IN ANTARCTIC ICE

Hokitika Guardian, 27 December 1933, Page 1

IN ANTARCTIC ICE

BYRD EXPEDITION

A TEMPORARY HALT CALLED

(Per Pregg Association, Copyright)

WELLINGTON, December 26. Snow, followed by fog, making u further attempt to move eastward to the 142 th meridian unsafe, , caused a temporary halting. At noon the position by dead reckoning was 66.20 south 144 west. When the vessel wa« halted at 2.30 o’clock this afternoon, a dozen ' enorni'ous icebergs loomed up through the mist, and at ten o’clock tonight, we were still hove to. Hie sea was- calm.

Snow had commenced to fall at 11 o’clock last night. The wind stiffened in the north-east, and the barometei began to fall. The Jacob Ruppert was steered at slow speed through the ice-floes, and by one o’clock this morning was well north of the ice-pack. She continued to steam eastward uiitil halted by fog. The necessity for completing the i operations in this sector as soon as j possible, in order to carry out the e.\- j tensive unloading programme at Little ! America, has therefore induced Ad- j rhiral Byrd to attempt to enter the pack at the 143rd meridian, as soon as the weather permits. The Admiral will attempt to record the southing at th e 143rd meridian.

Having already broken Cook’s irecord to the 15th meridian, he is eager to surpass it further eastward, and this time if possible, to make a sufficient deep penetration to open up the mystery of the Pacific , quadrant. The plan is to drive the ship south as far as her engines and hull cau overcome the resistance of the pack. If she is blocked, and if open-water and favourable weather are found, ■ Admiral Byrd plans to renew the attack by air. The seaplane has been thoroughly checked, i and is in readiness for flight. It win carry enough food to sustain five men | for a month, in the event of a forced landing.