Early Adventurers In Antarctica

During his homeward voyage to return from the South Pole in 1912, Captain Robert Scott met his very unfortunate demise.Along with his fellow adventurers, he perished from lack of food and heat.Because of his ambition and persistence, and even though he lost the race to the South Pole and perished, he is known as a national hero.

Nearly a century later, modern scientists continue to work towards a better understanding of the fierce conditions in Antarctica.Antarctica is a place where temperatures dip to minus 90 degrees Celsius during the winter months, and experiences wind speeds that can average 67 kilometres an hour.Scott most likely faced these conditions but he was not educated in the extent of the dangers.antarctica tours

Scott worked as a scientist in the Polar Regions, and the letters that he had written to his wife are filled with his overwhelming sense of seclusion.Even with all our modern communication skills, scientists today still feel that same sense of isolation.Scott was survived by his wife, and a young son.

It was not until several months after his death that the explorer’s body was found, along with letters he had written to his wife.He was no more than 11 miles from safety. Scott’s wife learned of his demise in New Zealand, where she waited for his triumphant return.

Scott’s letters to his wife can enlighten historians.In the first days of his exploration he wrote of feeling healthy and happy.Scott made little mention about the cold temperatures, saying that the cold temperatures were compensated by the availability of hot meals.antarctica holiday

Scott’s position began to change as the trip dragged on and food supplies began to run low.He wrote of the unrelenting cold in the Antarctica wilderness.When Scott and his men were found, they had only one hot meal and two days worth of cold meals left for the remaining 11 miles, testament to the severe hunger they experienced.

Scott was an icon of the great age of exploration, but his journey was twice cursed.First off, he lost his race to the South Pole to a Norwegian named Roald Amundsen.Scott made his appearance on January 18, 1912, while Amundsen had already been there on December 21, 1911.

Scott had already be hailed a hero for his expedition to the Antarctic wilderness in 1902 through 1904.The two other men with him, Lieutenant Henry Bowers and Dr. Edward Wilson held onto their beliefs of survival.Captain Lawrence Oats and Petty Officer Edgar Evans also did not survive.

When they reached 20 miles from the supply post, the explorers put back some supplies.They were not just running low on food but fuel as well.In a letter to his wife, Scott told her that if he were to die, he would like her to remarry, and he went on to describe the extreme seventy degrees below zero conditions that he was experiencing with the only shelter being a tent.

In his parting letters he expressed that he did not regret the expedition that ultimately ended his life.He said he enjoyed what he was doing rather than sitting idly by at home. Many British youngsters have learned a lot and have been inspired by the story of Scott’s journey.

And this although Scott’s expedition was unable to reach the south pole before Amundsmen’s team, missing the chance by a scant few weeks.Captain Robert Scott perished on March 29, 1912.”Scott’s Last Expedition” is the book that was published in 1913, and it is Scott’s personal journal.