Blaiklock Refuge (continued)
Babe was quite remarkable to withstand the cold she did as her coat was so thin with barely any hair on the stomach. Johnny had a curly tail and a cocky attitude and a bit of mischief maker. A very strong pair next, Frankie with a thick ginger mane and a vibrant growl who broke an army karabiner when Babe was on heat once, and Wol, short-legged but broad backed and strong with powerful jaws, as I learnt to my cost when I slipped under a dog fight once. Monty and Buster came next. Monty, a sly evader, was pensioned off in the second year aged about 8. Buster was a eunuch, why ever castrated I did not learn, but consequently, was energy efficient and kept good weight for sledge dog rations. Coming into the last pair were the pups Alpha and Zeta introduced at about 6 months old, early in the first season. Alpha, was one of the largest dogs and can be seen licking my face standing back (6′ 4″). Zeta had even black and white markings and the cutest face. She, the second bitch, was the cause of many dog fights.
Winter Journey to Base W
The first trip with Sandy accompanying Angus and Denis back to their Base W, leaving two days after Midwinter’s Day, gave us an insight into winter conditions and over a one week period some deep snow conditions which we never experienced again, thankfully. We had regained the Heim Glacier on our return from Base W in Lallemand Fjord on the 4th July three days out, when the temperature fell from an average of-20F down to -45F and with it came dense snow of the lightest flakes as there was not a breath of wind. It snowed for three days like this accumulating to about 4’6″ deep with so little compaction that you waded through it walking and the dogs were below the surface. Normal sledging was impossible. About a half km per day was gained by leading out front and stamping out a channel then relaying two loads. This lasted 8 days and compared in slowness with autumn conditions on the plateau next season. But tho’ very cold, as there was no wind and such deep snow, the dogs were relatively sheltered, but puzzled. Sandy exerted himself so strenuously on this trip trying to free the sledge with a jerk on the cowcatcher as he shouted “Now dogs ….HUIT” his back has troubled him since. Happily near the summit of the glacier wind had caught the surface and we were again ‘ up tails and sledging’.
How dependant is sledging on the surface conditions! At the other extreme Pete Forster and I with two teams did a comfortable 35 miles in one day from Terra-Firma Islands to Stonington in the next year, returning light from a support journey on a good surface.
Peter Gibbs – Surveyor – Horseshoe 1957; Surveyor/BC – Stonington – 1958