Oases In Antarctic Wastes

Northern Advocate, 7 March 1947, Page 6

Oases In Antarctic Wastes

Martin patrol bombers from the Fine Island made 137 hours of exploratory flight. It is estimated that 385,000 square miles of unknown areas were charted. It was from this group that three lives were lost on December 30 when an aircraft went down on the tip of Thurston Peninsula. The east group terminated its operations on March 2, due to adverse weather, and sailed for Rio de Janeiro. The west group, comprising the seaplane tender Durrituck, the destroyer Henderson, and the oiler Cacapon. under Captain Charles A. Bond, conducted operations round the east longitude of the continental coastline, aircraft flying 220 hours in 35 flights. It was this group which concluded its operations on March 4 and sailed for Sydney, that reported the discovery of an “oasis" described “as Shangrila” inland from Knox Coast. This area was reported to have contained many unfrozen coloured lakes, with nearby bare ground having evidence of vegetation. The report of another oasis in the Vestfold Mountains, inland from the

Ingrid Christensen coast of the Mao Kenzie Sea, was reported on March 1 from this group. An accurate evaluation of the expedition’s accomplishments was impossible at this time, but the following general summation may be noted: (1) Much has been gained in connection with the training of naval personnel and in testing equipment under Antarctic conditions. (2) Sixty successful photographic exploratory flights were made by three groups of the expedition. (3) Invaluable experience gained in the technique of building and maintaining Polar camps. (4) The discovery of unknown and, incorrectly charted bays, inlets, glaciers, mountains and islands. (5) Information was collected from. the aerial magnetic survey. (6) Amplification of knowledge in respect to hydrographic, geographic, geological, meteorological and electromagnetic conditions. (7) Successful use of an airborne 4 magnetometer for plotting the approximate elevation of land.