A group of 10 geologists—6 Danish, 3 English and 1 Canadian—organised themselves last summer into an expedition to carry on their extensive field work on the Tertiary geology of the Kangerdlugssuak-Blosseville Kyst area of east Greenland. The English group was led this year by Dr N. J. Soper of Sheffield University, but overall leadership was under Dr C. K. Brooks of Kobennavns Universitet; the status of being an official Danish expedition as opposed to an independent English party made things much more straightforward. The expedition was notably successful in obtaining large quantities of data and samples from new areas of considerable importance to the studies of Tertiary stratigraphy and palaeomagnetism. 1977 was a uniquely ice-free year on the Blosseville Kyst and, apart from swell problems with small boat landings, sea access was easy. The ice break up and dispersal in, for example, Angmagssalik, was probably the earliest in living memory.

The University of St Andrews Greenland Expedition spent late June, July and August 1978 at the head of Íkamiut kangerdluarssuat near Sukkertoppen, west Greenland. The expedition's aims were to climb previously unsealed or relatively unknown peaks, and carry out geomorphological and geological studies. Base camp was established at the still-frozen lake Taserssuaq on 28 June with the help of the crew of Daniel, a fishing boat chartered from Sukkertoppen. During the following weeks 13 first ascents and six second ascents were made in an area noted for its alpine peaks. The major achievement was a route on the 1 675 m north face of a peak on the south side of Taserssuaq; this climb took 40 hours. Other notable first ascents were Qáqarssuaralak (1 332 m), an 800 m high ice face on a peak flanking an icefield and, north of Taserssuaq, a 1600 m high peak was climbed by a steep ice route. A traverse, following several interlinking glaciers, was achieved from Taserssuaq to Evighedsfjord. Canoe journeys were made along Íkamiut kangerdluarssuat to the mountains and glaciers on its eastern and western shores, the deserted village of Ikamiut and the bird colonies of Sermilinguaq.

In 1974 an eight-man party spent six weeks exploring the northern part of the K.I.V. Steenstrups Bræer area of east Greenland from a base camp in Tasîlaq. A further expedition, taking advantage of the base camp, depots and knowledge of the route inland, and travelling northwards within the nunatak zone of the little known Kong Christian IX.s Land, was successfully accomplished during July and August 1978 through the previously unvisited Kronprins Frederiks Bjerge.

The Australian Museum, with the assistance of the Australian Antarctic Division, supported a team of four biologists during the 1977–78 summer season at Macquarie Island (54°30'S 158°57'E). An extensive survey of marine algae and invertebrates from the intertidal zone, and down to depths of 20 m along the coastline, was a major objective of the marine programme. The terrestrial ecology programme included studies of microscopic terrestrial invertebrates, especially tardigrades or water bears, cryptogam (particularly hepatics, lichens and mosses) and vascular plant collections, and the recovery of sea-bird ectoparasites. The biologists and their interests were Dr D. S. Horning, marine biology and terrestrial ecology (Salem, Oregon); Dr J. K. Lowry, marine biology (Australian Museum, co-ordinator); Dr G. C. B. Poore, marine biology (National Museum of Victoria); and Mr R. W. Ricker, botany (University of Melbourne).

A privately sponsored eight-man expedition in a small auxiliary sailing ship, Solo, left Sydney on 15 December 1977 destined for the Antarctic. The objectives of the expedition included sea temperature and salinity measurements near icebergs, the collection of biological and geological specimens, and an assessment of the efficiency of a low-cost expedition such as this for future work in Antarctic waters. Solo, a 25-year-old steel yawl, has a length of 17 m, a 4-m beam and a draught of 2.5 m, and carries a 100-hp diesel motor. She was equipped with a satellite tracking device so that her position at the time of any observation might subsequently be located. The expedition was led by Dr David Lewis who, five years previously, had sailed single-handed to the Antarctic in his yacht Ice Bird (see Polar Record, Vol 18, No 112, p 79–83).

The 1977–78 Ross Ice Shelf Project (RISP) field season was marked by two major achievements: completion of the Ross Ice Geophysical and Glaciological Survey (RIGGS) and successful penetration of the ice shelf at the RISP drill camp (82°22′S 168°38′N). The RIGGS programme visited nearly 200 sites over four field seasons, providing complete coverage of the shelf with measurements of ice thickness and velocity, surface strain rates, bottom depth, accumulation, and mean annual temperature. The survey work was conducted by Twin Otter aircraft operating from six temporary base camps. Tidal gravity measurements were made at these six camps and a few additional sites.