Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
86
Figure 3.12. A polynya (area of open seawater surrounded by ice) at the mouth of Reeves Glacier
remains open due to the katabatic winds that pour down from the plateau and over Inexpressible
Island into the southern end of Terra Nova Bay. David's party made its way into the left (south) side
of the picture along old sea ice after crossing the Drygalski Ice Tongue. Its route is shown in red. As
the party headed toward Reeves Glacier, with the two prominent nunataks in midstream, the men
encountered impassable crevassing. When they turned back, they found a small overflow glacier
(Backstairs Passage) to be a route onto the upper Larsen Glacier and the plateau beyond. Campbell's
party was dropped by the
Terra Nova
on Inexpressible Island at the yellow dot. From there the men
worked to the north (right) of the image, around the mouth of Priestley Glacier, before being forced
to winter over at the beach where they had been dropped. Cape Russell, occupied by the Topo North
survey party in late December 1961, is the thin peninsula of land in front and to the right of the yel-
low dot on Inexpressible Island.
men made a small depot of their geological specimens, the ice axes, climbing ropes, and
ski boots, plus a day's worth of food. From there they set a straight course to the north-
west, covering slightly more than ten miles per day, ascending into the frigid realm above
six thousand feet. Unlike the parties of Armitage and Scott, who had struck across the
plateau to find the other side, the northern party had a target, a fickle spot that fluctuated
on an hourly basis, and had been forty miles to the southeast when Bernacchi had deter-
mined the location of the Magnetic South Pole seven years before. As they progressed
across the ice sheet, gnawing hunger caused by minimal rations begat fantasies of marvel-
ous banquets that the men would serve to each other when they returned. At 3:30 P.M. ,
on January 16, 1909, the three intrepid explorers reached the location where they deter-
mined the Magnetic South Pole to be. They set up a camera with a string to work the
shutter, planted a flag, bared their heads, and recorded the photo.
Although they felt “intense satisfaction and relief,” David writes, “at the same time
we were too utterly weary to be capable of any great amount of exaltation. I am sure the
feeling that was uppermost in all of us was one of devout and heartfelt thankfulness to
the kind Providence which had so far guided our footsteps in safety to that goal. With
