Scott and Shackleton's abandoned huts in Antarctica

31 marzo 2008

Shelves are still stocked with tins of cabbage, veal or onions. All these objects have been preserved by cold for the last 100 years. Antarctic explorers Robert Falcon Scott and Ernest Shackleton left them here in their way to the South Pole, in the beginning of the XX century. But none of them was able to come back.

1. Scott's hut

On November 1, 1911, British explorer Robert Falcon Scott departed from Cape Evans on his Terra Nova Expedition, trying to become the first man to reach the South Pole. But the captain and his companions never returned to camp—they died on the return journey after having been beaten to the pole by Amundsen.

Scott and his men left behind a prefabricated, seaweed-insulated wooden cabin and its outbuildings, as well as scientific equipment used to measure the continent's fearsome climate. The cabin would be later occupied by Sir Ernest Shackleton during his Imperial Trans Arctic Expedition (1914-1917), and supplies from both expeditions are still at the camp, historic remains from the heroic age of Antarctic exploration. [1]

Scott's hut is located on the north shore of Cape Evans on Ross Island in Antarctica. Although abandoned in 1913, the hut and its contents are remarkably well preserved today due to the constant freezing conditions.

One of the purposes of the Scott expedition was to collect biological samples. Next to the door, there is a crate of Emperor Penguin Eggs that they collected, but that never got shipped out.



2. Shackleton's hut

On January 1, 1908, the Nimrod the Nimrod Expedition, led by Ernest Shackleton, arrived to Cape Royds, about twenty miles from Hut Point. Shackleton believed the site to be perfect and the men began unloading supplies at once. During the next three weeks, they erected the prefabricated hut, built a stable for the ponies and hauled tons of provisions over the floes to shore.

Time capsule of sorts, the hut appear to have been recently vacated by the men who built them, with food on the shelves and socks hanging on laundry lines. Shackleton's hut was found intact, with bread still on the tables just as they had been left.

While the preservation of food in the freezing temperatures and dry climate has been noted, bacterial decay still occurs. Besides, the World Monuments Watch describes it as one of the hundred most endangered sites in the world, and New Zealand's Antarctic Heritage Trust (AHT) has been working in the last years to preserve it from corrosion.

The work involves restoring some of the wooden planks used to build the hut, and repairing and replacing some of the artefacts inside- the cooking pots and food, the laboratory equipment, the skis and sledges.

Inside the hut there are still some interesting surprises. This is Ernest Shackleton's signature. It is very hard to find, and not very many people know where it is.

More info and sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

37 Respuestas ( Deja un comentario )

  1. Jeff P dijo...
  2. Didn't realize they had plastic bins in 1908...

  3. Antonio Martínez Ron dijo...
  4. Well, they were pioneers my friend... :-P

  5. Anónimo dijo...
  6. Robert Falcon Scott was not the first man to reach the South Pole. It was Admunson. Scott was so disappointed to discover he wasn't the first, that he decided to investigate a glacier on the way back to camp...This delay lead to his death and that of his two companions.

  7. Antonio Martínez Ron dijo...
  8. "after having been beaten to the pole by Amundsen" Did you read this?

  9. Anónimo dijo...
  10. "Robert Falcon Scott was not the first man to reach the South Pole. It was Admunson. "

    Yes, just as the post says.

  11. scout dijo...
  12. a tv dinner tray too! shackleton really did have it made.

  13. Anónimo dijo...
  14. you are all missing some key information! Scott was not first to the pole, a man named amundsen was!!!

  15. Anónimo dijo...
  16. No. That is simply not true. Amundsen was first to the pole, not Scott.

  17. Anónimo dijo...
  18. Anónimo dijo:

    noone's claimed otherwise numbnuts!

  19. Anónimo dijo...
  20. that may be so mr Anonimo, but on the other hand you could look at it as if Scott wasnt first, because a man they called the flying beaver was. and his name was Amundsen. Please dont say otherwise.

  21. Unknown dijo...
  22. OMG can't you read?! If you guys take the time to get your facts straight you'll find Robert Falcon Scott was not the first man to reach the South Pole. Admunson beat him to it.

  23. Anónimo dijo...
  24. No one has suggested otherwise, in fact RF SCotts expedition was only the second to reach the pole. If you read the scripts correctly you can clearly se that a man named AMUNDSEN was the first (they also called him "spell my name right bitch or yall get it" but that nickname and the origin of it is a completely other story.

  25. Unknown dijo...
  26. You guys don't understand. AMUNDSEN was the first to reach the pole, not Scott!

  27. Anónimo dijo...
  28. Seriously, i can't believe that no one here knows the truth about the first man to the pole. It was not Scott - the twat - who won the race, it was AMUNDSEN.

    We need to sort this out people.. gosh!

  29. Anónimo dijo...
  30. Wait a minute, even though it said that scott wasn't first on the south pole, you all are saying that Amundsen was first?

    I'm lost

  31. Anónimo dijo...
  32. ok, amundsen 2st and scott 1nd, right?

  33. Schulz Family dijo...
  34. Was the problem with all the people saying Amunsden was first to the pole, not Scott? We all know that.
    What the article says is that when Scott set out he was aiming to be first to the pole, which is quite true. Only one sentence later we find the conclusion of the matter - Amunsden beat him to it. Ho hum nothing new.
    What's with these scores of people protesting the article?

  35. Anónimo dijo...
  36. You're all wrong! Amundsen beat Scott. No one of you seems to have the skill in reading. AMUNDSEN BEAT SCOTT. Period.

  37. Anónimo dijo...
  38. Who's on first?

  39. Schmierwurst dijo...
  40. Hey, that looks like a funny little game.
    But I have to clear out that Scott wasn't the first to the pole. Roald Amundsen was. You can read it like everywhere! I can't belive that you guys don't know the facts. I mean, it's common knowledge and you should stop insisting otherwise!

  41. Anónimo dijo...
  42. I wonder why everybody keeps making the same funny mistake. Can't you people google it up? I was Amundsen who was the first on the pole. Ah-moon-zen. Period. Enuff said.

  43. Anónimo dijo...
  44. The plane takes off!

  45. Unknown dijo...
  46. Sorry Guys, I've got to inform you that Amundsen was the first man at the pole.

  47. Anónimo dijo...
  48. I beg to differ with you guys, but Amundson was the first to the south pole!

  49. Anónimo dijo...
  50. When Amundsen got to the pole did he know Scott had been there first? Did Scott leave a note for him or anything?

  51. Anónimo dijo...
  52. I bet that dude was totally pissed to be beaten by the British!

  53. Anónimo dijo...
  54. Who cares about whether Scott or Amundsen was first? The true scandal is that "corn flour" is made from rice!

  55. JMo dijo...
  56. Are you sure Scott made it to the South Pole first, I could have sworn I read somewhere that some guy named Admunson did. I'll Google it.

  57. Anónimo dijo...
  58. The term "corn" in many places/times simply means "grain", though I've never heard it used to describe rice.

  59. century22 dijo...
  60. Are all of you people completely retarded? You are all in agreement. No one has claimed that Scott was first, it clearly states that Admunson beat him to it. What the hell are all these comments about? Seriously, this is some of the most retarded shit I have ever read in my life.

    We all agree. Stop being idiots.

  61. Anónimo dijo...
  62. http://egland.livejournal.com/168062.html - russians definitely liked your photos

  63. Verbum Sap dijo...
  64. I had so much fun reading all the 'serious' banter in the comments that I think I'll look up your other blog posts!

  65. Anónimo dijo...
  66. I half expected to see a microwave oven there, along with the TV dinners. Really handy place if you're passing and happen to get a bit hungry.

  67. Anónimo dijo...
  68. Too funny.

    As a few others have said, this article DOES NOT say Scott got there first.

    The article also mentions they are restoring parts of the hut and I am sure that is where the plastic comes in.

  69. Anónimo dijo...
  70. Ok, so we all ok on that? Scott was NOT the first to reach the South Pole, ok, NOT THE fIRST, the Scowegen, Amundsen was first to Reach the South Pole, arriving a few weeks before the gallant and admirable Englishman.

  71. Anónimo dijo...
  72. Amundsen was first to the South Pole. He may also have been first to see the North Pole (prior claims being suspect).

    The pictures of "Scott's Hut" are actually of a different hut also built by Scott called Discovery Hut. It's on Hut Point Peninsula several miles south of Cape Evans where the actual Scott's Hut is to be found.

  73. Oates dijo...
  74. how you guys can be so shure if it was Admundson or Scat?

    anybody was there to check who was the first??

    and also, the situation of the poles is changing, so, actually, nobody has been in the real 2011 south pole, ever.

    got it?

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