Comments on: Chilling in Antarctica http://www.adventure-life.com/blog/2009/12/26/chillin-in-antarctica/ Adventure Life's Official Blog Thu, 23 May 2013 07:41:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5 By: davidhirzel http://www.adventure-life.com/blog/2009/12/26/chillin-in-antarctica/#comment-52 davidhirzel Tue, 02 Aug 2011 03:07:29 +0000 http://blog.adventure-life.com/?p=1362#comment-52 Those visiting on cruise ships, or even those lucky enough to stay a little while onshore might want to consider what that cold is like when one is completely unprepared (by any modern standard) for life without the comforts of civilization–that is, walls and a roof and a warm place to be if not tonight, then tomorrow.

From Apsley Cherry-Garrard’s (Scott’s Terra Nova Expedition 1910-1913) description of the return from the winter journey one hundred years ago today:

“The horrors of that return journey are blurred to my memory and I know they were blurred to my body at the time. I think that applies to all of us, for we were much weakened and callous. . . . I know that we slept on the march; for I woke up when I bumped against Birdie, and Birdie woke when he bumped against me. . . .I know that our sleeping-bags were so full of ice that we did not worry if we spilt or water or hoosh over them as they lay on the floor-cloth. . . I know that if it was only -40 degrees when we camped for the night we considered quite seriously that we were going to have a warm one. . . .Suddenly we saw a gleam of light in the line of darkness running across our course. It was the Barrier edge: we were all right now.”

Dr. Wilson tells the rest. From his diary entry for 1 August , 1911: “The new moon rose and we got away and were in at Cape Evans on the 36th day of our absence about 10 o’clock in the evening. It was a great comfort to get off one’s sopping and frozen garments and turn into bed after a good supper of cocoa and bread and jam. We were pretty tired for want of sleep.”

David Hirzel
Author, “Sailor on Ice: Tom Crean”
http://www.antarctic-discovery.com

]]> By: DJ Srembo http://www.adventure-life.com/blog/2009/12/26/chillin-in-antarctica/#comment-51 DJ Srembo Thu, 14 Jan 2010 18:33:32 +0000 http://blog.adventure-life.com/?p=1362#comment-51 My favorite trip was to Antarctica with A&K on a small ship! It is the one place I have a calling to make a return visit! You have to see it to appreciate it. NO words can adequately describe the awesome feeling I had when first setting foot and walking among the wildlife there.

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