Ross Sea to Inexpressible Island

Day 15. Saturday 25 January - Ross Sea – Terra Nova Bay – Inexpressible Island

Noon position: Lat. 74^o 06’ South; Long.169^o 01’ East;  Air temperature: 0^oC, Water temperature: 0^oC 

Before breakfast the Spirit of Enderby was passing volcanic Coulman Island, named by Ross in 1841, for his father-in-law Thomas Coulman. In 1902 Scott at the beginning of his National Antarctic (Discovery) Expedition, left a message post for the relief ships the following summer. A beautiful icefall was seen near Cape Anne at the southern end and talus cones had formed below steep couloirs. A large tabular berg perhaps 30 metres high was neaby.

After lunch the coast and mountains in the west were very bright and we could make out the beautiful volcanic cone of Mt Melbourne (2733m) named by Ross after the British Prime Minister Lord Melbourne. The volcano is not active though there are areas of warm ground along with fumeroles (chimneys of ice) near the summit. A long tongue of land extending to the entrance of Wood Bay terminates at rocky Cape Washington. Weddell, Crabeater and Leopard seals were spotted on the icebergs.

At 4.30 David gave the first of his two lectures on Scott’s expeditions. Today’s lecture focused on the National Antarctic Expedition 1901-1904 with the ship SY Discovery, led by Commander R.F.Scott RN. The lecture emphasised the extent of science and geographical discovery achieved, including discovery of the Polar Plateau; the first Dry Valley, the Emperor Penguin colony at Cape Crozier and the farthest south journey at the time, to Latitude 82^o11’South.

The weather outside was beautiful when Rodney called us for a briefing in preparation for a landing at Inexpressible Island in Terra Nova Bay. The anchors were lowered and our position was latitude 74^o90.759’ South Longitude 163^o45.8’ East. The landing got underway after dinner at 9.30pm and was a dry landing from the Zodiac in a small cove with large granite boulders. 

After negotiating a way through very interesting granite erratic boulders left by retreating ice, families of skuas nesting on the rocks, we walked along the edge of an inlet past Adelie penguins and Weddell seals.

After about 800m we reached the site of the most historic locations associated with Scott’s British Antarctic Expedition (1910-1913). Here following the winter spent at Cape Adare in 1911, the six-man Northern Party led by Lieutenant Victor Campbell RN, was forced in 1912 to excavate a cave in the ice as an emergency shelter when the Terra Nova was unable to collect them because of pack ice.

 The cave is no longer there, only the icebank and a memorial to the achievement.  At least ten seal skeletons with skulls cracked lying where they were killed, an Emperor Penguin with parts of skin and some plumage and a rusty provision tin (perhaps Hunter’s oatmeal) were poignant reminders of some of the privations the Northern Party suffered when incarcerated for nearly 200 days. In the spring the men then sledged down the coast to Cape Evans. 

Drew returned via the hill nearby from which a great view was enjoyed of the Priestley Glacier, named for Sir Raymond Priestley geologist with Shackleton’s 1907-1909 expedition and of the Northern Party. 

Many rocks had patches of lichens on them - black, orange or chrome yellow. Those that had been to the island before commented that the lichens seemed to be increasing.

Jane returned along the shore carefully skirting the seal slugs lying camouflaged among the boulders. 

 And Adelie penguins..

 The low lighting of the midnight sun was beautiful. We lingered enjoying the lighting on the icy scenery and, so were on the last zodiac back, embarking after 1am!