NZARP Vehicles

Grizzly G5 was flown up the mountain before we arrived in Antarctica, and had been selected at short notice. It was in good condition with adequate power, and we achieved al1 our objectives with it, but the brakes needed adjusting before it was safe to drive on the mountain, and no tools had been provided. Later, the brake lever came loose on the handlebar, and no clamp screw could be found. Glue had been used to 1ock the 1 ever in place. As Scott Base had previously removed the right hand brake lever, great strength and care were necessary to control the vehicle down steep slopes. We decided not to drive down the long steep hill to Fang for the flight back to Scott Base, and left G5 at the lower hut.

Helicopter operations.

These were faultless, except that in spite of my letter to the Manager, Ant. Div. on 13 March 1990, listing the equipment and weights to come off Erebus, and my complaints at Tekapo that the page 3 number of helo flights on the draft directive was inadequate, only two flights off the mountain were scheduled. The effect was to cause a polite conf1ict between Nick, Scott Base and myself over priorities, because the total load of 4 + 3560 lb was impossible on two flights. We flagged the piles of gear, and my top priority was the VUW equipment, because I had to pack it to go to another volcano. We were all taken off Erebus before any gear, and only Nick had a head–set. Subsequently good VUW equipment was left behind even after NSF rubbish was brought down. It took 3 more flights to rectify the error. and with the resupply flight for electric detonators, it was unnecessarily expensive.