David L. Harrowfield's Diary - Latest Entry
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Thursday 1 February 2001, Law Base
Had a pleasant surprise this morning with the arrival of "Rookie" (Allen Rooke) for the evening. Rookie has had a long and interesting career with ANARE and first visited Law Base 13 years ago. This afternoon I spent time examining the geomorphology of one of the valleys near Law Base and in addition to measuring slope angles, took measurements of some of the large boulders on the valley floor. This information will be useful when it comes to writing a scientific paper on the recent landscape in the Larsemann Hills. I later walked to Lakes Progress, Sidthorpe and Nella and to Sarah Tarn where I collected water samples and obtained measurements of temperature. Jim collected samples at lakes nearer Zhong Shan and Progress 2 Stations while Ewan spent some time assisting Mr Cong Kai with incineration of rubbish in the station's efficient incinerator. Later in the day Jim cooked a fine meal of lamb chops and roast potatoes in the small gas oven and we enjoyed a chat with Rookie who later headed off to Progress 2. Courtesy Antarctic Division, Rookie was able to arrange for some of the Russian station team which did not visit Davis recently to telephone home. I was amazed at the briefcase sized, INMARSAT M telephone system.
Friday 2 February 2001
Another fine day today and after helping load Leigh's helicopter with equipment used by the surveyors and the departure of Rookie for Davis Station, we all headed into the field. Ewan had a busy day assisting the Russians with tidying up around their station; another good example of cooperation between nations. Meanwhile Jim and I obtained some measurements of rock hardness and later continued with the daily sampling of the lakes mentioned. I cooked a large stew with vegetables in it ( a good one-pot meal) and afterwards went for a walk back to the valley I am presently studying, to obtain dimensions of lichens. Was heading back to camp when I heard a sound, not unlike a hen cackling. Keeping a good distance away from some rocks, I found that the noise came from a Snow Petrel which may have had a chick.
Saturday 3 February 2001
Started the day with a good meal of stew on toast and after attending to e-mails with help from Ewan and Jim, got the rubbish all assembled and ready to fly out. It makes a difference to take advantage of any helicopter which lands and has space and also helps Brendon Hill the capable storeman at Davis. The weather today is not so good as the last few days, with extensive cloud and possible snow forecast. However working conditions are good and today, Ewan returned to Progress 2 where all the station staff spent the morning tidying up around the station. Had the usual good shower then a meal with our Chinese friends. This evening it included finely sliced potato prepared with a large cleaver. It is interesting to observe some of the Chinese, stop halfway through their meal and have a cigarette. The doctor also smokes but does not do so until after tea. Meals seem to be dispensed with in the short time of about 20 minutes and then they all disappear. We headed back at 9pm our time.
Sunday 4 February 2001
Quite a good day today and started this with a nice plate of bacon and eggs cooked by Jim. We then took a quad over to the road between the Chinese and Russian stations and did some sampling. Had the rare opportunity of seeing two Skua chicks which have much of their dark plumage showing and are within about three weeks of flying. It is rather uncommon to see two chicks survive to this stage and we presume that this is because they are well fed. Numerous bones and also the remains of a Wilson's Storm Petrel and also of a Snow Petrel, were about the nest area. After some salmon on toast for lunch, walked over to Lake Progress where I sampled the water and then obtained slope angle measurements for another of the valleys of interest to me. The Chinese were excited to hear today that the Polar Bird is on its way to Hobart, where it will pick up the replacement party. The Aurora Australis is engaged in krill research as part of the marine science programme. Had a fine meal of roast chops and roast potatoes.
Monday 5 February 2001
The wind shifted from the west to the north-east in the night and a blow with perhaps snow, is anticipated for Tuesday and Wednesday. It will be good to have a helicopter come in, as we have accumulated several bags of rubbish. The bad weather kicked in soon after lunch and we were pleased to get outside work over by late afternoon when light snow began coming in from the east-south-east. The wind picked up during the evening and so did the snow, which swept across the stoney landscape outside, as a layer about four metres high. It was just like fine flour and infiltrated everywhere. By 9.30 pm we had a reasonable blizzard blowing and visibility was down to about 50 metres. Decided to turn in at 10 and climbed into the sleeping bag with bush shirt providing additional warmth. The view from my donga door was as if gazing into a container of greyish-white milk.
Tuesday 6 February 2001.
Waitangi Day - New Zealand's national holiday. The wind eased during the morning and I climbed out of the sleeping bag to find a centimetre of fine snow over my floor. Jim cooked a tray of small bacon and egg pies which we enjoyed with a can of beer for lunch. We then took time off to sit in the warmth of the mess hut, with Jim reading John Thomson's excellent book "Shackleton's Captain" and me, Andre Mignot's very readable and interesting "Lonely South". Both books were Christmas presents to us. Ewan meanwhile braved the elements and walked over the hills to Progress 2 before lunch and later to Zhong Shan to return Mr Cong Kai's digital camera which he has managed to repair. Tomorrow is apparently going to be a fine day, however bad weather is forecast for Thursday.
In a week or so weather permitting, the Larsemann Hills expedition will be over and we all look forward to catching up with friends at Davis Station and then to heading home on the Aurora Australis. We will of course miss our Chinese and Russian friends and the magnificent area where we have spent the last few weeks. At Davis Jim and I will be working on some of our scientific papers to come out of our field work while Ewan hopes to do some work in the Vestfold Hills and also assist the Chinese with their change over to a new team due on the Polar Bird. We all expect to assist in some of the daily duties at the station.