Mt Erebus & Shackleton's Hut

Day 17. Monday 27 January – Ross Island: Mt Erebus & Shackleton's Hut at Cape Royds

Noon position: Latitude 77^o33.586’South; Longitude 166^o11.584’East

Air temperature: 7^oC; Water temperature: 2^oC

This was a very busy day. We were up early today to get our first view of one of Drew’s favourite mountains, the almost symmetrical cone of the active volcano Mt Erebus on Ross Island. It was a fine day with Mt Erebus approaching majestically to port, but was only just visible under its cloud. We spent the whole day in its presence, and the cloud gradually dispersed during the day. Other peaks, including Mt Discovery to the south remainedconcealed by cloud. The Western Mountains were clear, with viewings of the Ferrar Glacier, the entrance to the Taylor and Wright Dry Valleys along with Marble Point clearly visible.

Continuing south along the west coast of Ross island, we arrived in Backdoor Bay on Cape Royds at the foot of Mt. Erebus.

Landing began at 0800 with us being dropped on the ice-foot at the head of the bay. Here we saw four Weddell Seals including a pup from the latest breeding season and a number of Adelie penguins from the Cape Royds colony, the most southern in Antarctica for this species. 

We had an enjoyable 25 minute walk over fresh snow and the dark scoria to the edge of the ASPA (Antarctic Specially protected Area) and then 40 of us at any one time  walked 100 metres down to Shackleton’s hut, erected in 1908.

It was fantastic that Christine in her wheelchair was able to visit the hut with the help of several strong men.

After brushing our feet rigorously, seven of us were able to enter the historic hut at a time in which our historian David Harrowfield answered our many questions and provided interesting anecdotes acquired during the course of his research. Of particular interest was Shackleton’s signature on a label attached to a crate used as the head board on an improvised bed once occupied by Australian photographer Frank Wild.  

A total of 15 men spent the winter here. Outside were remains of many packing cases of food, many used as walls protecting the hut or forming animal pens outside or 'people pens' inside.

The hut was sited in a beautiful little valley under the spectacle of Mt Erebus. 

While waiting our turn to visit the hut we enjoyed the surrounding scenery and watching the penguins in the colony, some still vainly trying to attract a nesting partner, much too late in the season for successful breading, or was it an early start for next season? And many of them  were watching us! They are surprisingly agile on the snow; once on the flat or downhill they toboggan on their bellies, propelling themselves with their feet.

By 10.30, having completed our visit including a walk around the edge of the ASPA and the Adelie colony, we were on our way back to the landing place. 

 Under Mt Erebus