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Salient: An Organ of Student Opinion At Victoria University College, Wellington, N. Z. Vol. 24, No. 4. 1961

Scott Base

Scott Base

After four days, working 16 hours per day, unloading was completed so I moved over to Scott Base for a month to help arrange the winter's supply of food and general stores so that anything required could be found with a minimum of bother. Up to 14 men winter-over at Scott Base, each man having his own tiny bedroom equipped with bunk, table, chair, drawers, two lights and a window, 8ins. by 8ins., made of two layers of glass for insulation. During the summer months there may be as many as 60 men at the base and then accommodation becomes a real problem. The Base consists of seven huts (average 700 sq. ft.) joined by a "covered-way" of corrugated iron which removes the necessity of putting on special clothing to go from hut to hut. Besides these there is a garage for the bulldozer, four Fergusons and Weasel, a hangar for two Otter aircraft, three small huts for scientific gear and a maternity home for the husky bitches.

When the survey parties returned from the field they brought 36 huskies, bringing the total number tied up on the ice in front of the base to 70. These friendly, hardy animals stay outside throughout the winter in temperatures as low as minus 60 deg. F., living on four pounds of sealmeat and a little snow per day.

The food at the base is really good in quality and quantity, though, because everything is frozen, flavours are not as strong as usual. For a new arrival, the normal procedure seems to be to eat enormous amounts of food for the first week while his body builds up extra fat, and then his appetite drops down to its New Zealand level.