Here the sea seems disinclined
to freeze even in calm weather. To-day there is more strong wind from
the east. White horse all along under the ridge.
The period of our stay here seems to promise to lengthen. It is
trying--trying--but we can live, which is something. I should not
be greatly surprised if we had to wait till May. Several skuas were
about the camp yesterday. I have seen none to-day.
Two rorquals were rising close to Hut Point this morning--although
the ice is nowhere thick it was strange to see them making for the
open leads and thin places to blow.
_Friday, March_ 31.--I studied the wind blowing along the ridge
yesterday and came to the conclusion that a comparatively thin shaft of
air was moving along the ridge from Erebus. On either side of the ridge
it seemed to pour down from the ridge itself--there was practically
no wind on the sea ice off Pram Point, and to the westward of Hut
Point the frost smoke was drifting to the N.W. The temperature ranges
about zero. It seems to be almost certain that the perpetual wind is
due to the open winter. Meanwhile the sea refuses to freeze over.
Wright pointed out the very critical point which zero temperature
represents in the freezing of salt water, being the freezing
temperature of concentrated brine--a very few degrees above or below
zero would make all the difference to the rate of increase of the
ice thickness.
Pages:
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249