Explorers :
Britain : Captain Scott
Norway : Captain Amundsen
For thousands and thousands of years, no humans had ever been to Antarctica. They weren’t even sure it existed. In the 18th and 19th centuries, many brave explorers tried to find it. Eventually humans found Antarctica, Once it was discovered the next challenge was to reach the south pole. The next challenge was to reach the south pole.
In 1902, Robert Scott, Edward Wilson and Ernest Shackleton set off try to find the South pole on the discoverers expedition.
The team travelled on a sledge pulled by dogs. They reached further south than anyone had before. Eventually, they were forced to turn back before reaching the South Pole. By the time they returned to their ship, the explorers were all suffering from scurvy and frostbites.
In 1908, Ernest Shackleton made another attempt to reach the South Pole on the Nimrod Expedition.
Travelling across Antarctica was extremely hard work. They had to make their way across the ice and through thick snow using pickaxes to clear their path. The team had to battle against temperatures as low as -90c They had to carry all of their food, clothes maps and other essentials. They had to set up camp on the ice when they needed to rest. Can you imagine building your home every bedtime !.
The Nimrod team managed to get further than Scott’s Discovery team. However, they became very ill and didn’t have enough food to complete the mission. They returned home before reaching the South Pole. In 1910, Robert Scott set off on another expedition to reach the South Pole.
On the way to Antarctica the ship encountered several problems.
- Another explores, Amundsen had sent Scott a telegram. in it, he explained that he was also going to the South pole.
- The ship was struck by a storm, The crew had to use buckets to stop water from flooding in and sinking the ship.
- The ship then run into ice so that it couldn’t sail through they were delayed by 20 days.
In 1911, the Terra Nova team set up a hut on Antarctica in a place that they named Cape Evans.
It was while doing scientific research that the team found out that the rival explorer, Amundsen, was camped on Antarctica too.
There was now a clear race to reach the South Pole. Scott wrote in his diary that he was going to carry on as usual, Ignoring Amundsen’s team.
In the start he set out with a group of 12 men, Scoot, Wilson, Oats, Bowers and Evan were the only ones who finished in their group.
In 1912, the team finally achieved their incredible goal ! The Team of five men reached the South Pole and Planted their British flag. But There was just one problem.
The Amundsen Expedition had already reached the South Pole. Ronald Amundsen, Helmer, Hanssen, Sverred Hassel and Ocsar Wisting were the first people to ever reach the South Pole. They found a short cut that took them only 57 days ! to get to the South Pole.
IT was over a month later, on 17 January 1912 that Scott and his team reached the South team reached the South Pole and discovered that the Norwegians had beaten them to it. They were extremely disappointed. After plating their flay Scott’s team headed for home.
Scott’s Terra Nova expedition ended in Tragedy, No one survived the return journey. Later that year A search party set out to find Scott and the Terra Nova Team . They put up a cross that now acts as a memorial to these brave explorers.
Bad Choices From Captain Scott :
- Choosing ponies over dogs on the expedition.
- Shortage of Supplies.
- Lack of Fuel
- Lack of Experience
- Wrong Clothing
- Too many explores to ration their food.
- Poor diet.
- Bad timing because of bad weather