Adelaide Relief, 1964 (continued)

Relief by Air from Fast Ice, 1964 (continued)
Single-Otter 377 (“Red Label”) on ice reconnaissance
(Photo: Keith Holmes)

On board the ship, we were treated to photogenic views of Otter 377 as it made flights over a lead that existed along the western margin of the Fuchs Ice Piedmont.

The ship finally reached Base T in the third week of December, but not only was there still plenty of ice near the base, but the warm weather had caused such a melt on the piedmont that the Muskeg was unable to drag drums of avgas up the hill to the fuel dump, even if unloading could take place.

Single-Otter 294, “Blue Label”, on the fast ice, shifting fuel drums
(Photo: Keith Holmes)

Ted Skinner, one of the pilots, thus suggested that the ship tie up alongside the fast-ice some thirty miles south of the base, unload the fuel there, and get the two aircraft to land on the fast ice and take it directly to the dump. Over two days, about twenty trips were made, and some eighty barrels were shifted in this way.

Unfortunately, on December 28th, VP-FAL (Otter 377) was damaged beyond repair while making a landing on the piedmont, and it remains there to today:

Google Earth per Keith Holmes
This photograph shows VP-FAL on The Fuchs Ice Piedmont, as it was in 1965. The rear fuselage and other parts were later used in the repair of VP-FAK in 1966 (Photo: Mike Warr)