Victoria University Antarctic Research Expedition Science and Logistics Reports 1976-77: VUWAE 21

APPENDIX 2 - ITINERARIES

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APPENDIX 2 - ITINERARIES

Event 12/12A Taylor Glacier

Oct 15	Robinson, Keys, Nankervis, Palmer, Wicks, Sullivan to Scott Base.
16-20	Preparing field gear, scientific and surveying equipment, working on toboggan etc. One night out to test equipment.
21	Robinson, Keys, Nankervis, Palmer, Wicks to snout of Taylor Glacier. Testing equipment.
22	Robinson, Keys place depot near Cavendish Rocks, using helo.
22-24	Work snout area. survey trig control (trigs A, B, C) and velocity ablation poles (lines A, B, C) and examine saline discharge.
25	Tent day due to strong katabatic wind.
26	Half tent day. Move camp 6 km up glacier.
27	Establish trig D (Glacier) and measure back to trig C. Place poles in line D and examine saline discharge.
28	Establish trigs E (Peninsular) and F (Cliffs). Work on glacier.
29	Establish trig G (Terrace). Start survey of trig control. Place poles in line E.
30-31	Drilling 17.5 m hole and englacial temperature measurements.
Nov 1	Toboggan maintenance, temperature measurements, survey lines D, E; work at saline depressions below trig E.
2	Complete survey of lines D, E, temperature measurements. Move camp 16 km up glacier. Relaying due to broken-down toboggan.
3	Half tent day, work on toboggans.
4	Toboggan and sledge repair and maintenance.
5	Tent day due to southerly storm.
6	Search for lost equipment. Establish trig K(Ferrar) and put in line F.
7	Establish trig H (Falklands). Trip to depot to check that it is intact.
8-9	Tent days due to strong katabatics. Got ready for drilling but too windy.
10	Stern and Frost arrive and Wicks departs. Move camp 18 km up glacier. Relaying due to broken down toboggan. Toboggan repairs.
11	Drilling 15 m hole, temperature measurements.

Days in Antarctica	27 1/2 Oct 15 - Nov 11
Days at Scott Base	5 1/2
Days in field	22
Travel	2 1/2
Tent	5
Work	12 1/2
Toboggan etc. repairs	2

Event 12

Nov 12-20	Establish trigs L (Bandy), M (Arena), and N (1433), place poles in line G, start gravity survey and complete surveying.
21	Palmer returns to Scott Base via Vanda.
22-23	Robinson and Stern work down glacier doing gravity survey and sampling programme.
Dec 1	Robinson and Stern placed on shore of Lake Bonney to join Frost.page break
Dec 2-9	Work around snout of Taylor Glacier; pebble fabrics and sampling, placing of ice deformation grid and ice sampling, completion of gravity survey and moss plot study in this area.
10	Robinson and Frost to Hobbs Glacier, via short sampling stopover at Lake Fryxell, and overfly of Herbertson Glacier survey point as requested by Palmer. Stern to Scott Base for Erebus expedition.
11-16	Robinson working on Hobbs, Blue and Salmon Glaciers. Frost studying mosses in these areas and out to adjacent coast.
17	Robinson and Frost to Scott Base via snout of Garwood Glacier; on ground for 1 hour reconnaissance and sampling debris layers and mosses.
18-19	Cleaning and repairing field equipment at Scott Base. Frost discusses Antarctic ecology with USARPs Parker and Friedman. Robinson prepares laboratory equipment and recalibrates temperature probes.
20	Frost transfers to Event 36.
20-30	Robinson studies. ice samples at McMurdo.
Dec 31-	Preparing and testing field equipment.
Jan 1
Jan 2	Robinson, Stern, Palmer return to snout of Taylor Glacier, laying depots en route.
3-11	Resurvey ice velocity and ablation poles on Taylor Glacier.
12	Return to Scott Base.
13-16	Returning field equipment and packing cargo for return to New Zealand.
17	Robinson and Stern to Christchurch.

Days in Antarctica	66 (Nov 12 - Jan 16)
Days at Scott Base	19 1/2 (includes time spent at McMurdo)
Days in the field	46 1/2
Travel	5 1/2
Tent	6
Work	34
Toboggan repairs etc.	1

Event 12A

Nov 12	Keys, Nankervis, Frost move to Kennar valley.
13-14	Work Kennar valley and Taylor Glacier - 1/2 tent day.
15-16	Descend Taylor Glacier sampling at Beacon valley, and on glacier en route.
17	Tent day, awaiting helo. Toboggan and sledge maintenance.
18	Awaiting helo. Work side of Taylor valley.
19	Tent day (snow).
20	Awaiting helo. Work side of Taylor valley.
21	Work on Taylor Glacier, shift to Lake Bonney.
22-30	Work on and beside Taylor Glacier (saline discharge) and around Lake Bonney, studying moss plots. Toboggan and sledge maintenance.
Dec 1	Keys, Nankervis to Mt. Morning, laying depot en route.
2	Work on snow mushrooms and snow-free areas.
3	Travel over Mt. Morning to depot in saddle between Mts. Morning and Discovery.
4-7	Work around depot. 1/2 tent day.
8	Toboggan maintenance. Travel up to 1900 m on Mt. Discovery.
9	Work around summit area of Mt. Discovery.
10	Work parasite cone at 1900 m, then travel down to another cone 850 m lower on Mt. Discovery.
11-12	Tent days (blizzard).
13	Work at cone then travel down to Koettlitz Glacier, working at another cone en route. Work at cone near Koettlitz Glacier.page break
Dec 14	Return to Scott Base.
15	Sorting out event gear. Nankervis transfers to Event 33.
16-17	Work on samples, mending gear, packing samples.

Days in Antarctica	36 Nov 12 - Dec 17
Days at Scott Base	3 1/2
Days in field	31 1/2
Travel	6 1/2
Tent	4 1/2
Work	20
Toboggan etc. repairs	1 1/2

Event 5, Mt. Erebus

Dec 18	Awaiting helo, cleaning gear. Monteath, Keys, Stern, Palmer + 2 USARPs to Fang Glacier.
19	Traversed Mt. Fang, sampling tephra layers en route.
20	Climbed up to Erebus Crater via fumarole towers (sampled). Checked lava lake and measured lava temperature.
21	Shifted to Mt. Erebus summit camp, after acclimatising satisfactorily in 3 days.
22	Set up seismometer and seismograph inside cave. Placed leg of lamb in hot ground in Side Crater.
23-26	Tent days due to wind and snow. Set up inoperative seismo gear in main tent. Retrieved successful hangi on 25th.
27	Keys plus 2 USARPs return to Scott Base. Keys works on samples. Monteath, Stern, Palmer begin surveying programme.
28-30	Surveying continuing, with holdups due to poor visibility.
29	Keys returns to Christchurch.
31	Monteath, Stern, Palmer return to Scott Base.

Days on Mt. Erebus	12
Tent	4
Work	6 1/2
Travel	1 1/2

Event 36 Fry Glacier region

Nov 10	Burgess, Anderson and Palmer arrive at Scott Base.
20	Sullivan and Palmer to Northwind Glacier after a delay of up to a week due to bad weather. Burgess and Anderson delayed by bad weather.
21	Burgess and Anderson to Northwind Glacier.
22-23	Work on Elkhorn Ridge.
24	Camp shifted to 5.6 km northwest of Flagship Mountain.
25-26	Mapping Flagship Mountain area.
27-30	Tent days, lost because of southerly blizzard.
Dec 1	Camp shifted to 1 km west of Flagship Mountain.
2	Mapping Flagship Mountain.
3	Camp shifted to 3 km north of Mt. Razorback.
4-6	Mapping Waterhouse Neve*, Barrett's Bluff* and Mt. Razorback area.
7	Camp shifted to 9.5 km north-northeast of Flagship Mountain (Matchless Mountain*).page break
Dec 8	Mapping Lower Fry Glacier south to Mt. Davidson.
9	Camp shifted to 3 km east of Mt. Naab.
10	Mapping Mt. Naab.
11	Camp shifted to 3 km southwest of Mt. Douglas.
12	Tent day, lost due to bad weather.
13	Mapping Mt. Douglas area.
14	Camp shifted to 5.6 km southeast of Mt. Naab.
15-16	Mapping Elkhorn ridge.
17	Camp shifted to snout of Towle Glacier.
18	Further mapping of Elkhorn ridge.
19	Preparation for resupply on 20th.
20	Resupply. Frost to Towle Glacier, Burgess to Scott Base.
21	Further mapping of Elkhorn ridge.
22	Anderson and Sullivan to Trinity Nunatak via Fry Saddle. Katabatic winds force Palmer and Frost to take a tent day. Burgess returns to New Zealand.
23-28	Palmer and Frost map Towle Valley and work on mosses.
23	Anderson and Sullivan map Trinity Nunatak.
24	Anderson and Sullivan shift camp to Chattahoochee Glacier 19 km south of Trinity Nunatak.
25-28	Anderson and Sullivan map Chattahoochee Glacier area.
29	Palmer and Frost tentbound by katabatic winds. Anderson and Sullivan shift camp to 5.6 km southeast of Mt. Naab on Towle Glacier.
30-31	Palmer and Frost and Sullivan and Anderson tentbound by strong katabatic winds.
Jan 1	Anderson and Sullivan help Palmer and Frost move to snout of Northwind Glacier across Elkhorn Ridge.
2	Palmer and Frost work in Northwind Valley. Anderson and Sullivan work in Towle Valley.
6	Anderson and Sullivan help Palmer and Frost shift back to Towle Glacier 5.6 km southeast of Mt. Naab.
7-8	Tentbound by snow.
9	Preparing to move out.
10	Return to Scott Base.
11-12	Packing cargo, returning event equipment.
13	Palmer, Anderson, Frost return to Christchurch. Days in Antarctica 63 Days at Scott Base 11 Days in field 52 Travel 14 Tent 11 Work 25 Preparation for resupply and move out day 2

^* Names to be submitted for approval.

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