by Brad Borkan
Nansen Cooker: A mountain so deeply buried in ice that only its upper part remains in view as exposed rock. As one ascends the Polar Plateau, these last vestiges of the coastal mountain ranges eventually disappear from view.
Nimrod: Ship used by Shackleton’s British Antarctic Expedition, 1907-1909 (also known as the Nimrod Expedition)
Nunatak: An exposed ridge, rock formation or small mountain rising above a glacier area, or an ice and snow encrusted area. It often has a jagged surface.
Pack Ice: Also known as sea ice. Pack ice is frozen sea that formed somewhere else and has floated to its present position due to wind, tides and currents. It is broken into floes of variable size and thickness—some pieces can be the size of a coffee table and about one foot thick; other pieces can be many acres in extent and over thirty feet thick. Open pack—when the pieces of ice don’t touch each other; Closed pack—when the pieces of ice touch.
Pemmican: Meat cured, pulverized, and mixed with fat, containing much nutriment in a small compact form. It is a dense, high protein food that could be stored and transported easily.
Polar Plateau: A plain of solid ice, up to two miles (3.2 km) high, that surrounds the South Pole for hundreds of miles.
Primus Stove: A pressurized-burner kerosene (paraffin) stove that was highly reliable and durable in adverse conditions. It was the stove of choice for Shackleton’s and Scott’s expeditions.
Ross Ice Shelf: (see Barrier)
Ross Sea: A southern portion of the Antarctic Ocean, extending south to McMurdo Sound. Discovered in 1841 by James Clark Ross, and named in his honor.
Sea Ice: A general term for any ice that forms from frozen seawater. Sea ice covers large parts of polar waters in the winter, melting back each summer. Ice which covers an ocean or sea includes mostly continuous pack ice, broken only by narrow open water “leads” and discrete ice floes.
Siberian Pony: Used by Shackleton in his Nimrod Expedition, 1907-1909, for the transport of loaded sledges over the ice. His relative success with them prompted Scott to use Siberian ponies in his Terra Nova Expedition, 1910-1913.
Sledge: Made from wooden frames and runners bound with rawhide lashings to allow flexibility in transit over uneven ice, they were the principal means of transport in the Antarctic, whether pulled by men, dogs, ponies, or motors.
Sledge Dog: Dog teams were used by all the expeditions for the transport of loaded sledges, most successfully by Amundsen in his attainment of the South Pole in 1911.
South Georgia: Island at the convergence of the South Atlantic and Antarctic Oceans, site of whaling stations, site of departure of Shackleton’s Endurance in 1914, and landing site of the James Caird after an eight-hundred-mile open boat journey.
South Pole (Also known as the South Geographic Pole, as distinct from the Magnetic South Pole): Southernmost point on earth, axis of the planet’s rotation, located on the Polar Plateau hundreds of miles from any point of the Antarctic coastline.
Stromness, South Georgia: Whaling station on the island of South Georgia.
Terra Nova: Ship used by Scott’s second expedition, the Terra Nova Expedition, 1910-1913. She was also used as one of the relief ships for the Discovery Expedition, 1901-1904.
Weddell Sea: A southern portion of the Antarctic Ocean, extending south to Vahsel Bay, where Shackleton intended to start his trans-Antarctic crossing.
Appendix III
Recommended reading
Have we whetted your appetite to learn more about the heroic age expeditions? Below is a list of books and films that we have enjoyed and recommend if you are interested in learning more about this fascinating era. Stars (*) have been added to highlight our top recommendations.
Published expedition diaries or accounts by the leaders of the expeditions
Roald Amundsen
The South Pole: An Account of the Norwegian Antarctic Expedition in the “Fram”: 1910-1912, Roald Amundsen (Indy Publishing, 2002) originally published in 1912
Douglas Mawson
The Home of the Blizzard: A Heroic Tale of Antarctic Exploration and Survival, Sir Douglas Mawson, (Skyhorse 2013) originally published in 1915
Robert Scott
The Voyage of the “Discovery," Captain Robert Scott (Wordsworth, 2009) originally published in 1905
Scott’s Last Expedition, Captain Robert Scott (arranged by Leonard Huxley) originally published in 1914—Volume 1 is the journals of Captain Scott; Volume 2 contains the reports of the sledge journeys and the scientific work by Dr. Edward Wilson and the surviving members of the expedition
Ernest Shackleton
The Heart of the Antarctic, Ernest Shackleton (Wordsworth, 2007) originally published in 1909
South: The Endurance Expedition, Ernest Shackleton (Penguin, 2013) originally published in 1919
Expedition photographs and pictures
* Discovery Illustrated: Pictures from Captain Scott’s First Antarctic Expedition, Judy Skelton, David Wilson (Reardon Publishing, 2001)
Edward Wilson’s Antarctic Notebooks, David Wilson, Christopher Wilson (Reardon Publishing, 2011)
Nimrod Illustrated: Pictures from Lieutenant Shackleton’s British Antarctic Expedition, David Wilson (Reardon Publishing, 2009)
Scott’s Last Voyage: Through the Antarctic Camera of Herbert Ponting, Ann Savours (editor), (Sidgwick & Jackson, 1974)
South with Endurance: Shackleton’s Antarctic Expedition 1914-1917—the Photographs of Frank Hurley, Frank Hurley and Tamiko Rex, (Bloomsbury Publishing, 2001)
The Amundsen Photographs, Captain Roald Amundsen, Roland Huntsford (editor), (Hodder & Stoughton, 1987)
The Enduring Eye: The Antarctic Legacy of Sir Ernest Shackleton and Frank Hurley, Meredith Hooper (curator) (Syon Publishing, 2015)
The Heart of the Great Alone: Scott, Shackleton and Antarctic Photography, David Hempleman-Adams and Sophie Gordon (The Royal Collection, 2011)
* The Lost Photographs of Captain Scott, Dr. David Wilson, (Little Brown, 2011)
With Scott to the Pole: Terra Nova Expedition 1910-1913 – The Photographs of Herbert Ponting, Herbert Ponting, Ranulph Fiennes (foreword), (Ted Smart, 2004)
Detailed accounts of the expeditions
Mawson’s Will: The Greatest Polar Survival Story Ever Written, Lennard Bickel (Steerforth Press, 2000)
Racing with Death: Douglas Mawson—Antarctic Explorer, Beau Riffenburgh (Bloomsbury Publishing, 2009)
Shackleton’s Boat: The Story of the James Caird, Harding Dunnett (Collins Press, 2015)
Shackleton’s Boat Journey, Frank Worsley (Collins Press, 2010) originally published in 1924
Shackleton’s Epic: Recreating the World’s Greatest Journey of Survival, Tim Jarvis, (William Collins, 2013)
Shackleton’s Forgotten Men: The Untold Tale of an Antarctic Tragedy, Lennard Bickel (Pimlico, 2001)
*The Endurance—Shackleton’s Legendary Antarctic Expedition, Caroline Alexander (Bloomsbury Publishing, 1999)
* The Lost Men: The Harrowing Story of Shackleton’s Ross Sea Party, Kelly Tyler-Lewis (Bloomsbury, 2007)
The Longest Winter: Scott’s Other Heroes, Meredith Hooper (John Murray, 2011)
* The Worst Journey in the World, Apsley Cherry-Garrard (Vintage Classics, 2010) originally published in 1922
Biographies of explorers
An Unsung Hero: Tom Crean—Antarctic Survivor, Michael Smith (Collins Press, 2009)
Antarctic Voyager: Tom Crean with Scott’s Discovery Expedition 1901-1904, David Hirzel, (Terra Nova Press, 2015)
Birdie Bowers: Captain Scott’s Marvel, Anne Strathie, (The History Press, 2013)
Captain Scott, Sir Ranulph Fiennes (Hodder Paperbacks, 2004)
Captain Scott’s Invaluable Assistant: Edgar Evans, Isobel Williams, (The History Press, 2012)
Cheltenham in Antarctica: The Life of Edward Wilson, David Wilson and David Elder, (Reardon Publishing, 2000)
Cherry: A Life of Apsley Cherry-Garrard, Sara Wheeler, (Vintage, 2002)
Hold Fa
st: Tom Crean with Shackleton in the Antarctic 1914-1916, David Hirzel (Terra Nova Press, 2013)
I Am Just Going Outside: The Tragedy of Captain Oates, Michael Smith, (Spellmount, 2002)
Sailor on Ice: Tom Crean with Scott in the Antarctic 1910-1913, David Hirzel, (Terra Nova Press, 2011)
Scott of the Antarctic: The Definitive Biography, David Crane, (Harper, 2012)
Shackleton, Margery and James Fisher (Barrie, 1957)
Shackleton: An Irishman in Antarctica, Jonathan Shackleton and John MacKenna, (Lilliput Press, 2003)
* Shackleton: By Endurance We Conquer, Michael Smith, (Collins Press, 2014)
The Quest for Frank Wild, Angie Butler, (Jackleberry Press, 2011)
With Scott in the Antarctic: Edward Wilson: Explorer, Naturalist, Artist, Isobel Williams, (The History Press, 2009)
Other relevant books about historic Antarctic exploration
Conquest of the South Pole: Antarctic Exploration 1906-1931, J. Gordon Hayes (Thornton Butterworth, 1932)
Scott and Charcot at the col du Lautaret—1908 Trials of the first motor driven sledges designed for transport in the Antarctic, Serge Aubert, Judy Skelton, Yves Frenot, and Alain Bignon (Lautaret, 2014)
Books about Antarctica, not specific to expeditions
Antarctica: An Intimate Portrait of the World’s Most Mysterious Continent, Gabrielle Walker, (Bloomsbury, 2013)
The Storied Ice: Exploration, Discovery, and Adventure in Antarctica’s Peninsula Region, Joan Boothe (Regent Press, 2011)
Terra Incognita: Travels in Antarctica, Sara Wheeler, (Vintage, 1997)
Other books relating the Antarctic experience to business management
Shackleton’s Way: Leadership Lessons from the Great Antarctic Explorer, Margot Morrell and Stephanie Capparell (Nicholas Brealey, 2003)
Leading at the Edge: Leadership Lessons from the Extraordinary Saga of Shackleton’s Antarctic Expedition, Dennis Perkins (Amacom, 2000)
Films and DVDs
* Scott Of The Antarctic, Director: Charles Frend, Main actor: John Mills, (Studio: Ealing Studios) originally released in 1948, now available on DVD
* Shackleton, Director: Charles Sturridge, Main actor: Kenneth Branagh, (Studio: Channel 4) DVD released in 2008
* Shackleton—Death Or Glory: Recreation of Shackleton’s boat journey. Expedition leader: Tim Jarvis, (Studio: Discovery Channel) DVD released in 2014
South [1919], Director: Frank Hurley, featuring real footage shot by Hurley on the Endurance Expedition
The Endurance: Shackleton’s Legendary Antarctic Expedition, Actor: Liam Neeson, (Studio: Sony Pictures) DVD released in 2003
The Great White Silence/90 Degrees South, Director: Herbert Ponting with Robert Scott, (Studio: BFI Video) Originally released in 1933, featuring real footage shot by Ponting on the Terra Nova Expedition.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to acknowledge the wide array of experts in the fields of Antarctic exploration and book production, who have lent their cumulative knowledge and friendship to the support of this endeavor.
At the top of the list is the world-renowned Antarctic historian Dr. David Wilson (grand-nephew of Dr. Edward Wilson). David Wilson’s lectures and books on Antarctica have served as an inspiration for us and reinforced our desire to bring the stories to a wider audience. We are sincerely and deeply honored that he has written the foreword to our book.
Also, high on this list is Robert Stephenson, whose notable website www.antarctic-circle.org has provided an online forum for a worldwide net of Antarctic enthusiasts. Robert created and hosted the “SouthPole-sium” conference in May 2015 in Craobh Haven, Scotland, at the suggestion of Falcon Scott (grandson of Robert Scott), which brought many of us from around the world. It was here that the authors met for the first time, and brainstormed the idea for this book.
As the authors labored over the text of the book during the following year, Shari Powell helped to refine our ideas into a coherent and meaningful book, and Anne Sharples gave it a striking cover and interior design. Long conversations with Alice Cochran on the nature of leadership and decision making have left their inevitable mark. Their unflagging support has molded the authors’ collection of chapters and ideas into its final shape, and it is to them that we owe great thanks and appreciation.
This field of study is overflowing with scholars, explorers, and enthusiasts, many of whom have become friends over the years. Their thoughts and ideas have contributed to our own, and their invisible presence has helped to make this book. We must mention first the annual Shackleton Autumn School conference in Athy, Ireland hosted at the Athy Heritage Center and organized by Francis Taaffe, Seamus Taaffe, Kevin Kenny, Joe O’Farrell, Jonathan Shackleton and Margaret Walsh. This is a wonderful and informative event. We deeply appreciate their friendship and warmth, as well as the many evenings with them in O’Brien’s pub discussing all things related to Antarctica and polar exploration. The next round of drinks is on us!
Over the years, we have had the pleasure of meeting and learning from world-renowned authors, historians and lecturers specializing in the field, including Bob Burton, Angie Butler, Bob Headland, Stephen Scott-Fawcett, Alexandra Shackleton (grand-daughter of Sir Ernest Shackleton), Judy Skelton (grand-daughter of Reginald Skelton from the Discovery Expedition), Michael Smith, Anne Strathie, Michael Tarver and David Wilson. Our recommended reading list has space for only a few of these many excellent books. Joan N. Boothe gave us access to her extensive private Antarctic library for research, and her photography graces some of the pages of this book.
We are also grateful to the many people we have met, learned from, and become friends with over our many years’ interest in polar exploration. These include Cathy Cooper, Wendy Driver, Valerie and Donald Kerr (grandson of Alexander Kerr who was the second engineer on the Endurance Expedition), Jim and Geraldine McAdam, Cathy Corbishley Michel, Geoff Michel, Susan Morrison, Katie Murray and Sam Richmond.
Among the rare book dealers who not only specialize in the polar books, but are themselves authors and producers of conferences and book fairs, and have a wealth of knowledge, we take special note of our friends John and Suzanne Bonham of J&SL Bonham Books in London, Paul Davies of Kingsbridge Books, Stuart Leggett of Meridian Rare Books, and Chet Ross of Chet Ross Rare Books. We have also had the honor to meet and attend lectures by modern day explorers Tim Jarvis and Sebastian Coulthard, who were part of the six-man team that recreated Shackleton’s boat journey and trek across South Georgia in 2013.
The Scott Polar Research Institute in Cambridge, England, is a treasure trove of information and the leading repository of manuscripts and artifacts of Antarctic exploration. The semi-annual meetings of the James Caird Society at Dulwich College (where Shackleton went to school) provided a wonderful way to learn from experts while mingling with modern day adventurers. The publications and meetings of these institutions continue to promote the study of the heroic age.
Special thanks to Professor Howard Kunreuther who taught Decision Sciences at the Wharton School, and was so kind as to list Brad Borkan as a co-author on several of his books about the study of people’s decision making related to low probability events. Also thanks to Donald Fishbein who, over dinner in Paris with Brad, brainstormed the book’s title, and to our diligent and excellent editors Lily O’Brien and Deborah Bancroft,—their keen eye for detail has relieved our manuscript of egregious grammatical flaws. David Brown helped us build a stunning website: www.extreme-decisions.com.
We are also indebted to people who read drafts of this book. This includes Kate Walters who braved reading an early draft of the book on a beach in Portugal and wrote, “Despite the heat I have found myself shivering while following the travails of the frostbitten and half-starved . . .” Her enthusiasm for the book spurred our desire to complete it to the best of our abilities.
Also we are grateful to Bob Headland, Kevin Kenny, Judy Skelton, Michael Smith, Rob Stephenson, and David Wilson, all of whom ar
e leading experts in Antarctic history, for their in-depth critique of the manuscript.
Thanks also to our families and close friends who, for over a year, listened patiently while we regaled them (a few of whom might say “too many times”) with tales of heroism and courage from the heroic age as we shaped our ideas for the book. The authors are most deeply indebted—Brad to his wife, Anne and daughter Brittany, and David to the light of his life, Alice Cochran—for their unflagging support and encouragement.
While we gained valuable insights from all the organizations and people named above, any errors within the book are our own.
Notes about the photographs
The photograph on this book’s cover shows the severe hardship of man-hauling a heavily loaded sledge, especially on deep soft snow. Imagine doing this for mile after mile in freezing conditions, on limited food. Other than the sheer physical strain of doing this, one thing to be aware of is that even in Antarctica, physical exertion like this causes sweat, and as soon as the men would stop, the sweat would freeze on their bodies. Today in the comfort of our homes, one can only envision the degree of discomfort that would cause.