ANTARCTIC FLYING

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 71, 17 December 1928, Page 11

ANTARCTIC FLYING

SIR GEORGE WILKINS MEETS OBSTACLES DIFFICULTY OF A TAKE-OFF READY TO START FOR WEDDELL SEA An unusually early season at Deception Island has deprived Sir George Wilkins of firm harbour ice for the take-off of his aeroplane on the flight to Weddell Sea. The aeroplane, however, is now fitted with floats, and the departure will be made at the first favourable opportunity. (United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (Australian Press Assn.—Dinted Service.) (Rec. December 16, 5.5 p.m.) London, December 15. Sir George Wilkins, reporting from Deception Island, on December 15, says the weather was such that all three whale catchers had to spend a day in harbour, and not unwillingly, because Norwegians here and their folks at home, also ourselves, respectfully paid tribute to the memory of Amundsen. “Search fails to reveal a suitable snow-covered field for a take-off on skis with a heavy or any load,” says Sir George Wilkins. “Records and statements of visitors here in the past ten years indicate that the season is a month earlier than usual. Normally the harbour lee would still be perfect for landing either on wheels or skis, but the ice has already disappeared. Rain usually does not fall until after New Year; this year we have had much rain and soft snow.” “While Eileson and I were oh board a whale catcher yesterday. we vainly searched Snow Hill Island," fifty miles off shore, and other places, for a takeoff field, but the snow had melted on all the flat surfaces leaving black patches of volcanic tufa. Sloping surfaces where snow accumulates were too sloping or too scarred with deep crevices. “We will take the Los Angeles as a seaplane at the earliest possible moment, with the heaviest possible, load, and make a trip into Weddell Sea,” continues Sir George Wilkins. “An hour's sunshine encouraged us to pour two hundred gallons of gasoline into the Los Angeles, which is now riding ou floats. We also restowed our personal belongings aboard the machine. Before the second hour passed long stratus clouds resembling milky streams streaked from the west across the sky, and storm-clouds, wind and rain, quickly followed. I, with Crossan as pilot, will at the first indication of twelve hours’ flying weather, start for the Weddell sea, if the machine will lift the load. There we hope to solve the important geographical question as to whether Grahamland is part of the’Antarctic Continent.”