A visit to Scott's 1902 hut
Oamaru historian and author David Harrowfield is back on board the Spirit of Enderby as part of the Heritage Expeditions voyage, titled Ross Sea - in the Wake of Scott and Shackleton.
Dr Harrowfield's latest report came as the group was at Winter Quarters Bay below the US McMurdo Station.
"This morning [Sunday], we experienced the beginning of the freezing of the sea with beautiful ice patterns and floes known as 'pancake ice' resembling lily pads.
"This occurs because of the 'bending up' of ice floe edges as a result of colliding with each other.
"The ice then moves in to prevent a landing.
"We waited a few hours and the wind turned to our advantage with the ice moving out. In four groups, we shuttled ashore to be collected by staff from New Zealand's Scott Base.
"What a thrill.
"I have now seen all the redevelopment since my last visit in 2004 (the first being in 1974-75) and had the added bonus of meeting friends from Christchurch. We enjoyed a tour and with the ship having run out of Speights, I was able to obtain a couple of cans to share with an elderly friend during dinner.
"Rodney (our skipper), then took the chance to run a further landing and in bleak, cold (minus 9C) weather, I clambered up an icy snow-covered slope to enter the hut built in 1902 for Scott's first expedition.
"The few who braved the bleak conditions very much enjoyed the visit to the hut."
David Harrowfield's reports and photographs will be subject to prevailing weather and are presented thanks to the assistance of Heritage Expeditions and the crew of the Spirit of Enderby. www.heritage-expeditions. com.
