Plog: Going Inside Shackleton’s Nimrod Hut

Friday, 30 January 2015 (part II)
In the Ice — Ross Sea
Current Position: 76°05’ S / 166°38’ E

Like Amundsen and Scott, Shackleton dreamed of being the first to achieve the South Pole.

He first came to these polar latitudes as a member of the 1901-1904 Discovery Expedition, which was led by Scott.  On that trip, he accompanied Scott and Wilson — both of who were to die in 1912 after achieving the South Pole — on a journey that set a record by marching south to 82° … further than anyone else before them.  Unfortunately, Shackleton was shipped home when his health started to fail after the march, but it lit a polar fire in his veins that was not to be extinguished.

Third-Time Lucky: Cape Royds … Before Ortelius Turns its Bow North

Friday, 30 January 2015 (part I)
In the Ice — Ross Sea
Current Position: 76°05’ S / 166°38’ E
Temps: 32F (0 C) @ 6:45a (UTC +12)
Distance Since Ushuaia: 4,195 NM (4,827 miles / 7,769 km)

Moral indignation is jealousy with a halo.
H. G. WELLS

An early morning today — with pre-breakfast pastries and coffee in the bar at 5:45a; and the first passenger group scheduled to fly ashore to visit the Nimrod Hut at Cape Royds — popularly known as Shackleton’s Hut — at 6:15a.  According to the posted list, our two-person Group H was estimated to fly last at 7:25a.  Well, the snacks were in the bar on time, but everything else lagged a while.  No matter, we had a gorgeous day and enjoyed the sunshine on the bridge deck.

On Expedition Day 22 we visit Cape Royds before Ortelius turns its bow north.

Plog: Going Inside Scott’s Terra Nova Hut

Tuesday, 27 January 2015 (Part II)
McMurdo Sound
Position: 77°14’ S / 166°04’ E

The Ross Sea Region was popular with explorers of yore.  While modern-day explorers, scientists, and visitors to the great white continent are forbidden from leaving anything behind — or, for that matter, taking anything from there with them — those rules didn’t apply back in the day.

When it came time for expedition teams to leave Antarctica, they often abandoned entire structures … complete with furnishings and provisions.  Those structures are now designated as historic monuments — some of them making it onto the World Monuments Watch List of endangered sites.  One might think of them as time capsules that give us a peak into life on the continent back in the day.

Today’s visit to Cape Evans took us to one such building … one of major significance in Antarctic exploration history — the Terra Nova Hut … or simply, Scott’s Hut.

Scott’s Terra Nova Hut @ Cape Evans

Tuesday, 27 January 2015 (Part I)
McMurdo Sound
Position: 77°14’ S / 166°04’ E
Temps:  30F (-1 C) @ 7:15a (UTC +12)
Distance from Ushuaia: More than 3,848 NM (4,428 miles / 7,126 km) … Bridge Closed; no new reading

Civilization is a race between education and catastrophe.
H.G. Wells

Sailing along Ross Island, Cape Crozier was supposed to be the site of our first activity today.  Unfortunately, it turned out to be a bust — sniff, sniff.  Having read Apsley Cherry-Garrard’s The Worst Journey in the World, I was really looking forward to doing some activity or another at this easternmost point of the island.