page 14

VUWAE 16A - PART 3

Jennings and Kyle were flown to Cape Bird on December 27. A stomach illness contracted at Scott Base caused several delays over the next three days when periodic confinement to bed was necessary. During this time, however, 9 sites were drilled to obtain oriented paleomagnetic cores. On the evening of December 30 we stayed with the biologists at Cape Bird station and in the afternoon of the following day were moved by icebreaker helicopter to Cape Barne. Two flights were necessary to transport all the gear.

At Cape Barne it had been hoped to drill three sites for paleomagnetic cores, but in all cases shattered and jointed rock made this impossible. Roughly oriented block samples were obtained. Mechanical problems with the sampling drill and bad weather necessitated a return to Scott Base on January 2 rather than a transfer to Fang Glacier, Mt. Erebus, as was originally programmed. Again two flights by icebreaker helicopter were necessary to transport the 700 lbs. of gear.

On January 3 Jennings and Kyle were flown by helicopter to Fang Glacier, Mt. Erebus (2900 m). After unloading the helicopter and establishing camp, an aerial reconnaissance of the summit of Mt. Erebus was made. A landing at 3600 m allowed us and the helicopter crew to climb to the summit crater. Severe altitude effects were noted at this elevation and the pilot, Jim Brandau, required oxygen prior to take-off and return to our camp. The following day Fang Ridge was inspected and sampled. Access was restricted by large deep wind scoops and vertical bluffs, but the several places where access was possible were considered to be representative of the whole ridge. Attempts to drill paleomagnetic cores were unsuccessful due to further mechanical problems with the drill. On January 5 we climbed the 800 metres to the summit of Mt. Erebus in 3-1/4 hours. We inspected and sampled the summit area during the descent. Threatening weather to the north required a rapid retreat to camp. Whiteout conditions closed in on reaching camp and these persisted until helicopter pick-up on January 10. It was intended to fly direct to Cape Crozier but bad weather there forced us to return to Scott Base.

After working for three days in the Scott Base area and repairing the drill we were flown by helicopter to Cape Crozier late on January 13, and drilled two sites at Topping Peak for paleomagnetic cores. This cone was visited briefly on VUWAE 14 (1969/70) by Kyle and proved to have more geological interest than was initially thought. A complex of trachyte dykes with partially assimilated inclusions of basalt are intruded through an older basalt cone. The dykes feed trachyte flows. A section was measured, along with detailed sampling, up the east flank of the cone.

Kyle Peak was drilled for paleomagnetic samples on the morning of January 14, but high winds and whiteout conditions forced us back to camp in the afternoon. These conditions continued throughout page 15 the following day. The Knoll was visited for paleomagnetic coring but while attempting to start the drill the starter cord broke. Oriented block samples were collected and we returned to camp and repaired the drill. The following day we carried the drill, fuel, orientation gear and pressure pump 4 km north to Post Office Hill to collect paleomagnetic core samples. Again while attempting to start the drill the rewind spring for the starter cord broke and the collection of cores had to be abandoned. A block sample was taken. On the morning of January 18 we climbed to 1000 m on Mt. Terror and sampled several basalt and trachyte flows and cones. In the afternoon we returned to Scott Base by helicopter.

On the morning of January 21 we were flown with a Sno-Tric toboggan and man-hauling sledge to Mt. Morning. A camp was established 3 km east of Lake Morning and the following two days were spent on local geological mapping and sampling. Whiteout conditions on January 24 prevented a proposed move of camp but this was made the next day. It had been hoped to move camp as high as possible upslope on Mt. Morning, but the lack of traction and power of the Sno-Tric toboggan resulted in a gain of only 150 metres in altitude. This was disappointing for it reduced the accessible area for study.

Geological work in the area SW of Lake Morning was accomplished on foot on January 26 and the eastern areas of exposed rock on Mt. Morning were investigated on the following two days. On January 28 while returning from an altitude of 1700 m on Mt. Morning the track on the Sno-Tric toboggan came off, but was repaired satisfactorily. However further downslope the toboggan stopped when the track was jammed against the chassis due to a broken axle. Repairs were impossible so we stripped the toboggan down for helicopter pick-up and walked for two hours back to camp. The following day we informed Scott Base of the toboggan failure and requested a return to Scott Base. This meant that several areas remained unvisited as they were beyond walking distance from the camp and could only be reached by toboggan. We returned to Scott Base by helicopter on January 30.