Wilkes 1967
Photos and captions by Geoff Payne, Wilkes 1967 Electrical Engineer.
The Westwind was the US coastguard vessel that cut a path for Thala Dan after it became icebound in January 1967. It then went on (I think), to free the Nella Dan which had also become icebound. The pack ice was pretty bad that summer.
Photo of Repstat was almost certainly taken in December 1967, looking eastwards. Wilkes can be seen in the distance, far left, across Vincennes Bay. Repstat was eventually named Casey, but the station had to be rebuilt some years later, because of the drift despite the elevation on scaffold.
The D4 tractor was the one which had been almost completely buried in drift for some years (I think at least three) and which pyro-technics enthusiast Mick Glenny blasted clear, so that they could obtain an essential spare part (I think the diff gear) . The photo is of the tractor being pulled out of the crater.
Group photo taken around October-November 1967.
All photos and text on this page by Geoff Payne, all rights reserved.