Daylight Returns To Scott Base

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28354, 13 August 1957, Page 19

Daylight Returns To Scott Base

[From J. HOLMES MILLER, deputy leader of the New Zealand Antarctic Expedition]

SCOTT BASE, August 10. After almost a week of heavily overcast weather with light fglls of snow, yesterday dawned as clear as blue crystal and all waited keenly to see just how much light mid-day would bring. Mid-morning brought a fiery sky almost reaching the zenith from the northern horizon. At mid-day all the old landmarks showed up very clearly. Yet overhead one or two of the brightest stars still twinkled palely and the fliers still needed lanterns along the landing strip to make their approach and let down. Bill Cranfield was able to see a solitary seal and many open holes while flying over Cape Chocolate and the dog teams were able to dash over quite a few miles with almost reckless abandon after the 'months of sledging in darkness and moonlight.

Ice Record The best record ever kept of the ice conditions in McMurdo Sound will be that by John Claydon, senior pilot of the Antarctic Flight of the Royal New Zealand Air Force now at Scott Base as part of the New Zealand Antarctic expedition.

Both he and second pilot, Bill Cranfield, have flown as regularly as possible right throughout - the winter, and a particular study has been the rate of ice formation over the whole sound and the effect on the new sea ice of the northerly and southerly winds. The only large gap in the record came at a time when it might not have been possible to fly very much in any case because of the intense dark of mid-winter. There was no flying from the beginning of June until the middle of July during the long blizzard which buried the Auster aircraft and the buildings on the airstrip. Whenever opportunity has

offered, the plane has been taken up ana the record maintained. This record will be of considerable help if and when it may be necessary to carry out mid-winter navigation in the Ross Sea with a view to entering McMurdo Sound four or five months before it is normally practicable. The record, so tar, indicates that the maximum freeze-up has not yet been reached. However, firm bay ice has formed all along the coast of Ross Island as far north as Cape Royds. It is reassuring information for the dog sledgers, some of whom are planning short visits to that area as part of their workout for the summer programmes.