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OHYAT: The Winter Journey
Jun. 27th, 2011 05:58 amONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO TODAY
It's 11 am – nearly noon, though of course that makes little difference so far south of the Antarctic circle in the middle of winter, and it's the new moon besides – and three men stand outside the hut at Cape Evans with two sledges loaded with gear, about to set off into the inky blackness on 'the weirdest bird's-nesting expedition that has ever been or ever will be.'
First, though, they are photographed.
... and then they are off.
Why?
( Biology and Backstory )
A group of friends accompanied them around the Cape and saw them off to trace their way across the familiar frozen bay between Cape Evans and Hut Point. Despite having done this trip several times, though, it was so dark that they didn't even notice they'd passed familiar landmarks until they blotted out the sky behind them. I'll let Cherry take over from here; I'm taking the liberty of editing him down a little, but if you want to read the full account you can do so here.
The limited rations were by way of an experiment for the journey to the Pole the next summer – Bill, in seemingly endless conversations with Scott on nutritional science, had lobbied for a greater ratio of fats to carbohydrates in the rations, so to see which regimen was best, each of the three men on the Winter Journey (as Cherry called it later) had a different nutritional emphasis in their diet. Another experiment was undertaken by Bill: impressed by how much difference the windproof clothing made on the depot journey and the stay at Hut Point, he was wearing two sets of windproofs rather than layering up extra wool.
They camped the first 'night' just short of Hut Point ... the temperature was -26°F. It was the most comfortable night they would have.
It's 11 am – nearly noon, though of course that makes little difference so far south of the Antarctic circle in the middle of winter, and it's the new moon besides – and three men stand outside the hut at Cape Evans with two sledges loaded with gear, about to set off into the inky blackness on 'the weirdest bird's-nesting expedition that has ever been or ever will be.'
First, though, they are photographed.
... and then they are off.
Why?
( Biology and Backstory )
A group of friends accompanied them around the Cape and saw them off to trace their way across the familiar frozen bay between Cape Evans and Hut Point. Despite having done this trip several times, though, it was so dark that they didn't even notice they'd passed familiar landmarks until they blotted out the sky behind them. I'll let Cherry take over from here; I'm taking the liberty of editing him down a little, but if you want to read the full account you can do so here.
[T]hree men, one of whom at any rate is feeling a little frightened, stand panting and sweating out in McMurdo Sound. They have two sledges, one tied behind the other, and these sledges are piled high with sleeping-bags and other camping equipment, six weeks' provisions, and a venesta* case full of scientific gear for pickling and preserving. In addition there is a pickaxe, ice-axes, an Alpine rope, a large piece of green Willesden canvas and a bit of board. Scott's amazed remark when he saw our sledges two hours ago, 'Bill, why are you taking all this oil?' pointing to the six cans lashed to the tray on the second sledge, had a bite in it. Our weights for such travelling are enormous – 253 lbs a man.
*a type of plywood
It is midday but it is pitchy dark, and it is not warm.
( More ... )
The limited rations were by way of an experiment for the journey to the Pole the next summer – Bill, in seemingly endless conversations with Scott on nutritional science, had lobbied for a greater ratio of fats to carbohydrates in the rations, so to see which regimen was best, each of the three men on the Winter Journey (as Cherry called it later) had a different nutritional emphasis in their diet. Another experiment was undertaken by Bill: impressed by how much difference the windproof clothing made on the depot journey and the stay at Hut Point, he was wearing two sets of windproofs rather than layering up extra wool.
They camped the first 'night' just short of Hut Point ... the temperature was -26°F. It was the most comfortable night they would have.
