The Race To The South Pole

[Weather-history]

We are closing in on the centenary of the race to the South Pole; Roald Amundsen and his Norwegian expedition vs Robert Scott and his British expedition.

As history recalls, Amundsen reached the Pole on the 14th December 1911. He set off with 4 companions, 52 dogs and 4 sledges on the 19th October 1911. They reached their base at the Bay of Whales on the 25th January 1912.

Captain Scott set off from Cape Evans on the 24th October 1911 but engaged many more diificulties than Amundsen did. His motorised sledges soon broke down and his Siberian ponies succumbed to easily to the Antarctic cold. Scott and four of his companions reached the Pole on the 18th January 1912 and do their disappointment found that Amundsen had already got there. The return journey was a nightmare, severe weather slowed their progress and two of the companions, Evans and Oates were lost. Evans died on the 17th February on Beardmore Glacier and Oates famously sacrificed himself as he left his tent in the midst of a blizzard. Scott, Wilson and Bowers finally succumbed when they became trapped by a raging blizzard, only 11 miles from a large depot with much needed supplies.

Captain Scott: Every day we have been ready to start for our depot 11 miles away but outside the door of the tent it remains a scene of whirling drift....We shall stick it out to the end but we are getting weaker of course and the end cannot be far. It seems a pity, but I do not think I can write more."

On the 12th November 1912, their tent and their remains were found.

Some articles written at the time that I have.

Edited September 10, 2011 by Mr_Data

[Weather-history]

Edited September 10, 2011 by Mr_Data