MUSEUM OF NATURE Dog sledge in Antarctica

Press, 29 April 1978, Page 15

MUSEUM OF NATURE Dog sledge in Antarctica

By

DAVID HARROWFIELD,

of the Canterbury

Many happy memories will be revived when the mounted specimen of Apolotok, an Antarctic husky, is placed on exhibition soon in the Canterbury Museum.

Last December, the writer and a companion were fortunate to have the opportunity of working on the restoration of the hut built by Sir Ernest Shackleton at Cape Royds on Ross Island in 190 S. As an alternative to helicopter transport, we decided to travel in the traditional manner, by dog sledge. It is 7.25 p.m. Outside Scott Base a light northerly blows, there is a crispness in the air, and 11 huskies between one and eight years old are being placed in their harness. They are impatient and raring to go; those which will be left behind provide a chorus to be heard all over the base. Soon all is ready, the sledge having been loaded earlier, and we climb on to settle into the most comfortable position possible. A great deal of thought has gone into loading the sledge, which has our clothing, equipment including panes of window glass, a polar tent, double

sleeping bags, field mattresses, radio set. medical kit, a box of cooking utensils, and three weeks supplies. The weight, including ourselves, is estimated to be 1200 lb. At some hut windows, a row of interested spectators can be seen, and out in front the lone figure of the dog handler, Steve,

Museum

stands with ice-axe held aloft, holding the lead animal, “Sean,” by his harness. There is an air of tenseness and excitement. Mike signals that the brake has been released, Steve shouts “Way dogs.” and we are off on our 32mile journey. Carefully judging his timing, Steve leaps on to the rapidly moving sledge. It will be a fast sprint for anyone slow off the mark. Before long, the panting dogs have settled into a comfortable stride, and the sledge moving over the sea-ice is making a grinding sound hard to compare with any other. “Urrah" and the team veers left, followed by "Coo, coo,” and it turns right. Chris and I look at our watches, and are reminded

that it is the sixty-fifth anniversary of the day Amundsen reached the South Pole. A smooth road leading out to the fishing hut is being followed when unexpectedly the sledge turns over. With some effort it is righted. Fortunately for morale, we are out of sight of base, and no-one

has seen the embarrassing incident. Near Winter Quarters Bay, an American driving out to the airfield halts his truck, takes a photograph of us, and continues. We also decide to obtain some pictures of the sprawling McMurdo Station. Round Hut Point, where a little hut was erected during Scott’s e.xpcdhion in 1902 and a cross left to the memory < George Vince of the Discovery, we are by ourThere is now time to enjoy the glorious scenery and to visualise the men of Amundsen, Scott, and Shackleton doing ■ much the same thing more than 60 years ago. To our left, tne western mountains aie bathed in the soft light of

a fine summer evening To our right, Castle Rock is a

i ci-brown, surrounding snow slopes are a caie yellow. In front, the beautiful Mount

r. ebus. an active volcano, ns summit almost concealed bv cloud, dominates the skyline.

We are now beginning to cross patches of low sastrugi (ridges of compacted wind blown snow), and there is more walking and jogging beside the sledge than riding. The dogs. like us. also need occasional spells, and at 11.30 it is decided to halt at the end of the Erebus Glacier Tongue. The bright blue polar tent is erected near some Weddell seals basking in the sunshine, and the dogs are given a meal of pemmican. A mug of cocoa from a thermos U* :is us, .t.ui soon, with the dogs curled i ' it the snow, the only sounds to be heard a * t > of the seals, or the sea-ice groaning deep w iihin. In the morning, we will he on ou - way again, and after another eight hours travelling, including a break Io lunch •<’ w*

Evans, where Scott built his hut in 1911, our desti nation. Cape Royds. will be reached late in the afternoon.