September 25, 1975: Thursday

During the night we have a gale, 60 mile per hour winds. McMurdo is worse. No rescue today.

Dr. Treves says its the Catabolic Winds, right on schedule. “Catatonic?” “Gastronomic.” “Metabolic.” “Acrobatic.” “Catastolic.” It becomes a standard joke. Very boring. Although we have enough food and candy bars, Sam and Dave H. are running low on cigarettes.

To keep busy we get the chain saw and cut snow blocks and finish building a wall around the vehicles. Mighty nice workmanship. In the afternoon we talk about moving the Wannigan (Marble Point Lodge, that is) up onto the flat bed with the hut (Marble Point Civic Center). The place will be crowded with eight. We need the extra room. We get a winch and start to pull it up to the flat bed. We cut blocks to make a ramp up.

For supper Dave feeds us beef curry with vegetables. We’re happy, even if we do get tired of the same cup for drinks, soup, and supper. On the radio, Dave H. asks ‘em to bring cigarettes and rum. Go to bed early.