Exploring Antarctica Dr. Dan Morgan Osher Lifelong Learning Institute October 30, 2014 Roald Amundsen - Norway (1872 – 1928) • “The Last of the Vikings” • Family of shipowners and captains • Always wanted to be a polar explorer • Inspired by Fridtjof Nansen and Franklin’s lost expedition • First mate on de Gerlache’s Belgian expedition, 1897-1899 Gjoa Expedition, 1903 – 1906 • To find north magnetic pole and northwest passage • Book • Crew of 6 men, 6 sled dogs • Small, 70’ fishing boat • Stays on King William Island for 1.5 years • Learns from natives • Skis 500 miles across Alaska to telegraph station Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton - Britain (1874 – 1922) • Born in Ireland • Apprenticeship “before the mast” at age 16, merchant ships • Interviews for National Antarctic Expedition, commissioned to Royal Navy Shackleton in 1901 Discovery Expedition (1901-1904) • Third Officer: in charge of Shackleton, Scott, and Wilson (L to R) holds stores provisions, entertainment • Southern Journey • Dogs and man-haul 960 miles • 82°17’ South • Snow blindness, frostbite, scurvy • Shackleton collapses, sent home on relief ship Sastrugi: sharp, irregular grooves and ridges formed on a snow surface by wind erosion and recrystallization Shackleton I: British Antarctic Expedition, 1907-09 “Nimrod Expedition” • Raises money to fund trip (Beardmore, Guinness) • RGS backs Scott • Competition among explorers • To reach geographical and magnetic south poles The Nimrod, a 40 year-old sealer • 15 men in party Nimrod Expedition • Dogs, Manchurian ponies, motor vehicles • Personnel: • Frank Wild • Raymond Priestley (geologist) • Douglas Mawson (geologist): First climb of Mt. Erebus, first to reach magnetic south pole L to R: Dr. Alister Mackay, Prof. Edgeworth David, and Sir Douglas Mawson at the magnetic South Pole, January 16, 1909 Cape Royds • Scott and Shackleton feud about camp location “Great Southern Journey” • Ponies used, but don’t last long • Oct 29, 1908 – turn around Jan 9, 1909 • 88°23’ S (112 miles from pole!) • Shackleton, Wild, Eric Marshall, and Jameson Adams • Run out of food • Return • Back in McMurdo Feb 28 • Nimrod leaving March 1 “I thought, dear, that you would rather have a live ass than a dead lion.” – Shackleton to his wife Emily “Race” to the South Pole Amundsen Scott • Originally planning to • Backed by RGS for attempt North Pole second journey • Cook and Peary claim • Waiting for Shackleton North Pole in 1908/09 results • Funding tied to Arctic • Sent Amundsen work instruments, tried to • Announces change of call in Norway plan in Madeira, Sept 1910 Amundsen, Fram • 39 meters long, 11 meters wide • Wide and shallow • Windmill to generate electricity The Fram in pack ice in Antarctica • Diesel engine added for Antarctica • 15 men Designed to pop up when pushed by ice Bay of Whales • 60 miles farther south than McMurdo • Framheim camp on ice shelf, not land South Pole Journey • Lay supplies Feb, Mar 1911 • Seal meat for scurvy • Spend winter working on supplies • Attempt start Sept 8 1911 • Too cold • Start Oct 19, 1911 • Skis and dogs L to R: Amundsen, Hanssen, Hassel, and Wisting at South Pole “Polheim” Dec 15, 1911 Return from pole • Reach Framheim Jan 25, 1912 • 99 days, 10 fewer than scheduled • Started with 52 dogs, finished with 11 • Leave Antarctica Jan 30, 1912 Scott II: British Antarctic Expedition, Terra Nova, 1910 - 1913 • Private and government funding • To reach South Pole, scientific goals • 65 men • http://www.freezeframe.ac.uk/ • https://www.youtube.com/watch ?v=H5xNCDstsQ Cape Evans Northern Party • Supposed to be Eastern Party, but find Amundsen • Go to Cape Adare instead • Then Evans Coves • Ship can’t pick them up • Spend winter in snow cave • Walk back to Cape Evans, arrive Nov 7, 1912 Southern Journey • Lay depots in Jan, Feb 1911 • One Ton Depot ~30 miles farther north than intended • Start Oct 24, 1911 • Use motors, dogs, ponies to mountains, then man- haul • Motors last 1 week, 50 miles • Starts with 16 men, 5 in pole party.