14 DECEMBER SPECIAL ISSUE : Why Amundsen arrived at the SP before Scott (part 3)

Published on 13.12.2011 - General Info

Two famous explorers have written the history of the South Pole

This article does not give evidently all the answers to this historic and endless question. But at least it rises the attention on the completely opposite ways famous explorers like R. Scott and R. Amundsen have prepared years ahead their epic odyssey.

In addition to the misfortune and bad weather which must always be taken into account for such an adventure, and this time, luck was with the Norwegians rather than the English, in addition also to the terrible pressure that was weighing on Scott's shoulders for the English to be the first to conquer the South Pole, one of the major reasons for his failure was the choice of the type of expedition; even at that time, lightness ought to have prevailed over heaviness. His inability to learn from experience, his blind obstinacy in refusing to consider polar dogs as the first resource of man in such survival conditions, and not as animals that were impossible to subdue, is also one of the reasons that must be invoked when the deep-seated causes of this drama are analysed.

Another element; transcending heroism without doubt, Scott had overestimated the capacity of human strength. How could one pull sledges as heavy as that on such a difficult terrain in atmospheric conditions as extreme with men so severely weakened ?

Fourth explanation: in addition to a number of errors committed by the English, one must also mention the one that consisted of their wanting to take scientific instruments with them, an exaggerated sense of what they ought to have accomplished. During their dramatic retreat, they spent two days collecting geological samples that they had loaded on to the sledges when they should have been preoccupied only with the rate of their march. Assessment: an additional 20 kilograms that had had to be pulled.

The final professional fault attributable to this expedition: when the stockpiles of rations were set up, a storm had forced the men to establish the last stockpile, close to which the three last survivors died, 48 kilometres further North than envisaged. If the initial plans had been kept to, perhaps the explorers would have emerged alive from their heroic epic.