WEATHER DELAYS SIR H. WILKINS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18639, 17 December 1928, Page 5

WEATHER DELAYS SIR H. WILKINS.

CANNOT FIND PLACE TO MAKE TAKE-OFF. (United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegraph—‘-Copyright.) LONDON, December 15. Sir Hubert Wilkins, reporting from Deception Island to-day, says':— “ The weather is such that all three whale catchers had to spend the day in harbour, and not unwillingly, because the Norwegians here, their folks at home and ourselves respectfully paid a tribute to the memory of Captain Amundsen. “ Search fails to reveal a suitable snow-covered field for the ’plane’s take-off on skis with a heavy or any load. Records and statements of visitors here in the past ten years indicate that the season is a month earlier than usual. Normally the harbour ice would still be perfect for landing, either on wheels or skis. The ice has already disappeared. Rain usually does not fall until after the new year. This year we have had much rain and soft snow. 4 ‘ While Lieutenant Eileson and I were on board a whale catcher yesterday we vainly searched Snow Island, fifty miles off the shore, and other places for a take-off field, but the snow had melted all fiat surfaces, leaving black patches of volcanic tufa. The sloping surfaces where snow accuihulates were too sloping or too scarred with deep crevices. “We will take the seaplane Los Angeles, at the earliest possible moment, with the heaviest possible load, and make a trip into the Weddell Sea. An hour’s sunshine encourages us to pour 200 gallons of gasoline into the Los Angeles, which is now riding on floats. We also re-stowed our personal belongings aboard the machine. Before the second hour passed long stratus clouds, resembling milky streams, streaked from the west across the sky. 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 of whether Graham’s Land is part of the Antarctic Continent.” Australian Press Association.