We called this "Ocean Camp." It was with the utmost difficulty that we shifted our two boats.

The surface was terrible--like nothing that any of us had ever seen around us before.

We were sinking at times up to our hips, and everywhere the snow was two feet deep.
I decided to conserve our valuable sledging rations, which would be so necessary for the inevitable boat journey, as much as possible, and to subsist almost entirely on seals and penguins.
A party was sent back to Dump Camp, near the ship, to collect as much clothing, tobacco, etc., as they could find.

The heavy snow which had fallen in the last few days, combined with the thawing and consequent sinking of the surface, resulted in the total disappearance of a good many of the things left behind at this dump.

The remainder of the men made themselves as comfortable as possible under the circumstances at Ocean Camp.