MV Tottan 1952-53

The Tottan was a steel hulled Norwegian sealer of 540 tons, which had been used by the French to resupply their base in Adelie Land. Australia chartered the vessel through shipping agents Westralian Farmers Transport Ltd in London.

Although the Tottan was a small vessel, it was more stable in rough seas than the Wyatt Earp. Nevertheless, on the seventeen day voyage to Heard Island in February 1952, during which time the little ship battled gale force winds and large seas, many of the ANARE contingent were sick most of the time. A pen containing a dozen sheep was destroyed by waves crashing across the decks, and the hapless animals enjoyed the remainder of the voyage in the exclusive quarters of the captain's bridge!

MV Tottan loading cargo in Melbourne. AAD photograph by P. Law (4091-B4)

The Tottan was too small to carry army DUKWs, the principal method of transporting cargo from ship to shore used on the Labuan. US wartime inflatable pontoons with timber decking were selected as the best option, and were so successful that they were used by ANARE for many years.

Director Phil Law was so enamoured of the support offered to the ANARE men by the Norwegian crew that he gave permission for them to do some sealing on the island. So impressed was he by the operation and its commercial potential for Australia, that he commented in his voyage report:

As a result of discussions on board this sealing ship and later at Kerguelen, together with observations of these men at work, I am convinced that the time is ripe to commence sealing operations at our islands.

Voyage Report, The Relief of Heard Island on MV Tottan

Sealing operations in fact have never resumed.

ANARE used Tottan for four voyages between 1951 and 1953.

Following the Australian charter, Tottan worked primarily in the northern polar regions, but in early 1956, returned to the Antarctic to the Weddell Sea. As part of an International Geophysical Year (IGY) expedition for the British Royal Society, she landed a party to establish the main British Antarctic Scientific Observatory for the IGY near Halley Bay.