exam 4 Flashcards
Shackleton and the nimrod expedition
Wilson didn’t go due to his loyalty to Scott. After raising enough funds, Shackleton took 15 men/400 applicants to New Zealand then to McMurdo. The most treacherous part of the journey would be the glaciers w/ crevasses after getting off the ice shelf. The plan was to have sledges drop supplies ahead of them to the polar plateau. In the spring, Shackleton set out with three men using ponies for the first leg. He made it the farthest south on the plateau, but turned back for his men’s safety (weak/low on food). Discovered the south magnetic pole, Shackleton was hailed as a hero and one of the greatest explorers in British history (always put his men first, never lost a man).
Cape royds
Shackleton wanted to set up quarters on the ice shelf, but saw it had collapsed/was unreliable. Hut Point was closed off by ice, so they placed their prefab hut on Cape Royds (even farther from the SP, but the closest ice-free area). Hut barely differs today.
Douglas Mawson and the South magnetic pole
An Australian geologist on the nimrod expedition. Made the first ascent of Mt. Erebus where he studied lake and ocean waters and kept a meteorological station to keep busy. He was in a party of three that set out for the south magnetic pole with car towing sledges, and helped set depots across the sea ice. Found the MSP and returned to nimrod.
First use of motor vehicles an ponies for polar travel
Shackleton brought them on the Nimrod expedition. Motor vehicles got stuck in the snow and overheated more than froze. Ponies/horses post holed into the snow, which slowed them down, and were eventually shot.
Significance of shackeltons attempt on the pole
Made it farthest South (to the polar plateau over 10,000 ft elevation), found the south magnetic pole, first ascent of Mt. Erebus, cars/ponies not efficient, hailed as a hero for putting his men’s safety first.
Robert Falcon Scott and the Terra Nova Expedition
Another attempt to reach the south pole. Bought an old whaling ship (Terra Nova), and brought Wilson.
Ronald Amundsen and why he switched from North to South Pole
Soon after Scott left on his Terra Nova Expedition he received a telegram from Amundsen stating he was going to the south pole after Robert Peary made it to the north pole. Amundsen had been working in the arctic and gained lots of polar experience there. His men didn’t know he switched from north to south until after they left port.
Differences between Scott and Amundsen for the polar travel and objectives
Amundsen: was better prepared/had more experience (one trip to the antarctic, and had been working in the arctic), brought sleds skis and dogs, set up on the Ross Ice Shelf and kept men busy throughout winter.
Scott: took one previous trip to antarctic, only brought ponies and planned to manhaul sleds in deep snow, set hut up on Cape Evans, doing more research (brought a larger group), and separated people based on military protocol
Both prepared in Spring, neither knew when the other would leave.
Edward Wilson and Apsley Cherry Gerard
Wilson wanted to study Emperor Penguins (thought to be the most prehistoric egg in the world - embryonic info). 3 men inc. Wilson & ACG made a winter journey to Cape Crozier (also did study on amount of calories needed for man-hauling for Scott in spring). ACG wrote “The Worst Journey in the World” to get to emperor penguin colony, made it, almost died.
Worst journey int he world, objectives and results
Had to double the length of the journey (took 3 men to haul one sled then go back for the other). Were gone 37 days. Made a stone-hut on Cape Crozier, and almost lost the tent they used for a roof (would have been a death sentence on the way back). Weight of cargo increased as they went along (sweat froze, added cargo, etc.) Broke one egg on the way back. Apsley had health problems the rest of his life in part due to the journey.
Herbert pointing and photography
Photographer on the Terra Nova Expedition, and made a film called 90º South. Did advertising in antarctic to help with trip funding.
Journeys to the pole by Amundsen and Scott, timing, differences
Amundsen left in September, faced harsh conditions, made it to the pole first in December. Scott didn’t leave until November. Man-hauled sledges/skied, moved slower, reached the pole in January.
Depots for Polar travel
All teams started laying depots with food/supplies in the spring to prepare for journeys to the pole
reasons for Scotts deaths
Scott stopped to collect geological samples on the way back from the pole (1st glysopteris fossils). They got trapped by a blizzard which made travel brutally difficult. Evans died at the base of a glacier and Oats sacrificed himself on his birthday. Then Scott, Wilson and Bowers died between One Ton & Mt. Hooper depot in their tent. Apsley tried to find him, but turned back when a fellow man faked sick, since Scott wasn’t overdue.`
Aftermath of Scotts death in england
Scott was an immediate national hero (later critics claimed he didn’t prepare properly enough). ACG spent the rest of his life feeling remorseful w/ PTSD, health problems and bouts of depression.
Scotts northern party and inexpressible island
Had a norther party of about 5-6 men in Ross Sea initially on Cape Adare to do mapping. They set up their camp on the upper terrace to watch for the ship. They were then brought to Inexpressible Island where they got stuck for the winter in a snow cave. Raymond Priesely wrote a book describing winds that are constant (180 days of winds), ones who named the island.
Cape Evans and Falcon Scott
Cape Evans is preserved and maintained by the New Zealand Heritage Trust. Falcon Scott (RFS’s grandson) helped 100 years later and went to the South Pole. Hut was used by RFS on Terra Nova Expedition.
The endurance and far in the ice for Shackleton
Shackleton got stuck in the Weddell Sea. Frank Hurley documented it with photos. The ship drifted far after it was trapped midsummer. As the ice started to melt in the spring it crushed and sank the ship.
Elephant island and the boat journey, rogue waves
After the endurance sank they had to row boats w/ dogs to make it over open water. The closest island determined by Worsely was Elephant Island. They had limited resources and had to move on from the island. Shackleton, Caird, Crean (sailor) and Worsely left to pass Drake’s passage to reach SG w/ whaling stations. They took the problem men, and put skins over the top of the boat to prevent waves. On the journey they hit a massive rogue wave (caused by seismic activity, change in currents, and disappear quickly).
South Georgia Island and trek across mountains
Shackleton landed 17 miles and a mountain range away from Stromness. Left the two problem men at the beach and took Worsely and Crean to trek for two days straight with no gear and eventually made it to Stromness after a year of being gone. Picked men up from the beach, used an Argentine ship to get men from Elephant Island & Ross Sea party left. They were all sent to WWI, and Shackleton later returned to find men’s bodies.
Shackleton’s new expedition and death at grytviken
Ended shortly after Shackleton died in 1922. After that, there were few other excursions south.
End of heroic age
ended shortly after Shackleton died in 1922. After that, there were few other excursions.
Richard Byrd and naval flight
An American naval flight instructor who was the first to fly over the arctic.
Little America and Byrd’s first expedition to Antartica
He obtained funds, planes, and set up a base near Amundsen’s old base on the Ross Ice Shelf. The base was called Little America. Byrd and his men spent the winter on the base. The following summer he flew to the pole. Had a sled party on the ice shelf that did geological research, discovered sedimentary rock, mountain ranges, and more evidence that Antarctica was a continent. Byrd was celebrated/promoted to rear-admiral back home.