09+-+Explorers+1

Exploration History

** 350 B.C. ** ** It was the ancient Greeks who first came up with the idea of Antarctica. ** They knew about the Arctic - named Arktos - The Bear, from the constellation the great bear and decided that in order to balance the world, there should be a similar cold Southern landmass that was the same but the opposite "Ant - Arktos" - opposite The Bear. They never actually went there, it was just a lucky guess! ** 1773 **  In January, **James Cook crosses the Antarctic circle** and circumnavigates Antarctica, though he doesn't sight land, deposits of rock seen in icebergs showed that a southern continent exists. His comment - "**I make bold to declare that the world will derive no benefit from it**". ** 1902 ** ** Captain Scott, UK, leads his first Antarctic expedition ** to reach the South Pole, with Ernest Shackleton and Edward Wilson. They are forced to turn back two months later having reached 82 degrees south, suffering from snow blindness and scurvy. ** 1907 - 1909 **   ** 1911 **    ** 1912 **  ** January 18th. Britain's Captain Robert Falcon Scott reaches the South Pole to discover he has been beaten by Amundsen. ** All of the five man team (Scott, Bowers, Evans, Oates and Wilson), are to perish on the return journey only 11 miles from supply depot. ** 1915 **  October. **[|Shackleton]** returns to Antarctica in an attempt to complete the first crossing of the continent. The goal is not attained, but **one of the greatest adventures of all time follows**. Their ship is crushed in the sea ice and a small party sets out for South Georgia and the whaling station. The party is eventually rescued in 1917.
 * [|Shackleton] leads expedition to within 156km / 97mls of the South Pole ** , turns back after supplies are exhausted
 * December 14th. Norwegian [|Roald Amundsen] leads a five man expedition that reaches the South Pole for the first time. **

** 1st July 1957 - 31st Dec 1958 **  The **first successful land crossing via the South Pole** is led by British geologist Vivian Fuchs with New Zealander Edmund Hillary leading the back up party, over 40 years after Shackleton's