Ships Hove To In Antarctic Gale

Press, Volume CI, Issue 30015, 27 December 1962, Page 8

Ships Hove To In Antarctic Gale

Gale force winds averaging But the rising wind brought

45 knots and gusting up to 70 knots have pushed the United States Navy icebreaker Edisto and the attack cargo ship Arneb five miles back up the McMurdo Sound channel, says a message received at United States Antarctic headquarters in Christchurch yesterday afternoon. The ice-breaker Eastwind

the ships to a standstill at 3 am. on Christmas Day. They hove to, and the Arneb and Edisto drifted five miles under the force of the gale. They reported that blowing snow had restricted visibility, and that a helicopter reconnaissance was impossible. Other ships heading for McMurdo Sowfid are the icebreaker Glacier and the cargo ship Private Joseph T. Merrell The Glacier was expected to meet the Josephd T. Merrell off Scott Island about 4 p.m. yesterday afternoon. Bad weather has stopped aircraft movements, and tour planes are waiting tor it to clear. There are two Herciles standing by at Harewood to fly south, and one Neptune at Invercargill. Another Neptune is waiting at McMurdo Station for a chance to fly to New Zealand. When those flights have been made, there will be no more between New Zealand and Antarctica until January 5.

reported that the long-awaited break-up of ice started at 8 p.m. on Christmas Eve, and the two ice-breakers began to escort the Arneb through the channel.