Read on Twitter
As it turns out, 1960 was quite the year for George Cresswell.
Thread/
Thread/
He& #39;d finished up at @uwanews and responded to an ad in the paper for a job in Antarctica. Which he got.
This is before George& #39;s time - but you get the idea. https://twitter.com/i/status/1168758570369732609">https://twitter.com/i/status/...
This is before George& #39;s time - but you get the idea. https://twitter.com/i/status/1168758570369732609">https://twitter.com/i/status/...
George couldn& #39;t get a good price for his 350 cc MAC Velocette motorcycle before he left, so he rode it to the dock and asked the Bosun of the icebreaker the & #39;Thala Dan& #39; if he could take it with him to Antarctica.
And the Bosun said yes.
And the Bosun said yes.
For context - it was this type of bike. It sounds delicious. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BHj7PIQ9Js">https://www.youtube.com/watch...
On the way to Antarctica George said he got seasick, then got sick of icebergs.
His job while stationed at Mawson Station with what is now @AusAntarctic, was to set up a photometer to measure the colours of the Aurora.
He said the job was all-consuming especially as for half of the year it& #39;s basically dark all day. But then, the days became much longer than the nights, and the exploration bug bit George.
George said the motorbike was well-loved and used, especially on his days off. He had to take the oil out of the sump and heat it over the fire before it& #39;d start.
And riding on the sea ice could be a bit tricky - if you came off, you and the bike would slide along beside each other and you had to pray there wasn& #39;t a crack in your trajectory. It didn& #39;t seem to stop them.
Subsequently, George found that about 35 m/bikes were taken to Antarctica in total.
His Velocette stayed there - he sold it to another bloke who made a sidecar for it.
I think that George makes the record books as possibly the first private used-vehicle salesman in Antarctica.
His Velocette stayed there - he sold it to another bloke who made a sidecar for it.
I think that George makes the record books as possibly the first private used-vehicle salesman in Antarctica.
||Sidenote||
George has written about the motorbikes of Antarctica here [Link to a PDF from @AusAntarctic] https://search.informit.com.au/fullText;dn=328920599656467;res=IELHSS">https://search.informit.com.au/fullText;...
George has written about the motorbikes of Antarctica here [Link to a PDF from @AusAntarctic] https://search.informit.com.au/fullText;dn=328920599656467;res=IELHSS">https://search.informit.com.au/fullText;...
But there was lots of real work that went on as well. In the latest episode of #RNOffTrack on @RadioNational, George tells the story of trying to bring home a tractor train that was 300 miles away from the base.
They were meant to get fuel drops, but the Station& #39;s planes were destroyed in a storm.
So the party was stuck, in more ways than one.
So the party was stuck, in more ways than one.
Luckily, one of the men had heard of a fuel drop from years ago... if only they could get to it, they could get back to base.
(Go and listen to the episode you& #39;ll not be disappointed by this story)
(Go and listen to the episode you& #39;ll not be disappointed by this story)
It& #39;d make an OH&S officer& #39;s hair stand on end, but George says back in those days, things were different.
Check out the safety equipment in this pic of George on skis over a crevasse.
Is he poking it with a stick?
Check out the safety equipment in this pic of George on skis over a crevasse.
Is he poking it with a stick?
But the men (they were all men) all had lots of jobs to get on with.
Including turns in the kitchen. Though, George& #39;s sponge cake, on the right, was never a hit.
And while they were isolated, that didn& #39;t mean the neighbours didn& #39;t drop over occasionally.
George said the Russians dropped in once to see if they wanted to swap movies.
*Not actual footage of the Russians from 1960*
George said the Russians dropped in once to see if they wanted to swap movies.
*Not actual footage of the Russians from 1960*
The Russians took away & #39;The Fabulous Texan& #39; (George says that was a horrible movie anyway), and left behind this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9lWG9z5SBY
George">https://www.youtube.com/watch... said the men at Mawson quickly became ballet aficionados.
And George is still in love with ballet all these years later.
George">https://www.youtube.com/watch... said the men at Mawson quickly became ballet aficionados.
And George is still in love with ballet all these years later.
After returning from Antarctica, George married, had kids, did a Ph.D. and became one of the most experienced scientific expeditioners (especially on ocean-going voyages) that Australia has ever seen.
https://maritime-executive.com/media/images/article/Photos/Historical/george-cresswell-by-jim-kitchenside.jpg">https://maritime-executive.com/media/ima...
https://maritime-executive.com/media/images/article/Photos/Historical/george-cresswell-by-jim-kitchenside.jpg">https://maritime-executive.com/media/ima...
https://twitter.com/JPurandare/status/1212298756420292608
George">https://twitter.com/JPurandar... still sails at every opportunity, mentoring young scientists in the challenging conditions of the ocean.
In fact, if #covid19 hadn& #39;t got in the way, he& #39;d probably be on a voyage right now.
George">https://twitter.com/JPurandar... still sails at every opportunity, mentoring young scientists in the challenging conditions of the ocean.
In fact, if #covid19 hadn& #39;t got in the way, he& #39;d probably be on a voyage right now.
Listen to the full story, subscribe for more adventures, and escape from your Monday right here: https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/offtrack/motorbike-in-antarctica-george-cresswell/12720748">https://www.abc.net.au/radionati...
