DIVERS UNDER ICE IN McMURDO SOUND

Press, Volume C, Issue 29421, 25 January 1961, Page 12

DIVERS UNDER ICE IN McMURDO SOUND

Two American divers earlier this month became the first men to dive beneath the Antarctic ice and remain submerged in freezing water for almost half an hour. In pitch-black water with a temperature of 27} degrees Fahrenheit, and the constant threat of killer whales, the men, Messrs J. Thorne and D. H. Johnson, both professional divers, swam for 28 minutes below eight feet of bay ice in McMurdo Sound. The purpose of their dive, Mr Thorne explained yesterday, was to photograph the results of an ice-melting device under test by a team of American company representatives. and to observe any phenomena of possible scienitific interest. Mr Thorne, a major in the United States Army reserve, a television script writer, adventurer, photographer, and actor in several Hollywood films, described the dive as “miserable." In 10 years of diving throughout the world he had never struck worse conditions, he said. So completely chilled were they when they emerged from the water that their arms had to be supported while they drank hot coffee. “I was so cold. I just couldn’t lift my hand,’” said Mr Thorne. For warmth the men wore two sets of waffle-weave underwear and several pairs of socks, underneath constant volume rubber and fabric diving suits—the only suits suitable for diving under such conditions. ‘‘Real Struggle” These suits were built in two pieces—the head and the body. The narrow neck portions had to be stretched wide enough for the leg, trunk, and arms to be inserted. The headpiece was clamped on to a metal ring and sealed last. “It was a real struggle," said Mr Thorne describing how he and Mr Johnson had stood on the ice in freezing temperatures, with no shelter, while four men stretched, pulled, and tugged to help them into the suits. After checking and rechecking all the equipment, and briefing the assistants on the necessary tugging signals to be used on the lifelines the divers went into the water. Although killer whales were known to be in the area—“We saw 12 as we entered McMurdo Sound in the Edisto”—it was believed that they would not swim any great distance under the ice. The nearest clear water, the channel broken by the American ice-breakers and supply ships sailing to the Antarctic base on Ross Island, was more than two miles away. This was considered to be a safe distance, and no safety precautions were taken.

Six days later the belief that killer whales did not swim under ice was disproved. Mr Thorne photographed one swimming in the ice-free area created by the melting equipment. “I presume we were just lucky.” Killer whales were voracious; they would attack anything and had been known to spot an animal on an ice floe, 'dive, and crash through the ice to attack the animal. “There was no more diving after I took that photograph: it would have been just suicide,” said Mr Thorne. Whale “Loomed Up” The photograph was taken while he was standing on the edge of the channel checking some of the equipment. “This whale suddenly loomed up. I didn't have my camera ready so I threw everything I could find handy into the water to attract the whale to the surface. I tossed in a bit of seal meat, and even a red flag that was marking the unsafe area of the ice. The whale came up again about 10 feet away, and I managed to photograph it before it dived. I think it took a seal on the way.” The risks taken became more evident when they realised that while in the water they could see a glimmer of light in the distance. It was probably a seal hole, said Mr Thorne, but it proved that they would have been plainly visible to any sharks as they moved around in the water illuminated by the light of the hole through which they had dived. Both divers had minor leaks in their suits while in the water, but these were fixed with grease by assistants when the divers surfaced. Each man surfaced several times either to have his suit fixed, or in the case of Mr Thorne, to have his camera flashlight bulbs changed. A theory put forward bv some scientists that the underside of the ice was covered with plankton was disproved There was no plankton or « ge^tion of ar >y kl ’nd said Mr Thorne. “The ice was anything but smooth, it was pock-marked and undulated in a comnlicated system of humps and levels. We drew sketches of Its appearance for the benefit or the scientists working ‘in the Antarctic,” he said. Nothing at all could be seen mrcept in the small area f ed by the ice hole °"! v evide «=e of sea 2,0 Z as \ , seal tryin g to prod me from below.” Both Mr Thorne and Mr Johnson expect to return to ‘he United States later this week.