Acknowledgements

The CIROS project is a joint venture between Victoria University of Wellington, who are coordinating the science programme. Geophysics Division DSIR, who supervised the drilling, and Antarctic Division DSIR, who provided the logistic support. The provision by Antarctic Division of the camp at Butter Point for the project was a major undertaking in its own right and a key element in the success of the project. The drilling rig was provided by the US National Science Foundation, who will be receiving a split of the core for their Antarctic Core Facility at Florida State University.

The 10 man advance party, led by Kevin Jenkins, drilling supervisor for the project, deserve special mention for preparing the camp and the rig under difficult conditions. The team included Alex Pyne, Science Manager for the project, who not only ensured the processing and packaging of the 700 m of core but was also, because of his years of experience in sea ice operations, responsible for monitoring active cracks and thickness of the ice for vehicle movement and the drilling operation. The drilling itself went like clockwork despite equipment failures, vehicle breakdowns and a wide range of downhole problems. The drilling team were able to continue because they had on site the experience to analyse and fix the problems, and the planning and organisation to have the necessary materials and parts fast enough so that downhole progress was not threatened. For the latter the project depended heavily on the support of Stewart Guy and the staff of Scott Base. This was also where the years of planning by Jack Hoffman, drilling superintendent at Geophysics Division, paid off. The value of the hole may lie in the science, but the achievement to date is largely one for the drillers, planners and the support system.