The young ice did not present difficulties to the
'Endurance', which was able to smash a way through, but the lumps of
older ice were more formidable obstacles, and conning the ship was a
task requiring close attention. The most careful navigation could not
prevent an occasional bump against ice too thick to be broken or pushed
aside. The southerly breeze strengthened to a moderate south-westerly
gale during the afternoon, and at 8 p.m. we hove to, stem against a
floe, it being impossible to proceed without serious risk of damage to
rudder or propeller. I was interested to notice that, although we had
been steaming through the pack for three days, the north-westerly swell
still held with us. It added to the difficulties of navigation in the
lanes, since the ice was constantly in movement.
The 'Endurance' remained against the floe for the next twenty-four
hours, when the gale moderated. The pack extended to the horizon in
all directions and was broken by innumerable narrow lanes. Many bergs
were in sight, and they appeared to be travelling through the pack in a
south-westerly direction under the current influence. Probably the
pack itself was moving north-east with the gale. Clark put down a net
in search of specimens, and at two fathoms it was carried south-west by
the current and fouled the propeller.
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