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Immediate Report of Victoria University Of Wellington Antarctic Expedition 1987-88: VUWAE 32

Field Equipment

Field Equipment

20-person day food boxes:

The improvements made in field rations are commendable. The availability of packets of frozen vegetables, roasts, chops and bacon was most appreciated. Comments on quantities, etc. were made on the form filled out for the field Store Person before leaving Scott Base.

We do feel the organisation of the food boxes could be standardised further. The food boxes should include staples, such as flour (not just self-rising), toilet rolls and paper towels. The only items to be obtained separately should be perishables, such as cheese, salami, frozen meat and vegetables.

"Fin" Ice Augur

A new "Fin" 4" diameter hand operated ice auger was used extensively by K042 this season. It is a fast efficient way of drilling holes to test ice thickness and therefore especially useful for the D3 operation. The drill was also used for bathymetry surveys to make a hole for the echo sounder transducer. The drill should be available for future tractor trains; however, some care and skill is required for efficient operation. Good quality files, sharpening stone and adequate instruction is necessary to keep the drill razor sharp and operating properly.

page 28

Survival Boxes

Three large red survival boxes were carried by the tractor train and were deployed at Butter Pt Hut, Cape Roberts Hut and on the south side of Blue Glacier for helo lift to C. Chocolate. In addition, old food caches were returned to Scott Base from the C. Roberts trig site and Butter Pt. huts. A food cache in old NZARP 20 man day cardboard [unclear: boxes in the Commonwealth Stream John] in Explorers Cove was pointed out to us by Bill Stockton (S043), but we were unable to retro it to Scott Base.

K121 Penguin Tracking Facility (toilet)

A small dismantled hut (toilet) was carried by the tractor train to Spike Cape where it was offloaded for K121 and later helo-lifted to Hanson Ridge. This could have been better organised at Scott Base, as we understand no fasteners were supplied to erect the hut. Two empty 44 gal fuel drums were also supplied by K042 with tops removed by plastic explosives, for anchoring the hut on Hanson Ridge.