Crewman ‘proud, privileged’

Press, 13 March 1985, Page 8

Crewman ‘proud, privileged’

A Christchurch man said yesterday he felt proud to have taken part in the support for the British expedition to send two men to the South Pole later this year. Mr Ken Marshall, a mate for the Pacifica Shipping Company, returned to Lyttelton yesterday in the Southern Quest, the ship which took the expedition members to Antarctica. He said that his interest in the vessel and her journey began when the Southern Quest berthed opposite the Spirit of Free Enterprise at Lyttelton in January. He registered his interest in the journey with the crew and less than two days before the vessel sailed he was told he was to be taken on as crew for the

voyage to Antarctica and back. Mr Marshall had never been further south than Foveaux Strait, and said seeing his first iceberg at S3deg. south was quite an experience. He said the Southern Quest was a “great little seaboat” which was aided in her journey in both directions by excellent weather. She arrived at Cape Evans nine days almost to the minute after leaving Port Chalmers. The next six days were spent unloading the vessel by pontoon and zodiac craft and assembling the quarters where the five men remaining in Antarctica would spend the winter. Two of the members of the “In the

Footsteps of Scott” expedition, Robert Swan and Roger Mear, will leave Cape Evans in October to retrace Captain Scott’s journey to the South Pole. After the unloading the Southern Quest sailed to McMurdo Station and spent several days there, which included a visit to Scott Base. The ship called again at Cape Evans to make sure the camp was running smoothly before sailing to New Zealand, stopping for two days at Campbell Island on the way back. Mr Marshall was one of three New Zealanders aboard — the others were a carpenter and a New Zealander living in Sydney who was part of the film crew.

“I think I have been very privileged to have seen something like that,” Mr Marshall said of the Antarctic scenery. “It was a great experience.” He said he would volunteer for the second Antarctic trip by the Southern Quest when she returned next January to collect the winter team. He would have to be selected for the trip and would consider whether he could again afford to take six weeks off his job in the inter-island cargo vessel.

The expedition spirit was infectious, Mr Marshall said. He gave credit to the leader, Mr Swan, for his organisation. “I was very proud to be part of it,” he said.