When Atkinson arrived back at Cape Evans from the Beardmore Glacier at the end of January, he was the senior officer present and thus in command of the base camp, a role to which he was not accustomed.[131] Terra Nova arrived from her winter mooring in New Zealand on 9 February, and instead of setting off for Scott,[132] Atkinson used the shore party for the arduous task of unloading the ship – a mistake, Cherry-Garrard thought, since these men might be required to sledge again.[133] Belatedly, on 13 February, Atkinson set out with Dimitri Gerov and the dog teams for the scheduled meeting with Scott on the Barrier, reaching Hut Point 13 miles (21 km) south before being delayed by bad weather.