THROUGH PACK ICE

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 104, 27 January 1930, Page 11

THROUGH PACK ICE

VOYAGE OF THE DISCOVERY EXPLORING ENDERBY LAND NESTING-PLACE FOR SEAFOWL (United Press Association. —By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) Canberra, January 25. A wireless message from Sir Douglas Mawson, dated January 13, states: “We arrived at 5.30 this morning off a high rocky peak on the Enderby Land coast, which we found was separated by a narrow water passage from the ice cliffs of the mainland. There are many rocky outcrops in the vicinity, some being islets, while others are projections from the coast. The ice, these rocky outcrops, and tlie grounded bergs comprised a local jam of pack ice through which the Discovery pressed to a large pool on the coast in the lee of the obstacles, the approximate position of which is 66deg. 50niin. south latitude, 53.30 east longitude. “The scientists disembarked and spent a profitable day. They observed a luxuriant growth of seaweed in shallow waters, clothing the rocky bottom, and harbouring a great variety of marine life. Seals are plentiful, and Adelie penguins abound, their rookeries extending from the shore up the slopes for five hundred feet high. This is an area of ancient crystalline rocks. On climbing the elevation we came upon the nests of many kinds of seafowl, thus locating the second known nesting place in the Antarctic. Petrels and chicks were observed for the first tiilie from a. vantage point 850 feet above the ship. We also had a good view' of the neighbouring sea and the northern extremity of Enderby Laud. Within sight were 174 large bergs, mostly tabular in form, and over a hundred feet high. Large ice slopes are seen rising evenly and smoothly, except where much crevassed patches showed over the submerged rocky peaks. Elsewhere rocky foundations rise through the ice cap as lofty black peaks. One such was mimed Mount Codrington by Biscoe in IS3I, and was recognised among a bunch of lesser peaks to the south-south-west. Our survey was over some hundred miles of coast, including Macrobertsou Land and Kemp Land, which is now joined with the coast charted by Biscoe. _ “Overlooking this lone land we raised the flag on a high eyrie and deposited a scroll recording that fact. We descended late in the afternoon, laden with rocks, birds’ eggs, etc., and were joined by the magneticians. who had determined- the magnetic contents, and all embarked.” MESSAGE FROM LARSEN BREAK UP OF THE ICE (Rec. January 26, 5.5 p.m.) ’ Oslo, January 25. Captain Larsen radioed on January 24 from the Norwegia, near Enderby Land: “The ice is being broken up in small patches. It is impossible to find a big enough patch for starting an aeroplane mounted on skis. I understand that Sir Douglas Mawson has found difficulties. The Norwegia is at present proceeding westward, taking oceanographical observations. still expect to get an opportunity to use the aeroplanes fitted with skis as well as sleds.” REQUEST FOR AID FOR BYRD FACTORY SHIP TO BE SENT Oslo, January 24. Replying to the request from the United States that Norwegian whalers should give assistance to Commander Byrd, the Government has approached the Whalers’ Association, the members of which are of tlie opinion that the icepace will break as it has done in previous years, but a factory ship will- be sent to try and assist. DOUBTFUL IF WHALERS CAN HELP London, January 24. If it was possible for the whalers to relieve Admiral Byrd, they would go Immediately without awaiting an order, an official of the Norwegian Legation stated, but he pointed out that the whalers were not built to negotiate bad ice. If Byrd’s own ships could not get through, it was most improbable that the whalers would be able to do so. It is impossible for Sir Douglas Mawson to assist Admiral Byrd. The only ship remotely likely is the William Scoresby, the little whaler helping S i Hubert Wilkins, and now proceeding to the Ross Sea. The Government considers she is too small to be of any assistance.

THE PACK ICE BYRD’S ANXIETY SAID TO BE GROUNDLESS In an interview with a representative of the* United Press Association, Mr. H. T Ferrar, who was geologist with Captain Scott’s first Antarctic expedition in 1901, stated: — , “Telegrams published in Siituiuays newspapers show that’ Admiral Byrd is ting his party and himself away trom anxious as to his chances ot getthe Antarctic before next winter sets in. This anxiety is groundless, and there is no cause for him to request help so early in the year. . “The pack ice comes into existence m somewhat the following way: During the South Polar winter the sea freezes and forms a fringe round the peripery of the Antarctic continent and attached to it. In spring this fringe breaks away as large slabs of ice (ice-floes) eight to ten feet thick, and slowly floats northward into lower latitudes. In the summer the floes are found by sailors of these seas to have gathered as a belt of floating ice (tlie pack ice), which packs into a circular belt around Antarctica but separated from it by stretches of sea largely free from ice. In the autumn this belt of ‘pack’ becomes attenuated partly owing to melting in the now warmer sea water and partly because as the belt floats northward the bulge of the earth makes it stretch out on the circumference of a circle which increases in size with decrease of latitude. Before the sea recommences to freeze as the next winter approaches the pack ice largely if not completely disappears.” “This outline of events is borne out by experience. Ships approaching the Antarctic in the early summer always have a difficulty in crossing the belt of pack

ice which is 200 to 300 miles wide. In the autumn (February) a ship is known to have voyaged between New Zealand and South Victoria Land without encountering any ice en route, me Discovery (Captain Scott's ship, ana Mawson’s present ship) was fast frozen in the ice near Mount Erebus until l<eoruary 16 of the year 1904, and not leaving the Antarctic regions until the end of that month, she sighted practically no floating ice on Her way back to Lyttelton. Byrd’s position therefore is not sc precarious as it seems.’ 1