Race to reach McMurdo Station
The race is on to get the United States Navy Antarctic supply ship Southern Cross in and out of .McMurdo Station one more time before the ice wharf there completely breaks up.
The Southern Cross arrived at Lyttelton from McMurdo Station on Tuesday and is due to make one more voyage to the Antarctic before the end of the summer season.
The ice wharf at McMurdo Station has been cracking and breaking up in the last few weeks, effectively reducing the amount of space available for working the ship.
The terminal operations officer for the United States Naval Support Force, Antarctica, Captain C. C. Hall, said that the length of the ice wharf had been reduced from about 60m a few weeks ago to only about 50m. Earlier in the season the workable area had been about 150 m.
The reduced working space means that it takes longer to load and unload the ship, a task that must be completed while United States Navy and New Zealand Army stevedores are still at McMurdo Station. The stevedores will be brought back to New Zealand before
the last flight for the summer season, which is expected to be in about two weeks.
Captain Hall said that as well as the cracking and breaking up of the ice wharf, the edge of the ice wharf had been undercut by the tide. This area would be trimmed or blasted off before the wharf was used again.
The ice wharf is made by repeatedly flooding an area with water which quickly turns to ice. When more water is poured on top the weight of it submerges the ice, eventually creating a deep structure. This structure is then floated into position and secured with cables and wire rope.
Volcanic dirt is spread on top of the ice wharf to provide traction.
This is the first time in several years that there have been problems of this kind with the ice wharf. The cause of the cracking is not known.
The Southern Cross was scheduled to move to a bunkering berth about 11 p.m. yesterday. Captain Hall said he hoped she would set sail on her five-day voyage by about 8 a.m. todav.
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Press, 10 February 1983, Page 3
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371Race to reach McMurdo Station Press, 10 February 1983, Page 3
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