This day in history: the R.S.A. reaches the ice shelf on its maiden Antarctic voyage in 1962

On 6 January 1962 South Africa’s newly-delivered Antarctic ship the R.S.A. left Table Bay Docks for Dronning Maud Land in Antarctica with members of the Third SANAE Overwintering team (S3) aboard, under the leadership of Radio Technician Marten J. du Preez.  The Master on the voyage was Captain Kenneth Thomas McNish (30.08.1923 – 19.08.2008).

After a near three-week voyage the R.S.A. reached the ice shelf at Polarsirkel Bukta at 10h00 on 25 January to be welcomed by members of the Second SANAE Team who had been living in Norway Station.  Four deep holes were dug into the ice shelf to bury “dead men” – railway sleepers – to anchor the ship’s moorings.  First to offload were the huskies, followed by sledges and two new Muskeg tractors.  These items were followed by the construction materials the PWD team needed to build South Africa’s first Antarctic Base, SANAE I.

Offloading continued on and off until 11 February, when back loading commenced.  The ship sailed for home on the 12th with members of the SANAE 2 team under the leadership of Johan van der Westhuizen.  The R.S.A. finally docked in Cape Town on 3 April after a long period beset in the pack ice.

With especial thanks to Duncan Baker (SANAE 3) for his photographs.

Feature image: the R.S.A. rams the ice in Polarsirkel Bukta, January 1962

Reference:

McNish, K.T. 1971.  The Eternal Ice.  Cape Town: Tafelberg.  110 pp.

John Cooper, Principal Investigator, Antarctic Legacy of South Africa, Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University