. ,gy V E, 1 gg The other two, built by Scott's Wnortgiigkgrii , -P' t - ' - -. 9: .425 ' s fit-i'51..- 4.9 when they wintered over 1n 1911, hafyggi ii, . - . of ,, A 1' ' . ' 'Trix ' Fifffifjf apart, mute testimony to the fierce windisvwhlch, ,fi 1 J iiiiziff' - , , , blast the exposed Cape. ,I It's quite amazing that the oldest building is still standing, recalls Reid, It was with hard-packed snow, and we worked like .iii my very devil digging it out. ' ' Once excavated, however, it formed a per- fect shelter for the scientists, in addition to providing some excellent reading material. They F found scientific journals and novels dating back to the mid 1800's. ,i In addition,the two men found old unexposed 5 photographic glass plates, tins of fine choco- a if l 1 i I L Q u 5 l. E E E K i E s Penguin families cavort at Cope Adare. lates, cans of pea soup, safety matches, knife 5 1' grinders, and bunks enough to accommodate , 10 men. A i One day, while counting skua gulls on the sheer cliffs near the campsite, Reid and Bailey discovered an iron cross on a boulder, marking the grave of the first man to die while living on , the Antarctic Continent. Crudely chisled on a metallic plaque was the terse epitaph: N. Hanson, eoologist, Norge, 28-10-1899, 28 Year. Also on the plaque was a six pointed star with the letters S.C. within it. Although neither of the scientists' could figure the meaning of the S.C. , it is possible that it stands for Southern Cross f the name of the ship that brought the party to Antarctica. 3 l X'

Page 85 text:

-' f'f' T, ' 4' - ji - 'V TT? 5 'j T' 252 '--xiii -, 51,3 ' ,'1'J'i7,f,?.' -' 1-4...-.u...u-..1....,..... g , , A V F H: N hm-, i f. 1 .F L'-' , ' 9:35 Q -2 1 ii' , ii ,x'2f,lf!' 'ffif ,, , Zeiiiif V 'ti Z T r xi d f.-.i - i . 1, fc-. EESQL 'L - ' YF'-grtivg X. I N'Jf?5E,f--0 i , ,,.v3l3L'w if - VM ,fvy in . r x ' A twelve man landing party from the East- wind was sent into Cape Adare by boat to assist the two scientists in moving out. The Coast- guardsmen also boarded up the excavated hut to prevent additional interior damage by winter blizzards. Before leaving, the scientists requested that Eastwind be represented in a record book that would be left behind in the hut for future ex- plorers and scientists. The officers and men compiled a page long dedication, part of which went: To those who have braved great hardships here and to those who will con- tinue to do so in the quest for scientific knowledge we say NIL SINE MAGNA LABORE. They have our respect and admiration. ' ' lcontinuedj Bailey Ili and Reid attempt radio contact with Hallett Station. Seaman shoulders repair supplies needed to preserve historic huts. A 1 x ., A ..,,,.,,,,.,- , .-ww. -f--rv9----f..-- 5 1 l