Journeying back from the South Pole in the year 1912, Captain Robert Falcon Scott met his untimely end. His friends also perished due to starvation and hypothermia. Because of his ambition and persistence, and even though he lost the race to the South Pole and perished, he is known as a national hero.

It is only now, following many years of analysis and research, that the unforgiving nature of the climate of Antarctica is understood, and it’s affects on explorers is realized.Average wind speed is 67 kilometers per hour, and the temperature can get as cold as negative 90 degrees Celsius!In 1912, with little understanding of the devastating hazards the continent had in store for him, Scott was ill prepared for the task he was undertaking.antarctica tours

Letters he wrote to his wife while carrying out his research duties in the Polar Regions had heavy overtones of extreme seclusion.Even with today’s communication options, modern explorers in Antarctica concur that intense isolation is a problem.Captain Scott’s wife was left a widow, and his young son without a father, at the time of Scott’s death.

His body and letters written for his wife weren’t discovered until many months after he died.Scott died 11 miles away from his supply post.The wife-made-widow of Captain Scott was waiting in New Zealand from him when she was made aware of his passing.

The letters Scott wrote to her provide tremendous historical insight.They begin by describing a man in excellent shape, who took pleasure in a good hot meal.There was little talk of the low temperatures in his letters, saying only that the hot food he enjoyed negated the frigid temperatures.trips to antarctica

As the expedition went on the food was running low, Scott’s mood seemed to change as well. He talks about the cold weather worsening, and temperatures not slacking off.To travel 11 miles more in their trip he and his fellow explorers were down to only one hot meal and two days worth of cold food, hunger was beginning to take its toll.

During this time of great exploration, Scott was a monumental figure, but, unfortunately, his plans were cursed twofold.He lost the race to the South Pole to Norwegian Roald Amundsen.Amundsmen arrived on December 21, 1911, beating out Scott, who arrived on January 18, 1912, by nearly one month.

Scott was referred to as a national hero due to his previous explorations of Antartic during the years 1902-1904.As the weather changed, Scott and two companions, Lieutenant Henry Bowers and Dr. Edward Wilson, still had hopes of surviving.Captain Lawrence Oats and Petty Office Edgar Evans weren’t so lucky.

The team stored supplies a mere twenty miles from a depot.The small group was down to the last of their food and fuel.In one of his later letters, Scott gave his wife permission to remarry in the event of his death as he then described the brutal seventy degrees below zero temps while only having a tent around him.

It is evident from Scott’s last letters, that he never regretted the choice he made, to go on this trek that ultimately led to his death.He would rather have been there than doing nothing in the comfort of home.Throughout the years that have followed, many Brits young and old, have been encouraged by Scott’s endearing will and perseverance.

Captain Robert Scott’s expedition was not successful in becoming the first team to reach the South Pole, arriving just a few weeks after Roald Amundsmen.He is said to have died on March 29, 1912.His diary of events entitled “Scott’s Last Expedition” hit print in 1913.

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