Amundsen the polar explorer

FERNANDO G RODRIGUEZ

EDITORIAL WEEBLE

httpwwweditorialweeblecom

2014 Editorial Weeble

Author Fernando G Rodriacuteguez infoeditorialweeblecomIllustrations Fernando G RodriacuteguezTranslation Mariacutea Jesuacutes Chacoacuten Huertas mariajechahuhotmailcom

httpwwweditorialweeblecom

Madrid Spain March 2014

1

Licence Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike 30

Thanks to Mariacutea Jesuacutes Chacoacuten for her splendid translation

2

For all those who try to challenge

their own human limits

This excited and freezing adventure is dated back on 16 July 1872 when our hero was born His name was Roald Amundsen and he came from a small coastal town near Oslo Norway known as Borge

CHAPTER 1

During the first years

As his father worked as a captain and his brothers also were sailors his mother tried to convince him to be a doctor So she did not stop saying to his husband

- Jens I would love Roald to be a doctor I would not like him to become a sailor or a captain

- As you wish ndash answered Amundsenacutes father

4

As the years went by Roald went to school and learnt a lot However he was increasingly fascinated by the adventures of the explorers He dreamt of becoming a famous explorer while he was constantly reading

He read about Greenland the huge island located between North America and the Artic Ocean He was quite surprised when he read that nearly all of the giant island was covered with ice

When Amundsen was 16 he heard the Norwegian explorer Fridtjof Nansen became the first person to cover Greenland

He knew some other explorers failed to make the same Nansenacutes crossing

As this Nansenacutes expedition was a great success when he returned to his country he was received as a hero all over Norway

5

ARCTIC OCEAN GLACIER

ICELAND

CANADA

ATLANTIC OCEAN

Nansen road

GROENLANDIA

That encouraged Amundsen to continue learning everything he could about Nansenacutes expedition He was so fascinated about it that an increasing desire to became a polar explorer awoke in his mind Then he states to his mother

- Mum I already know what I want to be when I grow up

- And tell me Roald what do you want to be when you grow up

- I want to be a great polar explorer ndash Amundsen strongly answered

At this she was so amazed that she also replied to her son strongly

- No Roald You must do whatever I say you will become a doctor

6

So following his motheracutes wishes Amundsen began studying Medicine Unfortunately his father died when he was 14 and shortly after beginning his medical studies his mother also died It was then when he left school in order to pursue his anxious dream to become a great polar explorer

Then Roald became a sailor on various seal ships travelling to the Arctic where he learnt everything he could about navigation and other survival techniques

7

CHAPTER 2

The first expedition

When Amundsen was 25 he found out a Belgian expedition was about to explore the Antarctica As he stongly wished to be part of that expedition he managed to get an interview with the expedition leader

ATLANTIC

OCEAN

- Mr Adrien de Gerlache ndash allow me to present to you my experiences to work as a helmsman ndash Amundsen says

Mr Adrien de Gerlache after a careful study of Amundsen experiences tells him

- Mr Amundsen you are the new helmsman of our ship the Belgica

- Thank you very much for giving me this opportunity I certainly will not dissapoint you ndash Amundsen answers

9

And this is how Amundsen and his shipmates sailed on the Belgica in August 1897 Needless to say that our brave explorer was a little nervous as this was his first polar expedition

Finally despite the exhausting and dangerous trip they reached the Antartic Peninsula But the Belgica got trapped in the ice As a result of that they became the first expedition to survive a frozen winter on the Antartic

During that winter Amundsen remembered and always put into practice every valuable lessons of survival he had learnt in his early trips In that way they were preparing themselves to survive

10

For instance the American expedition doctor Frederick Cook tells Amundsen how to feed the crew

- My captain the crew must eat meat of marine animals even fresh meat This is the only way we will prevent them from suffering scurvy

- Well I agree Mr Cook Command the crew to hunt all we can eat We will have to eat fresh meat as we cannot cook it here ndash the captain replies

One of the lessons Amundsen had learnt was that using animal skins rather than wool coats were much better to keep warm So he exclaims to the hunters

- Donacutet throw the seal skins out If we use them for coats we will protect from cold

11

When the harsh winter finished the spring came and the ice was melt in such a way the Belgica went out of the ice Mainly thanks to the advices given by Cook and Amundsen the entire crew had survived without much difficulty

Amundsen continued learning from his experiences throughout his voyages he would never forget all the lessons learnt in this cold voyage So he would take them on board to further improve his upcoming trips

12

CHAPTER 3

The Northwest Passage

Amundsen commanded his own polar expedition when he was 27 He pretended to find a new sea route from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through the islands of Canada

To achive that goal Amundsen raised enough money to buy a ship called Gjoa It was a small but a manageable ship to navigate on routes through the harsh Artic waters

14

GROENLANDIA

ICELAND

NORTH

POLE

CANADA

ALASKA

Northwest

passage

On 16 June 1903 with a crew of 6 our brave explorer sailed from Oslo around the south of Greenland through Baffin Bay and to reach northern Canada finally The expedition spent two cold winters there and during that time the crew survived by hunting and fishing

Then Amundsen met the native esquimos from Canada known as the Netsilik They were the ones who teached them how to protect themselves from the severe cold and how to pull sleds by dogs Also the crew learnt other survival techniques

Once more Amundsen continued learning and improving his polar exploration techniques

15

Finally after those harsh and freezing two years the Gjoa arrived safe and sound to the Alaskaacutes northwest coast Amundsen exclaims excited

- I am very happy Thank you for your great efforts I am very proud of you all

Once the expedition arrived Alaska Amundsen was eager to communicate to the world his expedition had been a real success

So he found out the nearest city where there was a telegraph was about 400 kms from there

Then our explorer almost without thinking decided to get there with nothing but his skis In those times as mobile phones and Internet did not exist people used the telegraph for communication

16

The message he sent to the world said as follows

ldquoThe Gjoa has reached Alaska The expedition has been a success Opened the Northwest Passage Signed by Roald Amundsenrdquo

Because of Amundsenacutes ability to navigate and survive this trip had been a great accomplishment Because of his courage and his never-ending energy he became the great explorer he had always dreamt ofhellip

As it happened with Nansenacutes expedition when Amundsenacutes expedition came back to Norway this one was treated as a hero

17

CHAPTER 4

Towards the North Pole

After the success of this last expedition Amundsen started to organize another one But this time his main aim was to be the first to reach the North Pole

For that he needed a different a strong ship Suddenly he thought the ship used by Nansen named `the Framacute was the best ship for this new adventure

Therefore Amundsen decided to visit to Nansen in order to borrow `the Framacute After listening carefully Amundsen proposal he believed it was a wonderful idea and agreed to borrow his ship

19

The Fram was a quite different ship because it was built for a particular task open water in rough sea and adverse meteorological conditions For that reason although it was a plain ship in shape it was also very wide The Fram was so wide that it could even carry provisions for six years

Before embarking on his adventure Amundsen looked up several sponsors to fund the expedition

20

While he was preparing his voyage he heard the explorers Cook and Robert Peary had already reached the North Pole as a result of two different expeditions

Clearly this news deeply disappointed Amundsen who thinks `I must change the aim of my journey as I cannot be the first to reach the North Poleacute Then he kept thinking and thinking hellip and finally he states - lsquoYes Iacuteve got it I will be the first to reach the South Poleacute

21

He was happy and excited but at the same time Amundsen was afraid because he had to communicate his new aim to Nansen and his sponsors He thought hellip - `Now it is probably they do not want to support my new plan Maybe they decide not to help me this timeacute

To avoid it he concludes by saying `I will keep in secret my new route And later when nobody can hold back from his decision I will tell them the real aim of my expeditionacute

22

Then Amundsen started choosing his crew among others he chose a doctor and a good cook Both of them were key jobs in such difficult voyages Of course Nilsen was chosen as the second in charge to the captain

As in his early trips he learnt that the best way to move across the ice was pulling sleds by dogs he also decided to recruit a dog expert

23

When everything was ready on August 1910 the expedition left Although everybody thought they went towards the North Pole hellip

They sailed through the deep blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean towards the island of Madeira which belongs to Portugal The first idea was to reach the North Pole from Alaska reason whereby the Fram had to surrounded America At Madeira Amundsen met up with the crew to communicate his new plan

-As you all know the Americans Frederik Cook and Robert Peary have already reached the North Pole So if we go forward with my plan we will no longer be the first hellip - the captain says

- Therefore I propose to you a new challenge which will allow us to be the first hellip - he goes on to say

After listening to Amundsenacutes words they were all astonished and impatient

24

At last Amundsen exclaims - We will be the first to reach the South Pole

The crew was delighted with the new proposal and everybody yells

-Yes captain we will be the first to reach the South Pole

- It is a wonderful idea We do not want to be the second

He had not to persuade them more There was no doubt that the entire crew had a blind faith in Amundsen The captain says

-Then we will do so Thank you for your support I will telegraph Norway and the rest of the world to inform about our new plan

The news of Amundsenacutes revised plan reached Norway early in October and Nansen was the first to know it Of course Nansen gave his blessing and warm approval Besides his country as well as his expedition sponsors also supported him

25

ANTARCTICA

MADEIRA

CHAPTER 5

The South Pole expedition

Nearly six months later and after a long hard voyage the Fram reached Antarctica on 14 January 1911

The expedition arrived at the eastern edge of the Ross Ice Shelf They established their base camp at a large inlet called the Bay of Whales

The camp was called `Framheimacute which means `home of the Framacute

27

At that time our brave explorer knew he was in race with the British explorer the captain Robert Scott to be the first to reach the South Pole

Fortunately thanks to they established Framheim at the Bay of Whales Amundsen and his crew already had a certain advantage to his competitor Amundsenacutes base camp was nearly 100 kms closer to the South Pole than Scottacutes base camp

28

ANTARCTICA

Amundsen

Base Camp

Scott

Base Camp

SOUTH POLE

80ordm S90ordm S

Ross Ice Shelf

ROSS SEA

The entire crew was aware that for them to succeed they had to be well-prepared among other things they must use skis and dog sleds for transportation Then Amundsen and his men decided to create 3 intermediate supply depots along the way to the Pole They created them during the months of February March and April

Besides they took advantage of the freezing winter to improve their expedition materials particularly the sledges Their purpose was to start their trip in September

29

Our brave explorer thought September was the perfect month mainly because spring came to Antarctica then and therefore the weather conditions were rather better

So when everything was ready for the voyage Amundsen chose 8 crewmen and they departed towards the South Pole

However contrary to what they believed the freezing temperatures were so extreme that dropped as low as minus 40ordmC there were strong winds with snow the blizzards and heavy fogs were so strong that visibility was extremely poorhellip

Therefore they had to quit their huge trek due to the adverse weather conditions Though they decided to leave the food supplies they did not need in the first intermediate camp

Meanwhile the expedition looked forward patiently in the base camp until the weather conditions improve

30

A second attempt took place in mid October with a team made up of 5 Bjaaland Hassel Wisting Hanssen and Amundsen

Everybody in the camp wished the new team all the best

This time they departed Framheim on 19 October They took four sledges and 52 dogs The sled dogs were led by a Samoyed named Etah Amundsen made sure that the dogs were well fed

Bjaaland the carpenter of the crew was the one who redesigned the sledges they would use by lowering their weight Later this lower weight was crucial in saving energy during the trip

31

Once again when everything was ready Amundsen ordered to trek

- Come on guys Towards the South Pole ndash Amundsen exclaims

- Yes towards the South Pole ndashthe team yells

It had been over a year since they left their country and finally the long awaited moment had arrivedhellip

32

- We will continue straight on towards the South Pole crossing the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf ndash Amundsen tells to his team

Fortunately this time the weather conditions did not worse so that they reached the first depot without any kind of setback

Also they reached the second depot without any problem and at the beginning of November they arrived at the third intermediate depot

Until then everything was going well Even the sledges pulled by dogs were progressing as scheduled

Sometimes the blistering cold and the frozen wind forced them to shelter in their tents So fighting against the extreme cold the expedition continued as planned

33

In mid November they arrived at the edge of the Trans-Antarctic mountains using a route along the previously unknown Axel Heiberg Glacier

Although the ascent to the mountains was not as hard as expected the intense cold remained being their first enemy hellip

At last after a four-day climb Wisting who was the first in the group shouts

- Captain the plateau

They had arrived at the Antarctic Plateau a large and flat area of central Antarctica

34

The expedition camped there and then hellip the harshest moment in the voyage came

Amundsen reminds his men - Hassel Hanssen as you already know we must slaughter some dogs

-Yes captain We know that is our foreseen plan ndash they answer while unsheathing their knives

So fulfilling their initial plan they had to slaughter 24 dogs The expedition team as well as the other 28 dogs were fed by them

The remaining meat and the bones were buried under the frozen snow with the aim of being eaten when they returned

Henceforth that place was called as `The Butcheracutes Shopacute

35

From there they started walking through the Antarctic Plateau

Unfortunately the weather tended to worsen a dense fog forced them to take refuge in the tent until it was cleared But hellip the days passed by and the fog continued and even grew The explorers were slowly becoming impatient

- Captain the fog does not disappear We cannot just stay here quietly and wait ndash Hanssen tells to Amundsen

- I know it We can hardly do otherwise We have to resist This endless fog will rise soon ndash Amundsen with conviction answers

Amundsen was also concerned about the situation but he wanted to avoid

bringing them any sadness Besides he was worried because they were taking more provisions than expected and it was an unbearably cold

36

The fog was risen after 9 long days From then they were able to continue their voyage towards the South Pole

On 7 December 1911 after a difficult journey they were very close to achieving their target

- Gentlemen I would inform you we are 150 kms from the South Pole So far no one has been so close Keep going donacutet give up ndash Amundsen encourages them

-My captain we are about to achieve it The dogs are behaving rather nicely and we are certainly on the right track ndash Bjaaland replies

This way despite all the difficulties the crew encouraged each other to move forward

However our brave polar explorers were less and less strengthhellip

37

At last they reached their destination on December 14 1911

-Amundsen we have achieved it we are in the South Pole ndash Wisting yells

-We are the first ndash Hassel welcomes

It was nearly two months since they had left the Framheim With a big smile on his face and with bright eyes Amundsen congratulates his team

-Gentlemen congratulations for the fine work you have done It has been a pleasure to reach the South Pole with all of you

-Hurray Amundsen ndash everybody yells almost without any strength left

On that historic day the team of five with their 16 dogs arrived at the South Pole at latitude 90ordm S There they planted the Norwegian flag

They also left a small tent and a letter stating their accomplishment in case they did not return safely to Framheim

38

Quickly they returned to the base camp following the same route They were so exhausted and so cold they may not stay there any longer

On the other hand Robert Scottacutes British expedition reached the South Pole 35 days after Amundsen But unfortunately they did not return home alive Some months later they were found frozen to death hellip

On the contrary all five of Amundsenacutes crew returned safely to Framheim but only 11 dogs made it back alive The journey to the South Pole and back had taken 99 days

So it was on 25 January 1912 when the team finally reached the base camp When they saw the expedition safe and sound everybody shouts for joy

- Congratulations captain

- We are the first Cheers for Norway Long live Amundsen

39

CHAPTER 6

Others expedition achivements

During the next years Amundsen continued making many explorations among others he sailed the Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through Russiaacutes northern coast Later on he joined an expedition aboard an airship and they flew over the North Pole

Amundsen died in a plane crash during a rescue attempt on 18 June 1928 He was trying to rescue some of the crew of an expedition which had lost The hydroplane wherein he flew crashed in the deep Bareints sea in northern Norway and Russia His body was never found hellip

41

This story is considered as one of the greatest historical epics in recent human history

All the brave explorers who took part in the conquest of the South Pole shared their frozen experiences with all of us They all challenged their own human limits

They all are considered our great heroeshellip

42

The endIf you wish you can express your own opinion what

you liked the most and the less what kind of tales you would like to read the next time orhellip just you can say

`HELLOacute

THANK YOU very much for sharing your great ideas with us

infoeditorialweeblecom

This excited and freezing adventure is dated back on 16 July 1872 when our hero was born His name was Roald Amundsen and he came from a small coastal town near Oslo Norway known as Borge

CHAPTER 1

During the first years

As his father worked as a captain and his brothers also were sailors his mother tried to convince him to be a doctor So she did not stop saying to his husband

- Jens I would love Roald to be a doctor I would not like him to become a sailor or a captain

- As you wish ndash answered Amundsenacutes father

4

As the years went by Roald went to school and learnt a lot However he was increasingly fascinated by the adventures of the explorers He dreamt of becoming a famous explorer while he was constantly reading

He read about Greenland the huge island located between North America and the Artic Ocean He was quite surprised when he read that nearly all of the giant island was covered with ice

When Amundsen was 16 he heard the Norwegian explorer Fridtjof Nansen became the first person to cover Greenland

He knew some other explorers failed to make the same Nansenacutes crossing

As this Nansenacutes expedition was a great success when he returned to his country he was received as a hero all over Norway

5

ARCTIC OCEAN GLACIER

ICELAND

CANADA

ATLANTIC OCEAN

Nansen road

GROENLANDIA

That encouraged Amundsen to continue learning everything he could about Nansenacutes expedition He was so fascinated about it that an increasing desire to became a polar explorer awoke in his mind Then he states to his mother

- Mum I already know what I want to be when I grow up

- And tell me Roald what do you want to be when you grow up

- I want to be a great polar explorer ndash Amundsen strongly answered

At this she was so amazed that she also replied to her son strongly

- No Roald You must do whatever I say you will become a doctor

6

So following his motheracutes wishes Amundsen began studying Medicine Unfortunately his father died when he was 14 and shortly after beginning his medical studies his mother also died It was then when he left school in order to pursue his anxious dream to become a great polar explorer

Then Roald became a sailor on various seal ships travelling to the Arctic where he learnt everything he could about navigation and other survival techniques

7

CHAPTER 2

The first expedition

When Amundsen was 25 he found out a Belgian expedition was about to explore the Antarctica As he stongly wished to be part of that expedition he managed to get an interview with the expedition leader

ATLANTIC

OCEAN

- Mr Adrien de Gerlache ndash allow me to present to you my experiences to work as a helmsman ndash Amundsen says

Mr Adrien de Gerlache after a careful study of Amundsen experiences tells him

- Mr Amundsen you are the new helmsman of our ship the Belgica

- Thank you very much for giving me this opportunity I certainly will not dissapoint you ndash Amundsen answers

9

And this is how Amundsen and his shipmates sailed on the Belgica in August 1897 Needless to say that our brave explorer was a little nervous as this was his first polar expedition

Finally despite the exhausting and dangerous trip they reached the Antartic Peninsula But the Belgica got trapped in the ice As a result of that they became the first expedition to survive a frozen winter on the Antartic

During that winter Amundsen remembered and always put into practice every valuable lessons of survival he had learnt in his early trips In that way they were preparing themselves to survive

10

For instance the American expedition doctor Frederick Cook tells Amundsen how to feed the crew

- My captain the crew must eat meat of marine animals even fresh meat This is the only way we will prevent them from suffering scurvy

- Well I agree Mr Cook Command the crew to hunt all we can eat We will have to eat fresh meat as we cannot cook it here ndash the captain replies

One of the lessons Amundsen had learnt was that using animal skins rather than wool coats were much better to keep warm So he exclaims to the hunters

- Donacutet throw the seal skins out If we use them for coats we will protect from cold

11

When the harsh winter finished the spring came and the ice was melt in such a way the Belgica went out of the ice Mainly thanks to the advices given by Cook and Amundsen the entire crew had survived without much difficulty

Amundsen continued learning from his experiences throughout his voyages he would never forget all the lessons learnt in this cold voyage So he would take them on board to further improve his upcoming trips

12

CHAPTER 3

The Northwest Passage

Amundsen commanded his own polar expedition when he was 27 He pretended to find a new sea route from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through the islands of Canada

To achive that goal Amundsen raised enough money to buy a ship called Gjoa It was a small but a manageable ship to navigate on routes through the harsh Artic waters

14

GROENLANDIA

ICELAND

NORTH

POLE

CANADA

ALASKA

Northwest

passage

On 16 June 1903 with a crew of 6 our brave explorer sailed from Oslo around the south of Greenland through Baffin Bay and to reach northern Canada finally The expedition spent two cold winters there and during that time the crew survived by hunting and fishing

Then Amundsen met the native esquimos from Canada known as the Netsilik They were the ones who teached them how to protect themselves from the severe cold and how to pull sleds by dogs Also the crew learnt other survival techniques

Once more Amundsen continued learning and improving his polar exploration techniques

15

Finally after those harsh and freezing two years the Gjoa arrived safe and sound to the Alaskaacutes northwest coast Amundsen exclaims excited

- I am very happy Thank you for your great efforts I am very proud of you all

Once the expedition arrived Alaska Amundsen was eager to communicate to the world his expedition had been a real success

So he found out the nearest city where there was a telegraph was about 400 kms from there

Then our explorer almost without thinking decided to get there with nothing but his skis In those times as mobile phones and Internet did not exist people used the telegraph for communication

16

The message he sent to the world said as follows

ldquoThe Gjoa has reached Alaska The expedition has been a success Opened the Northwest Passage Signed by Roald Amundsenrdquo

Because of Amundsenacutes ability to navigate and survive this trip had been a great accomplishment Because of his courage and his never-ending energy he became the great explorer he had always dreamt ofhellip

As it happened with Nansenacutes expedition when Amundsenacutes expedition came back to Norway this one was treated as a hero

17

CHAPTER 4

Towards the North Pole

After the success of this last expedition Amundsen started to organize another one But this time his main aim was to be the first to reach the North Pole

For that he needed a different a strong ship Suddenly he thought the ship used by Nansen named `the Framacute was the best ship for this new adventure

Therefore Amundsen decided to visit to Nansen in order to borrow `the Framacute After listening carefully Amundsen proposal he believed it was a wonderful idea and agreed to borrow his ship

19

The Fram was a quite different ship because it was built for a particular task open water in rough sea and adverse meteorological conditions For that reason although it was a plain ship in shape it was also very wide The Fram was so wide that it could even carry provisions for six years

Before embarking on his adventure Amundsen looked up several sponsors to fund the expedition

20

While he was preparing his voyage he heard the explorers Cook and Robert Peary had already reached the North Pole as a result of two different expeditions

Clearly this news deeply disappointed Amundsen who thinks `I must change the aim of my journey as I cannot be the first to reach the North Poleacute Then he kept thinking and thinking hellip and finally he states - lsquoYes Iacuteve got it I will be the first to reach the South Poleacute

21

He was happy and excited but at the same time Amundsen was afraid because he had to communicate his new aim to Nansen and his sponsors He thought hellip - `Now it is probably they do not want to support my new plan Maybe they decide not to help me this timeacute

To avoid it he concludes by saying `I will keep in secret my new route And later when nobody can hold back from his decision I will tell them the real aim of my expeditionacute

22

Then Amundsen started choosing his crew among others he chose a doctor and a good cook Both of them were key jobs in such difficult voyages Of course Nilsen was chosen as the second in charge to the captain

As in his early trips he learnt that the best way to move across the ice was pulling sleds by dogs he also decided to recruit a dog expert

23

When everything was ready on August 1910 the expedition left Although everybody thought they went towards the North Pole hellip

They sailed through the deep blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean towards the island of Madeira which belongs to Portugal The first idea was to reach the North Pole from Alaska reason whereby the Fram had to surrounded America At Madeira Amundsen met up with the crew to communicate his new plan

-As you all know the Americans Frederik Cook and Robert Peary have already reached the North Pole So if we go forward with my plan we will no longer be the first hellip - the captain says

- Therefore I propose to you a new challenge which will allow us to be the first hellip - he goes on to say

After listening to Amundsenacutes words they were all astonished and impatient

24

At last Amundsen exclaims - We will be the first to reach the South Pole

The crew was delighted with the new proposal and everybody yells

-Yes captain we will be the first to reach the South Pole

- It is a wonderful idea We do not want to be the second

He had not to persuade them more There was no doubt that the entire crew had a blind faith in Amundsen The captain says

-Then we will do so Thank you for your support I will telegraph Norway and the rest of the world to inform about our new plan

The news of Amundsenacutes revised plan reached Norway early in October and Nansen was the first to know it Of course Nansen gave his blessing and warm approval Besides his country as well as his expedition sponsors also supported him

25

ANTARCTICA

MADEIRA

CHAPTER 5

The South Pole expedition

Nearly six months later and after a long hard voyage the Fram reached Antarctica on 14 January 1911

The expedition arrived at the eastern edge of the Ross Ice Shelf They established their base camp at a large inlet called the Bay of Whales

The camp was called `Framheimacute which means `home of the Framacute

27

At that time our brave explorer knew he was in race with the British explorer the captain Robert Scott to be the first to reach the South Pole

Fortunately thanks to they established Framheim at the Bay of Whales Amundsen and his crew already had a certain advantage to his competitor Amundsenacutes base camp was nearly 100 kms closer to the South Pole than Scottacutes base camp

28

ANTARCTICA

Amundsen

Base Camp

Scott

Base Camp

SOUTH POLE

80ordm S90ordm S

Ross Ice Shelf

ROSS SEA

The entire crew was aware that for them to succeed they had to be well-prepared among other things they must use skis and dog sleds for transportation Then Amundsen and his men decided to create 3 intermediate supply depots along the way to the Pole They created them during the months of February March and April

Besides they took advantage of the freezing winter to improve their expedition materials particularly the sledges Their purpose was to start their trip in September

29

Our brave explorer thought September was the perfect month mainly because spring came to Antarctica then and therefore the weather conditions were rather better

So when everything was ready for the voyage Amundsen chose 8 crewmen and they departed towards the South Pole

However contrary to what they believed the freezing temperatures were so extreme that dropped as low as minus 40ordmC there were strong winds with snow the blizzards and heavy fogs were so strong that visibility was extremely poorhellip

Therefore they had to quit their huge trek due to the adverse weather conditions Though they decided to leave the food supplies they did not need in the first intermediate camp

Meanwhile the expedition looked forward patiently in the base camp until the weather conditions improve

30

A second attempt took place in mid October with a team made up of 5 Bjaaland Hassel Wisting Hanssen and Amundsen

Everybody in the camp wished the new team all the best

This time they departed Framheim on 19 October They took four sledges and 52 dogs The sled dogs were led by a Samoyed named Etah Amundsen made sure that the dogs were well fed

Bjaaland the carpenter of the crew was the one who redesigned the sledges they would use by lowering their weight Later this lower weight was crucial in saving energy during the trip

31

Once again when everything was ready Amundsen ordered to trek

- Come on guys Towards the South Pole ndash Amundsen exclaims

- Yes towards the South Pole ndashthe team yells

It had been over a year since they left their country and finally the long awaited moment had arrivedhellip

32

- We will continue straight on towards the South Pole crossing the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf ndash Amundsen tells to his team

Fortunately this time the weather conditions did not worse so that they reached the first depot without any kind of setback

Also they reached the second depot without any problem and at the beginning of November they arrived at the third intermediate depot

Until then everything was going well Even the sledges pulled by dogs were progressing as scheduled

Sometimes the blistering cold and the frozen wind forced them to shelter in their tents So fighting against the extreme cold the expedition continued as planned

33

In mid November they arrived at the edge of the Trans-Antarctic mountains using a route along the previously unknown Axel Heiberg Glacier

Although the ascent to the mountains was not as hard as expected the intense cold remained being their first enemy hellip

At last after a four-day climb Wisting who was the first in the group shouts

- Captain the plateau

They had arrived at the Antarctic Plateau a large and flat area of central Antarctica

34

The expedition camped there and then hellip the harshest moment in the voyage came

Amundsen reminds his men - Hassel Hanssen as you already know we must slaughter some dogs

-Yes captain We know that is our foreseen plan ndash they answer while unsheathing their knives

So fulfilling their initial plan they had to slaughter 24 dogs The expedition team as well as the other 28 dogs were fed by them

The remaining meat and the bones were buried under the frozen snow with the aim of being eaten when they returned

Henceforth that place was called as `The Butcheracutes Shopacute

35

From there they started walking through the Antarctic Plateau

Unfortunately the weather tended to worsen a dense fog forced them to take refuge in the tent until it was cleared But hellip the days passed by and the fog continued and even grew The explorers were slowly becoming impatient

- Captain the fog does not disappear We cannot just stay here quietly and wait ndash Hanssen tells to Amundsen

- I know it We can hardly do otherwise We have to resist This endless fog will rise soon ndash Amundsen with conviction answers

Amundsen was also concerned about the situation but he wanted to avoid

bringing them any sadness Besides he was worried because they were taking more provisions than expected and it was an unbearably cold

36

The fog was risen after 9 long days From then they were able to continue their voyage towards the South Pole

On 7 December 1911 after a difficult journey they were very close to achieving their target

- Gentlemen I would inform you we are 150 kms from the South Pole So far no one has been so close Keep going donacutet give up ndash Amundsen encourages them

-My captain we are about to achieve it The dogs are behaving rather nicely and we are certainly on the right track ndash Bjaaland replies

This way despite all the difficulties the crew encouraged each other to move forward

However our brave polar explorers were less and less strengthhellip

37

At last they reached their destination on December 14 1911

-Amundsen we have achieved it we are in the South Pole ndash Wisting yells

-We are the first ndash Hassel welcomes

It was nearly two months since they had left the Framheim With a big smile on his face and with bright eyes Amundsen congratulates his team

-Gentlemen congratulations for the fine work you have done It has been a pleasure to reach the South Pole with all of you

-Hurray Amundsen ndash everybody yells almost without any strength left

On that historic day the team of five with their 16 dogs arrived at the South Pole at latitude 90ordm S There they planted the Norwegian flag

They also left a small tent and a letter stating their accomplishment in case they did not return safely to Framheim

38

Quickly they returned to the base camp following the same route They were so exhausted and so cold they may not stay there any longer

On the other hand Robert Scottacutes British expedition reached the South Pole 35 days after Amundsen But unfortunately they did not return home alive Some months later they were found frozen to death hellip

On the contrary all five of Amundsenacutes crew returned safely to Framheim but only 11 dogs made it back alive The journey to the South Pole and back had taken 99 days

So it was on 25 January 1912 when the team finally reached the base camp When they saw the expedition safe and sound everybody shouts for joy

- Congratulations captain

- We are the first Cheers for Norway Long live Amundsen

39

CHAPTER 6

Others expedition achivements

During the next years Amundsen continued making many explorations among others he sailed the Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through Russiaacutes northern coast Later on he joined an expedition aboard an airship and they flew over the North Pole

Amundsen died in a plane crash during a rescue attempt on 18 June 1928 He was trying to rescue some of the crew of an expedition which had lost The hydroplane wherein he flew crashed in the deep Bareints sea in northern Norway and Russia His body was never found hellip

41

This story is considered as one of the greatest historical epics in recent human history

All the brave explorers who took part in the conquest of the South Pole shared their frozen experiences with all of us They all challenged their own human limits

They all are considered our great heroeshellip

42

The endIf you wish you can express your own opinion what

you liked the most and the less what kind of tales you would like to read the next time orhellip just you can say

`HELLOacute

THANK YOU very much for sharing your great ideas with us

infoeditorialweeblecom

As his father worked as a captain and his brothers also were sailors his mother tried to convince him to be a doctor So she did not stop saying to his husband

- Jens I would love Roald to be a doctor I would not like him to become a sailor or a captain

- As you wish ndash answered Amundsenacutes father

4

As the years went by Roald went to school and learnt a lot However he was increasingly fascinated by the adventures of the explorers He dreamt of becoming a famous explorer while he was constantly reading

He read about Greenland the huge island located between North America and the Artic Ocean He was quite surprised when he read that nearly all of the giant island was covered with ice

When Amundsen was 16 he heard the Norwegian explorer Fridtjof Nansen became the first person to cover Greenland

He knew some other explorers failed to make the same Nansenacutes crossing

As this Nansenacutes expedition was a great success when he returned to his country he was received as a hero all over Norway

5

ARCTIC OCEAN GLACIER

ICELAND

CANADA

ATLANTIC OCEAN

Nansen road

GROENLANDIA

That encouraged Amundsen to continue learning everything he could about Nansenacutes expedition He was so fascinated about it that an increasing desire to became a polar explorer awoke in his mind Then he states to his mother

- Mum I already know what I want to be when I grow up

- And tell me Roald what do you want to be when you grow up

- I want to be a great polar explorer ndash Amundsen strongly answered

At this she was so amazed that she also replied to her son strongly

- No Roald You must do whatever I say you will become a doctor

6

So following his motheracutes wishes Amundsen began studying Medicine Unfortunately his father died when he was 14 and shortly after beginning his medical studies his mother also died It was then when he left school in order to pursue his anxious dream to become a great polar explorer

Then Roald became a sailor on various seal ships travelling to the Arctic where he learnt everything he could about navigation and other survival techniques

7

CHAPTER 2

The first expedition

When Amundsen was 25 he found out a Belgian expedition was about to explore the Antarctica As he stongly wished to be part of that expedition he managed to get an interview with the expedition leader

ATLANTIC

OCEAN

- Mr Adrien de Gerlache ndash allow me to present to you my experiences to work as a helmsman ndash Amundsen says

Mr Adrien de Gerlache after a careful study of Amundsen experiences tells him

- Mr Amundsen you are the new helmsman of our ship the Belgica

- Thank you very much for giving me this opportunity I certainly will not dissapoint you ndash Amundsen answers

9

And this is how Amundsen and his shipmates sailed on the Belgica in August 1897 Needless to say that our brave explorer was a little nervous as this was his first polar expedition

Finally despite the exhausting and dangerous trip they reached the Antartic Peninsula But the Belgica got trapped in the ice As a result of that they became the first expedition to survive a frozen winter on the Antartic

During that winter Amundsen remembered and always put into practice every valuable lessons of survival he had learnt in his early trips In that way they were preparing themselves to survive

10

For instance the American expedition doctor Frederick Cook tells Amundsen how to feed the crew

- My captain the crew must eat meat of marine animals even fresh meat This is the only way we will prevent them from suffering scurvy

- Well I agree Mr Cook Command the crew to hunt all we can eat We will have to eat fresh meat as we cannot cook it here ndash the captain replies

One of the lessons Amundsen had learnt was that using animal skins rather than wool coats were much better to keep warm So he exclaims to the hunters

- Donacutet throw the seal skins out If we use them for coats we will protect from cold

11

When the harsh winter finished the spring came and the ice was melt in such a way the Belgica went out of the ice Mainly thanks to the advices given by Cook and Amundsen the entire crew had survived without much difficulty

Amundsen continued learning from his experiences throughout his voyages he would never forget all the lessons learnt in this cold voyage So he would take them on board to further improve his upcoming trips

12

CHAPTER 3

The Northwest Passage

Amundsen commanded his own polar expedition when he was 27 He pretended to find a new sea route from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through the islands of Canada

To achive that goal Amundsen raised enough money to buy a ship called Gjoa It was a small but a manageable ship to navigate on routes through the harsh Artic waters

14

GROENLANDIA

ICELAND

NORTH

POLE

CANADA

ALASKA

Northwest

passage

On 16 June 1903 with a crew of 6 our brave explorer sailed from Oslo around the south of Greenland through Baffin Bay and to reach northern Canada finally The expedition spent two cold winters there and during that time the crew survived by hunting and fishing

Then Amundsen met the native esquimos from Canada known as the Netsilik They were the ones who teached them how to protect themselves from the severe cold and how to pull sleds by dogs Also the crew learnt other survival techniques

Once more Amundsen continued learning and improving his polar exploration techniques

15

Finally after those harsh and freezing two years the Gjoa arrived safe and sound to the Alaskaacutes northwest coast Amundsen exclaims excited

- I am very happy Thank you for your great efforts I am very proud of you all

Once the expedition arrived Alaska Amundsen was eager to communicate to the world his expedition had been a real success

So he found out the nearest city where there was a telegraph was about 400 kms from there

Then our explorer almost without thinking decided to get there with nothing but his skis In those times as mobile phones and Internet did not exist people used the telegraph for communication

16

The message he sent to the world said as follows

ldquoThe Gjoa has reached Alaska The expedition has been a success Opened the Northwest Passage Signed by Roald Amundsenrdquo

Because of Amundsenacutes ability to navigate and survive this trip had been a great accomplishment Because of his courage and his never-ending energy he became the great explorer he had always dreamt ofhellip

As it happened with Nansenacutes expedition when Amundsenacutes expedition came back to Norway this one was treated as a hero

17

CHAPTER 4

Towards the North Pole

After the success of this last expedition Amundsen started to organize another one But this time his main aim was to be the first to reach the North Pole

For that he needed a different a strong ship Suddenly he thought the ship used by Nansen named `the Framacute was the best ship for this new adventure

Therefore Amundsen decided to visit to Nansen in order to borrow `the Framacute After listening carefully Amundsen proposal he believed it was a wonderful idea and agreed to borrow his ship

19

The Fram was a quite different ship because it was built for a particular task open water in rough sea and adverse meteorological conditions For that reason although it was a plain ship in shape it was also very wide The Fram was so wide that it could even carry provisions for six years

Before embarking on his adventure Amundsen looked up several sponsors to fund the expedition

20

While he was preparing his voyage he heard the explorers Cook and Robert Peary had already reached the North Pole as a result of two different expeditions

Clearly this news deeply disappointed Amundsen who thinks `I must change the aim of my journey as I cannot be the first to reach the North Poleacute Then he kept thinking and thinking hellip and finally he states - lsquoYes Iacuteve got it I will be the first to reach the South Poleacute

21

He was happy and excited but at the same time Amundsen was afraid because he had to communicate his new aim to Nansen and his sponsors He thought hellip - `Now it is probably they do not want to support my new plan Maybe they decide not to help me this timeacute

To avoid it he concludes by saying `I will keep in secret my new route And later when nobody can hold back from his decision I will tell them the real aim of my expeditionacute

22

Then Amundsen started choosing his crew among others he chose a doctor and a good cook Both of them were key jobs in such difficult voyages Of course Nilsen was chosen as the second in charge to the captain

As in his early trips he learnt that the best way to move across the ice was pulling sleds by dogs he also decided to recruit a dog expert

23

When everything was ready on August 1910 the expedition left Although everybody thought they went towards the North Pole hellip

They sailed through the deep blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean towards the island of Madeira which belongs to Portugal The first idea was to reach the North Pole from Alaska reason whereby the Fram had to surrounded America At Madeira Amundsen met up with the crew to communicate his new plan

-As you all know the Americans Frederik Cook and Robert Peary have already reached the North Pole So if we go forward with my plan we will no longer be the first hellip - the captain says

- Therefore I propose to you a new challenge which will allow us to be the first hellip - he goes on to say

After listening to Amundsenacutes words they were all astonished and impatient

24

At last Amundsen exclaims - We will be the first to reach the South Pole

The crew was delighted with the new proposal and everybody yells

-Yes captain we will be the first to reach the South Pole

- It is a wonderful idea We do not want to be the second

He had not to persuade them more There was no doubt that the entire crew had a blind faith in Amundsen The captain says

-Then we will do so Thank you for your support I will telegraph Norway and the rest of the world to inform about our new plan

The news of Amundsenacutes revised plan reached Norway early in October and Nansen was the first to know it Of course Nansen gave his blessing and warm approval Besides his country as well as his expedition sponsors also supported him

25

ANTARCTICA

MADEIRA

CHAPTER 5

The South Pole expedition

Nearly six months later and after a long hard voyage the Fram reached Antarctica on 14 January 1911

The expedition arrived at the eastern edge of the Ross Ice Shelf They established their base camp at a large inlet called the Bay of Whales

The camp was called `Framheimacute which means `home of the Framacute

27

At that time our brave explorer knew he was in race with the British explorer the captain Robert Scott to be the first to reach the South Pole

Fortunately thanks to they established Framheim at the Bay of Whales Amundsen and his crew already had a certain advantage to his competitor Amundsenacutes base camp was nearly 100 kms closer to the South Pole than Scottacutes base camp

28

ANTARCTICA

Amundsen

Base Camp

Scott

Base Camp

SOUTH POLE

80ordm S90ordm S

Ross Ice Shelf

ROSS SEA

The entire crew was aware that for them to succeed they had to be well-prepared among other things they must use skis and dog sleds for transportation Then Amundsen and his men decided to create 3 intermediate supply depots along the way to the Pole They created them during the months of February March and April

Besides they took advantage of the freezing winter to improve their expedition materials particularly the sledges Their purpose was to start their trip in September

29

Our brave explorer thought September was the perfect month mainly because spring came to Antarctica then and therefore the weather conditions were rather better

So when everything was ready for the voyage Amundsen chose 8 crewmen and they departed towards the South Pole

However contrary to what they believed the freezing temperatures were so extreme that dropped as low as minus 40ordmC there were strong winds with snow the blizzards and heavy fogs were so strong that visibility was extremely poorhellip

Therefore they had to quit their huge trek due to the adverse weather conditions Though they decided to leave the food supplies they did not need in the first intermediate camp

Meanwhile the expedition looked forward patiently in the base camp until the weather conditions improve

30

A second attempt took place in mid October with a team made up of 5 Bjaaland Hassel Wisting Hanssen and Amundsen

Everybody in the camp wished the new team all the best

This time they departed Framheim on 19 October They took four sledges and 52 dogs The sled dogs were led by a Samoyed named Etah Amundsen made sure that the dogs were well fed

Bjaaland the carpenter of the crew was the one who redesigned the sledges they would use by lowering their weight Later this lower weight was crucial in saving energy during the trip

31

Once again when everything was ready Amundsen ordered to trek

- Come on guys Towards the South Pole ndash Amundsen exclaims

- Yes towards the South Pole ndashthe team yells

It had been over a year since they left their country and finally the long awaited moment had arrivedhellip

32

- We will continue straight on towards the South Pole crossing the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf ndash Amundsen tells to his team

Fortunately this time the weather conditions did not worse so that they reached the first depot without any kind of setback

Also they reached the second depot without any problem and at the beginning of November they arrived at the third intermediate depot

Until then everything was going well Even the sledges pulled by dogs were progressing as scheduled

Sometimes the blistering cold and the frozen wind forced them to shelter in their tents So fighting against the extreme cold the expedition continued as planned

33

In mid November they arrived at the edge of the Trans-Antarctic mountains using a route along the previously unknown Axel Heiberg Glacier

Although the ascent to the mountains was not as hard as expected the intense cold remained being their first enemy hellip

At last after a four-day climb Wisting who was the first in the group shouts

- Captain the plateau

They had arrived at the Antarctic Plateau a large and flat area of central Antarctica

34

The expedition camped there and then hellip the harshest moment in the voyage came

Amundsen reminds his men - Hassel Hanssen as you already know we must slaughter some dogs

-Yes captain We know that is our foreseen plan ndash they answer while unsheathing their knives

So fulfilling their initial plan they had to slaughter 24 dogs The expedition team as well as the other 28 dogs were fed by them

The remaining meat and the bones were buried under the frozen snow with the aim of being eaten when they returned

Henceforth that place was called as `The Butcheracutes Shopacute

35

From there they started walking through the Antarctic Plateau

Unfortunately the weather tended to worsen a dense fog forced them to take refuge in the tent until it was cleared But hellip the days passed by and the fog continued and even grew The explorers were slowly becoming impatient

- Captain the fog does not disappear We cannot just stay here quietly and wait ndash Hanssen tells to Amundsen

- I know it We can hardly do otherwise We have to resist This endless fog will rise soon ndash Amundsen with conviction answers

Amundsen was also concerned about the situation but he wanted to avoid

bringing them any sadness Besides he was worried because they were taking more provisions than expected and it was an unbearably cold

36

The fog was risen after 9 long days From then they were able to continue their voyage towards the South Pole

On 7 December 1911 after a difficult journey they were very close to achieving their target

- Gentlemen I would inform you we are 150 kms from the South Pole So far no one has been so close Keep going donacutet give up ndash Amundsen encourages them

-My captain we are about to achieve it The dogs are behaving rather nicely and we are certainly on the right track ndash Bjaaland replies

This way despite all the difficulties the crew encouraged each other to move forward

However our brave polar explorers were less and less strengthhellip

37

At last they reached their destination on December 14 1911

-Amundsen we have achieved it we are in the South Pole ndash Wisting yells

-We are the first ndash Hassel welcomes

It was nearly two months since they had left the Framheim With a big smile on his face and with bright eyes Amundsen congratulates his team

-Gentlemen congratulations for the fine work you have done It has been a pleasure to reach the South Pole with all of you

-Hurray Amundsen ndash everybody yells almost without any strength left

On that historic day the team of five with their 16 dogs arrived at the South Pole at latitude 90ordm S There they planted the Norwegian flag

They also left a small tent and a letter stating their accomplishment in case they did not return safely to Framheim

38

Quickly they returned to the base camp following the same route They were so exhausted and so cold they may not stay there any longer

On the other hand Robert Scottacutes British expedition reached the South Pole 35 days after Amundsen But unfortunately they did not return home alive Some months later they were found frozen to death hellip

On the contrary all five of Amundsenacutes crew returned safely to Framheim but only 11 dogs made it back alive The journey to the South Pole and back had taken 99 days

So it was on 25 January 1912 when the team finally reached the base camp When they saw the expedition safe and sound everybody shouts for joy

- Congratulations captain

- We are the first Cheers for Norway Long live Amundsen

39

CHAPTER 6

Others expedition achivements

During the next years Amundsen continued making many explorations among others he sailed the Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through Russiaacutes northern coast Later on he joined an expedition aboard an airship and they flew over the North Pole

Amundsen died in a plane crash during a rescue attempt on 18 June 1928 He was trying to rescue some of the crew of an expedition which had lost The hydroplane wherein he flew crashed in the deep Bareints sea in northern Norway and Russia His body was never found hellip

41

This story is considered as one of the greatest historical epics in recent human history

All the brave explorers who took part in the conquest of the South Pole shared their frozen experiences with all of us They all challenged their own human limits

They all are considered our great heroeshellip

42

The endIf you wish you can express your own opinion what

you liked the most and the less what kind of tales you would like to read the next time orhellip just you can say

`HELLOacute

THANK YOU very much for sharing your great ideas with us

infoeditorialweeblecom

As the years went by Roald went to school and learnt a lot However he was increasingly fascinated by the adventures of the explorers He dreamt of becoming a famous explorer while he was constantly reading

He read about Greenland the huge island located between North America and the Artic Ocean He was quite surprised when he read that nearly all of the giant island was covered with ice

When Amundsen was 16 he heard the Norwegian explorer Fridtjof Nansen became the first person to cover Greenland

He knew some other explorers failed to make the same Nansenacutes crossing

As this Nansenacutes expedition was a great success when he returned to his country he was received as a hero all over Norway

5

ARCTIC OCEAN GLACIER

ICELAND

CANADA

ATLANTIC OCEAN

Nansen road

GROENLANDIA

That encouraged Amundsen to continue learning everything he could about Nansenacutes expedition He was so fascinated about it that an increasing desire to became a polar explorer awoke in his mind Then he states to his mother

- Mum I already know what I want to be when I grow up

- And tell me Roald what do you want to be when you grow up

- I want to be a great polar explorer ndash Amundsen strongly answered

At this she was so amazed that she also replied to her son strongly

- No Roald You must do whatever I say you will become a doctor

6

So following his motheracutes wishes Amundsen began studying Medicine Unfortunately his father died when he was 14 and shortly after beginning his medical studies his mother also died It was then when he left school in order to pursue his anxious dream to become a great polar explorer

Then Roald became a sailor on various seal ships travelling to the Arctic where he learnt everything he could about navigation and other survival techniques

7

CHAPTER 2

The first expedition

When Amundsen was 25 he found out a Belgian expedition was about to explore the Antarctica As he stongly wished to be part of that expedition he managed to get an interview with the expedition leader

ATLANTIC

OCEAN

- Mr Adrien de Gerlache ndash allow me to present to you my experiences to work as a helmsman ndash Amundsen says

Mr Adrien de Gerlache after a careful study of Amundsen experiences tells him

- Mr Amundsen you are the new helmsman of our ship the Belgica

- Thank you very much for giving me this opportunity I certainly will not dissapoint you ndash Amundsen answers

9

And this is how Amundsen and his shipmates sailed on the Belgica in August 1897 Needless to say that our brave explorer was a little nervous as this was his first polar expedition

Finally despite the exhausting and dangerous trip they reached the Antartic Peninsula But the Belgica got trapped in the ice As a result of that they became the first expedition to survive a frozen winter on the Antartic

During that winter Amundsen remembered and always put into practice every valuable lessons of survival he had learnt in his early trips In that way they were preparing themselves to survive

10

For instance the American expedition doctor Frederick Cook tells Amundsen how to feed the crew

- My captain the crew must eat meat of marine animals even fresh meat This is the only way we will prevent them from suffering scurvy

- Well I agree Mr Cook Command the crew to hunt all we can eat We will have to eat fresh meat as we cannot cook it here ndash the captain replies

One of the lessons Amundsen had learnt was that using animal skins rather than wool coats were much better to keep warm So he exclaims to the hunters

- Donacutet throw the seal skins out If we use them for coats we will protect from cold

11

When the harsh winter finished the spring came and the ice was melt in such a way the Belgica went out of the ice Mainly thanks to the advices given by Cook and Amundsen the entire crew had survived without much difficulty

Amundsen continued learning from his experiences throughout his voyages he would never forget all the lessons learnt in this cold voyage So he would take them on board to further improve his upcoming trips

12

CHAPTER 3

The Northwest Passage

Amundsen commanded his own polar expedition when he was 27 He pretended to find a new sea route from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through the islands of Canada

To achive that goal Amundsen raised enough money to buy a ship called Gjoa It was a small but a manageable ship to navigate on routes through the harsh Artic waters

14

GROENLANDIA

ICELAND

NORTH

POLE

CANADA

ALASKA

Northwest

passage

On 16 June 1903 with a crew of 6 our brave explorer sailed from Oslo around the south of Greenland through Baffin Bay and to reach northern Canada finally The expedition spent two cold winters there and during that time the crew survived by hunting and fishing

Then Amundsen met the native esquimos from Canada known as the Netsilik They were the ones who teached them how to protect themselves from the severe cold and how to pull sleds by dogs Also the crew learnt other survival techniques

Once more Amundsen continued learning and improving his polar exploration techniques

15

Finally after those harsh and freezing two years the Gjoa arrived safe and sound to the Alaskaacutes northwest coast Amundsen exclaims excited

- I am very happy Thank you for your great efforts I am very proud of you all

Once the expedition arrived Alaska Amundsen was eager to communicate to the world his expedition had been a real success

So he found out the nearest city where there was a telegraph was about 400 kms from there

Then our explorer almost without thinking decided to get there with nothing but his skis In those times as mobile phones and Internet did not exist people used the telegraph for communication

16

The message he sent to the world said as follows

ldquoThe Gjoa has reached Alaska The expedition has been a success Opened the Northwest Passage Signed by Roald Amundsenrdquo

Because of Amundsenacutes ability to navigate and survive this trip had been a great accomplishment Because of his courage and his never-ending energy he became the great explorer he had always dreamt ofhellip

As it happened with Nansenacutes expedition when Amundsenacutes expedition came back to Norway this one was treated as a hero

17

CHAPTER 4

Towards the North Pole

After the success of this last expedition Amundsen started to organize another one But this time his main aim was to be the first to reach the North Pole

For that he needed a different a strong ship Suddenly he thought the ship used by Nansen named `the Framacute was the best ship for this new adventure

Therefore Amundsen decided to visit to Nansen in order to borrow `the Framacute After listening carefully Amundsen proposal he believed it was a wonderful idea and agreed to borrow his ship

19

The Fram was a quite different ship because it was built for a particular task open water in rough sea and adverse meteorological conditions For that reason although it was a plain ship in shape it was also very wide The Fram was so wide that it could even carry provisions for six years

Before embarking on his adventure Amundsen looked up several sponsors to fund the expedition

20

While he was preparing his voyage he heard the explorers Cook and Robert Peary had already reached the North Pole as a result of two different expeditions

Clearly this news deeply disappointed Amundsen who thinks `I must change the aim of my journey as I cannot be the first to reach the North Poleacute Then he kept thinking and thinking hellip and finally he states - lsquoYes Iacuteve got it I will be the first to reach the South Poleacute

21

He was happy and excited but at the same time Amundsen was afraid because he had to communicate his new aim to Nansen and his sponsors He thought hellip - `Now it is probably they do not want to support my new plan Maybe they decide not to help me this timeacute

To avoid it he concludes by saying `I will keep in secret my new route And later when nobody can hold back from his decision I will tell them the real aim of my expeditionacute

22

Then Amundsen started choosing his crew among others he chose a doctor and a good cook Both of them were key jobs in such difficult voyages Of course Nilsen was chosen as the second in charge to the captain

As in his early trips he learnt that the best way to move across the ice was pulling sleds by dogs he also decided to recruit a dog expert

23

When everything was ready on August 1910 the expedition left Although everybody thought they went towards the North Pole hellip

They sailed through the deep blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean towards the island of Madeira which belongs to Portugal The first idea was to reach the North Pole from Alaska reason whereby the Fram had to surrounded America At Madeira Amundsen met up with the crew to communicate his new plan

-As you all know the Americans Frederik Cook and Robert Peary have already reached the North Pole So if we go forward with my plan we will no longer be the first hellip - the captain says

- Therefore I propose to you a new challenge which will allow us to be the first hellip - he goes on to say

After listening to Amundsenacutes words they were all astonished and impatient

24

At last Amundsen exclaims - We will be the first to reach the South Pole

The crew was delighted with the new proposal and everybody yells

-Yes captain we will be the first to reach the South Pole

- It is a wonderful idea We do not want to be the second

He had not to persuade them more There was no doubt that the entire crew had a blind faith in Amundsen The captain says

-Then we will do so Thank you for your support I will telegraph Norway and the rest of the world to inform about our new plan

The news of Amundsenacutes revised plan reached Norway early in October and Nansen was the first to know it Of course Nansen gave his blessing and warm approval Besides his country as well as his expedition sponsors also supported him

25

ANTARCTICA

MADEIRA

CHAPTER 5

The South Pole expedition

Nearly six months later and after a long hard voyage the Fram reached Antarctica on 14 January 1911

The expedition arrived at the eastern edge of the Ross Ice Shelf They established their base camp at a large inlet called the Bay of Whales

The camp was called `Framheimacute which means `home of the Framacute

27

At that time our brave explorer knew he was in race with the British explorer the captain Robert Scott to be the first to reach the South Pole

Fortunately thanks to they established Framheim at the Bay of Whales Amundsen and his crew already had a certain advantage to his competitor Amundsenacutes base camp was nearly 100 kms closer to the South Pole than Scottacutes base camp

28

ANTARCTICA

Amundsen

Base Camp

Scott

Base Camp

SOUTH POLE

80ordm S90ordm S

Ross Ice Shelf

ROSS SEA

The entire crew was aware that for them to succeed they had to be well-prepared among other things they must use skis and dog sleds for transportation Then Amundsen and his men decided to create 3 intermediate supply depots along the way to the Pole They created them during the months of February March and April

Besides they took advantage of the freezing winter to improve their expedition materials particularly the sledges Their purpose was to start their trip in September

29

Our brave explorer thought September was the perfect month mainly because spring came to Antarctica then and therefore the weather conditions were rather better

So when everything was ready for the voyage Amundsen chose 8 crewmen and they departed towards the South Pole

However contrary to what they believed the freezing temperatures were so extreme that dropped as low as minus 40ordmC there were strong winds with snow the blizzards and heavy fogs were so strong that visibility was extremely poorhellip

Therefore they had to quit their huge trek due to the adverse weather conditions Though they decided to leave the food supplies they did not need in the first intermediate camp

Meanwhile the expedition looked forward patiently in the base camp until the weather conditions improve

30

A second attempt took place in mid October with a team made up of 5 Bjaaland Hassel Wisting Hanssen and Amundsen

Everybody in the camp wished the new team all the best

This time they departed Framheim on 19 October They took four sledges and 52 dogs The sled dogs were led by a Samoyed named Etah Amundsen made sure that the dogs were well fed

Bjaaland the carpenter of the crew was the one who redesigned the sledges they would use by lowering their weight Later this lower weight was crucial in saving energy during the trip

31

Once again when everything was ready Amundsen ordered to trek

- Come on guys Towards the South Pole ndash Amundsen exclaims

- Yes towards the South Pole ndashthe team yells

It had been over a year since they left their country and finally the long awaited moment had arrivedhellip

32

- We will continue straight on towards the South Pole crossing the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf ndash Amundsen tells to his team

Fortunately this time the weather conditions did not worse so that they reached the first depot without any kind of setback

Also they reached the second depot without any problem and at the beginning of November they arrived at the third intermediate depot

Until then everything was going well Even the sledges pulled by dogs were progressing as scheduled

Sometimes the blistering cold and the frozen wind forced them to shelter in their tents So fighting against the extreme cold the expedition continued as planned

33

In mid November they arrived at the edge of the Trans-Antarctic mountains using a route along the previously unknown Axel Heiberg Glacier

Although the ascent to the mountains was not as hard as expected the intense cold remained being their first enemy hellip

At last after a four-day climb Wisting who was the first in the group shouts

- Captain the plateau

They had arrived at the Antarctic Plateau a large and flat area of central Antarctica

34

The expedition camped there and then hellip the harshest moment in the voyage came

Amundsen reminds his men - Hassel Hanssen as you already know we must slaughter some dogs

-Yes captain We know that is our foreseen plan ndash they answer while unsheathing their knives

So fulfilling their initial plan they had to slaughter 24 dogs The expedition team as well as the other 28 dogs were fed by them

The remaining meat and the bones were buried under the frozen snow with the aim of being eaten when they returned

Henceforth that place was called as `The Butcheracutes Shopacute

35

From there they started walking through the Antarctic Plateau

Unfortunately the weather tended to worsen a dense fog forced them to take refuge in the tent until it was cleared But hellip the days passed by and the fog continued and even grew The explorers were slowly becoming impatient

- Captain the fog does not disappear We cannot just stay here quietly and wait ndash Hanssen tells to Amundsen

- I know it We can hardly do otherwise We have to resist This endless fog will rise soon ndash Amundsen with conviction answers

Amundsen was also concerned about the situation but he wanted to avoid

bringing them any sadness Besides he was worried because they were taking more provisions than expected and it was an unbearably cold

36

The fog was risen after 9 long days From then they were able to continue their voyage towards the South Pole

On 7 December 1911 after a difficult journey they were very close to achieving their target

- Gentlemen I would inform you we are 150 kms from the South Pole So far no one has been so close Keep going donacutet give up ndash Amundsen encourages them

-My captain we are about to achieve it The dogs are behaving rather nicely and we are certainly on the right track ndash Bjaaland replies

This way despite all the difficulties the crew encouraged each other to move forward

However our brave polar explorers were less and less strengthhellip

37

At last they reached their destination on December 14 1911

-Amundsen we have achieved it we are in the South Pole ndash Wisting yells

-We are the first ndash Hassel welcomes

It was nearly two months since they had left the Framheim With a big smile on his face and with bright eyes Amundsen congratulates his team

-Gentlemen congratulations for the fine work you have done It has been a pleasure to reach the South Pole with all of you

-Hurray Amundsen ndash everybody yells almost without any strength left

On that historic day the team of five with their 16 dogs arrived at the South Pole at latitude 90ordm S There they planted the Norwegian flag

They also left a small tent and a letter stating their accomplishment in case they did not return safely to Framheim

38

Quickly they returned to the base camp following the same route They were so exhausted and so cold they may not stay there any longer

On the other hand Robert Scottacutes British expedition reached the South Pole 35 days after Amundsen But unfortunately they did not return home alive Some months later they were found frozen to death hellip

On the contrary all five of Amundsenacutes crew returned safely to Framheim but only 11 dogs made it back alive The journey to the South Pole and back had taken 99 days

So it was on 25 January 1912 when the team finally reached the base camp When they saw the expedition safe and sound everybody shouts for joy

- Congratulations captain

- We are the first Cheers for Norway Long live Amundsen

39

CHAPTER 6

Others expedition achivements

During the next years Amundsen continued making many explorations among others he sailed the Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through Russiaacutes northern coast Later on he joined an expedition aboard an airship and they flew over the North Pole

Amundsen died in a plane crash during a rescue attempt on 18 June 1928 He was trying to rescue some of the crew of an expedition which had lost The hydroplane wherein he flew crashed in the deep Bareints sea in northern Norway and Russia His body was never found hellip

41

This story is considered as one of the greatest historical epics in recent human history

All the brave explorers who took part in the conquest of the South Pole shared their frozen experiences with all of us They all challenged their own human limits

They all are considered our great heroeshellip

42

The endIf you wish you can express your own opinion what

you liked the most and the less what kind of tales you would like to read the next time orhellip just you can say

`HELLOacute

THANK YOU very much for sharing your great ideas with us

infoeditorialweeblecom

That encouraged Amundsen to continue learning everything he could about Nansenacutes expedition He was so fascinated about it that an increasing desire to became a polar explorer awoke in his mind Then he states to his mother

- Mum I already know what I want to be when I grow up

- And tell me Roald what do you want to be when you grow up

- I want to be a great polar explorer ndash Amundsen strongly answered

At this she was so amazed that she also replied to her son strongly

- No Roald You must do whatever I say you will become a doctor

6

So following his motheracutes wishes Amundsen began studying Medicine Unfortunately his father died when he was 14 and shortly after beginning his medical studies his mother also died It was then when he left school in order to pursue his anxious dream to become a great polar explorer

Then Roald became a sailor on various seal ships travelling to the Arctic where he learnt everything he could about navigation and other survival techniques

7

CHAPTER 2

The first expedition

When Amundsen was 25 he found out a Belgian expedition was about to explore the Antarctica As he stongly wished to be part of that expedition he managed to get an interview with the expedition leader

ATLANTIC

OCEAN

- Mr Adrien de Gerlache ndash allow me to present to you my experiences to work as a helmsman ndash Amundsen says

Mr Adrien de Gerlache after a careful study of Amundsen experiences tells him

- Mr Amundsen you are the new helmsman of our ship the Belgica

- Thank you very much for giving me this opportunity I certainly will not dissapoint you ndash Amundsen answers

9

And this is how Amundsen and his shipmates sailed on the Belgica in August 1897 Needless to say that our brave explorer was a little nervous as this was his first polar expedition

Finally despite the exhausting and dangerous trip they reached the Antartic Peninsula But the Belgica got trapped in the ice As a result of that they became the first expedition to survive a frozen winter on the Antartic

During that winter Amundsen remembered and always put into practice every valuable lessons of survival he had learnt in his early trips In that way they were preparing themselves to survive

10

For instance the American expedition doctor Frederick Cook tells Amundsen how to feed the crew

- My captain the crew must eat meat of marine animals even fresh meat This is the only way we will prevent them from suffering scurvy

- Well I agree Mr Cook Command the crew to hunt all we can eat We will have to eat fresh meat as we cannot cook it here ndash the captain replies

One of the lessons Amundsen had learnt was that using animal skins rather than wool coats were much better to keep warm So he exclaims to the hunters

- Donacutet throw the seal skins out If we use them for coats we will protect from cold

11

When the harsh winter finished the spring came and the ice was melt in such a way the Belgica went out of the ice Mainly thanks to the advices given by Cook and Amundsen the entire crew had survived without much difficulty

Amundsen continued learning from his experiences throughout his voyages he would never forget all the lessons learnt in this cold voyage So he would take them on board to further improve his upcoming trips

12

CHAPTER 3

The Northwest Passage

Amundsen commanded his own polar expedition when he was 27 He pretended to find a new sea route from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through the islands of Canada

To achive that goal Amundsen raised enough money to buy a ship called Gjoa It was a small but a manageable ship to navigate on routes through the harsh Artic waters

14

GROENLANDIA

ICELAND

NORTH

POLE

CANADA

ALASKA

Northwest

passage

On 16 June 1903 with a crew of 6 our brave explorer sailed from Oslo around the south of Greenland through Baffin Bay and to reach northern Canada finally The expedition spent two cold winters there and during that time the crew survived by hunting and fishing

Then Amundsen met the native esquimos from Canada known as the Netsilik They were the ones who teached them how to protect themselves from the severe cold and how to pull sleds by dogs Also the crew learnt other survival techniques

Once more Amundsen continued learning and improving his polar exploration techniques

15

Finally after those harsh and freezing two years the Gjoa arrived safe and sound to the Alaskaacutes northwest coast Amundsen exclaims excited

- I am very happy Thank you for your great efforts I am very proud of you all

Once the expedition arrived Alaska Amundsen was eager to communicate to the world his expedition had been a real success

So he found out the nearest city where there was a telegraph was about 400 kms from there

Then our explorer almost without thinking decided to get there with nothing but his skis In those times as mobile phones and Internet did not exist people used the telegraph for communication

16

The message he sent to the world said as follows

ldquoThe Gjoa has reached Alaska The expedition has been a success Opened the Northwest Passage Signed by Roald Amundsenrdquo

Because of Amundsenacutes ability to navigate and survive this trip had been a great accomplishment Because of his courage and his never-ending energy he became the great explorer he had always dreamt ofhellip

As it happened with Nansenacutes expedition when Amundsenacutes expedition came back to Norway this one was treated as a hero

17

CHAPTER 4

Towards the North Pole

After the success of this last expedition Amundsen started to organize another one But this time his main aim was to be the first to reach the North Pole

For that he needed a different a strong ship Suddenly he thought the ship used by Nansen named `the Framacute was the best ship for this new adventure

Therefore Amundsen decided to visit to Nansen in order to borrow `the Framacute After listening carefully Amundsen proposal he believed it was a wonderful idea and agreed to borrow his ship

19

The Fram was a quite different ship because it was built for a particular task open water in rough sea and adverse meteorological conditions For that reason although it was a plain ship in shape it was also very wide The Fram was so wide that it could even carry provisions for six years

Before embarking on his adventure Amundsen looked up several sponsors to fund the expedition

20

While he was preparing his voyage he heard the explorers Cook and Robert Peary had already reached the North Pole as a result of two different expeditions

Clearly this news deeply disappointed Amundsen who thinks `I must change the aim of my journey as I cannot be the first to reach the North Poleacute Then he kept thinking and thinking hellip and finally he states - lsquoYes Iacuteve got it I will be the first to reach the South Poleacute

21

He was happy and excited but at the same time Amundsen was afraid because he had to communicate his new aim to Nansen and his sponsors He thought hellip - `Now it is probably they do not want to support my new plan Maybe they decide not to help me this timeacute

To avoid it he concludes by saying `I will keep in secret my new route And later when nobody can hold back from his decision I will tell them the real aim of my expeditionacute

22

Then Amundsen started choosing his crew among others he chose a doctor and a good cook Both of them were key jobs in such difficult voyages Of course Nilsen was chosen as the second in charge to the captain

As in his early trips he learnt that the best way to move across the ice was pulling sleds by dogs he also decided to recruit a dog expert

23

When everything was ready on August 1910 the expedition left Although everybody thought they went towards the North Pole hellip

They sailed through the deep blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean towards the island of Madeira which belongs to Portugal The first idea was to reach the North Pole from Alaska reason whereby the Fram had to surrounded America At Madeira Amundsen met up with the crew to communicate his new plan

-As you all know the Americans Frederik Cook and Robert Peary have already reached the North Pole So if we go forward with my plan we will no longer be the first hellip - the captain says

- Therefore I propose to you a new challenge which will allow us to be the first hellip - he goes on to say

After listening to Amundsenacutes words they were all astonished and impatient

24

At last Amundsen exclaims - We will be the first to reach the South Pole

The crew was delighted with the new proposal and everybody yells

-Yes captain we will be the first to reach the South Pole

- It is a wonderful idea We do not want to be the second

He had not to persuade them more There was no doubt that the entire crew had a blind faith in Amundsen The captain says

-Then we will do so Thank you for your support I will telegraph Norway and the rest of the world to inform about our new plan

The news of Amundsenacutes revised plan reached Norway early in October and Nansen was the first to know it Of course Nansen gave his blessing and warm approval Besides his country as well as his expedition sponsors also supported him

25

ANTARCTICA

MADEIRA

CHAPTER 5

The South Pole expedition

Nearly six months later and after a long hard voyage the Fram reached Antarctica on 14 January 1911

The expedition arrived at the eastern edge of the Ross Ice Shelf They established their base camp at a large inlet called the Bay of Whales

The camp was called `Framheimacute which means `home of the Framacute

27

At that time our brave explorer knew he was in race with the British explorer the captain Robert Scott to be the first to reach the South Pole

Fortunately thanks to they established Framheim at the Bay of Whales Amundsen and his crew already had a certain advantage to his competitor Amundsenacutes base camp was nearly 100 kms closer to the South Pole than Scottacutes base camp

28

ANTARCTICA

Amundsen

Base Camp

Scott

Base Camp

SOUTH POLE

80ordm S90ordm S

Ross Ice Shelf

ROSS SEA

The entire crew was aware that for them to succeed they had to be well-prepared among other things they must use skis and dog sleds for transportation Then Amundsen and his men decided to create 3 intermediate supply depots along the way to the Pole They created them during the months of February March and April

Besides they took advantage of the freezing winter to improve their expedition materials particularly the sledges Their purpose was to start their trip in September

29

Our brave explorer thought September was the perfect month mainly because spring came to Antarctica then and therefore the weather conditions were rather better

So when everything was ready for the voyage Amundsen chose 8 crewmen and they departed towards the South Pole

However contrary to what they believed the freezing temperatures were so extreme that dropped as low as minus 40ordmC there were strong winds with snow the blizzards and heavy fogs were so strong that visibility was extremely poorhellip

Therefore they had to quit their huge trek due to the adverse weather conditions Though they decided to leave the food supplies they did not need in the first intermediate camp

Meanwhile the expedition looked forward patiently in the base camp until the weather conditions improve

30

A second attempt took place in mid October with a team made up of 5 Bjaaland Hassel Wisting Hanssen and Amundsen

Everybody in the camp wished the new team all the best

This time they departed Framheim on 19 October They took four sledges and 52 dogs The sled dogs were led by a Samoyed named Etah Amundsen made sure that the dogs were well fed

Bjaaland the carpenter of the crew was the one who redesigned the sledges they would use by lowering their weight Later this lower weight was crucial in saving energy during the trip

31

Once again when everything was ready Amundsen ordered to trek

- Come on guys Towards the South Pole ndash Amundsen exclaims

- Yes towards the South Pole ndashthe team yells

It had been over a year since they left their country and finally the long awaited moment had arrivedhellip

32

- We will continue straight on towards the South Pole crossing the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf ndash Amundsen tells to his team

Fortunately this time the weather conditions did not worse so that they reached the first depot without any kind of setback

Also they reached the second depot without any problem and at the beginning of November they arrived at the third intermediate depot

Until then everything was going well Even the sledges pulled by dogs were progressing as scheduled

Sometimes the blistering cold and the frozen wind forced them to shelter in their tents So fighting against the extreme cold the expedition continued as planned

33

In mid November they arrived at the edge of the Trans-Antarctic mountains using a route along the previously unknown Axel Heiberg Glacier

Although the ascent to the mountains was not as hard as expected the intense cold remained being their first enemy hellip

At last after a four-day climb Wisting who was the first in the group shouts

- Captain the plateau

They had arrived at the Antarctic Plateau a large and flat area of central Antarctica

34

The expedition camped there and then hellip the harshest moment in the voyage came

Amundsen reminds his men - Hassel Hanssen as you already know we must slaughter some dogs

-Yes captain We know that is our foreseen plan ndash they answer while unsheathing their knives

So fulfilling their initial plan they had to slaughter 24 dogs The expedition team as well as the other 28 dogs were fed by them

The remaining meat and the bones were buried under the frozen snow with the aim of being eaten when they returned

Henceforth that place was called as `The Butcheracutes Shopacute

35

From there they started walking through the Antarctic Plateau

Unfortunately the weather tended to worsen a dense fog forced them to take refuge in the tent until it was cleared But hellip the days passed by and the fog continued and even grew The explorers were slowly becoming impatient

- Captain the fog does not disappear We cannot just stay here quietly and wait ndash Hanssen tells to Amundsen

- I know it We can hardly do otherwise We have to resist This endless fog will rise soon ndash Amundsen with conviction answers

Amundsen was also concerned about the situation but he wanted to avoid

bringing them any sadness Besides he was worried because they were taking more provisions than expected and it was an unbearably cold

36

The fog was risen after 9 long days From then they were able to continue their voyage towards the South Pole

On 7 December 1911 after a difficult journey they were very close to achieving their target

- Gentlemen I would inform you we are 150 kms from the South Pole So far no one has been so close Keep going donacutet give up ndash Amundsen encourages them

-My captain we are about to achieve it The dogs are behaving rather nicely and we are certainly on the right track ndash Bjaaland replies

This way despite all the difficulties the crew encouraged each other to move forward

However our brave polar explorers were less and less strengthhellip

37

At last they reached their destination on December 14 1911

-Amundsen we have achieved it we are in the South Pole ndash Wisting yells

-We are the first ndash Hassel welcomes

It was nearly two months since they had left the Framheim With a big smile on his face and with bright eyes Amundsen congratulates his team

-Gentlemen congratulations for the fine work you have done It has been a pleasure to reach the South Pole with all of you

-Hurray Amundsen ndash everybody yells almost without any strength left

On that historic day the team of five with their 16 dogs arrived at the South Pole at latitude 90ordm S There they planted the Norwegian flag

They also left a small tent and a letter stating their accomplishment in case they did not return safely to Framheim

38

Quickly they returned to the base camp following the same route They were so exhausted and so cold they may not stay there any longer

On the other hand Robert Scottacutes British expedition reached the South Pole 35 days after Amundsen But unfortunately they did not return home alive Some months later they were found frozen to death hellip

On the contrary all five of Amundsenacutes crew returned safely to Framheim but only 11 dogs made it back alive The journey to the South Pole and back had taken 99 days

So it was on 25 January 1912 when the team finally reached the base camp When they saw the expedition safe and sound everybody shouts for joy

- Congratulations captain

- We are the first Cheers for Norway Long live Amundsen

39

CHAPTER 6

Others expedition achivements

During the next years Amundsen continued making many explorations among others he sailed the Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through Russiaacutes northern coast Later on he joined an expedition aboard an airship and they flew over the North Pole

Amundsen died in a plane crash during a rescue attempt on 18 June 1928 He was trying to rescue some of the crew of an expedition which had lost The hydroplane wherein he flew crashed in the deep Bareints sea in northern Norway and Russia His body was never found hellip

41

This story is considered as one of the greatest historical epics in recent human history

All the brave explorers who took part in the conquest of the South Pole shared their frozen experiences with all of us They all challenged their own human limits

They all are considered our great heroeshellip

42

The endIf you wish you can express your own opinion what

you liked the most and the less what kind of tales you would like to read the next time orhellip just you can say

`HELLOacute

THANK YOU very much for sharing your great ideas with us

infoeditorialweeblecom

So following his motheracutes wishes Amundsen began studying Medicine Unfortunately his father died when he was 14 and shortly after beginning his medical studies his mother also died It was then when he left school in order to pursue his anxious dream to become a great polar explorer

Then Roald became a sailor on various seal ships travelling to the Arctic where he learnt everything he could about navigation and other survival techniques

7

CHAPTER 2

The first expedition

When Amundsen was 25 he found out a Belgian expedition was about to explore the Antarctica As he stongly wished to be part of that expedition he managed to get an interview with the expedition leader

ATLANTIC

OCEAN

- Mr Adrien de Gerlache ndash allow me to present to you my experiences to work as a helmsman ndash Amundsen says

Mr Adrien de Gerlache after a careful study of Amundsen experiences tells him

- Mr Amundsen you are the new helmsman of our ship the Belgica

- Thank you very much for giving me this opportunity I certainly will not dissapoint you ndash Amundsen answers

9

And this is how Amundsen and his shipmates sailed on the Belgica in August 1897 Needless to say that our brave explorer was a little nervous as this was his first polar expedition

Finally despite the exhausting and dangerous trip they reached the Antartic Peninsula But the Belgica got trapped in the ice As a result of that they became the first expedition to survive a frozen winter on the Antartic

During that winter Amundsen remembered and always put into practice every valuable lessons of survival he had learnt in his early trips In that way they were preparing themselves to survive

10

For instance the American expedition doctor Frederick Cook tells Amundsen how to feed the crew

- My captain the crew must eat meat of marine animals even fresh meat This is the only way we will prevent them from suffering scurvy

- Well I agree Mr Cook Command the crew to hunt all we can eat We will have to eat fresh meat as we cannot cook it here ndash the captain replies

One of the lessons Amundsen had learnt was that using animal skins rather than wool coats were much better to keep warm So he exclaims to the hunters

- Donacutet throw the seal skins out If we use them for coats we will protect from cold

11

When the harsh winter finished the spring came and the ice was melt in such a way the Belgica went out of the ice Mainly thanks to the advices given by Cook and Amundsen the entire crew had survived without much difficulty

Amundsen continued learning from his experiences throughout his voyages he would never forget all the lessons learnt in this cold voyage So he would take them on board to further improve his upcoming trips

12

CHAPTER 3

The Northwest Passage

Amundsen commanded his own polar expedition when he was 27 He pretended to find a new sea route from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through the islands of Canada

To achive that goal Amundsen raised enough money to buy a ship called Gjoa It was a small but a manageable ship to navigate on routes through the harsh Artic waters

14

GROENLANDIA

ICELAND

NORTH

POLE

CANADA

ALASKA

Northwest

passage

On 16 June 1903 with a crew of 6 our brave explorer sailed from Oslo around the south of Greenland through Baffin Bay and to reach northern Canada finally The expedition spent two cold winters there and during that time the crew survived by hunting and fishing

Then Amundsen met the native esquimos from Canada known as the Netsilik They were the ones who teached them how to protect themselves from the severe cold and how to pull sleds by dogs Also the crew learnt other survival techniques

Once more Amundsen continued learning and improving his polar exploration techniques

15

Finally after those harsh and freezing two years the Gjoa arrived safe and sound to the Alaskaacutes northwest coast Amundsen exclaims excited

- I am very happy Thank you for your great efforts I am very proud of you all

Once the expedition arrived Alaska Amundsen was eager to communicate to the world his expedition had been a real success

So he found out the nearest city where there was a telegraph was about 400 kms from there

Then our explorer almost without thinking decided to get there with nothing but his skis In those times as mobile phones and Internet did not exist people used the telegraph for communication

16

The message he sent to the world said as follows

ldquoThe Gjoa has reached Alaska The expedition has been a success Opened the Northwest Passage Signed by Roald Amundsenrdquo

Because of Amundsenacutes ability to navigate and survive this trip had been a great accomplishment Because of his courage and his never-ending energy he became the great explorer he had always dreamt ofhellip

As it happened with Nansenacutes expedition when Amundsenacutes expedition came back to Norway this one was treated as a hero

17

CHAPTER 4

Towards the North Pole

After the success of this last expedition Amundsen started to organize another one But this time his main aim was to be the first to reach the North Pole

For that he needed a different a strong ship Suddenly he thought the ship used by Nansen named `the Framacute was the best ship for this new adventure

Therefore Amundsen decided to visit to Nansen in order to borrow `the Framacute After listening carefully Amundsen proposal he believed it was a wonderful idea and agreed to borrow his ship

19

The Fram was a quite different ship because it was built for a particular task open water in rough sea and adverse meteorological conditions For that reason although it was a plain ship in shape it was also very wide The Fram was so wide that it could even carry provisions for six years

Before embarking on his adventure Amundsen looked up several sponsors to fund the expedition

20

While he was preparing his voyage he heard the explorers Cook and Robert Peary had already reached the North Pole as a result of two different expeditions

Clearly this news deeply disappointed Amundsen who thinks `I must change the aim of my journey as I cannot be the first to reach the North Poleacute Then he kept thinking and thinking hellip and finally he states - lsquoYes Iacuteve got it I will be the first to reach the South Poleacute

21

He was happy and excited but at the same time Amundsen was afraid because he had to communicate his new aim to Nansen and his sponsors He thought hellip - `Now it is probably they do not want to support my new plan Maybe they decide not to help me this timeacute

To avoid it he concludes by saying `I will keep in secret my new route And later when nobody can hold back from his decision I will tell them the real aim of my expeditionacute

22

Then Amundsen started choosing his crew among others he chose a doctor and a good cook Both of them were key jobs in such difficult voyages Of course Nilsen was chosen as the second in charge to the captain

As in his early trips he learnt that the best way to move across the ice was pulling sleds by dogs he also decided to recruit a dog expert

23

When everything was ready on August 1910 the expedition left Although everybody thought they went towards the North Pole hellip

They sailed through the deep blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean towards the island of Madeira which belongs to Portugal The first idea was to reach the North Pole from Alaska reason whereby the Fram had to surrounded America At Madeira Amundsen met up with the crew to communicate his new plan

-As you all know the Americans Frederik Cook and Robert Peary have already reached the North Pole So if we go forward with my plan we will no longer be the first hellip - the captain says

- Therefore I propose to you a new challenge which will allow us to be the first hellip - he goes on to say

After listening to Amundsenacutes words they were all astonished and impatient

24

At last Amundsen exclaims - We will be the first to reach the South Pole

The crew was delighted with the new proposal and everybody yells

-Yes captain we will be the first to reach the South Pole

- It is a wonderful idea We do not want to be the second

He had not to persuade them more There was no doubt that the entire crew had a blind faith in Amundsen The captain says

-Then we will do so Thank you for your support I will telegraph Norway and the rest of the world to inform about our new plan

The news of Amundsenacutes revised plan reached Norway early in October and Nansen was the first to know it Of course Nansen gave his blessing and warm approval Besides his country as well as his expedition sponsors also supported him

25

ANTARCTICA

MADEIRA

CHAPTER 5

The South Pole expedition

Nearly six months later and after a long hard voyage the Fram reached Antarctica on 14 January 1911

The expedition arrived at the eastern edge of the Ross Ice Shelf They established their base camp at a large inlet called the Bay of Whales

The camp was called `Framheimacute which means `home of the Framacute

27

At that time our brave explorer knew he was in race with the British explorer the captain Robert Scott to be the first to reach the South Pole

Fortunately thanks to they established Framheim at the Bay of Whales Amundsen and his crew already had a certain advantage to his competitor Amundsenacutes base camp was nearly 100 kms closer to the South Pole than Scottacutes base camp

28

ANTARCTICA

Amundsen

Base Camp

Scott

Base Camp

SOUTH POLE

80ordm S90ordm S

Ross Ice Shelf

ROSS SEA

The entire crew was aware that for them to succeed they had to be well-prepared among other things they must use skis and dog sleds for transportation Then Amundsen and his men decided to create 3 intermediate supply depots along the way to the Pole They created them during the months of February March and April

Besides they took advantage of the freezing winter to improve their expedition materials particularly the sledges Their purpose was to start their trip in September

29

Our brave explorer thought September was the perfect month mainly because spring came to Antarctica then and therefore the weather conditions were rather better

So when everything was ready for the voyage Amundsen chose 8 crewmen and they departed towards the South Pole

However contrary to what they believed the freezing temperatures were so extreme that dropped as low as minus 40ordmC there were strong winds with snow the blizzards and heavy fogs were so strong that visibility was extremely poorhellip

Therefore they had to quit their huge trek due to the adverse weather conditions Though they decided to leave the food supplies they did not need in the first intermediate camp

Meanwhile the expedition looked forward patiently in the base camp until the weather conditions improve

30

A second attempt took place in mid October with a team made up of 5 Bjaaland Hassel Wisting Hanssen and Amundsen

Everybody in the camp wished the new team all the best

This time they departed Framheim on 19 October They took four sledges and 52 dogs The sled dogs were led by a Samoyed named Etah Amundsen made sure that the dogs were well fed

Bjaaland the carpenter of the crew was the one who redesigned the sledges they would use by lowering their weight Later this lower weight was crucial in saving energy during the trip

31

Once again when everything was ready Amundsen ordered to trek

- Come on guys Towards the South Pole ndash Amundsen exclaims

- Yes towards the South Pole ndashthe team yells

It had been over a year since they left their country and finally the long awaited moment had arrivedhellip

32

- We will continue straight on towards the South Pole crossing the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf ndash Amundsen tells to his team

Fortunately this time the weather conditions did not worse so that they reached the first depot without any kind of setback

Also they reached the second depot without any problem and at the beginning of November they arrived at the third intermediate depot

Until then everything was going well Even the sledges pulled by dogs were progressing as scheduled

Sometimes the blistering cold and the frozen wind forced them to shelter in their tents So fighting against the extreme cold the expedition continued as planned

33

In mid November they arrived at the edge of the Trans-Antarctic mountains using a route along the previously unknown Axel Heiberg Glacier

Although the ascent to the mountains was not as hard as expected the intense cold remained being their first enemy hellip

At last after a four-day climb Wisting who was the first in the group shouts

- Captain the plateau

They had arrived at the Antarctic Plateau a large and flat area of central Antarctica

34

The expedition camped there and then hellip the harshest moment in the voyage came

Amundsen reminds his men - Hassel Hanssen as you already know we must slaughter some dogs

-Yes captain We know that is our foreseen plan ndash they answer while unsheathing their knives

So fulfilling their initial plan they had to slaughter 24 dogs The expedition team as well as the other 28 dogs were fed by them

The remaining meat and the bones were buried under the frozen snow with the aim of being eaten when they returned

Henceforth that place was called as `The Butcheracutes Shopacute

35

From there they started walking through the Antarctic Plateau

Unfortunately the weather tended to worsen a dense fog forced them to take refuge in the tent until it was cleared But hellip the days passed by and the fog continued and even grew The explorers were slowly becoming impatient

- Captain the fog does not disappear We cannot just stay here quietly and wait ndash Hanssen tells to Amundsen

- I know it We can hardly do otherwise We have to resist This endless fog will rise soon ndash Amundsen with conviction answers

Amundsen was also concerned about the situation but he wanted to avoid

bringing them any sadness Besides he was worried because they were taking more provisions than expected and it was an unbearably cold

36

The fog was risen after 9 long days From then they were able to continue their voyage towards the South Pole

On 7 December 1911 after a difficult journey they were very close to achieving their target

- Gentlemen I would inform you we are 150 kms from the South Pole So far no one has been so close Keep going donacutet give up ndash Amundsen encourages them

-My captain we are about to achieve it The dogs are behaving rather nicely and we are certainly on the right track ndash Bjaaland replies

This way despite all the difficulties the crew encouraged each other to move forward

However our brave polar explorers were less and less strengthhellip

37

At last they reached their destination on December 14 1911

-Amundsen we have achieved it we are in the South Pole ndash Wisting yells

-We are the first ndash Hassel welcomes

It was nearly two months since they had left the Framheim With a big smile on his face and with bright eyes Amundsen congratulates his team

-Gentlemen congratulations for the fine work you have done It has been a pleasure to reach the South Pole with all of you

-Hurray Amundsen ndash everybody yells almost without any strength left

On that historic day the team of five with their 16 dogs arrived at the South Pole at latitude 90ordm S There they planted the Norwegian flag

They also left a small tent and a letter stating their accomplishment in case they did not return safely to Framheim

38

Quickly they returned to the base camp following the same route They were so exhausted and so cold they may not stay there any longer

On the other hand Robert Scottacutes British expedition reached the South Pole 35 days after Amundsen But unfortunately they did not return home alive Some months later they were found frozen to death hellip

On the contrary all five of Amundsenacutes crew returned safely to Framheim but only 11 dogs made it back alive The journey to the South Pole and back had taken 99 days

So it was on 25 January 1912 when the team finally reached the base camp When they saw the expedition safe and sound everybody shouts for joy

- Congratulations captain

- We are the first Cheers for Norway Long live Amundsen

39

CHAPTER 6

Others expedition achivements

During the next years Amundsen continued making many explorations among others he sailed the Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through Russiaacutes northern coast Later on he joined an expedition aboard an airship and they flew over the North Pole

Amundsen died in a plane crash during a rescue attempt on 18 June 1928 He was trying to rescue some of the crew of an expedition which had lost The hydroplane wherein he flew crashed in the deep Bareints sea in northern Norway and Russia His body was never found hellip

41

This story is considered as one of the greatest historical epics in recent human history

All the brave explorers who took part in the conquest of the South Pole shared their frozen experiences with all of us They all challenged their own human limits

They all are considered our great heroeshellip

42

The endIf you wish you can express your own opinion what

you liked the most and the less what kind of tales you would like to read the next time orhellip just you can say

`HELLOacute

THANK YOU very much for sharing your great ideas with us

infoeditorialweeblecom

CHAPTER 2

The first expedition

When Amundsen was 25 he found out a Belgian expedition was about to explore the Antarctica As he stongly wished to be part of that expedition he managed to get an interview with the expedition leader

ATLANTIC

OCEAN

- Mr Adrien de Gerlache ndash allow me to present to you my experiences to work as a helmsman ndash Amundsen says

Mr Adrien de Gerlache after a careful study of Amundsen experiences tells him

- Mr Amundsen you are the new helmsman of our ship the Belgica

- Thank you very much for giving me this opportunity I certainly will not dissapoint you ndash Amundsen answers

9

And this is how Amundsen and his shipmates sailed on the Belgica in August 1897 Needless to say that our brave explorer was a little nervous as this was his first polar expedition

Finally despite the exhausting and dangerous trip they reached the Antartic Peninsula But the Belgica got trapped in the ice As a result of that they became the first expedition to survive a frozen winter on the Antartic

During that winter Amundsen remembered and always put into practice every valuable lessons of survival he had learnt in his early trips In that way they were preparing themselves to survive

10

For instance the American expedition doctor Frederick Cook tells Amundsen how to feed the crew

- My captain the crew must eat meat of marine animals even fresh meat This is the only way we will prevent them from suffering scurvy

- Well I agree Mr Cook Command the crew to hunt all we can eat We will have to eat fresh meat as we cannot cook it here ndash the captain replies

One of the lessons Amundsen had learnt was that using animal skins rather than wool coats were much better to keep warm So he exclaims to the hunters

- Donacutet throw the seal skins out If we use them for coats we will protect from cold

11

When the harsh winter finished the spring came and the ice was melt in such a way the Belgica went out of the ice Mainly thanks to the advices given by Cook and Amundsen the entire crew had survived without much difficulty

Amundsen continued learning from his experiences throughout his voyages he would never forget all the lessons learnt in this cold voyage So he would take them on board to further improve his upcoming trips

12

CHAPTER 3

The Northwest Passage

Amundsen commanded his own polar expedition when he was 27 He pretended to find a new sea route from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through the islands of Canada

To achive that goal Amundsen raised enough money to buy a ship called Gjoa It was a small but a manageable ship to navigate on routes through the harsh Artic waters

14

GROENLANDIA

ICELAND

NORTH

POLE

CANADA

ALASKA

Northwest

passage

On 16 June 1903 with a crew of 6 our brave explorer sailed from Oslo around the south of Greenland through Baffin Bay and to reach northern Canada finally The expedition spent two cold winters there and during that time the crew survived by hunting and fishing

Then Amundsen met the native esquimos from Canada known as the Netsilik They were the ones who teached them how to protect themselves from the severe cold and how to pull sleds by dogs Also the crew learnt other survival techniques

Once more Amundsen continued learning and improving his polar exploration techniques

15

Finally after those harsh and freezing two years the Gjoa arrived safe and sound to the Alaskaacutes northwest coast Amundsen exclaims excited

- I am very happy Thank you for your great efforts I am very proud of you all

Once the expedition arrived Alaska Amundsen was eager to communicate to the world his expedition had been a real success

So he found out the nearest city where there was a telegraph was about 400 kms from there

Then our explorer almost without thinking decided to get there with nothing but his skis In those times as mobile phones and Internet did not exist people used the telegraph for communication

16

The message he sent to the world said as follows

ldquoThe Gjoa has reached Alaska The expedition has been a success Opened the Northwest Passage Signed by Roald Amundsenrdquo

Because of Amundsenacutes ability to navigate and survive this trip had been a great accomplishment Because of his courage and his never-ending energy he became the great explorer he had always dreamt ofhellip

As it happened with Nansenacutes expedition when Amundsenacutes expedition came back to Norway this one was treated as a hero

17

CHAPTER 4

Towards the North Pole

After the success of this last expedition Amundsen started to organize another one But this time his main aim was to be the first to reach the North Pole

For that he needed a different a strong ship Suddenly he thought the ship used by Nansen named `the Framacute was the best ship for this new adventure

Therefore Amundsen decided to visit to Nansen in order to borrow `the Framacute After listening carefully Amundsen proposal he believed it was a wonderful idea and agreed to borrow his ship

19

The Fram was a quite different ship because it was built for a particular task open water in rough sea and adverse meteorological conditions For that reason although it was a plain ship in shape it was also very wide The Fram was so wide that it could even carry provisions for six years

Before embarking on his adventure Amundsen looked up several sponsors to fund the expedition

20

While he was preparing his voyage he heard the explorers Cook and Robert Peary had already reached the North Pole as a result of two different expeditions

Clearly this news deeply disappointed Amundsen who thinks `I must change the aim of my journey as I cannot be the first to reach the North Poleacute Then he kept thinking and thinking hellip and finally he states - lsquoYes Iacuteve got it I will be the first to reach the South Poleacute

21

He was happy and excited but at the same time Amundsen was afraid because he had to communicate his new aim to Nansen and his sponsors He thought hellip - `Now it is probably they do not want to support my new plan Maybe they decide not to help me this timeacute

To avoid it he concludes by saying `I will keep in secret my new route And later when nobody can hold back from his decision I will tell them the real aim of my expeditionacute

22

Then Amundsen started choosing his crew among others he chose a doctor and a good cook Both of them were key jobs in such difficult voyages Of course Nilsen was chosen as the second in charge to the captain

As in his early trips he learnt that the best way to move across the ice was pulling sleds by dogs he also decided to recruit a dog expert

23

When everything was ready on August 1910 the expedition left Although everybody thought they went towards the North Pole hellip

They sailed through the deep blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean towards the island of Madeira which belongs to Portugal The first idea was to reach the North Pole from Alaska reason whereby the Fram had to surrounded America At Madeira Amundsen met up with the crew to communicate his new plan

-As you all know the Americans Frederik Cook and Robert Peary have already reached the North Pole So if we go forward with my plan we will no longer be the first hellip - the captain says

- Therefore I propose to you a new challenge which will allow us to be the first hellip - he goes on to say

After listening to Amundsenacutes words they were all astonished and impatient

24

At last Amundsen exclaims - We will be the first to reach the South Pole

The crew was delighted with the new proposal and everybody yells

-Yes captain we will be the first to reach the South Pole

- It is a wonderful idea We do not want to be the second

He had not to persuade them more There was no doubt that the entire crew had a blind faith in Amundsen The captain says

-Then we will do so Thank you for your support I will telegraph Norway and the rest of the world to inform about our new plan

The news of Amundsenacutes revised plan reached Norway early in October and Nansen was the first to know it Of course Nansen gave his blessing and warm approval Besides his country as well as his expedition sponsors also supported him

25

ANTARCTICA

MADEIRA

CHAPTER 5

The South Pole expedition

Nearly six months later and after a long hard voyage the Fram reached Antarctica on 14 January 1911

The expedition arrived at the eastern edge of the Ross Ice Shelf They established their base camp at a large inlet called the Bay of Whales

The camp was called `Framheimacute which means `home of the Framacute

27

At that time our brave explorer knew he was in race with the British explorer the captain Robert Scott to be the first to reach the South Pole

Fortunately thanks to they established Framheim at the Bay of Whales Amundsen and his crew already had a certain advantage to his competitor Amundsenacutes base camp was nearly 100 kms closer to the South Pole than Scottacutes base camp

28

ANTARCTICA

Amundsen

Base Camp

Scott

Base Camp

SOUTH POLE

80ordm S90ordm S

Ross Ice Shelf

ROSS SEA

The entire crew was aware that for them to succeed they had to be well-prepared among other things they must use skis and dog sleds for transportation Then Amundsen and his men decided to create 3 intermediate supply depots along the way to the Pole They created them during the months of February March and April

Besides they took advantage of the freezing winter to improve their expedition materials particularly the sledges Their purpose was to start their trip in September

29

Our brave explorer thought September was the perfect month mainly because spring came to Antarctica then and therefore the weather conditions were rather better

So when everything was ready for the voyage Amundsen chose 8 crewmen and they departed towards the South Pole

However contrary to what they believed the freezing temperatures were so extreme that dropped as low as minus 40ordmC there were strong winds with snow the blizzards and heavy fogs were so strong that visibility was extremely poorhellip

Therefore they had to quit their huge trek due to the adverse weather conditions Though they decided to leave the food supplies they did not need in the first intermediate camp

Meanwhile the expedition looked forward patiently in the base camp until the weather conditions improve

30

A second attempt took place in mid October with a team made up of 5 Bjaaland Hassel Wisting Hanssen and Amundsen

Everybody in the camp wished the new team all the best

This time they departed Framheim on 19 October They took four sledges and 52 dogs The sled dogs were led by a Samoyed named Etah Amundsen made sure that the dogs were well fed

Bjaaland the carpenter of the crew was the one who redesigned the sledges they would use by lowering their weight Later this lower weight was crucial in saving energy during the trip

31

Once again when everything was ready Amundsen ordered to trek

- Come on guys Towards the South Pole ndash Amundsen exclaims

- Yes towards the South Pole ndashthe team yells

It had been over a year since they left their country and finally the long awaited moment had arrivedhellip

32

- We will continue straight on towards the South Pole crossing the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf ndash Amundsen tells to his team

Fortunately this time the weather conditions did not worse so that they reached the first depot without any kind of setback

Also they reached the second depot without any problem and at the beginning of November they arrived at the third intermediate depot

Until then everything was going well Even the sledges pulled by dogs were progressing as scheduled

Sometimes the blistering cold and the frozen wind forced them to shelter in their tents So fighting against the extreme cold the expedition continued as planned

33

In mid November they arrived at the edge of the Trans-Antarctic mountains using a route along the previously unknown Axel Heiberg Glacier

Although the ascent to the mountains was not as hard as expected the intense cold remained being their first enemy hellip

At last after a four-day climb Wisting who was the first in the group shouts

- Captain the plateau

They had arrived at the Antarctic Plateau a large and flat area of central Antarctica

34

The expedition camped there and then hellip the harshest moment in the voyage came

Amundsen reminds his men - Hassel Hanssen as you already know we must slaughter some dogs

-Yes captain We know that is our foreseen plan ndash they answer while unsheathing their knives

So fulfilling their initial plan they had to slaughter 24 dogs The expedition team as well as the other 28 dogs were fed by them

The remaining meat and the bones were buried under the frozen snow with the aim of being eaten when they returned

Henceforth that place was called as `The Butcheracutes Shopacute

35

From there they started walking through the Antarctic Plateau

Unfortunately the weather tended to worsen a dense fog forced them to take refuge in the tent until it was cleared But hellip the days passed by and the fog continued and even grew The explorers were slowly becoming impatient

- Captain the fog does not disappear We cannot just stay here quietly and wait ndash Hanssen tells to Amundsen

- I know it We can hardly do otherwise We have to resist This endless fog will rise soon ndash Amundsen with conviction answers

Amundsen was also concerned about the situation but he wanted to avoid

bringing them any sadness Besides he was worried because they were taking more provisions than expected and it was an unbearably cold

36

The fog was risen after 9 long days From then they were able to continue their voyage towards the South Pole

On 7 December 1911 after a difficult journey they were very close to achieving their target

- Gentlemen I would inform you we are 150 kms from the South Pole So far no one has been so close Keep going donacutet give up ndash Amundsen encourages them

-My captain we are about to achieve it The dogs are behaving rather nicely and we are certainly on the right track ndash Bjaaland replies

This way despite all the difficulties the crew encouraged each other to move forward

However our brave polar explorers were less and less strengthhellip

37

At last they reached their destination on December 14 1911

-Amundsen we have achieved it we are in the South Pole ndash Wisting yells

-We are the first ndash Hassel welcomes

It was nearly two months since they had left the Framheim With a big smile on his face and with bright eyes Amundsen congratulates his team

-Gentlemen congratulations for the fine work you have done It has been a pleasure to reach the South Pole with all of you

-Hurray Amundsen ndash everybody yells almost without any strength left

On that historic day the team of five with their 16 dogs arrived at the South Pole at latitude 90ordm S There they planted the Norwegian flag

They also left a small tent and a letter stating their accomplishment in case they did not return safely to Framheim

38

Quickly they returned to the base camp following the same route They were so exhausted and so cold they may not stay there any longer

On the other hand Robert Scottacutes British expedition reached the South Pole 35 days after Amundsen But unfortunately they did not return home alive Some months later they were found frozen to death hellip

On the contrary all five of Amundsenacutes crew returned safely to Framheim but only 11 dogs made it back alive The journey to the South Pole and back had taken 99 days

So it was on 25 January 1912 when the team finally reached the base camp When they saw the expedition safe and sound everybody shouts for joy

- Congratulations captain

- We are the first Cheers for Norway Long live Amundsen

39

CHAPTER 6

Others expedition achivements

During the next years Amundsen continued making many explorations among others he sailed the Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through Russiaacutes northern coast Later on he joined an expedition aboard an airship and they flew over the North Pole

Amundsen died in a plane crash during a rescue attempt on 18 June 1928 He was trying to rescue some of the crew of an expedition which had lost The hydroplane wherein he flew crashed in the deep Bareints sea in northern Norway and Russia His body was never found hellip

41

This story is considered as one of the greatest historical epics in recent human history

All the brave explorers who took part in the conquest of the South Pole shared their frozen experiences with all of us They all challenged their own human limits

They all are considered our great heroeshellip

42

The endIf you wish you can express your own opinion what

you liked the most and the less what kind of tales you would like to read the next time orhellip just you can say

`HELLOacute

THANK YOU very much for sharing your great ideas with us

infoeditorialweeblecom

- Mr Adrien de Gerlache ndash allow me to present to you my experiences to work as a helmsman ndash Amundsen says

Mr Adrien de Gerlache after a careful study of Amundsen experiences tells him

- Mr Amundsen you are the new helmsman of our ship the Belgica

- Thank you very much for giving me this opportunity I certainly will not dissapoint you ndash Amundsen answers

9

And this is how Amundsen and his shipmates sailed on the Belgica in August 1897 Needless to say that our brave explorer was a little nervous as this was his first polar expedition

Finally despite the exhausting and dangerous trip they reached the Antartic Peninsula But the Belgica got trapped in the ice As a result of that they became the first expedition to survive a frozen winter on the Antartic

During that winter Amundsen remembered and always put into practice every valuable lessons of survival he had learnt in his early trips In that way they were preparing themselves to survive

10

For instance the American expedition doctor Frederick Cook tells Amundsen how to feed the crew

- My captain the crew must eat meat of marine animals even fresh meat This is the only way we will prevent them from suffering scurvy

- Well I agree Mr Cook Command the crew to hunt all we can eat We will have to eat fresh meat as we cannot cook it here ndash the captain replies

One of the lessons Amundsen had learnt was that using animal skins rather than wool coats were much better to keep warm So he exclaims to the hunters

- Donacutet throw the seal skins out If we use them for coats we will protect from cold

11

When the harsh winter finished the spring came and the ice was melt in such a way the Belgica went out of the ice Mainly thanks to the advices given by Cook and Amundsen the entire crew had survived without much difficulty

Amundsen continued learning from his experiences throughout his voyages he would never forget all the lessons learnt in this cold voyage So he would take them on board to further improve his upcoming trips

12

CHAPTER 3

The Northwest Passage

Amundsen commanded his own polar expedition when he was 27 He pretended to find a new sea route from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through the islands of Canada

To achive that goal Amundsen raised enough money to buy a ship called Gjoa It was a small but a manageable ship to navigate on routes through the harsh Artic waters

14

GROENLANDIA

ICELAND

NORTH

POLE

CANADA

ALASKA

Northwest

passage

On 16 June 1903 with a crew of 6 our brave explorer sailed from Oslo around the south of Greenland through Baffin Bay and to reach northern Canada finally The expedition spent two cold winters there and during that time the crew survived by hunting and fishing

Then Amundsen met the native esquimos from Canada known as the Netsilik They were the ones who teached them how to protect themselves from the severe cold and how to pull sleds by dogs Also the crew learnt other survival techniques

Once more Amundsen continued learning and improving his polar exploration techniques

15

Finally after those harsh and freezing two years the Gjoa arrived safe and sound to the Alaskaacutes northwest coast Amundsen exclaims excited

- I am very happy Thank you for your great efforts I am very proud of you all

Once the expedition arrived Alaska Amundsen was eager to communicate to the world his expedition had been a real success

So he found out the nearest city where there was a telegraph was about 400 kms from there

Then our explorer almost without thinking decided to get there with nothing but his skis In those times as mobile phones and Internet did not exist people used the telegraph for communication

16

The message he sent to the world said as follows

ldquoThe Gjoa has reached Alaska The expedition has been a success Opened the Northwest Passage Signed by Roald Amundsenrdquo

Because of Amundsenacutes ability to navigate and survive this trip had been a great accomplishment Because of his courage and his never-ending energy he became the great explorer he had always dreamt ofhellip

As it happened with Nansenacutes expedition when Amundsenacutes expedition came back to Norway this one was treated as a hero

17

CHAPTER 4

Towards the North Pole

After the success of this last expedition Amundsen started to organize another one But this time his main aim was to be the first to reach the North Pole

For that he needed a different a strong ship Suddenly he thought the ship used by Nansen named `the Framacute was the best ship for this new adventure

Therefore Amundsen decided to visit to Nansen in order to borrow `the Framacute After listening carefully Amundsen proposal he believed it was a wonderful idea and agreed to borrow his ship

19

The Fram was a quite different ship because it was built for a particular task open water in rough sea and adverse meteorological conditions For that reason although it was a plain ship in shape it was also very wide The Fram was so wide that it could even carry provisions for six years

Before embarking on his adventure Amundsen looked up several sponsors to fund the expedition

20

While he was preparing his voyage he heard the explorers Cook and Robert Peary had already reached the North Pole as a result of two different expeditions

Clearly this news deeply disappointed Amundsen who thinks `I must change the aim of my journey as I cannot be the first to reach the North Poleacute Then he kept thinking and thinking hellip and finally he states - lsquoYes Iacuteve got it I will be the first to reach the South Poleacute

21

He was happy and excited but at the same time Amundsen was afraid because he had to communicate his new aim to Nansen and his sponsors He thought hellip - `Now it is probably they do not want to support my new plan Maybe they decide not to help me this timeacute

To avoid it he concludes by saying `I will keep in secret my new route And later when nobody can hold back from his decision I will tell them the real aim of my expeditionacute

22

Then Amundsen started choosing his crew among others he chose a doctor and a good cook Both of them were key jobs in such difficult voyages Of course Nilsen was chosen as the second in charge to the captain

As in his early trips he learnt that the best way to move across the ice was pulling sleds by dogs he also decided to recruit a dog expert

23

When everything was ready on August 1910 the expedition left Although everybody thought they went towards the North Pole hellip

They sailed through the deep blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean towards the island of Madeira which belongs to Portugal The first idea was to reach the North Pole from Alaska reason whereby the Fram had to surrounded America At Madeira Amundsen met up with the crew to communicate his new plan

-As you all know the Americans Frederik Cook and Robert Peary have already reached the North Pole So if we go forward with my plan we will no longer be the first hellip - the captain says

- Therefore I propose to you a new challenge which will allow us to be the first hellip - he goes on to say

After listening to Amundsenacutes words they were all astonished and impatient

24

At last Amundsen exclaims - We will be the first to reach the South Pole

The crew was delighted with the new proposal and everybody yells

-Yes captain we will be the first to reach the South Pole

- It is a wonderful idea We do not want to be the second

He had not to persuade them more There was no doubt that the entire crew had a blind faith in Amundsen The captain says

-Then we will do so Thank you for your support I will telegraph Norway and the rest of the world to inform about our new plan

The news of Amundsenacutes revised plan reached Norway early in October and Nansen was the first to know it Of course Nansen gave his blessing and warm approval Besides his country as well as his expedition sponsors also supported him

25

ANTARCTICA

MADEIRA

CHAPTER 5

The South Pole expedition

Nearly six months later and after a long hard voyage the Fram reached Antarctica on 14 January 1911

The expedition arrived at the eastern edge of the Ross Ice Shelf They established their base camp at a large inlet called the Bay of Whales

The camp was called `Framheimacute which means `home of the Framacute

27

At that time our brave explorer knew he was in race with the British explorer the captain Robert Scott to be the first to reach the South Pole

Fortunately thanks to they established Framheim at the Bay of Whales Amundsen and his crew already had a certain advantage to his competitor Amundsenacutes base camp was nearly 100 kms closer to the South Pole than Scottacutes base camp

28

ANTARCTICA

Amundsen

Base Camp

Scott

Base Camp

SOUTH POLE

80ordm S90ordm S

Ross Ice Shelf

ROSS SEA

The entire crew was aware that for them to succeed they had to be well-prepared among other things they must use skis and dog sleds for transportation Then Amundsen and his men decided to create 3 intermediate supply depots along the way to the Pole They created them during the months of February March and April

Besides they took advantage of the freezing winter to improve their expedition materials particularly the sledges Their purpose was to start their trip in September

29

Our brave explorer thought September was the perfect month mainly because spring came to Antarctica then and therefore the weather conditions were rather better

So when everything was ready for the voyage Amundsen chose 8 crewmen and they departed towards the South Pole

However contrary to what they believed the freezing temperatures were so extreme that dropped as low as minus 40ordmC there were strong winds with snow the blizzards and heavy fogs were so strong that visibility was extremely poorhellip

Therefore they had to quit their huge trek due to the adverse weather conditions Though they decided to leave the food supplies they did not need in the first intermediate camp

Meanwhile the expedition looked forward patiently in the base camp until the weather conditions improve

30

A second attempt took place in mid October with a team made up of 5 Bjaaland Hassel Wisting Hanssen and Amundsen

Everybody in the camp wished the new team all the best

This time they departed Framheim on 19 October They took four sledges and 52 dogs The sled dogs were led by a Samoyed named Etah Amundsen made sure that the dogs were well fed

Bjaaland the carpenter of the crew was the one who redesigned the sledges they would use by lowering their weight Later this lower weight was crucial in saving energy during the trip

31

Once again when everything was ready Amundsen ordered to trek

- Come on guys Towards the South Pole ndash Amundsen exclaims

- Yes towards the South Pole ndashthe team yells

It had been over a year since they left their country and finally the long awaited moment had arrivedhellip

32

- We will continue straight on towards the South Pole crossing the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf ndash Amundsen tells to his team

Fortunately this time the weather conditions did not worse so that they reached the first depot without any kind of setback

Also they reached the second depot without any problem and at the beginning of November they arrived at the third intermediate depot

Until then everything was going well Even the sledges pulled by dogs were progressing as scheduled

Sometimes the blistering cold and the frozen wind forced them to shelter in their tents So fighting against the extreme cold the expedition continued as planned

33

In mid November they arrived at the edge of the Trans-Antarctic mountains using a route along the previously unknown Axel Heiberg Glacier

Although the ascent to the mountains was not as hard as expected the intense cold remained being their first enemy hellip

At last after a four-day climb Wisting who was the first in the group shouts

- Captain the plateau

They had arrived at the Antarctic Plateau a large and flat area of central Antarctica

34

The expedition camped there and then hellip the harshest moment in the voyage came

Amundsen reminds his men - Hassel Hanssen as you already know we must slaughter some dogs

-Yes captain We know that is our foreseen plan ndash they answer while unsheathing their knives

So fulfilling their initial plan they had to slaughter 24 dogs The expedition team as well as the other 28 dogs were fed by them

The remaining meat and the bones were buried under the frozen snow with the aim of being eaten when they returned

Henceforth that place was called as `The Butcheracutes Shopacute

35

From there they started walking through the Antarctic Plateau

Unfortunately the weather tended to worsen a dense fog forced them to take refuge in the tent until it was cleared But hellip the days passed by and the fog continued and even grew The explorers were slowly becoming impatient

- Captain the fog does not disappear We cannot just stay here quietly and wait ndash Hanssen tells to Amundsen

- I know it We can hardly do otherwise We have to resist This endless fog will rise soon ndash Amundsen with conviction answers

Amundsen was also concerned about the situation but he wanted to avoid

bringing them any sadness Besides he was worried because they were taking more provisions than expected and it was an unbearably cold

36

The fog was risen after 9 long days From then they were able to continue their voyage towards the South Pole

On 7 December 1911 after a difficult journey they were very close to achieving their target

- Gentlemen I would inform you we are 150 kms from the South Pole So far no one has been so close Keep going donacutet give up ndash Amundsen encourages them

-My captain we are about to achieve it The dogs are behaving rather nicely and we are certainly on the right track ndash Bjaaland replies

This way despite all the difficulties the crew encouraged each other to move forward

However our brave polar explorers were less and less strengthhellip

37

At last they reached their destination on December 14 1911

-Amundsen we have achieved it we are in the South Pole ndash Wisting yells

-We are the first ndash Hassel welcomes

It was nearly two months since they had left the Framheim With a big smile on his face and with bright eyes Amundsen congratulates his team

-Gentlemen congratulations for the fine work you have done It has been a pleasure to reach the South Pole with all of you

-Hurray Amundsen ndash everybody yells almost without any strength left

On that historic day the team of five with their 16 dogs arrived at the South Pole at latitude 90ordm S There they planted the Norwegian flag

They also left a small tent and a letter stating their accomplishment in case they did not return safely to Framheim

38

Quickly they returned to the base camp following the same route They were so exhausted and so cold they may not stay there any longer

On the other hand Robert Scottacutes British expedition reached the South Pole 35 days after Amundsen But unfortunately they did not return home alive Some months later they were found frozen to death hellip

On the contrary all five of Amundsenacutes crew returned safely to Framheim but only 11 dogs made it back alive The journey to the South Pole and back had taken 99 days

So it was on 25 January 1912 when the team finally reached the base camp When they saw the expedition safe and sound everybody shouts for joy

- Congratulations captain

- We are the first Cheers for Norway Long live Amundsen

39

CHAPTER 6

Others expedition achivements

During the next years Amundsen continued making many explorations among others he sailed the Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through Russiaacutes northern coast Later on he joined an expedition aboard an airship and they flew over the North Pole

Amundsen died in a plane crash during a rescue attempt on 18 June 1928 He was trying to rescue some of the crew of an expedition which had lost The hydroplane wherein he flew crashed in the deep Bareints sea in northern Norway and Russia His body was never found hellip

41

This story is considered as one of the greatest historical epics in recent human history

All the brave explorers who took part in the conquest of the South Pole shared their frozen experiences with all of us They all challenged their own human limits

They all are considered our great heroeshellip

42

The endIf you wish you can express your own opinion what

you liked the most and the less what kind of tales you would like to read the next time orhellip just you can say

`HELLOacute

THANK YOU very much for sharing your great ideas with us

infoeditorialweeblecom

And this is how Amundsen and his shipmates sailed on the Belgica in August 1897 Needless to say that our brave explorer was a little nervous as this was his first polar expedition

Finally despite the exhausting and dangerous trip they reached the Antartic Peninsula But the Belgica got trapped in the ice As a result of that they became the first expedition to survive a frozen winter on the Antartic

During that winter Amundsen remembered and always put into practice every valuable lessons of survival he had learnt in his early trips In that way they were preparing themselves to survive

10

For instance the American expedition doctor Frederick Cook tells Amundsen how to feed the crew

- My captain the crew must eat meat of marine animals even fresh meat This is the only way we will prevent them from suffering scurvy

- Well I agree Mr Cook Command the crew to hunt all we can eat We will have to eat fresh meat as we cannot cook it here ndash the captain replies

One of the lessons Amundsen had learnt was that using animal skins rather than wool coats were much better to keep warm So he exclaims to the hunters

- Donacutet throw the seal skins out If we use them for coats we will protect from cold

11

When the harsh winter finished the spring came and the ice was melt in such a way the Belgica went out of the ice Mainly thanks to the advices given by Cook and Amundsen the entire crew had survived without much difficulty

Amundsen continued learning from his experiences throughout his voyages he would never forget all the lessons learnt in this cold voyage So he would take them on board to further improve his upcoming trips

12

CHAPTER 3

The Northwest Passage

Amundsen commanded his own polar expedition when he was 27 He pretended to find a new sea route from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through the islands of Canada

To achive that goal Amundsen raised enough money to buy a ship called Gjoa It was a small but a manageable ship to navigate on routes through the harsh Artic waters

14

GROENLANDIA

ICELAND

NORTH

POLE

CANADA

ALASKA

Northwest

passage

On 16 June 1903 with a crew of 6 our brave explorer sailed from Oslo around the south of Greenland through Baffin Bay and to reach northern Canada finally The expedition spent two cold winters there and during that time the crew survived by hunting and fishing

Then Amundsen met the native esquimos from Canada known as the Netsilik They were the ones who teached them how to protect themselves from the severe cold and how to pull sleds by dogs Also the crew learnt other survival techniques

Once more Amundsen continued learning and improving his polar exploration techniques

15

Finally after those harsh and freezing two years the Gjoa arrived safe and sound to the Alaskaacutes northwest coast Amundsen exclaims excited

- I am very happy Thank you for your great efforts I am very proud of you all

Once the expedition arrived Alaska Amundsen was eager to communicate to the world his expedition had been a real success

So he found out the nearest city where there was a telegraph was about 400 kms from there

Then our explorer almost without thinking decided to get there with nothing but his skis In those times as mobile phones and Internet did not exist people used the telegraph for communication

16

The message he sent to the world said as follows

ldquoThe Gjoa has reached Alaska The expedition has been a success Opened the Northwest Passage Signed by Roald Amundsenrdquo

Because of Amundsenacutes ability to navigate and survive this trip had been a great accomplishment Because of his courage and his never-ending energy he became the great explorer he had always dreamt ofhellip

As it happened with Nansenacutes expedition when Amundsenacutes expedition came back to Norway this one was treated as a hero

17

CHAPTER 4

Towards the North Pole

After the success of this last expedition Amundsen started to organize another one But this time his main aim was to be the first to reach the North Pole

For that he needed a different a strong ship Suddenly he thought the ship used by Nansen named `the Framacute was the best ship for this new adventure

Therefore Amundsen decided to visit to Nansen in order to borrow `the Framacute After listening carefully Amundsen proposal he believed it was a wonderful idea and agreed to borrow his ship

19

The Fram was a quite different ship because it was built for a particular task open water in rough sea and adverse meteorological conditions For that reason although it was a plain ship in shape it was also very wide The Fram was so wide that it could even carry provisions for six years

Before embarking on his adventure Amundsen looked up several sponsors to fund the expedition

20

While he was preparing his voyage he heard the explorers Cook and Robert Peary had already reached the North Pole as a result of two different expeditions

Clearly this news deeply disappointed Amundsen who thinks `I must change the aim of my journey as I cannot be the first to reach the North Poleacute Then he kept thinking and thinking hellip and finally he states - lsquoYes Iacuteve got it I will be the first to reach the South Poleacute

21

He was happy and excited but at the same time Amundsen was afraid because he had to communicate his new aim to Nansen and his sponsors He thought hellip - `Now it is probably they do not want to support my new plan Maybe they decide not to help me this timeacute

To avoid it he concludes by saying `I will keep in secret my new route And later when nobody can hold back from his decision I will tell them the real aim of my expeditionacute

22

Then Amundsen started choosing his crew among others he chose a doctor and a good cook Both of them were key jobs in such difficult voyages Of course Nilsen was chosen as the second in charge to the captain

As in his early trips he learnt that the best way to move across the ice was pulling sleds by dogs he also decided to recruit a dog expert

23

When everything was ready on August 1910 the expedition left Although everybody thought they went towards the North Pole hellip

They sailed through the deep blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean towards the island of Madeira which belongs to Portugal The first idea was to reach the North Pole from Alaska reason whereby the Fram had to surrounded America At Madeira Amundsen met up with the crew to communicate his new plan

-As you all know the Americans Frederik Cook and Robert Peary have already reached the North Pole So if we go forward with my plan we will no longer be the first hellip - the captain says

- Therefore I propose to you a new challenge which will allow us to be the first hellip - he goes on to say

After listening to Amundsenacutes words they were all astonished and impatient

24

At last Amundsen exclaims - We will be the first to reach the South Pole

The crew was delighted with the new proposal and everybody yells

-Yes captain we will be the first to reach the South Pole

- It is a wonderful idea We do not want to be the second

He had not to persuade them more There was no doubt that the entire crew had a blind faith in Amundsen The captain says

-Then we will do so Thank you for your support I will telegraph Norway and the rest of the world to inform about our new plan

The news of Amundsenacutes revised plan reached Norway early in October and Nansen was the first to know it Of course Nansen gave his blessing and warm approval Besides his country as well as his expedition sponsors also supported him

25

ANTARCTICA

MADEIRA

CHAPTER 5

The South Pole expedition

Nearly six months later and after a long hard voyage the Fram reached Antarctica on 14 January 1911

The expedition arrived at the eastern edge of the Ross Ice Shelf They established their base camp at a large inlet called the Bay of Whales

The camp was called `Framheimacute which means `home of the Framacute

27

At that time our brave explorer knew he was in race with the British explorer the captain Robert Scott to be the first to reach the South Pole

Fortunately thanks to they established Framheim at the Bay of Whales Amundsen and his crew already had a certain advantage to his competitor Amundsenacutes base camp was nearly 100 kms closer to the South Pole than Scottacutes base camp

28

ANTARCTICA

Amundsen

Base Camp

Scott

Base Camp

SOUTH POLE

80ordm S90ordm S

Ross Ice Shelf

ROSS SEA

The entire crew was aware that for them to succeed they had to be well-prepared among other things they must use skis and dog sleds for transportation Then Amundsen and his men decided to create 3 intermediate supply depots along the way to the Pole They created them during the months of February March and April

Besides they took advantage of the freezing winter to improve their expedition materials particularly the sledges Their purpose was to start their trip in September

29

Our brave explorer thought September was the perfect month mainly because spring came to Antarctica then and therefore the weather conditions were rather better

So when everything was ready for the voyage Amundsen chose 8 crewmen and they departed towards the South Pole

However contrary to what they believed the freezing temperatures were so extreme that dropped as low as minus 40ordmC there were strong winds with snow the blizzards and heavy fogs were so strong that visibility was extremely poorhellip

Therefore they had to quit their huge trek due to the adverse weather conditions Though they decided to leave the food supplies they did not need in the first intermediate camp

Meanwhile the expedition looked forward patiently in the base camp until the weather conditions improve

30

A second attempt took place in mid October with a team made up of 5 Bjaaland Hassel Wisting Hanssen and Amundsen

Everybody in the camp wished the new team all the best

This time they departed Framheim on 19 October They took four sledges and 52 dogs The sled dogs were led by a Samoyed named Etah Amundsen made sure that the dogs were well fed

Bjaaland the carpenter of the crew was the one who redesigned the sledges they would use by lowering their weight Later this lower weight was crucial in saving energy during the trip

31

Once again when everything was ready Amundsen ordered to trek

- Come on guys Towards the South Pole ndash Amundsen exclaims

- Yes towards the South Pole ndashthe team yells

It had been over a year since they left their country and finally the long awaited moment had arrivedhellip

32

- We will continue straight on towards the South Pole crossing the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf ndash Amundsen tells to his team

Fortunately this time the weather conditions did not worse so that they reached the first depot without any kind of setback

Also they reached the second depot without any problem and at the beginning of November they arrived at the third intermediate depot

Until then everything was going well Even the sledges pulled by dogs were progressing as scheduled

Sometimes the blistering cold and the frozen wind forced them to shelter in their tents So fighting against the extreme cold the expedition continued as planned

33

In mid November they arrived at the edge of the Trans-Antarctic mountains using a route along the previously unknown Axel Heiberg Glacier

Although the ascent to the mountains was not as hard as expected the intense cold remained being their first enemy hellip

At last after a four-day climb Wisting who was the first in the group shouts

- Captain the plateau

They had arrived at the Antarctic Plateau a large and flat area of central Antarctica

34

The expedition camped there and then hellip the harshest moment in the voyage came

Amundsen reminds his men - Hassel Hanssen as you already know we must slaughter some dogs

-Yes captain We know that is our foreseen plan ndash they answer while unsheathing their knives

So fulfilling their initial plan they had to slaughter 24 dogs The expedition team as well as the other 28 dogs were fed by them

The remaining meat and the bones were buried under the frozen snow with the aim of being eaten when they returned

Henceforth that place was called as `The Butcheracutes Shopacute

35

From there they started walking through the Antarctic Plateau

Unfortunately the weather tended to worsen a dense fog forced them to take refuge in the tent until it was cleared But hellip the days passed by and the fog continued and even grew The explorers were slowly becoming impatient

- Captain the fog does not disappear We cannot just stay here quietly and wait ndash Hanssen tells to Amundsen

- I know it We can hardly do otherwise We have to resist This endless fog will rise soon ndash Amundsen with conviction answers

Amundsen was also concerned about the situation but he wanted to avoid

bringing them any sadness Besides he was worried because they were taking more provisions than expected and it was an unbearably cold

36

The fog was risen after 9 long days From then they were able to continue their voyage towards the South Pole

On 7 December 1911 after a difficult journey they were very close to achieving their target

- Gentlemen I would inform you we are 150 kms from the South Pole So far no one has been so close Keep going donacutet give up ndash Amundsen encourages them

-My captain we are about to achieve it The dogs are behaving rather nicely and we are certainly on the right track ndash Bjaaland replies

This way despite all the difficulties the crew encouraged each other to move forward

However our brave polar explorers were less and less strengthhellip

37

At last they reached their destination on December 14 1911

-Amundsen we have achieved it we are in the South Pole ndash Wisting yells

-We are the first ndash Hassel welcomes

It was nearly two months since they had left the Framheim With a big smile on his face and with bright eyes Amundsen congratulates his team

-Gentlemen congratulations for the fine work you have done It has been a pleasure to reach the South Pole with all of you

-Hurray Amundsen ndash everybody yells almost without any strength left

On that historic day the team of five with their 16 dogs arrived at the South Pole at latitude 90ordm S There they planted the Norwegian flag

They also left a small tent and a letter stating their accomplishment in case they did not return safely to Framheim

38

Quickly they returned to the base camp following the same route They were so exhausted and so cold they may not stay there any longer

On the other hand Robert Scottacutes British expedition reached the South Pole 35 days after Amundsen But unfortunately they did not return home alive Some months later they were found frozen to death hellip

On the contrary all five of Amundsenacutes crew returned safely to Framheim but only 11 dogs made it back alive The journey to the South Pole and back had taken 99 days

So it was on 25 January 1912 when the team finally reached the base camp When they saw the expedition safe and sound everybody shouts for joy

- Congratulations captain

- We are the first Cheers for Norway Long live Amundsen

39

CHAPTER 6

Others expedition achivements

During the next years Amundsen continued making many explorations among others he sailed the Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through Russiaacutes northern coast Later on he joined an expedition aboard an airship and they flew over the North Pole

Amundsen died in a plane crash during a rescue attempt on 18 June 1928 He was trying to rescue some of the crew of an expedition which had lost The hydroplane wherein he flew crashed in the deep Bareints sea in northern Norway and Russia His body was never found hellip

41

This story is considered as one of the greatest historical epics in recent human history

All the brave explorers who took part in the conquest of the South Pole shared their frozen experiences with all of us They all challenged their own human limits

They all are considered our great heroeshellip

42

The endIf you wish you can express your own opinion what

you liked the most and the less what kind of tales you would like to read the next time orhellip just you can say

`HELLOacute

THANK YOU very much for sharing your great ideas with us

infoeditorialweeblecom

For instance the American expedition doctor Frederick Cook tells Amundsen how to feed the crew

- My captain the crew must eat meat of marine animals even fresh meat This is the only way we will prevent them from suffering scurvy

- Well I agree Mr Cook Command the crew to hunt all we can eat We will have to eat fresh meat as we cannot cook it here ndash the captain replies

One of the lessons Amundsen had learnt was that using animal skins rather than wool coats were much better to keep warm So he exclaims to the hunters

- Donacutet throw the seal skins out If we use them for coats we will protect from cold

11

When the harsh winter finished the spring came and the ice was melt in such a way the Belgica went out of the ice Mainly thanks to the advices given by Cook and Amundsen the entire crew had survived without much difficulty

Amundsen continued learning from his experiences throughout his voyages he would never forget all the lessons learnt in this cold voyage So he would take them on board to further improve his upcoming trips

12

CHAPTER 3

The Northwest Passage

Amundsen commanded his own polar expedition when he was 27 He pretended to find a new sea route from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through the islands of Canada

To achive that goal Amundsen raised enough money to buy a ship called Gjoa It was a small but a manageable ship to navigate on routes through the harsh Artic waters

14

GROENLANDIA

ICELAND

NORTH

POLE

CANADA

ALASKA

Northwest

passage

On 16 June 1903 with a crew of 6 our brave explorer sailed from Oslo around the south of Greenland through Baffin Bay and to reach northern Canada finally The expedition spent two cold winters there and during that time the crew survived by hunting and fishing

Then Amundsen met the native esquimos from Canada known as the Netsilik They were the ones who teached them how to protect themselves from the severe cold and how to pull sleds by dogs Also the crew learnt other survival techniques

Once more Amundsen continued learning and improving his polar exploration techniques

15

Finally after those harsh and freezing two years the Gjoa arrived safe and sound to the Alaskaacutes northwest coast Amundsen exclaims excited

- I am very happy Thank you for your great efforts I am very proud of you all

Once the expedition arrived Alaska Amundsen was eager to communicate to the world his expedition had been a real success

So he found out the nearest city where there was a telegraph was about 400 kms from there

Then our explorer almost without thinking decided to get there with nothing but his skis In those times as mobile phones and Internet did not exist people used the telegraph for communication

16

The message he sent to the world said as follows

ldquoThe Gjoa has reached Alaska The expedition has been a success Opened the Northwest Passage Signed by Roald Amundsenrdquo

Because of Amundsenacutes ability to navigate and survive this trip had been a great accomplishment Because of his courage and his never-ending energy he became the great explorer he had always dreamt ofhellip

As it happened with Nansenacutes expedition when Amundsenacutes expedition came back to Norway this one was treated as a hero

17

CHAPTER 4

Towards the North Pole

After the success of this last expedition Amundsen started to organize another one But this time his main aim was to be the first to reach the North Pole

For that he needed a different a strong ship Suddenly he thought the ship used by Nansen named `the Framacute was the best ship for this new adventure

Therefore Amundsen decided to visit to Nansen in order to borrow `the Framacute After listening carefully Amundsen proposal he believed it was a wonderful idea and agreed to borrow his ship

19

The Fram was a quite different ship because it was built for a particular task open water in rough sea and adverse meteorological conditions For that reason although it was a plain ship in shape it was also very wide The Fram was so wide that it could even carry provisions for six years

Before embarking on his adventure Amundsen looked up several sponsors to fund the expedition

20

While he was preparing his voyage he heard the explorers Cook and Robert Peary had already reached the North Pole as a result of two different expeditions

Clearly this news deeply disappointed Amundsen who thinks `I must change the aim of my journey as I cannot be the first to reach the North Poleacute Then he kept thinking and thinking hellip and finally he states - lsquoYes Iacuteve got it I will be the first to reach the South Poleacute

21

He was happy and excited but at the same time Amundsen was afraid because he had to communicate his new aim to Nansen and his sponsors He thought hellip - `Now it is probably they do not want to support my new plan Maybe they decide not to help me this timeacute

To avoid it he concludes by saying `I will keep in secret my new route And later when nobody can hold back from his decision I will tell them the real aim of my expeditionacute

22

Then Amundsen started choosing his crew among others he chose a doctor and a good cook Both of them were key jobs in such difficult voyages Of course Nilsen was chosen as the second in charge to the captain

As in his early trips he learnt that the best way to move across the ice was pulling sleds by dogs he also decided to recruit a dog expert

23

When everything was ready on August 1910 the expedition left Although everybody thought they went towards the North Pole hellip

They sailed through the deep blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean towards the island of Madeira which belongs to Portugal The first idea was to reach the North Pole from Alaska reason whereby the Fram had to surrounded America At Madeira Amundsen met up with the crew to communicate his new plan

-As you all know the Americans Frederik Cook and Robert Peary have already reached the North Pole So if we go forward with my plan we will no longer be the first hellip - the captain says

- Therefore I propose to you a new challenge which will allow us to be the first hellip - he goes on to say

After listening to Amundsenacutes words they were all astonished and impatient

24

At last Amundsen exclaims - We will be the first to reach the South Pole

The crew was delighted with the new proposal and everybody yells

-Yes captain we will be the first to reach the South Pole

- It is a wonderful idea We do not want to be the second

He had not to persuade them more There was no doubt that the entire crew had a blind faith in Amundsen The captain says

-Then we will do so Thank you for your support I will telegraph Norway and the rest of the world to inform about our new plan

The news of Amundsenacutes revised plan reached Norway early in October and Nansen was the first to know it Of course Nansen gave his blessing and warm approval Besides his country as well as his expedition sponsors also supported him

25

ANTARCTICA

MADEIRA

CHAPTER 5

The South Pole expedition

Nearly six months later and after a long hard voyage the Fram reached Antarctica on 14 January 1911

The expedition arrived at the eastern edge of the Ross Ice Shelf They established their base camp at a large inlet called the Bay of Whales

The camp was called `Framheimacute which means `home of the Framacute

27

At that time our brave explorer knew he was in race with the British explorer the captain Robert Scott to be the first to reach the South Pole

Fortunately thanks to they established Framheim at the Bay of Whales Amundsen and his crew already had a certain advantage to his competitor Amundsenacutes base camp was nearly 100 kms closer to the South Pole than Scottacutes base camp

28

ANTARCTICA

Amundsen

Base Camp

Scott

Base Camp

SOUTH POLE

80ordm S90ordm S

Ross Ice Shelf

ROSS SEA

The entire crew was aware that for them to succeed they had to be well-prepared among other things they must use skis and dog sleds for transportation Then Amundsen and his men decided to create 3 intermediate supply depots along the way to the Pole They created them during the months of February March and April

Besides they took advantage of the freezing winter to improve their expedition materials particularly the sledges Their purpose was to start their trip in September

29

Our brave explorer thought September was the perfect month mainly because spring came to Antarctica then and therefore the weather conditions were rather better

So when everything was ready for the voyage Amundsen chose 8 crewmen and they departed towards the South Pole

However contrary to what they believed the freezing temperatures were so extreme that dropped as low as minus 40ordmC there were strong winds with snow the blizzards and heavy fogs were so strong that visibility was extremely poorhellip

Therefore they had to quit their huge trek due to the adverse weather conditions Though they decided to leave the food supplies they did not need in the first intermediate camp

Meanwhile the expedition looked forward patiently in the base camp until the weather conditions improve

30

A second attempt took place in mid October with a team made up of 5 Bjaaland Hassel Wisting Hanssen and Amundsen

Everybody in the camp wished the new team all the best

This time they departed Framheim on 19 October They took four sledges and 52 dogs The sled dogs were led by a Samoyed named Etah Amundsen made sure that the dogs were well fed

Bjaaland the carpenter of the crew was the one who redesigned the sledges they would use by lowering their weight Later this lower weight was crucial in saving energy during the trip

31

Once again when everything was ready Amundsen ordered to trek

- Come on guys Towards the South Pole ndash Amundsen exclaims

- Yes towards the South Pole ndashthe team yells

It had been over a year since they left their country and finally the long awaited moment had arrivedhellip

32

- We will continue straight on towards the South Pole crossing the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf ndash Amundsen tells to his team

Fortunately this time the weather conditions did not worse so that they reached the first depot without any kind of setback

Also they reached the second depot without any problem and at the beginning of November they arrived at the third intermediate depot

Until then everything was going well Even the sledges pulled by dogs were progressing as scheduled

Sometimes the blistering cold and the frozen wind forced them to shelter in their tents So fighting against the extreme cold the expedition continued as planned

33

In mid November they arrived at the edge of the Trans-Antarctic mountains using a route along the previously unknown Axel Heiberg Glacier

Although the ascent to the mountains was not as hard as expected the intense cold remained being their first enemy hellip

At last after a four-day climb Wisting who was the first in the group shouts

- Captain the plateau

They had arrived at the Antarctic Plateau a large and flat area of central Antarctica

34

The expedition camped there and then hellip the harshest moment in the voyage came

Amundsen reminds his men - Hassel Hanssen as you already know we must slaughter some dogs

-Yes captain We know that is our foreseen plan ndash they answer while unsheathing their knives

So fulfilling their initial plan they had to slaughter 24 dogs The expedition team as well as the other 28 dogs were fed by them

The remaining meat and the bones were buried under the frozen snow with the aim of being eaten when they returned

Henceforth that place was called as `The Butcheracutes Shopacute

35

From there they started walking through the Antarctic Plateau

Unfortunately the weather tended to worsen a dense fog forced them to take refuge in the tent until it was cleared But hellip the days passed by and the fog continued and even grew The explorers were slowly becoming impatient

- Captain the fog does not disappear We cannot just stay here quietly and wait ndash Hanssen tells to Amundsen

- I know it We can hardly do otherwise We have to resist This endless fog will rise soon ndash Amundsen with conviction answers

Amundsen was also concerned about the situation but he wanted to avoid

bringing them any sadness Besides he was worried because they were taking more provisions than expected and it was an unbearably cold

36

The fog was risen after 9 long days From then they were able to continue their voyage towards the South Pole

On 7 December 1911 after a difficult journey they were very close to achieving their target

- Gentlemen I would inform you we are 150 kms from the South Pole So far no one has been so close Keep going donacutet give up ndash Amundsen encourages them

-My captain we are about to achieve it The dogs are behaving rather nicely and we are certainly on the right track ndash Bjaaland replies

This way despite all the difficulties the crew encouraged each other to move forward

However our brave polar explorers were less and less strengthhellip

37

At last they reached their destination on December 14 1911

-Amundsen we have achieved it we are in the South Pole ndash Wisting yells

-We are the first ndash Hassel welcomes

It was nearly two months since they had left the Framheim With a big smile on his face and with bright eyes Amundsen congratulates his team

-Gentlemen congratulations for the fine work you have done It has been a pleasure to reach the South Pole with all of you

-Hurray Amundsen ndash everybody yells almost without any strength left

On that historic day the team of five with their 16 dogs arrived at the South Pole at latitude 90ordm S There they planted the Norwegian flag

They also left a small tent and a letter stating their accomplishment in case they did not return safely to Framheim

38

Quickly they returned to the base camp following the same route They were so exhausted and so cold they may not stay there any longer

On the other hand Robert Scottacutes British expedition reached the South Pole 35 days after Amundsen But unfortunately they did not return home alive Some months later they were found frozen to death hellip

On the contrary all five of Amundsenacutes crew returned safely to Framheim but only 11 dogs made it back alive The journey to the South Pole and back had taken 99 days

So it was on 25 January 1912 when the team finally reached the base camp When they saw the expedition safe and sound everybody shouts for joy

- Congratulations captain

- We are the first Cheers for Norway Long live Amundsen

39

CHAPTER 6

Others expedition achivements

During the next years Amundsen continued making many explorations among others he sailed the Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through Russiaacutes northern coast Later on he joined an expedition aboard an airship and they flew over the North Pole

Amundsen died in a plane crash during a rescue attempt on 18 June 1928 He was trying to rescue some of the crew of an expedition which had lost The hydroplane wherein he flew crashed in the deep Bareints sea in northern Norway and Russia His body was never found hellip

41

This story is considered as one of the greatest historical epics in recent human history

All the brave explorers who took part in the conquest of the South Pole shared their frozen experiences with all of us They all challenged their own human limits

They all are considered our great heroeshellip

42

The endIf you wish you can express your own opinion what

you liked the most and the less what kind of tales you would like to read the next time orhellip just you can say

`HELLOacute

THANK YOU very much for sharing your great ideas with us

infoeditorialweeblecom

When the harsh winter finished the spring came and the ice was melt in such a way the Belgica went out of the ice Mainly thanks to the advices given by Cook and Amundsen the entire crew had survived without much difficulty

Amundsen continued learning from his experiences throughout his voyages he would never forget all the lessons learnt in this cold voyage So he would take them on board to further improve his upcoming trips

12

CHAPTER 3

The Northwest Passage

Amundsen commanded his own polar expedition when he was 27 He pretended to find a new sea route from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through the islands of Canada

To achive that goal Amundsen raised enough money to buy a ship called Gjoa It was a small but a manageable ship to navigate on routes through the harsh Artic waters

14

GROENLANDIA

ICELAND

NORTH

POLE

CANADA

ALASKA

Northwest

passage

On 16 June 1903 with a crew of 6 our brave explorer sailed from Oslo around the south of Greenland through Baffin Bay and to reach northern Canada finally The expedition spent two cold winters there and during that time the crew survived by hunting and fishing

Then Amundsen met the native esquimos from Canada known as the Netsilik They were the ones who teached them how to protect themselves from the severe cold and how to pull sleds by dogs Also the crew learnt other survival techniques

Once more Amundsen continued learning and improving his polar exploration techniques

15

Finally after those harsh and freezing two years the Gjoa arrived safe and sound to the Alaskaacutes northwest coast Amundsen exclaims excited

- I am very happy Thank you for your great efforts I am very proud of you all

Once the expedition arrived Alaska Amundsen was eager to communicate to the world his expedition had been a real success

So he found out the nearest city where there was a telegraph was about 400 kms from there

Then our explorer almost without thinking decided to get there with nothing but his skis In those times as mobile phones and Internet did not exist people used the telegraph for communication

16

The message he sent to the world said as follows

ldquoThe Gjoa has reached Alaska The expedition has been a success Opened the Northwest Passage Signed by Roald Amundsenrdquo

Because of Amundsenacutes ability to navigate and survive this trip had been a great accomplishment Because of his courage and his never-ending energy he became the great explorer he had always dreamt ofhellip

As it happened with Nansenacutes expedition when Amundsenacutes expedition came back to Norway this one was treated as a hero

17

CHAPTER 4

Towards the North Pole

After the success of this last expedition Amundsen started to organize another one But this time his main aim was to be the first to reach the North Pole

For that he needed a different a strong ship Suddenly he thought the ship used by Nansen named `the Framacute was the best ship for this new adventure

Therefore Amundsen decided to visit to Nansen in order to borrow `the Framacute After listening carefully Amundsen proposal he believed it was a wonderful idea and agreed to borrow his ship

19

The Fram was a quite different ship because it was built for a particular task open water in rough sea and adverse meteorological conditions For that reason although it was a plain ship in shape it was also very wide The Fram was so wide that it could even carry provisions for six years

Before embarking on his adventure Amundsen looked up several sponsors to fund the expedition

20

While he was preparing his voyage he heard the explorers Cook and Robert Peary had already reached the North Pole as a result of two different expeditions

Clearly this news deeply disappointed Amundsen who thinks `I must change the aim of my journey as I cannot be the first to reach the North Poleacute Then he kept thinking and thinking hellip and finally he states - lsquoYes Iacuteve got it I will be the first to reach the South Poleacute

21

He was happy and excited but at the same time Amundsen was afraid because he had to communicate his new aim to Nansen and his sponsors He thought hellip - `Now it is probably they do not want to support my new plan Maybe they decide not to help me this timeacute

To avoid it he concludes by saying `I will keep in secret my new route And later when nobody can hold back from his decision I will tell them the real aim of my expeditionacute

22

Then Amundsen started choosing his crew among others he chose a doctor and a good cook Both of them were key jobs in such difficult voyages Of course Nilsen was chosen as the second in charge to the captain

As in his early trips he learnt that the best way to move across the ice was pulling sleds by dogs he also decided to recruit a dog expert

23

When everything was ready on August 1910 the expedition left Although everybody thought they went towards the North Pole hellip

They sailed through the deep blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean towards the island of Madeira which belongs to Portugal The first idea was to reach the North Pole from Alaska reason whereby the Fram had to surrounded America At Madeira Amundsen met up with the crew to communicate his new plan

-As you all know the Americans Frederik Cook and Robert Peary have already reached the North Pole So if we go forward with my plan we will no longer be the first hellip - the captain says

- Therefore I propose to you a new challenge which will allow us to be the first hellip - he goes on to say

After listening to Amundsenacutes words they were all astonished and impatient

24

At last Amundsen exclaims - We will be the first to reach the South Pole

The crew was delighted with the new proposal and everybody yells

-Yes captain we will be the first to reach the South Pole

- It is a wonderful idea We do not want to be the second

He had not to persuade them more There was no doubt that the entire crew had a blind faith in Amundsen The captain says

-Then we will do so Thank you for your support I will telegraph Norway and the rest of the world to inform about our new plan

The news of Amundsenacutes revised plan reached Norway early in October and Nansen was the first to know it Of course Nansen gave his blessing and warm approval Besides his country as well as his expedition sponsors also supported him

25

ANTARCTICA

MADEIRA

CHAPTER 5

The South Pole expedition

Nearly six months later and after a long hard voyage the Fram reached Antarctica on 14 January 1911

The expedition arrived at the eastern edge of the Ross Ice Shelf They established their base camp at a large inlet called the Bay of Whales

The camp was called `Framheimacute which means `home of the Framacute

27

At that time our brave explorer knew he was in race with the British explorer the captain Robert Scott to be the first to reach the South Pole

Fortunately thanks to they established Framheim at the Bay of Whales Amundsen and his crew already had a certain advantage to his competitor Amundsenacutes base camp was nearly 100 kms closer to the South Pole than Scottacutes base camp

28

ANTARCTICA

Amundsen

Base Camp

Scott

Base Camp

SOUTH POLE

80ordm S90ordm S

Ross Ice Shelf

ROSS SEA

The entire crew was aware that for them to succeed they had to be well-prepared among other things they must use skis and dog sleds for transportation Then Amundsen and his men decided to create 3 intermediate supply depots along the way to the Pole They created them during the months of February March and April

Besides they took advantage of the freezing winter to improve their expedition materials particularly the sledges Their purpose was to start their trip in September

29

Our brave explorer thought September was the perfect month mainly because spring came to Antarctica then and therefore the weather conditions were rather better

So when everything was ready for the voyage Amundsen chose 8 crewmen and they departed towards the South Pole

However contrary to what they believed the freezing temperatures were so extreme that dropped as low as minus 40ordmC there were strong winds with snow the blizzards and heavy fogs were so strong that visibility was extremely poorhellip

Therefore they had to quit their huge trek due to the adverse weather conditions Though they decided to leave the food supplies they did not need in the first intermediate camp

Meanwhile the expedition looked forward patiently in the base camp until the weather conditions improve

30

A second attempt took place in mid October with a team made up of 5 Bjaaland Hassel Wisting Hanssen and Amundsen

Everybody in the camp wished the new team all the best

This time they departed Framheim on 19 October They took four sledges and 52 dogs The sled dogs were led by a Samoyed named Etah Amundsen made sure that the dogs were well fed

Bjaaland the carpenter of the crew was the one who redesigned the sledges they would use by lowering their weight Later this lower weight was crucial in saving energy during the trip

31

Once again when everything was ready Amundsen ordered to trek

- Come on guys Towards the South Pole ndash Amundsen exclaims

- Yes towards the South Pole ndashthe team yells

It had been over a year since they left their country and finally the long awaited moment had arrivedhellip

32

- We will continue straight on towards the South Pole crossing the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf ndash Amundsen tells to his team

Fortunately this time the weather conditions did not worse so that they reached the first depot without any kind of setback

Also they reached the second depot without any problem and at the beginning of November they arrived at the third intermediate depot

Until then everything was going well Even the sledges pulled by dogs were progressing as scheduled

Sometimes the blistering cold and the frozen wind forced them to shelter in their tents So fighting against the extreme cold the expedition continued as planned

33

In mid November they arrived at the edge of the Trans-Antarctic mountains using a route along the previously unknown Axel Heiberg Glacier

Although the ascent to the mountains was not as hard as expected the intense cold remained being their first enemy hellip

At last after a four-day climb Wisting who was the first in the group shouts

- Captain the plateau

They had arrived at the Antarctic Plateau a large and flat area of central Antarctica

34

The expedition camped there and then hellip the harshest moment in the voyage came

Amundsen reminds his men - Hassel Hanssen as you already know we must slaughter some dogs

-Yes captain We know that is our foreseen plan ndash they answer while unsheathing their knives

So fulfilling their initial plan they had to slaughter 24 dogs The expedition team as well as the other 28 dogs were fed by them

The remaining meat and the bones were buried under the frozen snow with the aim of being eaten when they returned

Henceforth that place was called as `The Butcheracutes Shopacute

35

From there they started walking through the Antarctic Plateau

Unfortunately the weather tended to worsen a dense fog forced them to take refuge in the tent until it was cleared But hellip the days passed by and the fog continued and even grew The explorers were slowly becoming impatient

- Captain the fog does not disappear We cannot just stay here quietly and wait ndash Hanssen tells to Amundsen

- I know it We can hardly do otherwise We have to resist This endless fog will rise soon ndash Amundsen with conviction answers

Amundsen was also concerned about the situation but he wanted to avoid

bringing them any sadness Besides he was worried because they were taking more provisions than expected and it was an unbearably cold

36

The fog was risen after 9 long days From then they were able to continue their voyage towards the South Pole

On 7 December 1911 after a difficult journey they were very close to achieving their target

- Gentlemen I would inform you we are 150 kms from the South Pole So far no one has been so close Keep going donacutet give up ndash Amundsen encourages them

-My captain we are about to achieve it The dogs are behaving rather nicely and we are certainly on the right track ndash Bjaaland replies

This way despite all the difficulties the crew encouraged each other to move forward

However our brave polar explorers were less and less strengthhellip

37

At last they reached their destination on December 14 1911

-Amundsen we have achieved it we are in the South Pole ndash Wisting yells

-We are the first ndash Hassel welcomes

It was nearly two months since they had left the Framheim With a big smile on his face and with bright eyes Amundsen congratulates his team

-Gentlemen congratulations for the fine work you have done It has been a pleasure to reach the South Pole with all of you

-Hurray Amundsen ndash everybody yells almost without any strength left

On that historic day the team of five with their 16 dogs arrived at the South Pole at latitude 90ordm S There they planted the Norwegian flag

They also left a small tent and a letter stating their accomplishment in case they did not return safely to Framheim

38

Quickly they returned to the base camp following the same route They were so exhausted and so cold they may not stay there any longer

On the other hand Robert Scottacutes British expedition reached the South Pole 35 days after Amundsen But unfortunately they did not return home alive Some months later they were found frozen to death hellip

On the contrary all five of Amundsenacutes crew returned safely to Framheim but only 11 dogs made it back alive The journey to the South Pole and back had taken 99 days

So it was on 25 January 1912 when the team finally reached the base camp When they saw the expedition safe and sound everybody shouts for joy

- Congratulations captain

- We are the first Cheers for Norway Long live Amundsen

39

CHAPTER 6

Others expedition achivements

During the next years Amundsen continued making many explorations among others he sailed the Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through Russiaacutes northern coast Later on he joined an expedition aboard an airship and they flew over the North Pole

Amundsen died in a plane crash during a rescue attempt on 18 June 1928 He was trying to rescue some of the crew of an expedition which had lost The hydroplane wherein he flew crashed in the deep Bareints sea in northern Norway and Russia His body was never found hellip

41

This story is considered as one of the greatest historical epics in recent human history

All the brave explorers who took part in the conquest of the South Pole shared their frozen experiences with all of us They all challenged their own human limits

They all are considered our great heroeshellip

42

The endIf you wish you can express your own opinion what

you liked the most and the less what kind of tales you would like to read the next time orhellip just you can say

`HELLOacute

THANK YOU very much for sharing your great ideas with us

infoeditorialweeblecom

CHAPTER 3

The Northwest Passage

Amundsen commanded his own polar expedition when he was 27 He pretended to find a new sea route from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through the islands of Canada

To achive that goal Amundsen raised enough money to buy a ship called Gjoa It was a small but a manageable ship to navigate on routes through the harsh Artic waters

14

GROENLANDIA

ICELAND

NORTH

POLE

CANADA

ALASKA

Northwest

passage

On 16 June 1903 with a crew of 6 our brave explorer sailed from Oslo around the south of Greenland through Baffin Bay and to reach northern Canada finally The expedition spent two cold winters there and during that time the crew survived by hunting and fishing

Then Amundsen met the native esquimos from Canada known as the Netsilik They were the ones who teached them how to protect themselves from the severe cold and how to pull sleds by dogs Also the crew learnt other survival techniques

Once more Amundsen continued learning and improving his polar exploration techniques

15

Finally after those harsh and freezing two years the Gjoa arrived safe and sound to the Alaskaacutes northwest coast Amundsen exclaims excited

- I am very happy Thank you for your great efforts I am very proud of you all

Once the expedition arrived Alaska Amundsen was eager to communicate to the world his expedition had been a real success

So he found out the nearest city where there was a telegraph was about 400 kms from there

Then our explorer almost without thinking decided to get there with nothing but his skis In those times as mobile phones and Internet did not exist people used the telegraph for communication

16

The message he sent to the world said as follows

ldquoThe Gjoa has reached Alaska The expedition has been a success Opened the Northwest Passage Signed by Roald Amundsenrdquo

Because of Amundsenacutes ability to navigate and survive this trip had been a great accomplishment Because of his courage and his never-ending energy he became the great explorer he had always dreamt ofhellip

As it happened with Nansenacutes expedition when Amundsenacutes expedition came back to Norway this one was treated as a hero

17

CHAPTER 4

Towards the North Pole

After the success of this last expedition Amundsen started to organize another one But this time his main aim was to be the first to reach the North Pole

For that he needed a different a strong ship Suddenly he thought the ship used by Nansen named `the Framacute was the best ship for this new adventure

Therefore Amundsen decided to visit to Nansen in order to borrow `the Framacute After listening carefully Amundsen proposal he believed it was a wonderful idea and agreed to borrow his ship

19

The Fram was a quite different ship because it was built for a particular task open water in rough sea and adverse meteorological conditions For that reason although it was a plain ship in shape it was also very wide The Fram was so wide that it could even carry provisions for six years

Before embarking on his adventure Amundsen looked up several sponsors to fund the expedition

20

While he was preparing his voyage he heard the explorers Cook and Robert Peary had already reached the North Pole as a result of two different expeditions

Clearly this news deeply disappointed Amundsen who thinks `I must change the aim of my journey as I cannot be the first to reach the North Poleacute Then he kept thinking and thinking hellip and finally he states - lsquoYes Iacuteve got it I will be the first to reach the South Poleacute

21

He was happy and excited but at the same time Amundsen was afraid because he had to communicate his new aim to Nansen and his sponsors He thought hellip - `Now it is probably they do not want to support my new plan Maybe they decide not to help me this timeacute

To avoid it he concludes by saying `I will keep in secret my new route And later when nobody can hold back from his decision I will tell them the real aim of my expeditionacute

22

Then Amundsen started choosing his crew among others he chose a doctor and a good cook Both of them were key jobs in such difficult voyages Of course Nilsen was chosen as the second in charge to the captain

As in his early trips he learnt that the best way to move across the ice was pulling sleds by dogs he also decided to recruit a dog expert

23

When everything was ready on August 1910 the expedition left Although everybody thought they went towards the North Pole hellip

They sailed through the deep blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean towards the island of Madeira which belongs to Portugal The first idea was to reach the North Pole from Alaska reason whereby the Fram had to surrounded America At Madeira Amundsen met up with the crew to communicate his new plan

-As you all know the Americans Frederik Cook and Robert Peary have already reached the North Pole So if we go forward with my plan we will no longer be the first hellip - the captain says

- Therefore I propose to you a new challenge which will allow us to be the first hellip - he goes on to say

After listening to Amundsenacutes words they were all astonished and impatient

24

At last Amundsen exclaims - We will be the first to reach the South Pole

The crew was delighted with the new proposal and everybody yells

-Yes captain we will be the first to reach the South Pole

- It is a wonderful idea We do not want to be the second

He had not to persuade them more There was no doubt that the entire crew had a blind faith in Amundsen The captain says

-Then we will do so Thank you for your support I will telegraph Norway and the rest of the world to inform about our new plan

The news of Amundsenacutes revised plan reached Norway early in October and Nansen was the first to know it Of course Nansen gave his blessing and warm approval Besides his country as well as his expedition sponsors also supported him

25

ANTARCTICA

MADEIRA

CHAPTER 5

The South Pole expedition

Nearly six months later and after a long hard voyage the Fram reached Antarctica on 14 January 1911

The expedition arrived at the eastern edge of the Ross Ice Shelf They established their base camp at a large inlet called the Bay of Whales

The camp was called `Framheimacute which means `home of the Framacute

27

At that time our brave explorer knew he was in race with the British explorer the captain Robert Scott to be the first to reach the South Pole

Fortunately thanks to they established Framheim at the Bay of Whales Amundsen and his crew already had a certain advantage to his competitor Amundsenacutes base camp was nearly 100 kms closer to the South Pole than Scottacutes base camp

28

ANTARCTICA

Amundsen

Base Camp

Scott

Base Camp

SOUTH POLE

80ordm S90ordm S

Ross Ice Shelf

ROSS SEA

The entire crew was aware that for them to succeed they had to be well-prepared among other things they must use skis and dog sleds for transportation Then Amundsen and his men decided to create 3 intermediate supply depots along the way to the Pole They created them during the months of February March and April

Besides they took advantage of the freezing winter to improve their expedition materials particularly the sledges Their purpose was to start their trip in September

29

Our brave explorer thought September was the perfect month mainly because spring came to Antarctica then and therefore the weather conditions were rather better

So when everything was ready for the voyage Amundsen chose 8 crewmen and they departed towards the South Pole

However contrary to what they believed the freezing temperatures were so extreme that dropped as low as minus 40ordmC there were strong winds with snow the blizzards and heavy fogs were so strong that visibility was extremely poorhellip

Therefore they had to quit their huge trek due to the adverse weather conditions Though they decided to leave the food supplies they did not need in the first intermediate camp

Meanwhile the expedition looked forward patiently in the base camp until the weather conditions improve

30

A second attempt took place in mid October with a team made up of 5 Bjaaland Hassel Wisting Hanssen and Amundsen

Everybody in the camp wished the new team all the best

This time they departed Framheim on 19 October They took four sledges and 52 dogs The sled dogs were led by a Samoyed named Etah Amundsen made sure that the dogs were well fed

Bjaaland the carpenter of the crew was the one who redesigned the sledges they would use by lowering their weight Later this lower weight was crucial in saving energy during the trip

31

Once again when everything was ready Amundsen ordered to trek

- Come on guys Towards the South Pole ndash Amundsen exclaims

- Yes towards the South Pole ndashthe team yells

It had been over a year since they left their country and finally the long awaited moment had arrivedhellip

32

- We will continue straight on towards the South Pole crossing the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf ndash Amundsen tells to his team

Fortunately this time the weather conditions did not worse so that they reached the first depot without any kind of setback

Also they reached the second depot without any problem and at the beginning of November they arrived at the third intermediate depot

Until then everything was going well Even the sledges pulled by dogs were progressing as scheduled

Sometimes the blistering cold and the frozen wind forced them to shelter in their tents So fighting against the extreme cold the expedition continued as planned

33

In mid November they arrived at the edge of the Trans-Antarctic mountains using a route along the previously unknown Axel Heiberg Glacier

Although the ascent to the mountains was not as hard as expected the intense cold remained being their first enemy hellip

At last after a four-day climb Wisting who was the first in the group shouts

- Captain the plateau

They had arrived at the Antarctic Plateau a large and flat area of central Antarctica

34

The expedition camped there and then hellip the harshest moment in the voyage came

Amundsen reminds his men - Hassel Hanssen as you already know we must slaughter some dogs

-Yes captain We know that is our foreseen plan ndash they answer while unsheathing their knives

So fulfilling their initial plan they had to slaughter 24 dogs The expedition team as well as the other 28 dogs were fed by them

The remaining meat and the bones were buried under the frozen snow with the aim of being eaten when they returned

Henceforth that place was called as `The Butcheracutes Shopacute

35

From there they started walking through the Antarctic Plateau

Unfortunately the weather tended to worsen a dense fog forced them to take refuge in the tent until it was cleared But hellip the days passed by and the fog continued and even grew The explorers were slowly becoming impatient

- Captain the fog does not disappear We cannot just stay here quietly and wait ndash Hanssen tells to Amundsen

- I know it We can hardly do otherwise We have to resist This endless fog will rise soon ndash Amundsen with conviction answers

Amundsen was also concerned about the situation but he wanted to avoid

bringing them any sadness Besides he was worried because they were taking more provisions than expected and it was an unbearably cold

36

The fog was risen after 9 long days From then they were able to continue their voyage towards the South Pole

On 7 December 1911 after a difficult journey they were very close to achieving their target

- Gentlemen I would inform you we are 150 kms from the South Pole So far no one has been so close Keep going donacutet give up ndash Amundsen encourages them

-My captain we are about to achieve it The dogs are behaving rather nicely and we are certainly on the right track ndash Bjaaland replies

This way despite all the difficulties the crew encouraged each other to move forward

However our brave polar explorers were less and less strengthhellip

37

At last they reached their destination on December 14 1911

-Amundsen we have achieved it we are in the South Pole ndash Wisting yells

-We are the first ndash Hassel welcomes

It was nearly two months since they had left the Framheim With a big smile on his face and with bright eyes Amundsen congratulates his team

-Gentlemen congratulations for the fine work you have done It has been a pleasure to reach the South Pole with all of you

-Hurray Amundsen ndash everybody yells almost without any strength left

On that historic day the team of five with their 16 dogs arrived at the South Pole at latitude 90ordm S There they planted the Norwegian flag

They also left a small tent and a letter stating their accomplishment in case they did not return safely to Framheim

38

Quickly they returned to the base camp following the same route They were so exhausted and so cold they may not stay there any longer

On the other hand Robert Scottacutes British expedition reached the South Pole 35 days after Amundsen But unfortunately they did not return home alive Some months later they were found frozen to death hellip

On the contrary all five of Amundsenacutes crew returned safely to Framheim but only 11 dogs made it back alive The journey to the South Pole and back had taken 99 days

So it was on 25 January 1912 when the team finally reached the base camp When they saw the expedition safe and sound everybody shouts for joy

- Congratulations captain

- We are the first Cheers for Norway Long live Amundsen

39

CHAPTER 6

Others expedition achivements

During the next years Amundsen continued making many explorations among others he sailed the Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through Russiaacutes northern coast Later on he joined an expedition aboard an airship and they flew over the North Pole

Amundsen died in a plane crash during a rescue attempt on 18 June 1928 He was trying to rescue some of the crew of an expedition which had lost The hydroplane wherein he flew crashed in the deep Bareints sea in northern Norway and Russia His body was never found hellip

41

This story is considered as one of the greatest historical epics in recent human history

All the brave explorers who took part in the conquest of the South Pole shared their frozen experiences with all of us They all challenged their own human limits

They all are considered our great heroeshellip

42

The endIf you wish you can express your own opinion what

you liked the most and the less what kind of tales you would like to read the next time orhellip just you can say

`HELLOacute

THANK YOU very much for sharing your great ideas with us

infoeditorialweeblecom

Amundsen commanded his own polar expedition when he was 27 He pretended to find a new sea route from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through the islands of Canada

To achive that goal Amundsen raised enough money to buy a ship called Gjoa It was a small but a manageable ship to navigate on routes through the harsh Artic waters

14

GROENLANDIA

ICELAND

NORTH

POLE

CANADA

ALASKA

Northwest

passage

On 16 June 1903 with a crew of 6 our brave explorer sailed from Oslo around the south of Greenland through Baffin Bay and to reach northern Canada finally The expedition spent two cold winters there and during that time the crew survived by hunting and fishing

Then Amundsen met the native esquimos from Canada known as the Netsilik They were the ones who teached them how to protect themselves from the severe cold and how to pull sleds by dogs Also the crew learnt other survival techniques

Once more Amundsen continued learning and improving his polar exploration techniques

15

Finally after those harsh and freezing two years the Gjoa arrived safe and sound to the Alaskaacutes northwest coast Amundsen exclaims excited

- I am very happy Thank you for your great efforts I am very proud of you all

Once the expedition arrived Alaska Amundsen was eager to communicate to the world his expedition had been a real success

So he found out the nearest city where there was a telegraph was about 400 kms from there

Then our explorer almost without thinking decided to get there with nothing but his skis In those times as mobile phones and Internet did not exist people used the telegraph for communication

16

The message he sent to the world said as follows

ldquoThe Gjoa has reached Alaska The expedition has been a success Opened the Northwest Passage Signed by Roald Amundsenrdquo

Because of Amundsenacutes ability to navigate and survive this trip had been a great accomplishment Because of his courage and his never-ending energy he became the great explorer he had always dreamt ofhellip

As it happened with Nansenacutes expedition when Amundsenacutes expedition came back to Norway this one was treated as a hero

17

CHAPTER 4

Towards the North Pole

After the success of this last expedition Amundsen started to organize another one But this time his main aim was to be the first to reach the North Pole

For that he needed a different a strong ship Suddenly he thought the ship used by Nansen named `the Framacute was the best ship for this new adventure

Therefore Amundsen decided to visit to Nansen in order to borrow `the Framacute After listening carefully Amundsen proposal he believed it was a wonderful idea and agreed to borrow his ship

19

The Fram was a quite different ship because it was built for a particular task open water in rough sea and adverse meteorological conditions For that reason although it was a plain ship in shape it was also very wide The Fram was so wide that it could even carry provisions for six years

Before embarking on his adventure Amundsen looked up several sponsors to fund the expedition

20

While he was preparing his voyage he heard the explorers Cook and Robert Peary had already reached the North Pole as a result of two different expeditions

Clearly this news deeply disappointed Amundsen who thinks `I must change the aim of my journey as I cannot be the first to reach the North Poleacute Then he kept thinking and thinking hellip and finally he states - lsquoYes Iacuteve got it I will be the first to reach the South Poleacute

21

He was happy and excited but at the same time Amundsen was afraid because he had to communicate his new aim to Nansen and his sponsors He thought hellip - `Now it is probably they do not want to support my new plan Maybe they decide not to help me this timeacute

To avoid it he concludes by saying `I will keep in secret my new route And later when nobody can hold back from his decision I will tell them the real aim of my expeditionacute

22

Then Amundsen started choosing his crew among others he chose a doctor and a good cook Both of them were key jobs in such difficult voyages Of course Nilsen was chosen as the second in charge to the captain

As in his early trips he learnt that the best way to move across the ice was pulling sleds by dogs he also decided to recruit a dog expert

23

When everything was ready on August 1910 the expedition left Although everybody thought they went towards the North Pole hellip

They sailed through the deep blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean towards the island of Madeira which belongs to Portugal The first idea was to reach the North Pole from Alaska reason whereby the Fram had to surrounded America At Madeira Amundsen met up with the crew to communicate his new plan

-As you all know the Americans Frederik Cook and Robert Peary have already reached the North Pole So if we go forward with my plan we will no longer be the first hellip - the captain says

- Therefore I propose to you a new challenge which will allow us to be the first hellip - he goes on to say

After listening to Amundsenacutes words they were all astonished and impatient

24

At last Amundsen exclaims - We will be the first to reach the South Pole

The crew was delighted with the new proposal and everybody yells

-Yes captain we will be the first to reach the South Pole

- It is a wonderful idea We do not want to be the second

He had not to persuade them more There was no doubt that the entire crew had a blind faith in Amundsen The captain says

-Then we will do so Thank you for your support I will telegraph Norway and the rest of the world to inform about our new plan

The news of Amundsenacutes revised plan reached Norway early in October and Nansen was the first to know it Of course Nansen gave his blessing and warm approval Besides his country as well as his expedition sponsors also supported him

25

ANTARCTICA

MADEIRA

CHAPTER 5

The South Pole expedition

Nearly six months later and after a long hard voyage the Fram reached Antarctica on 14 January 1911

The expedition arrived at the eastern edge of the Ross Ice Shelf They established their base camp at a large inlet called the Bay of Whales

The camp was called `Framheimacute which means `home of the Framacute

27

At that time our brave explorer knew he was in race with the British explorer the captain Robert Scott to be the first to reach the South Pole

Fortunately thanks to they established Framheim at the Bay of Whales Amundsen and his crew already had a certain advantage to his competitor Amundsenacutes base camp was nearly 100 kms closer to the South Pole than Scottacutes base camp

28

ANTARCTICA

Amundsen

Base Camp

Scott

Base Camp

SOUTH POLE

80ordm S90ordm S

Ross Ice Shelf

ROSS SEA

The entire crew was aware that for them to succeed they had to be well-prepared among other things they must use skis and dog sleds for transportation Then Amundsen and his men decided to create 3 intermediate supply depots along the way to the Pole They created them during the months of February March and April

Besides they took advantage of the freezing winter to improve their expedition materials particularly the sledges Their purpose was to start their trip in September

29

Our brave explorer thought September was the perfect month mainly because spring came to Antarctica then and therefore the weather conditions were rather better

So when everything was ready for the voyage Amundsen chose 8 crewmen and they departed towards the South Pole

However contrary to what they believed the freezing temperatures were so extreme that dropped as low as minus 40ordmC there were strong winds with snow the blizzards and heavy fogs were so strong that visibility was extremely poorhellip

Therefore they had to quit their huge trek due to the adverse weather conditions Though they decided to leave the food supplies they did not need in the first intermediate camp

Meanwhile the expedition looked forward patiently in the base camp until the weather conditions improve

30

A second attempt took place in mid October with a team made up of 5 Bjaaland Hassel Wisting Hanssen and Amundsen

Everybody in the camp wished the new team all the best

This time they departed Framheim on 19 October They took four sledges and 52 dogs The sled dogs were led by a Samoyed named Etah Amundsen made sure that the dogs were well fed

Bjaaland the carpenter of the crew was the one who redesigned the sledges they would use by lowering their weight Later this lower weight was crucial in saving energy during the trip

31

Once again when everything was ready Amundsen ordered to trek

- Come on guys Towards the South Pole ndash Amundsen exclaims

- Yes towards the South Pole ndashthe team yells

It had been over a year since they left their country and finally the long awaited moment had arrivedhellip

32

- We will continue straight on towards the South Pole crossing the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf ndash Amundsen tells to his team

Fortunately this time the weather conditions did not worse so that they reached the first depot without any kind of setback

Also they reached the second depot without any problem and at the beginning of November they arrived at the third intermediate depot

Until then everything was going well Even the sledges pulled by dogs were progressing as scheduled

Sometimes the blistering cold and the frozen wind forced them to shelter in their tents So fighting against the extreme cold the expedition continued as planned

33

In mid November they arrived at the edge of the Trans-Antarctic mountains using a route along the previously unknown Axel Heiberg Glacier

Although the ascent to the mountains was not as hard as expected the intense cold remained being their first enemy hellip

At last after a four-day climb Wisting who was the first in the group shouts

- Captain the plateau

They had arrived at the Antarctic Plateau a large and flat area of central Antarctica

34

The expedition camped there and then hellip the harshest moment in the voyage came

Amundsen reminds his men - Hassel Hanssen as you already know we must slaughter some dogs

-Yes captain We know that is our foreseen plan ndash they answer while unsheathing their knives

So fulfilling their initial plan they had to slaughter 24 dogs The expedition team as well as the other 28 dogs were fed by them

The remaining meat and the bones were buried under the frozen snow with the aim of being eaten when they returned

Henceforth that place was called as `The Butcheracutes Shopacute

35

From there they started walking through the Antarctic Plateau

Unfortunately the weather tended to worsen a dense fog forced them to take refuge in the tent until it was cleared But hellip the days passed by and the fog continued and even grew The explorers were slowly becoming impatient

- Captain the fog does not disappear We cannot just stay here quietly and wait ndash Hanssen tells to Amundsen

- I know it We can hardly do otherwise We have to resist This endless fog will rise soon ndash Amundsen with conviction answers

Amundsen was also concerned about the situation but he wanted to avoid

bringing them any sadness Besides he was worried because they were taking more provisions than expected and it was an unbearably cold

36

The fog was risen after 9 long days From then they were able to continue their voyage towards the South Pole

On 7 December 1911 after a difficult journey they were very close to achieving their target

- Gentlemen I would inform you we are 150 kms from the South Pole So far no one has been so close Keep going donacutet give up ndash Amundsen encourages them

-My captain we are about to achieve it The dogs are behaving rather nicely and we are certainly on the right track ndash Bjaaland replies

This way despite all the difficulties the crew encouraged each other to move forward

However our brave polar explorers were less and less strengthhellip

37

At last they reached their destination on December 14 1911

-Amundsen we have achieved it we are in the South Pole ndash Wisting yells

-We are the first ndash Hassel welcomes

It was nearly two months since they had left the Framheim With a big smile on his face and with bright eyes Amundsen congratulates his team

-Gentlemen congratulations for the fine work you have done It has been a pleasure to reach the South Pole with all of you

-Hurray Amundsen ndash everybody yells almost without any strength left

On that historic day the team of five with their 16 dogs arrived at the South Pole at latitude 90ordm S There they planted the Norwegian flag

They also left a small tent and a letter stating their accomplishment in case they did not return safely to Framheim

38

Quickly they returned to the base camp following the same route They were so exhausted and so cold they may not stay there any longer

On the other hand Robert Scottacutes British expedition reached the South Pole 35 days after Amundsen But unfortunately they did not return home alive Some months later they were found frozen to death hellip

On the contrary all five of Amundsenacutes crew returned safely to Framheim but only 11 dogs made it back alive The journey to the South Pole and back had taken 99 days

So it was on 25 January 1912 when the team finally reached the base camp When they saw the expedition safe and sound everybody shouts for joy

- Congratulations captain

- We are the first Cheers for Norway Long live Amundsen

39

CHAPTER 6

Others expedition achivements

During the next years Amundsen continued making many explorations among others he sailed the Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through Russiaacutes northern coast Later on he joined an expedition aboard an airship and they flew over the North Pole

Amundsen died in a plane crash during a rescue attempt on 18 June 1928 He was trying to rescue some of the crew of an expedition which had lost The hydroplane wherein he flew crashed in the deep Bareints sea in northern Norway and Russia His body was never found hellip

41

This story is considered as one of the greatest historical epics in recent human history

All the brave explorers who took part in the conquest of the South Pole shared their frozen experiences with all of us They all challenged their own human limits

They all are considered our great heroeshellip

42

The endIf you wish you can express your own opinion what

you liked the most and the less what kind of tales you would like to read the next time orhellip just you can say

`HELLOacute

THANK YOU very much for sharing your great ideas with us

infoeditorialweeblecom

On 16 June 1903 with a crew of 6 our brave explorer sailed from Oslo around the south of Greenland through Baffin Bay and to reach northern Canada finally The expedition spent two cold winters there and during that time the crew survived by hunting and fishing

Then Amundsen met the native esquimos from Canada known as the Netsilik They were the ones who teached them how to protect themselves from the severe cold and how to pull sleds by dogs Also the crew learnt other survival techniques

Once more Amundsen continued learning and improving his polar exploration techniques

15

Finally after those harsh and freezing two years the Gjoa arrived safe and sound to the Alaskaacutes northwest coast Amundsen exclaims excited

- I am very happy Thank you for your great efforts I am very proud of you all

Once the expedition arrived Alaska Amundsen was eager to communicate to the world his expedition had been a real success

So he found out the nearest city where there was a telegraph was about 400 kms from there

Then our explorer almost without thinking decided to get there with nothing but his skis In those times as mobile phones and Internet did not exist people used the telegraph for communication

16

The message he sent to the world said as follows

ldquoThe Gjoa has reached Alaska The expedition has been a success Opened the Northwest Passage Signed by Roald Amundsenrdquo

Because of Amundsenacutes ability to navigate and survive this trip had been a great accomplishment Because of his courage and his never-ending energy he became the great explorer he had always dreamt ofhellip

As it happened with Nansenacutes expedition when Amundsenacutes expedition came back to Norway this one was treated as a hero

17

CHAPTER 4

Towards the North Pole

After the success of this last expedition Amundsen started to organize another one But this time his main aim was to be the first to reach the North Pole

For that he needed a different a strong ship Suddenly he thought the ship used by Nansen named `the Framacute was the best ship for this new adventure

Therefore Amundsen decided to visit to Nansen in order to borrow `the Framacute After listening carefully Amundsen proposal he believed it was a wonderful idea and agreed to borrow his ship

19

The Fram was a quite different ship because it was built for a particular task open water in rough sea and adverse meteorological conditions For that reason although it was a plain ship in shape it was also very wide The Fram was so wide that it could even carry provisions for six years

Before embarking on his adventure Amundsen looked up several sponsors to fund the expedition

20

While he was preparing his voyage he heard the explorers Cook and Robert Peary had already reached the North Pole as a result of two different expeditions

Clearly this news deeply disappointed Amundsen who thinks `I must change the aim of my journey as I cannot be the first to reach the North Poleacute Then he kept thinking and thinking hellip and finally he states - lsquoYes Iacuteve got it I will be the first to reach the South Poleacute

21

He was happy and excited but at the same time Amundsen was afraid because he had to communicate his new aim to Nansen and his sponsors He thought hellip - `Now it is probably they do not want to support my new plan Maybe they decide not to help me this timeacute

To avoid it he concludes by saying `I will keep in secret my new route And later when nobody can hold back from his decision I will tell them the real aim of my expeditionacute

22

Then Amundsen started choosing his crew among others he chose a doctor and a good cook Both of them were key jobs in such difficult voyages Of course Nilsen was chosen as the second in charge to the captain

As in his early trips he learnt that the best way to move across the ice was pulling sleds by dogs he also decided to recruit a dog expert

23

When everything was ready on August 1910 the expedition left Although everybody thought they went towards the North Pole hellip

They sailed through the deep blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean towards the island of Madeira which belongs to Portugal The first idea was to reach the North Pole from Alaska reason whereby the Fram had to surrounded America At Madeira Amundsen met up with the crew to communicate his new plan

-As you all know the Americans Frederik Cook and Robert Peary have already reached the North Pole So if we go forward with my plan we will no longer be the first hellip - the captain says

- Therefore I propose to you a new challenge which will allow us to be the first hellip - he goes on to say

After listening to Amundsenacutes words they were all astonished and impatient

24

At last Amundsen exclaims - We will be the first to reach the South Pole

The crew was delighted with the new proposal and everybody yells

-Yes captain we will be the first to reach the South Pole

- It is a wonderful idea We do not want to be the second

He had not to persuade them more There was no doubt that the entire crew had a blind faith in Amundsen The captain says

-Then we will do so Thank you for your support I will telegraph Norway and the rest of the world to inform about our new plan

The news of Amundsenacutes revised plan reached Norway early in October and Nansen was the first to know it Of course Nansen gave his blessing and warm approval Besides his country as well as his expedition sponsors also supported him

25

ANTARCTICA

MADEIRA

CHAPTER 5

The South Pole expedition

Nearly six months later and after a long hard voyage the Fram reached Antarctica on 14 January 1911

The expedition arrived at the eastern edge of the Ross Ice Shelf They established their base camp at a large inlet called the Bay of Whales

The camp was called `Framheimacute which means `home of the Framacute

27

At that time our brave explorer knew he was in race with the British explorer the captain Robert Scott to be the first to reach the South Pole

Fortunately thanks to they established Framheim at the Bay of Whales Amundsen and his crew already had a certain advantage to his competitor Amundsenacutes base camp was nearly 100 kms closer to the South Pole than Scottacutes base camp

28

ANTARCTICA

Amundsen

Base Camp

Scott

Base Camp

SOUTH POLE

80ordm S90ordm S

Ross Ice Shelf

ROSS SEA

The entire crew was aware that for them to succeed they had to be well-prepared among other things they must use skis and dog sleds for transportation Then Amundsen and his men decided to create 3 intermediate supply depots along the way to the Pole They created them during the months of February March and April

Besides they took advantage of the freezing winter to improve their expedition materials particularly the sledges Their purpose was to start their trip in September

29

Our brave explorer thought September was the perfect month mainly because spring came to Antarctica then and therefore the weather conditions were rather better

So when everything was ready for the voyage Amundsen chose 8 crewmen and they departed towards the South Pole

However contrary to what they believed the freezing temperatures were so extreme that dropped as low as minus 40ordmC there were strong winds with snow the blizzards and heavy fogs were so strong that visibility was extremely poorhellip

Therefore they had to quit their huge trek due to the adverse weather conditions Though they decided to leave the food supplies they did not need in the first intermediate camp

Meanwhile the expedition looked forward patiently in the base camp until the weather conditions improve

30

A second attempt took place in mid October with a team made up of 5 Bjaaland Hassel Wisting Hanssen and Amundsen

Everybody in the camp wished the new team all the best

This time they departed Framheim on 19 October They took four sledges and 52 dogs The sled dogs were led by a Samoyed named Etah Amundsen made sure that the dogs were well fed

Bjaaland the carpenter of the crew was the one who redesigned the sledges they would use by lowering their weight Later this lower weight was crucial in saving energy during the trip

31

Once again when everything was ready Amundsen ordered to trek

- Come on guys Towards the South Pole ndash Amundsen exclaims

- Yes towards the South Pole ndashthe team yells

It had been over a year since they left their country and finally the long awaited moment had arrivedhellip

32

- We will continue straight on towards the South Pole crossing the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf ndash Amundsen tells to his team

Fortunately this time the weather conditions did not worse so that they reached the first depot without any kind of setback

Also they reached the second depot without any problem and at the beginning of November they arrived at the third intermediate depot

Until then everything was going well Even the sledges pulled by dogs were progressing as scheduled

Sometimes the blistering cold and the frozen wind forced them to shelter in their tents So fighting against the extreme cold the expedition continued as planned

33

In mid November they arrived at the edge of the Trans-Antarctic mountains using a route along the previously unknown Axel Heiberg Glacier

Although the ascent to the mountains was not as hard as expected the intense cold remained being their first enemy hellip

At last after a four-day climb Wisting who was the first in the group shouts

- Captain the plateau

They had arrived at the Antarctic Plateau a large and flat area of central Antarctica

34

The expedition camped there and then hellip the harshest moment in the voyage came

Amundsen reminds his men - Hassel Hanssen as you already know we must slaughter some dogs

-Yes captain We know that is our foreseen plan ndash they answer while unsheathing their knives

So fulfilling their initial plan they had to slaughter 24 dogs The expedition team as well as the other 28 dogs were fed by them

The remaining meat and the bones were buried under the frozen snow with the aim of being eaten when they returned

Henceforth that place was called as `The Butcheracutes Shopacute

35

From there they started walking through the Antarctic Plateau

Unfortunately the weather tended to worsen a dense fog forced them to take refuge in the tent until it was cleared But hellip the days passed by and the fog continued and even grew The explorers were slowly becoming impatient

- Captain the fog does not disappear We cannot just stay here quietly and wait ndash Hanssen tells to Amundsen

- I know it We can hardly do otherwise We have to resist This endless fog will rise soon ndash Amundsen with conviction answers

Amundsen was also concerned about the situation but he wanted to avoid

bringing them any sadness Besides he was worried because they were taking more provisions than expected and it was an unbearably cold

36

The fog was risen after 9 long days From then they were able to continue their voyage towards the South Pole

On 7 December 1911 after a difficult journey they were very close to achieving their target

- Gentlemen I would inform you we are 150 kms from the South Pole So far no one has been so close Keep going donacutet give up ndash Amundsen encourages them

-My captain we are about to achieve it The dogs are behaving rather nicely and we are certainly on the right track ndash Bjaaland replies

This way despite all the difficulties the crew encouraged each other to move forward

However our brave polar explorers were less and less strengthhellip

37

At last they reached their destination on December 14 1911

-Amundsen we have achieved it we are in the South Pole ndash Wisting yells

-We are the first ndash Hassel welcomes

It was nearly two months since they had left the Framheim With a big smile on his face and with bright eyes Amundsen congratulates his team

-Gentlemen congratulations for the fine work you have done It has been a pleasure to reach the South Pole with all of you

-Hurray Amundsen ndash everybody yells almost without any strength left

On that historic day the team of five with their 16 dogs arrived at the South Pole at latitude 90ordm S There they planted the Norwegian flag

They also left a small tent and a letter stating their accomplishment in case they did not return safely to Framheim

38

Quickly they returned to the base camp following the same route They were so exhausted and so cold they may not stay there any longer

On the other hand Robert Scottacutes British expedition reached the South Pole 35 days after Amundsen But unfortunately they did not return home alive Some months later they were found frozen to death hellip

On the contrary all five of Amundsenacutes crew returned safely to Framheim but only 11 dogs made it back alive The journey to the South Pole and back had taken 99 days

So it was on 25 January 1912 when the team finally reached the base camp When they saw the expedition safe and sound everybody shouts for joy

- Congratulations captain

- We are the first Cheers for Norway Long live Amundsen

39

CHAPTER 6

Others expedition achivements

During the next years Amundsen continued making many explorations among others he sailed the Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through Russiaacutes northern coast Later on he joined an expedition aboard an airship and they flew over the North Pole

Amundsen died in a plane crash during a rescue attempt on 18 June 1928 He was trying to rescue some of the crew of an expedition which had lost The hydroplane wherein he flew crashed in the deep Bareints sea in northern Norway and Russia His body was never found hellip

41

This story is considered as one of the greatest historical epics in recent human history

All the brave explorers who took part in the conquest of the South Pole shared their frozen experiences with all of us They all challenged their own human limits

They all are considered our great heroeshellip

42

The endIf you wish you can express your own opinion what

you liked the most and the less what kind of tales you would like to read the next time orhellip just you can say

`HELLOacute

THANK YOU very much for sharing your great ideas with us

infoeditorialweeblecom

Finally after those harsh and freezing two years the Gjoa arrived safe and sound to the Alaskaacutes northwest coast Amundsen exclaims excited

- I am very happy Thank you for your great efforts I am very proud of you all

Once the expedition arrived Alaska Amundsen was eager to communicate to the world his expedition had been a real success

So he found out the nearest city where there was a telegraph was about 400 kms from there

Then our explorer almost without thinking decided to get there with nothing but his skis In those times as mobile phones and Internet did not exist people used the telegraph for communication

16

The message he sent to the world said as follows

ldquoThe Gjoa has reached Alaska The expedition has been a success Opened the Northwest Passage Signed by Roald Amundsenrdquo

Because of Amundsenacutes ability to navigate and survive this trip had been a great accomplishment Because of his courage and his never-ending energy he became the great explorer he had always dreamt ofhellip

As it happened with Nansenacutes expedition when Amundsenacutes expedition came back to Norway this one was treated as a hero

17

CHAPTER 4

Towards the North Pole

After the success of this last expedition Amundsen started to organize another one But this time his main aim was to be the first to reach the North Pole

For that he needed a different a strong ship Suddenly he thought the ship used by Nansen named `the Framacute was the best ship for this new adventure

Therefore Amundsen decided to visit to Nansen in order to borrow `the Framacute After listening carefully Amundsen proposal he believed it was a wonderful idea and agreed to borrow his ship

19

The Fram was a quite different ship because it was built for a particular task open water in rough sea and adverse meteorological conditions For that reason although it was a plain ship in shape it was also very wide The Fram was so wide that it could even carry provisions for six years

Before embarking on his adventure Amundsen looked up several sponsors to fund the expedition

20

While he was preparing his voyage he heard the explorers Cook and Robert Peary had already reached the North Pole as a result of two different expeditions

Clearly this news deeply disappointed Amundsen who thinks `I must change the aim of my journey as I cannot be the first to reach the North Poleacute Then he kept thinking and thinking hellip and finally he states - lsquoYes Iacuteve got it I will be the first to reach the South Poleacute

21

He was happy and excited but at the same time Amundsen was afraid because he had to communicate his new aim to Nansen and his sponsors He thought hellip - `Now it is probably they do not want to support my new plan Maybe they decide not to help me this timeacute

To avoid it he concludes by saying `I will keep in secret my new route And later when nobody can hold back from his decision I will tell them the real aim of my expeditionacute

22

Then Amundsen started choosing his crew among others he chose a doctor and a good cook Both of them were key jobs in such difficult voyages Of course Nilsen was chosen as the second in charge to the captain

As in his early trips he learnt that the best way to move across the ice was pulling sleds by dogs he also decided to recruit a dog expert

23

When everything was ready on August 1910 the expedition left Although everybody thought they went towards the North Pole hellip

They sailed through the deep blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean towards the island of Madeira which belongs to Portugal The first idea was to reach the North Pole from Alaska reason whereby the Fram had to surrounded America At Madeira Amundsen met up with the crew to communicate his new plan

-As you all know the Americans Frederik Cook and Robert Peary have already reached the North Pole So if we go forward with my plan we will no longer be the first hellip - the captain says

- Therefore I propose to you a new challenge which will allow us to be the first hellip - he goes on to say

After listening to Amundsenacutes words they were all astonished and impatient

24

At last Amundsen exclaims - We will be the first to reach the South Pole

The crew was delighted with the new proposal and everybody yells

-Yes captain we will be the first to reach the South Pole

- It is a wonderful idea We do not want to be the second

He had not to persuade them more There was no doubt that the entire crew had a blind faith in Amundsen The captain says

-Then we will do so Thank you for your support I will telegraph Norway and the rest of the world to inform about our new plan

The news of Amundsenacutes revised plan reached Norway early in October and Nansen was the first to know it Of course Nansen gave his blessing and warm approval Besides his country as well as his expedition sponsors also supported him

25

ANTARCTICA

MADEIRA

CHAPTER 5

The South Pole expedition

Nearly six months later and after a long hard voyage the Fram reached Antarctica on 14 January 1911

The expedition arrived at the eastern edge of the Ross Ice Shelf They established their base camp at a large inlet called the Bay of Whales

The camp was called `Framheimacute which means `home of the Framacute

27

At that time our brave explorer knew he was in race with the British explorer the captain Robert Scott to be the first to reach the South Pole

Fortunately thanks to they established Framheim at the Bay of Whales Amundsen and his crew already had a certain advantage to his competitor Amundsenacutes base camp was nearly 100 kms closer to the South Pole than Scottacutes base camp

28

ANTARCTICA

Amundsen

Base Camp

Scott

Base Camp

SOUTH POLE

80ordm S90ordm S

Ross Ice Shelf

ROSS SEA

The entire crew was aware that for them to succeed they had to be well-prepared among other things they must use skis and dog sleds for transportation Then Amundsen and his men decided to create 3 intermediate supply depots along the way to the Pole They created them during the months of February March and April

Besides they took advantage of the freezing winter to improve their expedition materials particularly the sledges Their purpose was to start their trip in September

29

Our brave explorer thought September was the perfect month mainly because spring came to Antarctica then and therefore the weather conditions were rather better

So when everything was ready for the voyage Amundsen chose 8 crewmen and they departed towards the South Pole

However contrary to what they believed the freezing temperatures were so extreme that dropped as low as minus 40ordmC there were strong winds with snow the blizzards and heavy fogs were so strong that visibility was extremely poorhellip

Therefore they had to quit their huge trek due to the adverse weather conditions Though they decided to leave the food supplies they did not need in the first intermediate camp

Meanwhile the expedition looked forward patiently in the base camp until the weather conditions improve

30

A second attempt took place in mid October with a team made up of 5 Bjaaland Hassel Wisting Hanssen and Amundsen

Everybody in the camp wished the new team all the best

This time they departed Framheim on 19 October They took four sledges and 52 dogs The sled dogs were led by a Samoyed named Etah Amundsen made sure that the dogs were well fed

Bjaaland the carpenter of the crew was the one who redesigned the sledges they would use by lowering their weight Later this lower weight was crucial in saving energy during the trip

31

Once again when everything was ready Amundsen ordered to trek

- Come on guys Towards the South Pole ndash Amundsen exclaims

- Yes towards the South Pole ndashthe team yells

It had been over a year since they left their country and finally the long awaited moment had arrivedhellip

32

- We will continue straight on towards the South Pole crossing the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf ndash Amundsen tells to his team

Fortunately this time the weather conditions did not worse so that they reached the first depot without any kind of setback

Also they reached the second depot without any problem and at the beginning of November they arrived at the third intermediate depot

Until then everything was going well Even the sledges pulled by dogs were progressing as scheduled

Sometimes the blistering cold and the frozen wind forced them to shelter in their tents So fighting against the extreme cold the expedition continued as planned

33

In mid November they arrived at the edge of the Trans-Antarctic mountains using a route along the previously unknown Axel Heiberg Glacier

Although the ascent to the mountains was not as hard as expected the intense cold remained being their first enemy hellip

At last after a four-day climb Wisting who was the first in the group shouts

- Captain the plateau

They had arrived at the Antarctic Plateau a large and flat area of central Antarctica

34

The expedition camped there and then hellip the harshest moment in the voyage came

Amundsen reminds his men - Hassel Hanssen as you already know we must slaughter some dogs

-Yes captain We know that is our foreseen plan ndash they answer while unsheathing their knives

So fulfilling their initial plan they had to slaughter 24 dogs The expedition team as well as the other 28 dogs were fed by them

The remaining meat and the bones were buried under the frozen snow with the aim of being eaten when they returned

Henceforth that place was called as `The Butcheracutes Shopacute

35

From there they started walking through the Antarctic Plateau

Unfortunately the weather tended to worsen a dense fog forced them to take refuge in the tent until it was cleared But hellip the days passed by and the fog continued and even grew The explorers were slowly becoming impatient

- Captain the fog does not disappear We cannot just stay here quietly and wait ndash Hanssen tells to Amundsen

- I know it We can hardly do otherwise We have to resist This endless fog will rise soon ndash Amundsen with conviction answers

Amundsen was also concerned about the situation but he wanted to avoid

bringing them any sadness Besides he was worried because they were taking more provisions than expected and it was an unbearably cold

36

The fog was risen after 9 long days From then they were able to continue their voyage towards the South Pole

On 7 December 1911 after a difficult journey they were very close to achieving their target

- Gentlemen I would inform you we are 150 kms from the South Pole So far no one has been so close Keep going donacutet give up ndash Amundsen encourages them

-My captain we are about to achieve it The dogs are behaving rather nicely and we are certainly on the right track ndash Bjaaland replies

This way despite all the difficulties the crew encouraged each other to move forward

However our brave polar explorers were less and less strengthhellip

37

At last they reached their destination on December 14 1911

-Amundsen we have achieved it we are in the South Pole ndash Wisting yells

-We are the first ndash Hassel welcomes

It was nearly two months since they had left the Framheim With a big smile on his face and with bright eyes Amundsen congratulates his team

-Gentlemen congratulations for the fine work you have done It has been a pleasure to reach the South Pole with all of you

-Hurray Amundsen ndash everybody yells almost without any strength left

On that historic day the team of five with their 16 dogs arrived at the South Pole at latitude 90ordm S There they planted the Norwegian flag

They also left a small tent and a letter stating their accomplishment in case they did not return safely to Framheim

38

Quickly they returned to the base camp following the same route They were so exhausted and so cold they may not stay there any longer

On the other hand Robert Scottacutes British expedition reached the South Pole 35 days after Amundsen But unfortunately they did not return home alive Some months later they were found frozen to death hellip

On the contrary all five of Amundsenacutes crew returned safely to Framheim but only 11 dogs made it back alive The journey to the South Pole and back had taken 99 days

So it was on 25 January 1912 when the team finally reached the base camp When they saw the expedition safe and sound everybody shouts for joy

- Congratulations captain

- We are the first Cheers for Norway Long live Amundsen

39

CHAPTER 6

Others expedition achivements

During the next years Amundsen continued making many explorations among others he sailed the Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through Russiaacutes northern coast Later on he joined an expedition aboard an airship and they flew over the North Pole

Amundsen died in a plane crash during a rescue attempt on 18 June 1928 He was trying to rescue some of the crew of an expedition which had lost The hydroplane wherein he flew crashed in the deep Bareints sea in northern Norway and Russia His body was never found hellip

41

This story is considered as one of the greatest historical epics in recent human history

All the brave explorers who took part in the conquest of the South Pole shared their frozen experiences with all of us They all challenged their own human limits

They all are considered our great heroeshellip

42

The endIf you wish you can express your own opinion what

you liked the most and the less what kind of tales you would like to read the next time orhellip just you can say

`HELLOacute

THANK YOU very much for sharing your great ideas with us

infoeditorialweeblecom

The message he sent to the world said as follows

ldquoThe Gjoa has reached Alaska The expedition has been a success Opened the Northwest Passage Signed by Roald Amundsenrdquo

Because of Amundsenacutes ability to navigate and survive this trip had been a great accomplishment Because of his courage and his never-ending energy he became the great explorer he had always dreamt ofhellip

As it happened with Nansenacutes expedition when Amundsenacutes expedition came back to Norway this one was treated as a hero

17

CHAPTER 4

Towards the North Pole

After the success of this last expedition Amundsen started to organize another one But this time his main aim was to be the first to reach the North Pole

For that he needed a different a strong ship Suddenly he thought the ship used by Nansen named `the Framacute was the best ship for this new adventure

Therefore Amundsen decided to visit to Nansen in order to borrow `the Framacute After listening carefully Amundsen proposal he believed it was a wonderful idea and agreed to borrow his ship

19

The Fram was a quite different ship because it was built for a particular task open water in rough sea and adverse meteorological conditions For that reason although it was a plain ship in shape it was also very wide The Fram was so wide that it could even carry provisions for six years

Before embarking on his adventure Amundsen looked up several sponsors to fund the expedition

20

While he was preparing his voyage he heard the explorers Cook and Robert Peary had already reached the North Pole as a result of two different expeditions

Clearly this news deeply disappointed Amundsen who thinks `I must change the aim of my journey as I cannot be the first to reach the North Poleacute Then he kept thinking and thinking hellip and finally he states - lsquoYes Iacuteve got it I will be the first to reach the South Poleacute

21

He was happy and excited but at the same time Amundsen was afraid because he had to communicate his new aim to Nansen and his sponsors He thought hellip - `Now it is probably they do not want to support my new plan Maybe they decide not to help me this timeacute

To avoid it he concludes by saying `I will keep in secret my new route And later when nobody can hold back from his decision I will tell them the real aim of my expeditionacute

22

Then Amundsen started choosing his crew among others he chose a doctor and a good cook Both of them were key jobs in such difficult voyages Of course Nilsen was chosen as the second in charge to the captain

As in his early trips he learnt that the best way to move across the ice was pulling sleds by dogs he also decided to recruit a dog expert

23

When everything was ready on August 1910 the expedition left Although everybody thought they went towards the North Pole hellip

They sailed through the deep blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean towards the island of Madeira which belongs to Portugal The first idea was to reach the North Pole from Alaska reason whereby the Fram had to surrounded America At Madeira Amundsen met up with the crew to communicate his new plan

-As you all know the Americans Frederik Cook and Robert Peary have already reached the North Pole So if we go forward with my plan we will no longer be the first hellip - the captain says

- Therefore I propose to you a new challenge which will allow us to be the first hellip - he goes on to say

After listening to Amundsenacutes words they were all astonished and impatient

24

At last Amundsen exclaims - We will be the first to reach the South Pole

The crew was delighted with the new proposal and everybody yells

-Yes captain we will be the first to reach the South Pole

- It is a wonderful idea We do not want to be the second

He had not to persuade them more There was no doubt that the entire crew had a blind faith in Amundsen The captain says

-Then we will do so Thank you for your support I will telegraph Norway and the rest of the world to inform about our new plan

The news of Amundsenacutes revised plan reached Norway early in October and Nansen was the first to know it Of course Nansen gave his blessing and warm approval Besides his country as well as his expedition sponsors also supported him

25

ANTARCTICA

MADEIRA

CHAPTER 5

The South Pole expedition

Nearly six months later and after a long hard voyage the Fram reached Antarctica on 14 January 1911

The expedition arrived at the eastern edge of the Ross Ice Shelf They established their base camp at a large inlet called the Bay of Whales

The camp was called `Framheimacute which means `home of the Framacute

27

At that time our brave explorer knew he was in race with the British explorer the captain Robert Scott to be the first to reach the South Pole

Fortunately thanks to they established Framheim at the Bay of Whales Amundsen and his crew already had a certain advantage to his competitor Amundsenacutes base camp was nearly 100 kms closer to the South Pole than Scottacutes base camp

28

ANTARCTICA

Amundsen

Base Camp

Scott

Base Camp

SOUTH POLE

80ordm S90ordm S

Ross Ice Shelf

ROSS SEA

The entire crew was aware that for them to succeed they had to be well-prepared among other things they must use skis and dog sleds for transportation Then Amundsen and his men decided to create 3 intermediate supply depots along the way to the Pole They created them during the months of February March and April

Besides they took advantage of the freezing winter to improve their expedition materials particularly the sledges Their purpose was to start their trip in September

29

Our brave explorer thought September was the perfect month mainly because spring came to Antarctica then and therefore the weather conditions were rather better

So when everything was ready for the voyage Amundsen chose 8 crewmen and they departed towards the South Pole

However contrary to what they believed the freezing temperatures were so extreme that dropped as low as minus 40ordmC there were strong winds with snow the blizzards and heavy fogs were so strong that visibility was extremely poorhellip

Therefore they had to quit their huge trek due to the adverse weather conditions Though they decided to leave the food supplies they did not need in the first intermediate camp

Meanwhile the expedition looked forward patiently in the base camp until the weather conditions improve

30

A second attempt took place in mid October with a team made up of 5 Bjaaland Hassel Wisting Hanssen and Amundsen

Everybody in the camp wished the new team all the best

This time they departed Framheim on 19 October They took four sledges and 52 dogs The sled dogs were led by a Samoyed named Etah Amundsen made sure that the dogs were well fed

Bjaaland the carpenter of the crew was the one who redesigned the sledges they would use by lowering their weight Later this lower weight was crucial in saving energy during the trip

31

Once again when everything was ready Amundsen ordered to trek

- Come on guys Towards the South Pole ndash Amundsen exclaims

- Yes towards the South Pole ndashthe team yells

It had been over a year since they left their country and finally the long awaited moment had arrivedhellip

32

- We will continue straight on towards the South Pole crossing the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf ndash Amundsen tells to his team

Fortunately this time the weather conditions did not worse so that they reached the first depot without any kind of setback

Also they reached the second depot without any problem and at the beginning of November they arrived at the third intermediate depot

Until then everything was going well Even the sledges pulled by dogs were progressing as scheduled

Sometimes the blistering cold and the frozen wind forced them to shelter in their tents So fighting against the extreme cold the expedition continued as planned

33

In mid November they arrived at the edge of the Trans-Antarctic mountains using a route along the previously unknown Axel Heiberg Glacier

Although the ascent to the mountains was not as hard as expected the intense cold remained being their first enemy hellip

At last after a four-day climb Wisting who was the first in the group shouts

- Captain the plateau

They had arrived at the Antarctic Plateau a large and flat area of central Antarctica

34

The expedition camped there and then hellip the harshest moment in the voyage came

Amundsen reminds his men - Hassel Hanssen as you already know we must slaughter some dogs

-Yes captain We know that is our foreseen plan ndash they answer while unsheathing their knives

So fulfilling their initial plan they had to slaughter 24 dogs The expedition team as well as the other 28 dogs were fed by them

The remaining meat and the bones were buried under the frozen snow with the aim of being eaten when they returned

Henceforth that place was called as `The Butcheracutes Shopacute

35

From there they started walking through the Antarctic Plateau

Unfortunately the weather tended to worsen a dense fog forced them to take refuge in the tent until it was cleared But hellip the days passed by and the fog continued and even grew The explorers were slowly becoming impatient

- Captain the fog does not disappear We cannot just stay here quietly and wait ndash Hanssen tells to Amundsen

- I know it We can hardly do otherwise We have to resist This endless fog will rise soon ndash Amundsen with conviction answers

Amundsen was also concerned about the situation but he wanted to avoid

bringing them any sadness Besides he was worried because they were taking more provisions than expected and it was an unbearably cold

36

The fog was risen after 9 long days From then they were able to continue their voyage towards the South Pole

On 7 December 1911 after a difficult journey they were very close to achieving their target

- Gentlemen I would inform you we are 150 kms from the South Pole So far no one has been so close Keep going donacutet give up ndash Amundsen encourages them

-My captain we are about to achieve it The dogs are behaving rather nicely and we are certainly on the right track ndash Bjaaland replies

This way despite all the difficulties the crew encouraged each other to move forward

However our brave polar explorers were less and less strengthhellip

37

At last they reached their destination on December 14 1911

-Amundsen we have achieved it we are in the South Pole ndash Wisting yells

-We are the first ndash Hassel welcomes

It was nearly two months since they had left the Framheim With a big smile on his face and with bright eyes Amundsen congratulates his team

-Gentlemen congratulations for the fine work you have done It has been a pleasure to reach the South Pole with all of you

-Hurray Amundsen ndash everybody yells almost without any strength left

On that historic day the team of five with their 16 dogs arrived at the South Pole at latitude 90ordm S There they planted the Norwegian flag

They also left a small tent and a letter stating their accomplishment in case they did not return safely to Framheim

38

Quickly they returned to the base camp following the same route They were so exhausted and so cold they may not stay there any longer

On the other hand Robert Scottacutes British expedition reached the South Pole 35 days after Amundsen But unfortunately they did not return home alive Some months later they were found frozen to death hellip

On the contrary all five of Amundsenacutes crew returned safely to Framheim but only 11 dogs made it back alive The journey to the South Pole and back had taken 99 days

So it was on 25 January 1912 when the team finally reached the base camp When they saw the expedition safe and sound everybody shouts for joy

- Congratulations captain

- We are the first Cheers for Norway Long live Amundsen

39

CHAPTER 6

Others expedition achivements

During the next years Amundsen continued making many explorations among others he sailed the Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through Russiaacutes northern coast Later on he joined an expedition aboard an airship and they flew over the North Pole

Amundsen died in a plane crash during a rescue attempt on 18 June 1928 He was trying to rescue some of the crew of an expedition which had lost The hydroplane wherein he flew crashed in the deep Bareints sea in northern Norway and Russia His body was never found hellip

41

This story is considered as one of the greatest historical epics in recent human history

All the brave explorers who took part in the conquest of the South Pole shared their frozen experiences with all of us They all challenged their own human limits

They all are considered our great heroeshellip

42

The endIf you wish you can express your own opinion what

you liked the most and the less what kind of tales you would like to read the next time orhellip just you can say

`HELLOacute

THANK YOU very much for sharing your great ideas with us

infoeditorialweeblecom

CHAPTER 4

Towards the North Pole

After the success of this last expedition Amundsen started to organize another one But this time his main aim was to be the first to reach the North Pole

For that he needed a different a strong ship Suddenly he thought the ship used by Nansen named `the Framacute was the best ship for this new adventure

Therefore Amundsen decided to visit to Nansen in order to borrow `the Framacute After listening carefully Amundsen proposal he believed it was a wonderful idea and agreed to borrow his ship

19

The Fram was a quite different ship because it was built for a particular task open water in rough sea and adverse meteorological conditions For that reason although it was a plain ship in shape it was also very wide The Fram was so wide that it could even carry provisions for six years

Before embarking on his adventure Amundsen looked up several sponsors to fund the expedition

20

While he was preparing his voyage he heard the explorers Cook and Robert Peary had already reached the North Pole as a result of two different expeditions

Clearly this news deeply disappointed Amundsen who thinks `I must change the aim of my journey as I cannot be the first to reach the North Poleacute Then he kept thinking and thinking hellip and finally he states - lsquoYes Iacuteve got it I will be the first to reach the South Poleacute

21

He was happy and excited but at the same time Amundsen was afraid because he had to communicate his new aim to Nansen and his sponsors He thought hellip - `Now it is probably they do not want to support my new plan Maybe they decide not to help me this timeacute

To avoid it he concludes by saying `I will keep in secret my new route And later when nobody can hold back from his decision I will tell them the real aim of my expeditionacute

22

Then Amundsen started choosing his crew among others he chose a doctor and a good cook Both of them were key jobs in such difficult voyages Of course Nilsen was chosen as the second in charge to the captain

As in his early trips he learnt that the best way to move across the ice was pulling sleds by dogs he also decided to recruit a dog expert

23

When everything was ready on August 1910 the expedition left Although everybody thought they went towards the North Pole hellip

They sailed through the deep blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean towards the island of Madeira which belongs to Portugal The first idea was to reach the North Pole from Alaska reason whereby the Fram had to surrounded America At Madeira Amundsen met up with the crew to communicate his new plan

-As you all know the Americans Frederik Cook and Robert Peary have already reached the North Pole So if we go forward with my plan we will no longer be the first hellip - the captain says

- Therefore I propose to you a new challenge which will allow us to be the first hellip - he goes on to say

After listening to Amundsenacutes words they were all astonished and impatient

24

At last Amundsen exclaims - We will be the first to reach the South Pole

The crew was delighted with the new proposal and everybody yells

-Yes captain we will be the first to reach the South Pole

- It is a wonderful idea We do not want to be the second

He had not to persuade them more There was no doubt that the entire crew had a blind faith in Amundsen The captain says

-Then we will do so Thank you for your support I will telegraph Norway and the rest of the world to inform about our new plan

The news of Amundsenacutes revised plan reached Norway early in October and Nansen was the first to know it Of course Nansen gave his blessing and warm approval Besides his country as well as his expedition sponsors also supported him

25

ANTARCTICA

MADEIRA

CHAPTER 5

The South Pole expedition

Nearly six months later and after a long hard voyage the Fram reached Antarctica on 14 January 1911

The expedition arrived at the eastern edge of the Ross Ice Shelf They established their base camp at a large inlet called the Bay of Whales

The camp was called `Framheimacute which means `home of the Framacute

27

At that time our brave explorer knew he was in race with the British explorer the captain Robert Scott to be the first to reach the South Pole

Fortunately thanks to they established Framheim at the Bay of Whales Amundsen and his crew already had a certain advantage to his competitor Amundsenacutes base camp was nearly 100 kms closer to the South Pole than Scottacutes base camp

28

ANTARCTICA

Amundsen

Base Camp

Scott

Base Camp

SOUTH POLE

80ordm S90ordm S

Ross Ice Shelf

ROSS SEA

The entire crew was aware that for them to succeed they had to be well-prepared among other things they must use skis and dog sleds for transportation Then Amundsen and his men decided to create 3 intermediate supply depots along the way to the Pole They created them during the months of February March and April

Besides they took advantage of the freezing winter to improve their expedition materials particularly the sledges Their purpose was to start their trip in September

29

Our brave explorer thought September was the perfect month mainly because spring came to Antarctica then and therefore the weather conditions were rather better

So when everything was ready for the voyage Amundsen chose 8 crewmen and they departed towards the South Pole

However contrary to what they believed the freezing temperatures were so extreme that dropped as low as minus 40ordmC there were strong winds with snow the blizzards and heavy fogs were so strong that visibility was extremely poorhellip

Therefore they had to quit their huge trek due to the adverse weather conditions Though they decided to leave the food supplies they did not need in the first intermediate camp

Meanwhile the expedition looked forward patiently in the base camp until the weather conditions improve

30

A second attempt took place in mid October with a team made up of 5 Bjaaland Hassel Wisting Hanssen and Amundsen

Everybody in the camp wished the new team all the best

This time they departed Framheim on 19 October They took four sledges and 52 dogs The sled dogs were led by a Samoyed named Etah Amundsen made sure that the dogs were well fed

Bjaaland the carpenter of the crew was the one who redesigned the sledges they would use by lowering their weight Later this lower weight was crucial in saving energy during the trip

31

Once again when everything was ready Amundsen ordered to trek

- Come on guys Towards the South Pole ndash Amundsen exclaims

- Yes towards the South Pole ndashthe team yells

It had been over a year since they left their country and finally the long awaited moment had arrivedhellip

32

- We will continue straight on towards the South Pole crossing the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf ndash Amundsen tells to his team

Fortunately this time the weather conditions did not worse so that they reached the first depot without any kind of setback

Also they reached the second depot without any problem and at the beginning of November they arrived at the third intermediate depot

Until then everything was going well Even the sledges pulled by dogs were progressing as scheduled

Sometimes the blistering cold and the frozen wind forced them to shelter in their tents So fighting against the extreme cold the expedition continued as planned

33

In mid November they arrived at the edge of the Trans-Antarctic mountains using a route along the previously unknown Axel Heiberg Glacier

Although the ascent to the mountains was not as hard as expected the intense cold remained being their first enemy hellip

At last after a four-day climb Wisting who was the first in the group shouts

- Captain the plateau

They had arrived at the Antarctic Plateau a large and flat area of central Antarctica

34

The expedition camped there and then hellip the harshest moment in the voyage came

Amundsen reminds his men - Hassel Hanssen as you already know we must slaughter some dogs

-Yes captain We know that is our foreseen plan ndash they answer while unsheathing their knives

So fulfilling their initial plan they had to slaughter 24 dogs The expedition team as well as the other 28 dogs were fed by them

The remaining meat and the bones were buried under the frozen snow with the aim of being eaten when they returned

Henceforth that place was called as `The Butcheracutes Shopacute

35

From there they started walking through the Antarctic Plateau

Unfortunately the weather tended to worsen a dense fog forced them to take refuge in the tent until it was cleared But hellip the days passed by and the fog continued and even grew The explorers were slowly becoming impatient

- Captain the fog does not disappear We cannot just stay here quietly and wait ndash Hanssen tells to Amundsen

- I know it We can hardly do otherwise We have to resist This endless fog will rise soon ndash Amundsen with conviction answers

Amundsen was also concerned about the situation but he wanted to avoid

bringing them any sadness Besides he was worried because they were taking more provisions than expected and it was an unbearably cold

36

The fog was risen after 9 long days From then they were able to continue their voyage towards the South Pole

On 7 December 1911 after a difficult journey they were very close to achieving their target

- Gentlemen I would inform you we are 150 kms from the South Pole So far no one has been so close Keep going donacutet give up ndash Amundsen encourages them

-My captain we are about to achieve it The dogs are behaving rather nicely and we are certainly on the right track ndash Bjaaland replies

This way despite all the difficulties the crew encouraged each other to move forward

However our brave polar explorers were less and less strengthhellip

37

At last they reached their destination on December 14 1911

-Amundsen we have achieved it we are in the South Pole ndash Wisting yells

-We are the first ndash Hassel welcomes

It was nearly two months since they had left the Framheim With a big smile on his face and with bright eyes Amundsen congratulates his team

-Gentlemen congratulations for the fine work you have done It has been a pleasure to reach the South Pole with all of you

-Hurray Amundsen ndash everybody yells almost without any strength left

On that historic day the team of five with their 16 dogs arrived at the South Pole at latitude 90ordm S There they planted the Norwegian flag

They also left a small tent and a letter stating their accomplishment in case they did not return safely to Framheim

38

Quickly they returned to the base camp following the same route They were so exhausted and so cold they may not stay there any longer

On the other hand Robert Scottacutes British expedition reached the South Pole 35 days after Amundsen But unfortunately they did not return home alive Some months later they were found frozen to death hellip

On the contrary all five of Amundsenacutes crew returned safely to Framheim but only 11 dogs made it back alive The journey to the South Pole and back had taken 99 days

So it was on 25 January 1912 when the team finally reached the base camp When they saw the expedition safe and sound everybody shouts for joy

- Congratulations captain

- We are the first Cheers for Norway Long live Amundsen

39

CHAPTER 6

Others expedition achivements

During the next years Amundsen continued making many explorations among others he sailed the Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through Russiaacutes northern coast Later on he joined an expedition aboard an airship and they flew over the North Pole

Amundsen died in a plane crash during a rescue attempt on 18 June 1928 He was trying to rescue some of the crew of an expedition which had lost The hydroplane wherein he flew crashed in the deep Bareints sea in northern Norway and Russia His body was never found hellip

41

This story is considered as one of the greatest historical epics in recent human history

All the brave explorers who took part in the conquest of the South Pole shared their frozen experiences with all of us They all challenged their own human limits

They all are considered our great heroeshellip

42

The endIf you wish you can express your own opinion what

you liked the most and the less what kind of tales you would like to read the next time orhellip just you can say

`HELLOacute

THANK YOU very much for sharing your great ideas with us

infoeditorialweeblecom

After the success of this last expedition Amundsen started to organize another one But this time his main aim was to be the first to reach the North Pole

For that he needed a different a strong ship Suddenly he thought the ship used by Nansen named `the Framacute was the best ship for this new adventure

Therefore Amundsen decided to visit to Nansen in order to borrow `the Framacute After listening carefully Amundsen proposal he believed it was a wonderful idea and agreed to borrow his ship

19

The Fram was a quite different ship because it was built for a particular task open water in rough sea and adverse meteorological conditions For that reason although it was a plain ship in shape it was also very wide The Fram was so wide that it could even carry provisions for six years

Before embarking on his adventure Amundsen looked up several sponsors to fund the expedition

20

While he was preparing his voyage he heard the explorers Cook and Robert Peary had already reached the North Pole as a result of two different expeditions

Clearly this news deeply disappointed Amundsen who thinks `I must change the aim of my journey as I cannot be the first to reach the North Poleacute Then he kept thinking and thinking hellip and finally he states - lsquoYes Iacuteve got it I will be the first to reach the South Poleacute

21

He was happy and excited but at the same time Amundsen was afraid because he had to communicate his new aim to Nansen and his sponsors He thought hellip - `Now it is probably they do not want to support my new plan Maybe they decide not to help me this timeacute

To avoid it he concludes by saying `I will keep in secret my new route And later when nobody can hold back from his decision I will tell them the real aim of my expeditionacute

22

Then Amundsen started choosing his crew among others he chose a doctor and a good cook Both of them were key jobs in such difficult voyages Of course Nilsen was chosen as the second in charge to the captain

As in his early trips he learnt that the best way to move across the ice was pulling sleds by dogs he also decided to recruit a dog expert

23

When everything was ready on August 1910 the expedition left Although everybody thought they went towards the North Pole hellip

They sailed through the deep blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean towards the island of Madeira which belongs to Portugal The first idea was to reach the North Pole from Alaska reason whereby the Fram had to surrounded America At Madeira Amundsen met up with the crew to communicate his new plan

-As you all know the Americans Frederik Cook and Robert Peary have already reached the North Pole So if we go forward with my plan we will no longer be the first hellip - the captain says

- Therefore I propose to you a new challenge which will allow us to be the first hellip - he goes on to say

After listening to Amundsenacutes words they were all astonished and impatient

24

At last Amundsen exclaims - We will be the first to reach the South Pole

The crew was delighted with the new proposal and everybody yells

-Yes captain we will be the first to reach the South Pole

- It is a wonderful idea We do not want to be the second

He had not to persuade them more There was no doubt that the entire crew had a blind faith in Amundsen The captain says

-Then we will do so Thank you for your support I will telegraph Norway and the rest of the world to inform about our new plan

The news of Amundsenacutes revised plan reached Norway early in October and Nansen was the first to know it Of course Nansen gave his blessing and warm approval Besides his country as well as his expedition sponsors also supported him

25

ANTARCTICA

MADEIRA

CHAPTER 5

The South Pole expedition

Nearly six months later and after a long hard voyage the Fram reached Antarctica on 14 January 1911

The expedition arrived at the eastern edge of the Ross Ice Shelf They established their base camp at a large inlet called the Bay of Whales

The camp was called `Framheimacute which means `home of the Framacute

27

At that time our brave explorer knew he was in race with the British explorer the captain Robert Scott to be the first to reach the South Pole

Fortunately thanks to they established Framheim at the Bay of Whales Amundsen and his crew already had a certain advantage to his competitor Amundsenacutes base camp was nearly 100 kms closer to the South Pole than Scottacutes base camp

28

ANTARCTICA

Amundsen

Base Camp

Scott

Base Camp

SOUTH POLE

80ordm S90ordm S

Ross Ice Shelf

ROSS SEA

The entire crew was aware that for them to succeed they had to be well-prepared among other things they must use skis and dog sleds for transportation Then Amundsen and his men decided to create 3 intermediate supply depots along the way to the Pole They created them during the months of February March and April

Besides they took advantage of the freezing winter to improve their expedition materials particularly the sledges Their purpose was to start their trip in September

29

Our brave explorer thought September was the perfect month mainly because spring came to Antarctica then and therefore the weather conditions were rather better

So when everything was ready for the voyage Amundsen chose 8 crewmen and they departed towards the South Pole

However contrary to what they believed the freezing temperatures were so extreme that dropped as low as minus 40ordmC there were strong winds with snow the blizzards and heavy fogs were so strong that visibility was extremely poorhellip

Therefore they had to quit their huge trek due to the adverse weather conditions Though they decided to leave the food supplies they did not need in the first intermediate camp

Meanwhile the expedition looked forward patiently in the base camp until the weather conditions improve

30

A second attempt took place in mid October with a team made up of 5 Bjaaland Hassel Wisting Hanssen and Amundsen

Everybody in the camp wished the new team all the best

This time they departed Framheim on 19 October They took four sledges and 52 dogs The sled dogs were led by a Samoyed named Etah Amundsen made sure that the dogs were well fed

Bjaaland the carpenter of the crew was the one who redesigned the sledges they would use by lowering their weight Later this lower weight was crucial in saving energy during the trip

31

Once again when everything was ready Amundsen ordered to trek

- Come on guys Towards the South Pole ndash Amundsen exclaims

- Yes towards the South Pole ndashthe team yells

It had been over a year since they left their country and finally the long awaited moment had arrivedhellip

32

- We will continue straight on towards the South Pole crossing the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf ndash Amundsen tells to his team

Fortunately this time the weather conditions did not worse so that they reached the first depot without any kind of setback

Also they reached the second depot without any problem and at the beginning of November they arrived at the third intermediate depot

Until then everything was going well Even the sledges pulled by dogs were progressing as scheduled

Sometimes the blistering cold and the frozen wind forced them to shelter in their tents So fighting against the extreme cold the expedition continued as planned

33

In mid November they arrived at the edge of the Trans-Antarctic mountains using a route along the previously unknown Axel Heiberg Glacier

Although the ascent to the mountains was not as hard as expected the intense cold remained being their first enemy hellip

At last after a four-day climb Wisting who was the first in the group shouts

- Captain the plateau

They had arrived at the Antarctic Plateau a large and flat area of central Antarctica

34

The expedition camped there and then hellip the harshest moment in the voyage came

Amundsen reminds his men - Hassel Hanssen as you already know we must slaughter some dogs

-Yes captain We know that is our foreseen plan ndash they answer while unsheathing their knives

So fulfilling their initial plan they had to slaughter 24 dogs The expedition team as well as the other 28 dogs were fed by them

The remaining meat and the bones were buried under the frozen snow with the aim of being eaten when they returned

Henceforth that place was called as `The Butcheracutes Shopacute

35

From there they started walking through the Antarctic Plateau

Unfortunately the weather tended to worsen a dense fog forced them to take refuge in the tent until it was cleared But hellip the days passed by and the fog continued and even grew The explorers were slowly becoming impatient

- Captain the fog does not disappear We cannot just stay here quietly and wait ndash Hanssen tells to Amundsen

- I know it We can hardly do otherwise We have to resist This endless fog will rise soon ndash Amundsen with conviction answers

Amundsen was also concerned about the situation but he wanted to avoid

bringing them any sadness Besides he was worried because they were taking more provisions than expected and it was an unbearably cold

36

The fog was risen after 9 long days From then they were able to continue their voyage towards the South Pole

On 7 December 1911 after a difficult journey they were very close to achieving their target

- Gentlemen I would inform you we are 150 kms from the South Pole So far no one has been so close Keep going donacutet give up ndash Amundsen encourages them

-My captain we are about to achieve it The dogs are behaving rather nicely and we are certainly on the right track ndash Bjaaland replies

This way despite all the difficulties the crew encouraged each other to move forward

However our brave polar explorers were less and less strengthhellip

37

At last they reached their destination on December 14 1911

-Amundsen we have achieved it we are in the South Pole ndash Wisting yells

-We are the first ndash Hassel welcomes

It was nearly two months since they had left the Framheim With a big smile on his face and with bright eyes Amundsen congratulates his team

-Gentlemen congratulations for the fine work you have done It has been a pleasure to reach the South Pole with all of you

-Hurray Amundsen ndash everybody yells almost without any strength left

On that historic day the team of five with their 16 dogs arrived at the South Pole at latitude 90ordm S There they planted the Norwegian flag

They also left a small tent and a letter stating their accomplishment in case they did not return safely to Framheim

38

Quickly they returned to the base camp following the same route They were so exhausted and so cold they may not stay there any longer

On the other hand Robert Scottacutes British expedition reached the South Pole 35 days after Amundsen But unfortunately they did not return home alive Some months later they were found frozen to death hellip

On the contrary all five of Amundsenacutes crew returned safely to Framheim but only 11 dogs made it back alive The journey to the South Pole and back had taken 99 days

So it was on 25 January 1912 when the team finally reached the base camp When they saw the expedition safe and sound everybody shouts for joy

- Congratulations captain

- We are the first Cheers for Norway Long live Amundsen

39

CHAPTER 6

Others expedition achivements

During the next years Amundsen continued making many explorations among others he sailed the Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through Russiaacutes northern coast Later on he joined an expedition aboard an airship and they flew over the North Pole

Amundsen died in a plane crash during a rescue attempt on 18 June 1928 He was trying to rescue some of the crew of an expedition which had lost The hydroplane wherein he flew crashed in the deep Bareints sea in northern Norway and Russia His body was never found hellip

41

This story is considered as one of the greatest historical epics in recent human history

All the brave explorers who took part in the conquest of the South Pole shared their frozen experiences with all of us They all challenged their own human limits

They all are considered our great heroeshellip

42

The endIf you wish you can express your own opinion what

you liked the most and the less what kind of tales you would like to read the next time orhellip just you can say

`HELLOacute

THANK YOU very much for sharing your great ideas with us

infoeditorialweeblecom

The Fram was a quite different ship because it was built for a particular task open water in rough sea and adverse meteorological conditions For that reason although it was a plain ship in shape it was also very wide The Fram was so wide that it could even carry provisions for six years

Before embarking on his adventure Amundsen looked up several sponsors to fund the expedition

20

While he was preparing his voyage he heard the explorers Cook and Robert Peary had already reached the North Pole as a result of two different expeditions

Clearly this news deeply disappointed Amundsen who thinks `I must change the aim of my journey as I cannot be the first to reach the North Poleacute Then he kept thinking and thinking hellip and finally he states - lsquoYes Iacuteve got it I will be the first to reach the South Poleacute

21

He was happy and excited but at the same time Amundsen was afraid because he had to communicate his new aim to Nansen and his sponsors He thought hellip - `Now it is probably they do not want to support my new plan Maybe they decide not to help me this timeacute

To avoid it he concludes by saying `I will keep in secret my new route And later when nobody can hold back from his decision I will tell them the real aim of my expeditionacute

22

Then Amundsen started choosing his crew among others he chose a doctor and a good cook Both of them were key jobs in such difficult voyages Of course Nilsen was chosen as the second in charge to the captain

As in his early trips he learnt that the best way to move across the ice was pulling sleds by dogs he also decided to recruit a dog expert

23

When everything was ready on August 1910 the expedition left Although everybody thought they went towards the North Pole hellip

They sailed through the deep blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean towards the island of Madeira which belongs to Portugal The first idea was to reach the North Pole from Alaska reason whereby the Fram had to surrounded America At Madeira Amundsen met up with the crew to communicate his new plan

-As you all know the Americans Frederik Cook and Robert Peary have already reached the North Pole So if we go forward with my plan we will no longer be the first hellip - the captain says

- Therefore I propose to you a new challenge which will allow us to be the first hellip - he goes on to say

After listening to Amundsenacutes words they were all astonished and impatient

24

At last Amundsen exclaims - We will be the first to reach the South Pole

The crew was delighted with the new proposal and everybody yells

-Yes captain we will be the first to reach the South Pole

- It is a wonderful idea We do not want to be the second

He had not to persuade them more There was no doubt that the entire crew had a blind faith in Amundsen The captain says

-Then we will do so Thank you for your support I will telegraph Norway and the rest of the world to inform about our new plan

The news of Amundsenacutes revised plan reached Norway early in October and Nansen was the first to know it Of course Nansen gave his blessing and warm approval Besides his country as well as his expedition sponsors also supported him

25

ANTARCTICA

MADEIRA

CHAPTER 5

The South Pole expedition

Nearly six months later and after a long hard voyage the Fram reached Antarctica on 14 January 1911

The expedition arrived at the eastern edge of the Ross Ice Shelf They established their base camp at a large inlet called the Bay of Whales

The camp was called `Framheimacute which means `home of the Framacute

27

At that time our brave explorer knew he was in race with the British explorer the captain Robert Scott to be the first to reach the South Pole

Fortunately thanks to they established Framheim at the Bay of Whales Amundsen and his crew already had a certain advantage to his competitor Amundsenacutes base camp was nearly 100 kms closer to the South Pole than Scottacutes base camp

28

ANTARCTICA

Amundsen

Base Camp

Scott

Base Camp

SOUTH POLE

80ordm S90ordm S

Ross Ice Shelf

ROSS SEA

The entire crew was aware that for them to succeed they had to be well-prepared among other things they must use skis and dog sleds for transportation Then Amundsen and his men decided to create 3 intermediate supply depots along the way to the Pole They created them during the months of February March and April

Besides they took advantage of the freezing winter to improve their expedition materials particularly the sledges Their purpose was to start their trip in September

29

Our brave explorer thought September was the perfect month mainly because spring came to Antarctica then and therefore the weather conditions were rather better

So when everything was ready for the voyage Amundsen chose 8 crewmen and they departed towards the South Pole

However contrary to what they believed the freezing temperatures were so extreme that dropped as low as minus 40ordmC there were strong winds with snow the blizzards and heavy fogs were so strong that visibility was extremely poorhellip

Therefore they had to quit their huge trek due to the adverse weather conditions Though they decided to leave the food supplies they did not need in the first intermediate camp

Meanwhile the expedition looked forward patiently in the base camp until the weather conditions improve

30

A second attempt took place in mid October with a team made up of 5 Bjaaland Hassel Wisting Hanssen and Amundsen

Everybody in the camp wished the new team all the best

This time they departed Framheim on 19 October They took four sledges and 52 dogs The sled dogs were led by a Samoyed named Etah Amundsen made sure that the dogs were well fed

Bjaaland the carpenter of the crew was the one who redesigned the sledges they would use by lowering their weight Later this lower weight was crucial in saving energy during the trip

31

Once again when everything was ready Amundsen ordered to trek

- Come on guys Towards the South Pole ndash Amundsen exclaims

- Yes towards the South Pole ndashthe team yells

It had been over a year since they left their country and finally the long awaited moment had arrivedhellip

32

- We will continue straight on towards the South Pole crossing the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf ndash Amundsen tells to his team

Fortunately this time the weather conditions did not worse so that they reached the first depot without any kind of setback

Also they reached the second depot without any problem and at the beginning of November they arrived at the third intermediate depot

Until then everything was going well Even the sledges pulled by dogs were progressing as scheduled

Sometimes the blistering cold and the frozen wind forced them to shelter in their tents So fighting against the extreme cold the expedition continued as planned

33

In mid November they arrived at the edge of the Trans-Antarctic mountains using a route along the previously unknown Axel Heiberg Glacier

Although the ascent to the mountains was not as hard as expected the intense cold remained being their first enemy hellip

At last after a four-day climb Wisting who was the first in the group shouts

- Captain the plateau

They had arrived at the Antarctic Plateau a large and flat area of central Antarctica

34

The expedition camped there and then hellip the harshest moment in the voyage came

Amundsen reminds his men - Hassel Hanssen as you already know we must slaughter some dogs

-Yes captain We know that is our foreseen plan ndash they answer while unsheathing their knives

So fulfilling their initial plan they had to slaughter 24 dogs The expedition team as well as the other 28 dogs were fed by them

The remaining meat and the bones were buried under the frozen snow with the aim of being eaten when they returned

Henceforth that place was called as `The Butcheracutes Shopacute

35

From there they started walking through the Antarctic Plateau

Unfortunately the weather tended to worsen a dense fog forced them to take refuge in the tent until it was cleared But hellip the days passed by and the fog continued and even grew The explorers were slowly becoming impatient

- Captain the fog does not disappear We cannot just stay here quietly and wait ndash Hanssen tells to Amundsen

- I know it We can hardly do otherwise We have to resist This endless fog will rise soon ndash Amundsen with conviction answers

Amundsen was also concerned about the situation but he wanted to avoid

bringing them any sadness Besides he was worried because they were taking more provisions than expected and it was an unbearably cold

36

The fog was risen after 9 long days From then they were able to continue their voyage towards the South Pole

On 7 December 1911 after a difficult journey they were very close to achieving their target

- Gentlemen I would inform you we are 150 kms from the South Pole So far no one has been so close Keep going donacutet give up ndash Amundsen encourages them

-My captain we are about to achieve it The dogs are behaving rather nicely and we are certainly on the right track ndash Bjaaland replies

This way despite all the difficulties the crew encouraged each other to move forward

However our brave polar explorers were less and less strengthhellip

37

At last they reached their destination on December 14 1911

-Amundsen we have achieved it we are in the South Pole ndash Wisting yells

-We are the first ndash Hassel welcomes

It was nearly two months since they had left the Framheim With a big smile on his face and with bright eyes Amundsen congratulates his team

-Gentlemen congratulations for the fine work you have done It has been a pleasure to reach the South Pole with all of you

-Hurray Amundsen ndash everybody yells almost without any strength left

On that historic day the team of five with their 16 dogs arrived at the South Pole at latitude 90ordm S There they planted the Norwegian flag

They also left a small tent and a letter stating their accomplishment in case they did not return safely to Framheim

38

Quickly they returned to the base camp following the same route They were so exhausted and so cold they may not stay there any longer

On the other hand Robert Scottacutes British expedition reached the South Pole 35 days after Amundsen But unfortunately they did not return home alive Some months later they were found frozen to death hellip

On the contrary all five of Amundsenacutes crew returned safely to Framheim but only 11 dogs made it back alive The journey to the South Pole and back had taken 99 days

So it was on 25 January 1912 when the team finally reached the base camp When they saw the expedition safe and sound everybody shouts for joy

- Congratulations captain

- We are the first Cheers for Norway Long live Amundsen

39

CHAPTER 6

Others expedition achivements

During the next years Amundsen continued making many explorations among others he sailed the Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through Russiaacutes northern coast Later on he joined an expedition aboard an airship and they flew over the North Pole

Amundsen died in a plane crash during a rescue attempt on 18 June 1928 He was trying to rescue some of the crew of an expedition which had lost The hydroplane wherein he flew crashed in the deep Bareints sea in northern Norway and Russia His body was never found hellip

41

This story is considered as one of the greatest historical epics in recent human history

All the brave explorers who took part in the conquest of the South Pole shared their frozen experiences with all of us They all challenged their own human limits

They all are considered our great heroeshellip

42

The endIf you wish you can express your own opinion what

you liked the most and the less what kind of tales you would like to read the next time orhellip just you can say

`HELLOacute

THANK YOU very much for sharing your great ideas with us

infoeditorialweeblecom

While he was preparing his voyage he heard the explorers Cook and Robert Peary had already reached the North Pole as a result of two different expeditions

Clearly this news deeply disappointed Amundsen who thinks `I must change the aim of my journey as I cannot be the first to reach the North Poleacute Then he kept thinking and thinking hellip and finally he states - lsquoYes Iacuteve got it I will be the first to reach the South Poleacute

21

He was happy and excited but at the same time Amundsen was afraid because he had to communicate his new aim to Nansen and his sponsors He thought hellip - `Now it is probably they do not want to support my new plan Maybe they decide not to help me this timeacute

To avoid it he concludes by saying `I will keep in secret my new route And later when nobody can hold back from his decision I will tell them the real aim of my expeditionacute

22

Then Amundsen started choosing his crew among others he chose a doctor and a good cook Both of them were key jobs in such difficult voyages Of course Nilsen was chosen as the second in charge to the captain

As in his early trips he learnt that the best way to move across the ice was pulling sleds by dogs he also decided to recruit a dog expert

23

When everything was ready on August 1910 the expedition left Although everybody thought they went towards the North Pole hellip

They sailed through the deep blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean towards the island of Madeira which belongs to Portugal The first idea was to reach the North Pole from Alaska reason whereby the Fram had to surrounded America At Madeira Amundsen met up with the crew to communicate his new plan

-As you all know the Americans Frederik Cook and Robert Peary have already reached the North Pole So if we go forward with my plan we will no longer be the first hellip - the captain says

- Therefore I propose to you a new challenge which will allow us to be the first hellip - he goes on to say

After listening to Amundsenacutes words they were all astonished and impatient

24

At last Amundsen exclaims - We will be the first to reach the South Pole

The crew was delighted with the new proposal and everybody yells

-Yes captain we will be the first to reach the South Pole

- It is a wonderful idea We do not want to be the second

He had not to persuade them more There was no doubt that the entire crew had a blind faith in Amundsen The captain says

-Then we will do so Thank you for your support I will telegraph Norway and the rest of the world to inform about our new plan

The news of Amundsenacutes revised plan reached Norway early in October and Nansen was the first to know it Of course Nansen gave his blessing and warm approval Besides his country as well as his expedition sponsors also supported him

25

ANTARCTICA

MADEIRA

CHAPTER 5

The South Pole expedition

Nearly six months later and after a long hard voyage the Fram reached Antarctica on 14 January 1911

The expedition arrived at the eastern edge of the Ross Ice Shelf They established their base camp at a large inlet called the Bay of Whales

The camp was called `Framheimacute which means `home of the Framacute

27

At that time our brave explorer knew he was in race with the British explorer the captain Robert Scott to be the first to reach the South Pole

Fortunately thanks to they established Framheim at the Bay of Whales Amundsen and his crew already had a certain advantage to his competitor Amundsenacutes base camp was nearly 100 kms closer to the South Pole than Scottacutes base camp

28

ANTARCTICA

Amundsen

Base Camp

Scott

Base Camp

SOUTH POLE

80ordm S90ordm S

Ross Ice Shelf

ROSS SEA

The entire crew was aware that for them to succeed they had to be well-prepared among other things they must use skis and dog sleds for transportation Then Amundsen and his men decided to create 3 intermediate supply depots along the way to the Pole They created them during the months of February March and April

Besides they took advantage of the freezing winter to improve their expedition materials particularly the sledges Their purpose was to start their trip in September

29

Our brave explorer thought September was the perfect month mainly because spring came to Antarctica then and therefore the weather conditions were rather better

So when everything was ready for the voyage Amundsen chose 8 crewmen and they departed towards the South Pole

However contrary to what they believed the freezing temperatures were so extreme that dropped as low as minus 40ordmC there were strong winds with snow the blizzards and heavy fogs were so strong that visibility was extremely poorhellip

Therefore they had to quit their huge trek due to the adverse weather conditions Though they decided to leave the food supplies they did not need in the first intermediate camp

Meanwhile the expedition looked forward patiently in the base camp until the weather conditions improve

30

A second attempt took place in mid October with a team made up of 5 Bjaaland Hassel Wisting Hanssen and Amundsen

Everybody in the camp wished the new team all the best

This time they departed Framheim on 19 October They took four sledges and 52 dogs The sled dogs were led by a Samoyed named Etah Amundsen made sure that the dogs were well fed

Bjaaland the carpenter of the crew was the one who redesigned the sledges they would use by lowering their weight Later this lower weight was crucial in saving energy during the trip

31

Once again when everything was ready Amundsen ordered to trek

- Come on guys Towards the South Pole ndash Amundsen exclaims

- Yes towards the South Pole ndashthe team yells

It had been over a year since they left their country and finally the long awaited moment had arrivedhellip

32

- We will continue straight on towards the South Pole crossing the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf ndash Amundsen tells to his team

Fortunately this time the weather conditions did not worse so that they reached the first depot without any kind of setback

Also they reached the second depot without any problem and at the beginning of November they arrived at the third intermediate depot

Until then everything was going well Even the sledges pulled by dogs were progressing as scheduled

Sometimes the blistering cold and the frozen wind forced them to shelter in their tents So fighting against the extreme cold the expedition continued as planned

33

In mid November they arrived at the edge of the Trans-Antarctic mountains using a route along the previously unknown Axel Heiberg Glacier

Although the ascent to the mountains was not as hard as expected the intense cold remained being their first enemy hellip

At last after a four-day climb Wisting who was the first in the group shouts

- Captain the plateau

They had arrived at the Antarctic Plateau a large and flat area of central Antarctica

34

The expedition camped there and then hellip the harshest moment in the voyage came

Amundsen reminds his men - Hassel Hanssen as you already know we must slaughter some dogs

-Yes captain We know that is our foreseen plan ndash they answer while unsheathing their knives

So fulfilling their initial plan they had to slaughter 24 dogs The expedition team as well as the other 28 dogs were fed by them

The remaining meat and the bones were buried under the frozen snow with the aim of being eaten when they returned

Henceforth that place was called as `The Butcheracutes Shopacute

35

From there they started walking through the Antarctic Plateau

Unfortunately the weather tended to worsen a dense fog forced them to take refuge in the tent until it was cleared But hellip the days passed by and the fog continued and even grew The explorers were slowly becoming impatient

- Captain the fog does not disappear We cannot just stay here quietly and wait ndash Hanssen tells to Amundsen

- I know it We can hardly do otherwise We have to resist This endless fog will rise soon ndash Amundsen with conviction answers

Amundsen was also concerned about the situation but he wanted to avoid

bringing them any sadness Besides he was worried because they were taking more provisions than expected and it was an unbearably cold

36

The fog was risen after 9 long days From then they were able to continue their voyage towards the South Pole

On 7 December 1911 after a difficult journey they were very close to achieving their target

- Gentlemen I would inform you we are 150 kms from the South Pole So far no one has been so close Keep going donacutet give up ndash Amundsen encourages them

-My captain we are about to achieve it The dogs are behaving rather nicely and we are certainly on the right track ndash Bjaaland replies

This way despite all the difficulties the crew encouraged each other to move forward

However our brave polar explorers were less and less strengthhellip

37

At last they reached their destination on December 14 1911

-Amundsen we have achieved it we are in the South Pole ndash Wisting yells

-We are the first ndash Hassel welcomes

It was nearly two months since they had left the Framheim With a big smile on his face and with bright eyes Amundsen congratulates his team

-Gentlemen congratulations for the fine work you have done It has been a pleasure to reach the South Pole with all of you

-Hurray Amundsen ndash everybody yells almost without any strength left

On that historic day the team of five with their 16 dogs arrived at the South Pole at latitude 90ordm S There they planted the Norwegian flag

They also left a small tent and a letter stating their accomplishment in case they did not return safely to Framheim

38

Quickly they returned to the base camp following the same route They were so exhausted and so cold they may not stay there any longer

On the other hand Robert Scottacutes British expedition reached the South Pole 35 days after Amundsen But unfortunately they did not return home alive Some months later they were found frozen to death hellip

On the contrary all five of Amundsenacutes crew returned safely to Framheim but only 11 dogs made it back alive The journey to the South Pole and back had taken 99 days

So it was on 25 January 1912 when the team finally reached the base camp When they saw the expedition safe and sound everybody shouts for joy

- Congratulations captain

- We are the first Cheers for Norway Long live Amundsen

39

CHAPTER 6

Others expedition achivements

During the next years Amundsen continued making many explorations among others he sailed the Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through Russiaacutes northern coast Later on he joined an expedition aboard an airship and they flew over the North Pole

Amundsen died in a plane crash during a rescue attempt on 18 June 1928 He was trying to rescue some of the crew of an expedition which had lost The hydroplane wherein he flew crashed in the deep Bareints sea in northern Norway and Russia His body was never found hellip

41

This story is considered as one of the greatest historical epics in recent human history

All the brave explorers who took part in the conquest of the South Pole shared their frozen experiences with all of us They all challenged their own human limits

They all are considered our great heroeshellip

42

The endIf you wish you can express your own opinion what

you liked the most and the less what kind of tales you would like to read the next time orhellip just you can say

`HELLOacute

THANK YOU very much for sharing your great ideas with us

infoeditorialweeblecom

He was happy and excited but at the same time Amundsen was afraid because he had to communicate his new aim to Nansen and his sponsors He thought hellip - `Now it is probably they do not want to support my new plan Maybe they decide not to help me this timeacute

To avoid it he concludes by saying `I will keep in secret my new route And later when nobody can hold back from his decision I will tell them the real aim of my expeditionacute

22

Then Amundsen started choosing his crew among others he chose a doctor and a good cook Both of them were key jobs in such difficult voyages Of course Nilsen was chosen as the second in charge to the captain

As in his early trips he learnt that the best way to move across the ice was pulling sleds by dogs he also decided to recruit a dog expert

23

When everything was ready on August 1910 the expedition left Although everybody thought they went towards the North Pole hellip

They sailed through the deep blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean towards the island of Madeira which belongs to Portugal The first idea was to reach the North Pole from Alaska reason whereby the Fram had to surrounded America At Madeira Amundsen met up with the crew to communicate his new plan

-As you all know the Americans Frederik Cook and Robert Peary have already reached the North Pole So if we go forward with my plan we will no longer be the first hellip - the captain says

- Therefore I propose to you a new challenge which will allow us to be the first hellip - he goes on to say

After listening to Amundsenacutes words they were all astonished and impatient

24

At last Amundsen exclaims - We will be the first to reach the South Pole

The crew was delighted with the new proposal and everybody yells

-Yes captain we will be the first to reach the South Pole

- It is a wonderful idea We do not want to be the second

He had not to persuade them more There was no doubt that the entire crew had a blind faith in Amundsen The captain says

-Then we will do so Thank you for your support I will telegraph Norway and the rest of the world to inform about our new plan

The news of Amundsenacutes revised plan reached Norway early in October and Nansen was the first to know it Of course Nansen gave his blessing and warm approval Besides his country as well as his expedition sponsors also supported him

25

ANTARCTICA

MADEIRA

CHAPTER 5

The South Pole expedition

Nearly six months later and after a long hard voyage the Fram reached Antarctica on 14 January 1911

The expedition arrived at the eastern edge of the Ross Ice Shelf They established their base camp at a large inlet called the Bay of Whales

The camp was called `Framheimacute which means `home of the Framacute

27

At that time our brave explorer knew he was in race with the British explorer the captain Robert Scott to be the first to reach the South Pole

Fortunately thanks to they established Framheim at the Bay of Whales Amundsen and his crew already had a certain advantage to his competitor Amundsenacutes base camp was nearly 100 kms closer to the South Pole than Scottacutes base camp

28

ANTARCTICA

Amundsen

Base Camp

Scott

Base Camp

SOUTH POLE

80ordm S90ordm S

Ross Ice Shelf

ROSS SEA

The entire crew was aware that for them to succeed they had to be well-prepared among other things they must use skis and dog sleds for transportation Then Amundsen and his men decided to create 3 intermediate supply depots along the way to the Pole They created them during the months of February March and April

Besides they took advantage of the freezing winter to improve their expedition materials particularly the sledges Their purpose was to start their trip in September

29

Our brave explorer thought September was the perfect month mainly because spring came to Antarctica then and therefore the weather conditions were rather better

So when everything was ready for the voyage Amundsen chose 8 crewmen and they departed towards the South Pole

However contrary to what they believed the freezing temperatures were so extreme that dropped as low as minus 40ordmC there were strong winds with snow the blizzards and heavy fogs were so strong that visibility was extremely poorhellip

Therefore they had to quit their huge trek due to the adverse weather conditions Though they decided to leave the food supplies they did not need in the first intermediate camp

Meanwhile the expedition looked forward patiently in the base camp until the weather conditions improve

30

A second attempt took place in mid October with a team made up of 5 Bjaaland Hassel Wisting Hanssen and Amundsen

Everybody in the camp wished the new team all the best

This time they departed Framheim on 19 October They took four sledges and 52 dogs The sled dogs were led by a Samoyed named Etah Amundsen made sure that the dogs were well fed

Bjaaland the carpenter of the crew was the one who redesigned the sledges they would use by lowering their weight Later this lower weight was crucial in saving energy during the trip

31

Once again when everything was ready Amundsen ordered to trek

- Come on guys Towards the South Pole ndash Amundsen exclaims

- Yes towards the South Pole ndashthe team yells

It had been over a year since they left their country and finally the long awaited moment had arrivedhellip

32

- We will continue straight on towards the South Pole crossing the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf ndash Amundsen tells to his team

Fortunately this time the weather conditions did not worse so that they reached the first depot without any kind of setback

Also they reached the second depot without any problem and at the beginning of November they arrived at the third intermediate depot

Until then everything was going well Even the sledges pulled by dogs were progressing as scheduled

Sometimes the blistering cold and the frozen wind forced them to shelter in their tents So fighting against the extreme cold the expedition continued as planned

33

In mid November they arrived at the edge of the Trans-Antarctic mountains using a route along the previously unknown Axel Heiberg Glacier

Although the ascent to the mountains was not as hard as expected the intense cold remained being their first enemy hellip

At last after a four-day climb Wisting who was the first in the group shouts

- Captain the plateau

They had arrived at the Antarctic Plateau a large and flat area of central Antarctica

34

The expedition camped there and then hellip the harshest moment in the voyage came

Amundsen reminds his men - Hassel Hanssen as you already know we must slaughter some dogs

-Yes captain We know that is our foreseen plan ndash they answer while unsheathing their knives

So fulfilling their initial plan they had to slaughter 24 dogs The expedition team as well as the other 28 dogs were fed by them

The remaining meat and the bones were buried under the frozen snow with the aim of being eaten when they returned

Henceforth that place was called as `The Butcheracutes Shopacute

35

From there they started walking through the Antarctic Plateau

Unfortunately the weather tended to worsen a dense fog forced them to take refuge in the tent until it was cleared But hellip the days passed by and the fog continued and even grew The explorers were slowly becoming impatient

- Captain the fog does not disappear We cannot just stay here quietly and wait ndash Hanssen tells to Amundsen

- I know it We can hardly do otherwise We have to resist This endless fog will rise soon ndash Amundsen with conviction answers

Amundsen was also concerned about the situation but he wanted to avoid

bringing them any sadness Besides he was worried because they were taking more provisions than expected and it was an unbearably cold

36

The fog was risen after 9 long days From then they were able to continue their voyage towards the South Pole

On 7 December 1911 after a difficult journey they were very close to achieving their target

- Gentlemen I would inform you we are 150 kms from the South Pole So far no one has been so close Keep going donacutet give up ndash Amundsen encourages them

-My captain we are about to achieve it The dogs are behaving rather nicely and we are certainly on the right track ndash Bjaaland replies

This way despite all the difficulties the crew encouraged each other to move forward

However our brave polar explorers were less and less strengthhellip

37

At last they reached their destination on December 14 1911

-Amundsen we have achieved it we are in the South Pole ndash Wisting yells

-We are the first ndash Hassel welcomes

It was nearly two months since they had left the Framheim With a big smile on his face and with bright eyes Amundsen congratulates his team

-Gentlemen congratulations for the fine work you have done It has been a pleasure to reach the South Pole with all of you

-Hurray Amundsen ndash everybody yells almost without any strength left

On that historic day the team of five with their 16 dogs arrived at the South Pole at latitude 90ordm S There they planted the Norwegian flag

They also left a small tent and a letter stating their accomplishment in case they did not return safely to Framheim

38

Quickly they returned to the base camp following the same route They were so exhausted and so cold they may not stay there any longer

On the other hand Robert Scottacutes British expedition reached the South Pole 35 days after Amundsen But unfortunately they did not return home alive Some months later they were found frozen to death hellip

On the contrary all five of Amundsenacutes crew returned safely to Framheim but only 11 dogs made it back alive The journey to the South Pole and back had taken 99 days

So it was on 25 January 1912 when the team finally reached the base camp When they saw the expedition safe and sound everybody shouts for joy

- Congratulations captain

- We are the first Cheers for Norway Long live Amundsen

39

CHAPTER 6

Others expedition achivements

During the next years Amundsen continued making many explorations among others he sailed the Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through Russiaacutes northern coast Later on he joined an expedition aboard an airship and they flew over the North Pole

Amundsen died in a plane crash during a rescue attempt on 18 June 1928 He was trying to rescue some of the crew of an expedition which had lost The hydroplane wherein he flew crashed in the deep Bareints sea in northern Norway and Russia His body was never found hellip

41

This story is considered as one of the greatest historical epics in recent human history

All the brave explorers who took part in the conquest of the South Pole shared their frozen experiences with all of us They all challenged their own human limits

They all are considered our great heroeshellip

42

The endIf you wish you can express your own opinion what

you liked the most and the less what kind of tales you would like to read the next time orhellip just you can say

`HELLOacute

THANK YOU very much for sharing your great ideas with us

infoeditorialweeblecom

Then Amundsen started choosing his crew among others he chose a doctor and a good cook Both of them were key jobs in such difficult voyages Of course Nilsen was chosen as the second in charge to the captain

As in his early trips he learnt that the best way to move across the ice was pulling sleds by dogs he also decided to recruit a dog expert

23

When everything was ready on August 1910 the expedition left Although everybody thought they went towards the North Pole hellip

They sailed through the deep blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean towards the island of Madeira which belongs to Portugal The first idea was to reach the North Pole from Alaska reason whereby the Fram had to surrounded America At Madeira Amundsen met up with the crew to communicate his new plan

-As you all know the Americans Frederik Cook and Robert Peary have already reached the North Pole So if we go forward with my plan we will no longer be the first hellip - the captain says

- Therefore I propose to you a new challenge which will allow us to be the first hellip - he goes on to say

After listening to Amundsenacutes words they were all astonished and impatient

24

At last Amundsen exclaims - We will be the first to reach the South Pole

The crew was delighted with the new proposal and everybody yells

-Yes captain we will be the first to reach the South Pole

- It is a wonderful idea We do not want to be the second

He had not to persuade them more There was no doubt that the entire crew had a blind faith in Amundsen The captain says

-Then we will do so Thank you for your support I will telegraph Norway and the rest of the world to inform about our new plan

The news of Amundsenacutes revised plan reached Norway early in October and Nansen was the first to know it Of course Nansen gave his blessing and warm approval Besides his country as well as his expedition sponsors also supported him

25

ANTARCTICA

MADEIRA

CHAPTER 5

The South Pole expedition

Nearly six months later and after a long hard voyage the Fram reached Antarctica on 14 January 1911

The expedition arrived at the eastern edge of the Ross Ice Shelf They established their base camp at a large inlet called the Bay of Whales

The camp was called `Framheimacute which means `home of the Framacute

27

At that time our brave explorer knew he was in race with the British explorer the captain Robert Scott to be the first to reach the South Pole

Fortunately thanks to they established Framheim at the Bay of Whales Amundsen and his crew already had a certain advantage to his competitor Amundsenacutes base camp was nearly 100 kms closer to the South Pole than Scottacutes base camp

28

ANTARCTICA

Amundsen

Base Camp

Scott

Base Camp

SOUTH POLE

80ordm S90ordm S

Ross Ice Shelf

ROSS SEA

The entire crew was aware that for them to succeed they had to be well-prepared among other things they must use skis and dog sleds for transportation Then Amundsen and his men decided to create 3 intermediate supply depots along the way to the Pole They created them during the months of February March and April

Besides they took advantage of the freezing winter to improve their expedition materials particularly the sledges Their purpose was to start their trip in September

29

Our brave explorer thought September was the perfect month mainly because spring came to Antarctica then and therefore the weather conditions were rather better

So when everything was ready for the voyage Amundsen chose 8 crewmen and they departed towards the South Pole

However contrary to what they believed the freezing temperatures were so extreme that dropped as low as minus 40ordmC there were strong winds with snow the blizzards and heavy fogs were so strong that visibility was extremely poorhellip

Therefore they had to quit their huge trek due to the adverse weather conditions Though they decided to leave the food supplies they did not need in the first intermediate camp

Meanwhile the expedition looked forward patiently in the base camp until the weather conditions improve

30

A second attempt took place in mid October with a team made up of 5 Bjaaland Hassel Wisting Hanssen and Amundsen

Everybody in the camp wished the new team all the best

This time they departed Framheim on 19 October They took four sledges and 52 dogs The sled dogs were led by a Samoyed named Etah Amundsen made sure that the dogs were well fed

Bjaaland the carpenter of the crew was the one who redesigned the sledges they would use by lowering their weight Later this lower weight was crucial in saving energy during the trip

31

Once again when everything was ready Amundsen ordered to trek

- Come on guys Towards the South Pole ndash Amundsen exclaims

- Yes towards the South Pole ndashthe team yells

It had been over a year since they left their country and finally the long awaited moment had arrivedhellip

32

- We will continue straight on towards the South Pole crossing the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf ndash Amundsen tells to his team

Fortunately this time the weather conditions did not worse so that they reached the first depot without any kind of setback

Also they reached the second depot without any problem and at the beginning of November they arrived at the third intermediate depot

Until then everything was going well Even the sledges pulled by dogs were progressing as scheduled

Sometimes the blistering cold and the frozen wind forced them to shelter in their tents So fighting against the extreme cold the expedition continued as planned

33

In mid November they arrived at the edge of the Trans-Antarctic mountains using a route along the previously unknown Axel Heiberg Glacier

Although the ascent to the mountains was not as hard as expected the intense cold remained being their first enemy hellip

At last after a four-day climb Wisting who was the first in the group shouts

- Captain the plateau

They had arrived at the Antarctic Plateau a large and flat area of central Antarctica

34

The expedition camped there and then hellip the harshest moment in the voyage came

Amundsen reminds his men - Hassel Hanssen as you already know we must slaughter some dogs

-Yes captain We know that is our foreseen plan ndash they answer while unsheathing their knives

So fulfilling their initial plan they had to slaughter 24 dogs The expedition team as well as the other 28 dogs were fed by them

The remaining meat and the bones were buried under the frozen snow with the aim of being eaten when they returned

Henceforth that place was called as `The Butcheracutes Shopacute

35

From there they started walking through the Antarctic Plateau

Unfortunately the weather tended to worsen a dense fog forced them to take refuge in the tent until it was cleared But hellip the days passed by and the fog continued and even grew The explorers were slowly becoming impatient

- Captain the fog does not disappear We cannot just stay here quietly and wait ndash Hanssen tells to Amundsen

- I know it We can hardly do otherwise We have to resist This endless fog will rise soon ndash Amundsen with conviction answers

Amundsen was also concerned about the situation but he wanted to avoid

bringing them any sadness Besides he was worried because they were taking more provisions than expected and it was an unbearably cold

36

The fog was risen after 9 long days From then they were able to continue their voyage towards the South Pole

On 7 December 1911 after a difficult journey they were very close to achieving their target

- Gentlemen I would inform you we are 150 kms from the South Pole So far no one has been so close Keep going donacutet give up ndash Amundsen encourages them

-My captain we are about to achieve it The dogs are behaving rather nicely and we are certainly on the right track ndash Bjaaland replies

This way despite all the difficulties the crew encouraged each other to move forward

However our brave polar explorers were less and less strengthhellip

37

At last they reached their destination on December 14 1911

-Amundsen we have achieved it we are in the South Pole ndash Wisting yells

-We are the first ndash Hassel welcomes

It was nearly two months since they had left the Framheim With a big smile on his face and with bright eyes Amundsen congratulates his team

-Gentlemen congratulations for the fine work you have done It has been a pleasure to reach the South Pole with all of you

-Hurray Amundsen ndash everybody yells almost without any strength left

On that historic day the team of five with their 16 dogs arrived at the South Pole at latitude 90ordm S There they planted the Norwegian flag

They also left a small tent and a letter stating their accomplishment in case they did not return safely to Framheim

38

Quickly they returned to the base camp following the same route They were so exhausted and so cold they may not stay there any longer

On the other hand Robert Scottacutes British expedition reached the South Pole 35 days after Amundsen But unfortunately they did not return home alive Some months later they were found frozen to death hellip

On the contrary all five of Amundsenacutes crew returned safely to Framheim but only 11 dogs made it back alive The journey to the South Pole and back had taken 99 days

So it was on 25 January 1912 when the team finally reached the base camp When they saw the expedition safe and sound everybody shouts for joy

- Congratulations captain

- We are the first Cheers for Norway Long live Amundsen

39

CHAPTER 6

Others expedition achivements

During the next years Amundsen continued making many explorations among others he sailed the Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through Russiaacutes northern coast Later on he joined an expedition aboard an airship and they flew over the North Pole

Amundsen died in a plane crash during a rescue attempt on 18 June 1928 He was trying to rescue some of the crew of an expedition which had lost The hydroplane wherein he flew crashed in the deep Bareints sea in northern Norway and Russia His body was never found hellip

41

This story is considered as one of the greatest historical epics in recent human history

All the brave explorers who took part in the conquest of the South Pole shared their frozen experiences with all of us They all challenged their own human limits

They all are considered our great heroeshellip

42

The endIf you wish you can express your own opinion what

you liked the most and the less what kind of tales you would like to read the next time orhellip just you can say

`HELLOacute

THANK YOU very much for sharing your great ideas with us

infoeditorialweeblecom

When everything was ready on August 1910 the expedition left Although everybody thought they went towards the North Pole hellip

They sailed through the deep blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean towards the island of Madeira which belongs to Portugal The first idea was to reach the North Pole from Alaska reason whereby the Fram had to surrounded America At Madeira Amundsen met up with the crew to communicate his new plan

-As you all know the Americans Frederik Cook and Robert Peary have already reached the North Pole So if we go forward with my plan we will no longer be the first hellip - the captain says

- Therefore I propose to you a new challenge which will allow us to be the first hellip - he goes on to say

After listening to Amundsenacutes words they were all astonished and impatient

24

At last Amundsen exclaims - We will be the first to reach the South Pole

The crew was delighted with the new proposal and everybody yells

-Yes captain we will be the first to reach the South Pole

- It is a wonderful idea We do not want to be the second

He had not to persuade them more There was no doubt that the entire crew had a blind faith in Amundsen The captain says

-Then we will do so Thank you for your support I will telegraph Norway and the rest of the world to inform about our new plan

The news of Amundsenacutes revised plan reached Norway early in October and Nansen was the first to know it Of course Nansen gave his blessing and warm approval Besides his country as well as his expedition sponsors also supported him

25

ANTARCTICA

MADEIRA

CHAPTER 5

The South Pole expedition

Nearly six months later and after a long hard voyage the Fram reached Antarctica on 14 January 1911

The expedition arrived at the eastern edge of the Ross Ice Shelf They established their base camp at a large inlet called the Bay of Whales

The camp was called `Framheimacute which means `home of the Framacute

27

At that time our brave explorer knew he was in race with the British explorer the captain Robert Scott to be the first to reach the South Pole

Fortunately thanks to they established Framheim at the Bay of Whales Amundsen and his crew already had a certain advantage to his competitor Amundsenacutes base camp was nearly 100 kms closer to the South Pole than Scottacutes base camp

28

ANTARCTICA

Amundsen

Base Camp

Scott

Base Camp

SOUTH POLE

80ordm S90ordm S

Ross Ice Shelf

ROSS SEA

The entire crew was aware that for them to succeed they had to be well-prepared among other things they must use skis and dog sleds for transportation Then Amundsen and his men decided to create 3 intermediate supply depots along the way to the Pole They created them during the months of February March and April

Besides they took advantage of the freezing winter to improve their expedition materials particularly the sledges Their purpose was to start their trip in September

29

Our brave explorer thought September was the perfect month mainly because spring came to Antarctica then and therefore the weather conditions were rather better

So when everything was ready for the voyage Amundsen chose 8 crewmen and they departed towards the South Pole

However contrary to what they believed the freezing temperatures were so extreme that dropped as low as minus 40ordmC there were strong winds with snow the blizzards and heavy fogs were so strong that visibility was extremely poorhellip

Therefore they had to quit their huge trek due to the adverse weather conditions Though they decided to leave the food supplies they did not need in the first intermediate camp

Meanwhile the expedition looked forward patiently in the base camp until the weather conditions improve

30

A second attempt took place in mid October with a team made up of 5 Bjaaland Hassel Wisting Hanssen and Amundsen

Everybody in the camp wished the new team all the best

This time they departed Framheim on 19 October They took four sledges and 52 dogs The sled dogs were led by a Samoyed named Etah Amundsen made sure that the dogs were well fed

Bjaaland the carpenter of the crew was the one who redesigned the sledges they would use by lowering their weight Later this lower weight was crucial in saving energy during the trip

31

Once again when everything was ready Amundsen ordered to trek

- Come on guys Towards the South Pole ndash Amundsen exclaims

- Yes towards the South Pole ndashthe team yells

It had been over a year since they left their country and finally the long awaited moment had arrivedhellip

32

- We will continue straight on towards the South Pole crossing the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf ndash Amundsen tells to his team

Fortunately this time the weather conditions did not worse so that they reached the first depot without any kind of setback

Also they reached the second depot without any problem and at the beginning of November they arrived at the third intermediate depot

Until then everything was going well Even the sledges pulled by dogs were progressing as scheduled

Sometimes the blistering cold and the frozen wind forced them to shelter in their tents So fighting against the extreme cold the expedition continued as planned

33

In mid November they arrived at the edge of the Trans-Antarctic mountains using a route along the previously unknown Axel Heiberg Glacier

Although the ascent to the mountains was not as hard as expected the intense cold remained being their first enemy hellip

At last after a four-day climb Wisting who was the first in the group shouts

- Captain the plateau

They had arrived at the Antarctic Plateau a large and flat area of central Antarctica

34

The expedition camped there and then hellip the harshest moment in the voyage came

Amundsen reminds his men - Hassel Hanssen as you already know we must slaughter some dogs

-Yes captain We know that is our foreseen plan ndash they answer while unsheathing their knives

So fulfilling their initial plan they had to slaughter 24 dogs The expedition team as well as the other 28 dogs were fed by them

The remaining meat and the bones were buried under the frozen snow with the aim of being eaten when they returned

Henceforth that place was called as `The Butcheracutes Shopacute

35

From there they started walking through the Antarctic Plateau

Unfortunately the weather tended to worsen a dense fog forced them to take refuge in the tent until it was cleared But hellip the days passed by and the fog continued and even grew The explorers were slowly becoming impatient

- Captain the fog does not disappear We cannot just stay here quietly and wait ndash Hanssen tells to Amundsen

- I know it We can hardly do otherwise We have to resist This endless fog will rise soon ndash Amundsen with conviction answers

Amundsen was also concerned about the situation but he wanted to avoid

bringing them any sadness Besides he was worried because they were taking more provisions than expected and it was an unbearably cold

36

The fog was risen after 9 long days From then they were able to continue their voyage towards the South Pole

On 7 December 1911 after a difficult journey they were very close to achieving their target

- Gentlemen I would inform you we are 150 kms from the South Pole So far no one has been so close Keep going donacutet give up ndash Amundsen encourages them

-My captain we are about to achieve it The dogs are behaving rather nicely and we are certainly on the right track ndash Bjaaland replies

This way despite all the difficulties the crew encouraged each other to move forward

However our brave polar explorers were less and less strengthhellip

37

At last they reached their destination on December 14 1911

-Amundsen we have achieved it we are in the South Pole ndash Wisting yells

-We are the first ndash Hassel welcomes

It was nearly two months since they had left the Framheim With a big smile on his face and with bright eyes Amundsen congratulates his team

-Gentlemen congratulations for the fine work you have done It has been a pleasure to reach the South Pole with all of you

-Hurray Amundsen ndash everybody yells almost without any strength left

On that historic day the team of five with their 16 dogs arrived at the South Pole at latitude 90ordm S There they planted the Norwegian flag

They also left a small tent and a letter stating their accomplishment in case they did not return safely to Framheim

38

Quickly they returned to the base camp following the same route They were so exhausted and so cold they may not stay there any longer

On the other hand Robert Scottacutes British expedition reached the South Pole 35 days after Amundsen But unfortunately they did not return home alive Some months later they were found frozen to death hellip

On the contrary all five of Amundsenacutes crew returned safely to Framheim but only 11 dogs made it back alive The journey to the South Pole and back had taken 99 days

So it was on 25 January 1912 when the team finally reached the base camp When they saw the expedition safe and sound everybody shouts for joy

- Congratulations captain

- We are the first Cheers for Norway Long live Amundsen

39

CHAPTER 6

Others expedition achivements

During the next years Amundsen continued making many explorations among others he sailed the Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through Russiaacutes northern coast Later on he joined an expedition aboard an airship and they flew over the North Pole

Amundsen died in a plane crash during a rescue attempt on 18 June 1928 He was trying to rescue some of the crew of an expedition which had lost The hydroplane wherein he flew crashed in the deep Bareints sea in northern Norway and Russia His body was never found hellip

41

This story is considered as one of the greatest historical epics in recent human history

All the brave explorers who took part in the conquest of the South Pole shared their frozen experiences with all of us They all challenged their own human limits

They all are considered our great heroeshellip

42

The endIf you wish you can express your own opinion what

you liked the most and the less what kind of tales you would like to read the next time orhellip just you can say

`HELLOacute

THANK YOU very much for sharing your great ideas with us

infoeditorialweeblecom

At last Amundsen exclaims - We will be the first to reach the South Pole

The crew was delighted with the new proposal and everybody yells

-Yes captain we will be the first to reach the South Pole

- It is a wonderful idea We do not want to be the second

He had not to persuade them more There was no doubt that the entire crew had a blind faith in Amundsen The captain says

-Then we will do so Thank you for your support I will telegraph Norway and the rest of the world to inform about our new plan

The news of Amundsenacutes revised plan reached Norway early in October and Nansen was the first to know it Of course Nansen gave his blessing and warm approval Besides his country as well as his expedition sponsors also supported him

25

ANTARCTICA

MADEIRA

CHAPTER 5

The South Pole expedition

Nearly six months later and after a long hard voyage the Fram reached Antarctica on 14 January 1911

The expedition arrived at the eastern edge of the Ross Ice Shelf They established their base camp at a large inlet called the Bay of Whales

The camp was called `Framheimacute which means `home of the Framacute

27

At that time our brave explorer knew he was in race with the British explorer the captain Robert Scott to be the first to reach the South Pole

Fortunately thanks to they established Framheim at the Bay of Whales Amundsen and his crew already had a certain advantage to his competitor Amundsenacutes base camp was nearly 100 kms closer to the South Pole than Scottacutes base camp

28

ANTARCTICA

Amundsen

Base Camp

Scott

Base Camp

SOUTH POLE

80ordm S90ordm S

Ross Ice Shelf

ROSS SEA

The entire crew was aware that for them to succeed they had to be well-prepared among other things they must use skis and dog sleds for transportation Then Amundsen and his men decided to create 3 intermediate supply depots along the way to the Pole They created them during the months of February March and April

Besides they took advantage of the freezing winter to improve their expedition materials particularly the sledges Their purpose was to start their trip in September

29

Our brave explorer thought September was the perfect month mainly because spring came to Antarctica then and therefore the weather conditions were rather better

So when everything was ready for the voyage Amundsen chose 8 crewmen and they departed towards the South Pole

However contrary to what they believed the freezing temperatures were so extreme that dropped as low as minus 40ordmC there were strong winds with snow the blizzards and heavy fogs were so strong that visibility was extremely poorhellip

Therefore they had to quit their huge trek due to the adverse weather conditions Though they decided to leave the food supplies they did not need in the first intermediate camp

Meanwhile the expedition looked forward patiently in the base camp until the weather conditions improve

30

A second attempt took place in mid October with a team made up of 5 Bjaaland Hassel Wisting Hanssen and Amundsen

Everybody in the camp wished the new team all the best

This time they departed Framheim on 19 October They took four sledges and 52 dogs The sled dogs were led by a Samoyed named Etah Amundsen made sure that the dogs were well fed

Bjaaland the carpenter of the crew was the one who redesigned the sledges they would use by lowering their weight Later this lower weight was crucial in saving energy during the trip

31

Once again when everything was ready Amundsen ordered to trek

- Come on guys Towards the South Pole ndash Amundsen exclaims

- Yes towards the South Pole ndashthe team yells

It had been over a year since they left their country and finally the long awaited moment had arrivedhellip

32

- We will continue straight on towards the South Pole crossing the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf ndash Amundsen tells to his team

Fortunately this time the weather conditions did not worse so that they reached the first depot without any kind of setback

Also they reached the second depot without any problem and at the beginning of November they arrived at the third intermediate depot

Until then everything was going well Even the sledges pulled by dogs were progressing as scheduled

Sometimes the blistering cold and the frozen wind forced them to shelter in their tents So fighting against the extreme cold the expedition continued as planned

33

In mid November they arrived at the edge of the Trans-Antarctic mountains using a route along the previously unknown Axel Heiberg Glacier

Although the ascent to the mountains was not as hard as expected the intense cold remained being their first enemy hellip

At last after a four-day climb Wisting who was the first in the group shouts

- Captain the plateau

They had arrived at the Antarctic Plateau a large and flat area of central Antarctica

34

The expedition camped there and then hellip the harshest moment in the voyage came

Amundsen reminds his men - Hassel Hanssen as you already know we must slaughter some dogs

-Yes captain We know that is our foreseen plan ndash they answer while unsheathing their knives

So fulfilling their initial plan they had to slaughter 24 dogs The expedition team as well as the other 28 dogs were fed by them

The remaining meat and the bones were buried under the frozen snow with the aim of being eaten when they returned

Henceforth that place was called as `The Butcheracutes Shopacute

35

From there they started walking through the Antarctic Plateau

Unfortunately the weather tended to worsen a dense fog forced them to take refuge in the tent until it was cleared But hellip the days passed by and the fog continued and even grew The explorers were slowly becoming impatient

- Captain the fog does not disappear We cannot just stay here quietly and wait ndash Hanssen tells to Amundsen

- I know it We can hardly do otherwise We have to resist This endless fog will rise soon ndash Amundsen with conviction answers

Amundsen was also concerned about the situation but he wanted to avoid

bringing them any sadness Besides he was worried because they were taking more provisions than expected and it was an unbearably cold

36

The fog was risen after 9 long days From then they were able to continue their voyage towards the South Pole

On 7 December 1911 after a difficult journey they were very close to achieving their target

- Gentlemen I would inform you we are 150 kms from the South Pole So far no one has been so close Keep going donacutet give up ndash Amundsen encourages them

-My captain we are about to achieve it The dogs are behaving rather nicely and we are certainly on the right track ndash Bjaaland replies

This way despite all the difficulties the crew encouraged each other to move forward

However our brave polar explorers were less and less strengthhellip

37

At last they reached their destination on December 14 1911

-Amundsen we have achieved it we are in the South Pole ndash Wisting yells

-We are the first ndash Hassel welcomes

It was nearly two months since they had left the Framheim With a big smile on his face and with bright eyes Amundsen congratulates his team

-Gentlemen congratulations for the fine work you have done It has been a pleasure to reach the South Pole with all of you

-Hurray Amundsen ndash everybody yells almost without any strength left

On that historic day the team of five with their 16 dogs arrived at the South Pole at latitude 90ordm S There they planted the Norwegian flag

They also left a small tent and a letter stating their accomplishment in case they did not return safely to Framheim

38

Quickly they returned to the base camp following the same route They were so exhausted and so cold they may not stay there any longer

On the other hand Robert Scottacutes British expedition reached the South Pole 35 days after Amundsen But unfortunately they did not return home alive Some months later they were found frozen to death hellip

On the contrary all five of Amundsenacutes crew returned safely to Framheim but only 11 dogs made it back alive The journey to the South Pole and back had taken 99 days

So it was on 25 January 1912 when the team finally reached the base camp When they saw the expedition safe and sound everybody shouts for joy

- Congratulations captain

- We are the first Cheers for Norway Long live Amundsen

39

CHAPTER 6

Others expedition achivements

During the next years Amundsen continued making many explorations among others he sailed the Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through Russiaacutes northern coast Later on he joined an expedition aboard an airship and they flew over the North Pole

Amundsen died in a plane crash during a rescue attempt on 18 June 1928 He was trying to rescue some of the crew of an expedition which had lost The hydroplane wherein he flew crashed in the deep Bareints sea in northern Norway and Russia His body was never found hellip

41

This story is considered as one of the greatest historical epics in recent human history

All the brave explorers who took part in the conquest of the South Pole shared their frozen experiences with all of us They all challenged their own human limits

They all are considered our great heroeshellip

42

The endIf you wish you can express your own opinion what

you liked the most and the less what kind of tales you would like to read the next time orhellip just you can say

`HELLOacute

THANK YOU very much for sharing your great ideas with us

infoeditorialweeblecom

CHAPTER 5

The South Pole expedition

Nearly six months later and after a long hard voyage the Fram reached Antarctica on 14 January 1911

The expedition arrived at the eastern edge of the Ross Ice Shelf They established their base camp at a large inlet called the Bay of Whales

The camp was called `Framheimacute which means `home of the Framacute

27

At that time our brave explorer knew he was in race with the British explorer the captain Robert Scott to be the first to reach the South Pole

Fortunately thanks to they established Framheim at the Bay of Whales Amundsen and his crew already had a certain advantage to his competitor Amundsenacutes base camp was nearly 100 kms closer to the South Pole than Scottacutes base camp

28

ANTARCTICA

Amundsen

Base Camp

Scott

Base Camp

SOUTH POLE

80ordm S90ordm S

Ross Ice Shelf

ROSS SEA

The entire crew was aware that for them to succeed they had to be well-prepared among other things they must use skis and dog sleds for transportation Then Amundsen and his men decided to create 3 intermediate supply depots along the way to the Pole They created them during the months of February March and April

Besides they took advantage of the freezing winter to improve their expedition materials particularly the sledges Their purpose was to start their trip in September

29

Our brave explorer thought September was the perfect month mainly because spring came to Antarctica then and therefore the weather conditions were rather better

So when everything was ready for the voyage Amundsen chose 8 crewmen and they departed towards the South Pole

However contrary to what they believed the freezing temperatures were so extreme that dropped as low as minus 40ordmC there were strong winds with snow the blizzards and heavy fogs were so strong that visibility was extremely poorhellip

Therefore they had to quit their huge trek due to the adverse weather conditions Though they decided to leave the food supplies they did not need in the first intermediate camp

Meanwhile the expedition looked forward patiently in the base camp until the weather conditions improve

30

A second attempt took place in mid October with a team made up of 5 Bjaaland Hassel Wisting Hanssen and Amundsen

Everybody in the camp wished the new team all the best

This time they departed Framheim on 19 October They took four sledges and 52 dogs The sled dogs were led by a Samoyed named Etah Amundsen made sure that the dogs were well fed

Bjaaland the carpenter of the crew was the one who redesigned the sledges they would use by lowering their weight Later this lower weight was crucial in saving energy during the trip

31

Once again when everything was ready Amundsen ordered to trek

- Come on guys Towards the South Pole ndash Amundsen exclaims

- Yes towards the South Pole ndashthe team yells

It had been over a year since they left their country and finally the long awaited moment had arrivedhellip

32

- We will continue straight on towards the South Pole crossing the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf ndash Amundsen tells to his team

Fortunately this time the weather conditions did not worse so that they reached the first depot without any kind of setback

Also they reached the second depot without any problem and at the beginning of November they arrived at the third intermediate depot

Until then everything was going well Even the sledges pulled by dogs were progressing as scheduled

Sometimes the blistering cold and the frozen wind forced them to shelter in their tents So fighting against the extreme cold the expedition continued as planned

33

In mid November they arrived at the edge of the Trans-Antarctic mountains using a route along the previously unknown Axel Heiberg Glacier

Although the ascent to the mountains was not as hard as expected the intense cold remained being their first enemy hellip

At last after a four-day climb Wisting who was the first in the group shouts

- Captain the plateau

They had arrived at the Antarctic Plateau a large and flat area of central Antarctica

34

The expedition camped there and then hellip the harshest moment in the voyage came

Amundsen reminds his men - Hassel Hanssen as you already know we must slaughter some dogs

-Yes captain We know that is our foreseen plan ndash they answer while unsheathing their knives

So fulfilling their initial plan they had to slaughter 24 dogs The expedition team as well as the other 28 dogs were fed by them

The remaining meat and the bones were buried under the frozen snow with the aim of being eaten when they returned

Henceforth that place was called as `The Butcheracutes Shopacute

35

From there they started walking through the Antarctic Plateau

Unfortunately the weather tended to worsen a dense fog forced them to take refuge in the tent until it was cleared But hellip the days passed by and the fog continued and even grew The explorers were slowly becoming impatient

- Captain the fog does not disappear We cannot just stay here quietly and wait ndash Hanssen tells to Amundsen

- I know it We can hardly do otherwise We have to resist This endless fog will rise soon ndash Amundsen with conviction answers

Amundsen was also concerned about the situation but he wanted to avoid

bringing them any sadness Besides he was worried because they were taking more provisions than expected and it was an unbearably cold

36

The fog was risen after 9 long days From then they were able to continue their voyage towards the South Pole

On 7 December 1911 after a difficult journey they were very close to achieving their target

- Gentlemen I would inform you we are 150 kms from the South Pole So far no one has been so close Keep going donacutet give up ndash Amundsen encourages them

-My captain we are about to achieve it The dogs are behaving rather nicely and we are certainly on the right track ndash Bjaaland replies

This way despite all the difficulties the crew encouraged each other to move forward

However our brave polar explorers were less and less strengthhellip

37

At last they reached their destination on December 14 1911

-Amundsen we have achieved it we are in the South Pole ndash Wisting yells

-We are the first ndash Hassel welcomes

It was nearly two months since they had left the Framheim With a big smile on his face and with bright eyes Amundsen congratulates his team

-Gentlemen congratulations for the fine work you have done It has been a pleasure to reach the South Pole with all of you

-Hurray Amundsen ndash everybody yells almost without any strength left

On that historic day the team of five with their 16 dogs arrived at the South Pole at latitude 90ordm S There they planted the Norwegian flag

They also left a small tent and a letter stating their accomplishment in case they did not return safely to Framheim

38

Quickly they returned to the base camp following the same route They were so exhausted and so cold they may not stay there any longer

On the other hand Robert Scottacutes British expedition reached the South Pole 35 days after Amundsen But unfortunately they did not return home alive Some months later they were found frozen to death hellip

On the contrary all five of Amundsenacutes crew returned safely to Framheim but only 11 dogs made it back alive The journey to the South Pole and back had taken 99 days

So it was on 25 January 1912 when the team finally reached the base camp When they saw the expedition safe and sound everybody shouts for joy

- Congratulations captain

- We are the first Cheers for Norway Long live Amundsen

39

CHAPTER 6

Others expedition achivements

During the next years Amundsen continued making many explorations among others he sailed the Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through Russiaacutes northern coast Later on he joined an expedition aboard an airship and they flew over the North Pole

Amundsen died in a plane crash during a rescue attempt on 18 June 1928 He was trying to rescue some of the crew of an expedition which had lost The hydroplane wherein he flew crashed in the deep Bareints sea in northern Norway and Russia His body was never found hellip

41

This story is considered as one of the greatest historical epics in recent human history

All the brave explorers who took part in the conquest of the South Pole shared their frozen experiences with all of us They all challenged their own human limits

They all are considered our great heroeshellip

42

The endIf you wish you can express your own opinion what

you liked the most and the less what kind of tales you would like to read the next time orhellip just you can say

`HELLOacute

THANK YOU very much for sharing your great ideas with us

infoeditorialweeblecom

Nearly six months later and after a long hard voyage the Fram reached Antarctica on 14 January 1911

The expedition arrived at the eastern edge of the Ross Ice Shelf They established their base camp at a large inlet called the Bay of Whales

The camp was called `Framheimacute which means `home of the Framacute

27

At that time our brave explorer knew he was in race with the British explorer the captain Robert Scott to be the first to reach the South Pole

Fortunately thanks to they established Framheim at the Bay of Whales Amundsen and his crew already had a certain advantage to his competitor Amundsenacutes base camp was nearly 100 kms closer to the South Pole than Scottacutes base camp

28

ANTARCTICA

Amundsen

Base Camp

Scott

Base Camp

SOUTH POLE

80ordm S90ordm S

Ross Ice Shelf

ROSS SEA

The entire crew was aware that for them to succeed they had to be well-prepared among other things they must use skis and dog sleds for transportation Then Amundsen and his men decided to create 3 intermediate supply depots along the way to the Pole They created them during the months of February March and April

Besides they took advantage of the freezing winter to improve their expedition materials particularly the sledges Their purpose was to start their trip in September

29

Our brave explorer thought September was the perfect month mainly because spring came to Antarctica then and therefore the weather conditions were rather better

So when everything was ready for the voyage Amundsen chose 8 crewmen and they departed towards the South Pole

However contrary to what they believed the freezing temperatures were so extreme that dropped as low as minus 40ordmC there were strong winds with snow the blizzards and heavy fogs were so strong that visibility was extremely poorhellip

Therefore they had to quit their huge trek due to the adverse weather conditions Though they decided to leave the food supplies they did not need in the first intermediate camp

Meanwhile the expedition looked forward patiently in the base camp until the weather conditions improve

30

A second attempt took place in mid October with a team made up of 5 Bjaaland Hassel Wisting Hanssen and Amundsen

Everybody in the camp wished the new team all the best

This time they departed Framheim on 19 October They took four sledges and 52 dogs The sled dogs were led by a Samoyed named Etah Amundsen made sure that the dogs were well fed

Bjaaland the carpenter of the crew was the one who redesigned the sledges they would use by lowering their weight Later this lower weight was crucial in saving energy during the trip

31

Once again when everything was ready Amundsen ordered to trek

- Come on guys Towards the South Pole ndash Amundsen exclaims

- Yes towards the South Pole ndashthe team yells

It had been over a year since they left their country and finally the long awaited moment had arrivedhellip

32

- We will continue straight on towards the South Pole crossing the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf ndash Amundsen tells to his team

Fortunately this time the weather conditions did not worse so that they reached the first depot without any kind of setback

Also they reached the second depot without any problem and at the beginning of November they arrived at the third intermediate depot

Until then everything was going well Even the sledges pulled by dogs were progressing as scheduled

Sometimes the blistering cold and the frozen wind forced them to shelter in their tents So fighting against the extreme cold the expedition continued as planned

33

In mid November they arrived at the edge of the Trans-Antarctic mountains using a route along the previously unknown Axel Heiberg Glacier

Although the ascent to the mountains was not as hard as expected the intense cold remained being their first enemy hellip

At last after a four-day climb Wisting who was the first in the group shouts

- Captain the plateau

They had arrived at the Antarctic Plateau a large and flat area of central Antarctica

34

The expedition camped there and then hellip the harshest moment in the voyage came

Amundsen reminds his men - Hassel Hanssen as you already know we must slaughter some dogs

-Yes captain We know that is our foreseen plan ndash they answer while unsheathing their knives

So fulfilling their initial plan they had to slaughter 24 dogs The expedition team as well as the other 28 dogs were fed by them

The remaining meat and the bones were buried under the frozen snow with the aim of being eaten when they returned

Henceforth that place was called as `The Butcheracutes Shopacute

35

From there they started walking through the Antarctic Plateau

Unfortunately the weather tended to worsen a dense fog forced them to take refuge in the tent until it was cleared But hellip the days passed by and the fog continued and even grew The explorers were slowly becoming impatient

- Captain the fog does not disappear We cannot just stay here quietly and wait ndash Hanssen tells to Amundsen

- I know it We can hardly do otherwise We have to resist This endless fog will rise soon ndash Amundsen with conviction answers

Amundsen was also concerned about the situation but he wanted to avoid

bringing them any sadness Besides he was worried because they were taking more provisions than expected and it was an unbearably cold

36

The fog was risen after 9 long days From then they were able to continue their voyage towards the South Pole

On 7 December 1911 after a difficult journey they were very close to achieving their target

- Gentlemen I would inform you we are 150 kms from the South Pole So far no one has been so close Keep going donacutet give up ndash Amundsen encourages them

-My captain we are about to achieve it The dogs are behaving rather nicely and we are certainly on the right track ndash Bjaaland replies

This way despite all the difficulties the crew encouraged each other to move forward

However our brave polar explorers were less and less strengthhellip

37

At last they reached their destination on December 14 1911

-Amundsen we have achieved it we are in the South Pole ndash Wisting yells

-We are the first ndash Hassel welcomes

It was nearly two months since they had left the Framheim With a big smile on his face and with bright eyes Amundsen congratulates his team

-Gentlemen congratulations for the fine work you have done It has been a pleasure to reach the South Pole with all of you

-Hurray Amundsen ndash everybody yells almost without any strength left

On that historic day the team of five with their 16 dogs arrived at the South Pole at latitude 90ordm S There they planted the Norwegian flag

They also left a small tent and a letter stating their accomplishment in case they did not return safely to Framheim

38

Quickly they returned to the base camp following the same route They were so exhausted and so cold they may not stay there any longer

On the other hand Robert Scottacutes British expedition reached the South Pole 35 days after Amundsen But unfortunately they did not return home alive Some months later they were found frozen to death hellip

On the contrary all five of Amundsenacutes crew returned safely to Framheim but only 11 dogs made it back alive The journey to the South Pole and back had taken 99 days

So it was on 25 January 1912 when the team finally reached the base camp When they saw the expedition safe and sound everybody shouts for joy

- Congratulations captain

- We are the first Cheers for Norway Long live Amundsen

39

CHAPTER 6

Others expedition achivements

During the next years Amundsen continued making many explorations among others he sailed the Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through Russiaacutes northern coast Later on he joined an expedition aboard an airship and they flew over the North Pole

Amundsen died in a plane crash during a rescue attempt on 18 June 1928 He was trying to rescue some of the crew of an expedition which had lost The hydroplane wherein he flew crashed in the deep Bareints sea in northern Norway and Russia His body was never found hellip

41

This story is considered as one of the greatest historical epics in recent human history

All the brave explorers who took part in the conquest of the South Pole shared their frozen experiences with all of us They all challenged their own human limits

They all are considered our great heroeshellip

42

The endIf you wish you can express your own opinion what

you liked the most and the less what kind of tales you would like to read the next time orhellip just you can say

`HELLOacute

THANK YOU very much for sharing your great ideas with us

infoeditorialweeblecom

At that time our brave explorer knew he was in race with the British explorer the captain Robert Scott to be the first to reach the South Pole

Fortunately thanks to they established Framheim at the Bay of Whales Amundsen and his crew already had a certain advantage to his competitor Amundsenacutes base camp was nearly 100 kms closer to the South Pole than Scottacutes base camp

28

ANTARCTICA

Amundsen

Base Camp

Scott

Base Camp

SOUTH POLE

80ordm S90ordm S

Ross Ice Shelf

ROSS SEA

The entire crew was aware that for them to succeed they had to be well-prepared among other things they must use skis and dog sleds for transportation Then Amundsen and his men decided to create 3 intermediate supply depots along the way to the Pole They created them during the months of February March and April

Besides they took advantage of the freezing winter to improve their expedition materials particularly the sledges Their purpose was to start their trip in September

29

Our brave explorer thought September was the perfect month mainly because spring came to Antarctica then and therefore the weather conditions were rather better

So when everything was ready for the voyage Amundsen chose 8 crewmen and they departed towards the South Pole

However contrary to what they believed the freezing temperatures were so extreme that dropped as low as minus 40ordmC there were strong winds with snow the blizzards and heavy fogs were so strong that visibility was extremely poorhellip

Therefore they had to quit their huge trek due to the adverse weather conditions Though they decided to leave the food supplies they did not need in the first intermediate camp

Meanwhile the expedition looked forward patiently in the base camp until the weather conditions improve

30

A second attempt took place in mid October with a team made up of 5 Bjaaland Hassel Wisting Hanssen and Amundsen

Everybody in the camp wished the new team all the best

This time they departed Framheim on 19 October They took four sledges and 52 dogs The sled dogs were led by a Samoyed named Etah Amundsen made sure that the dogs were well fed

Bjaaland the carpenter of the crew was the one who redesigned the sledges they would use by lowering their weight Later this lower weight was crucial in saving energy during the trip

31

Once again when everything was ready Amundsen ordered to trek

- Come on guys Towards the South Pole ndash Amundsen exclaims

- Yes towards the South Pole ndashthe team yells

It had been over a year since they left their country and finally the long awaited moment had arrivedhellip

32

- We will continue straight on towards the South Pole crossing the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf ndash Amundsen tells to his team

Fortunately this time the weather conditions did not worse so that they reached the first depot without any kind of setback

Also they reached the second depot without any problem and at the beginning of November they arrived at the third intermediate depot

Until then everything was going well Even the sledges pulled by dogs were progressing as scheduled

Sometimes the blistering cold and the frozen wind forced them to shelter in their tents So fighting against the extreme cold the expedition continued as planned

33

In mid November they arrived at the edge of the Trans-Antarctic mountains using a route along the previously unknown Axel Heiberg Glacier

Although the ascent to the mountains was not as hard as expected the intense cold remained being their first enemy hellip

At last after a four-day climb Wisting who was the first in the group shouts

- Captain the plateau

They had arrived at the Antarctic Plateau a large and flat area of central Antarctica

34

The expedition camped there and then hellip the harshest moment in the voyage came

Amundsen reminds his men - Hassel Hanssen as you already know we must slaughter some dogs

-Yes captain We know that is our foreseen plan ndash they answer while unsheathing their knives

So fulfilling their initial plan they had to slaughter 24 dogs The expedition team as well as the other 28 dogs were fed by them

The remaining meat and the bones were buried under the frozen snow with the aim of being eaten when they returned

Henceforth that place was called as `The Butcheracutes Shopacute

35

From there they started walking through the Antarctic Plateau

Unfortunately the weather tended to worsen a dense fog forced them to take refuge in the tent until it was cleared But hellip the days passed by and the fog continued and even grew The explorers were slowly becoming impatient

- Captain the fog does not disappear We cannot just stay here quietly and wait ndash Hanssen tells to Amundsen

- I know it We can hardly do otherwise We have to resist This endless fog will rise soon ndash Amundsen with conviction answers

Amundsen was also concerned about the situation but he wanted to avoid

bringing them any sadness Besides he was worried because they were taking more provisions than expected and it was an unbearably cold

36

The fog was risen after 9 long days From then they were able to continue their voyage towards the South Pole

On 7 December 1911 after a difficult journey they were very close to achieving their target

- Gentlemen I would inform you we are 150 kms from the South Pole So far no one has been so close Keep going donacutet give up ndash Amundsen encourages them

-My captain we are about to achieve it The dogs are behaving rather nicely and we are certainly on the right track ndash Bjaaland replies

This way despite all the difficulties the crew encouraged each other to move forward

However our brave polar explorers were less and less strengthhellip

37

At last they reached their destination on December 14 1911

-Amundsen we have achieved it we are in the South Pole ndash Wisting yells

-We are the first ndash Hassel welcomes

It was nearly two months since they had left the Framheim With a big smile on his face and with bright eyes Amundsen congratulates his team

-Gentlemen congratulations for the fine work you have done It has been a pleasure to reach the South Pole with all of you

-Hurray Amundsen ndash everybody yells almost without any strength left

On that historic day the team of five with their 16 dogs arrived at the South Pole at latitude 90ordm S There they planted the Norwegian flag

They also left a small tent and a letter stating their accomplishment in case they did not return safely to Framheim

38

Quickly they returned to the base camp following the same route They were so exhausted and so cold they may not stay there any longer

On the other hand Robert Scottacutes British expedition reached the South Pole 35 days after Amundsen But unfortunately they did not return home alive Some months later they were found frozen to death hellip

On the contrary all five of Amundsenacutes crew returned safely to Framheim but only 11 dogs made it back alive The journey to the South Pole and back had taken 99 days

So it was on 25 January 1912 when the team finally reached the base camp When they saw the expedition safe and sound everybody shouts for joy

- Congratulations captain

- We are the first Cheers for Norway Long live Amundsen

39

CHAPTER 6

Others expedition achivements

During the next years Amundsen continued making many explorations among others he sailed the Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through Russiaacutes northern coast Later on he joined an expedition aboard an airship and they flew over the North Pole

Amundsen died in a plane crash during a rescue attempt on 18 June 1928 He was trying to rescue some of the crew of an expedition which had lost The hydroplane wherein he flew crashed in the deep Bareints sea in northern Norway and Russia His body was never found hellip

41

This story is considered as one of the greatest historical epics in recent human history

All the brave explorers who took part in the conquest of the South Pole shared their frozen experiences with all of us They all challenged their own human limits

They all are considered our great heroeshellip

42

The endIf you wish you can express your own opinion what

you liked the most and the less what kind of tales you would like to read the next time orhellip just you can say

`HELLOacute

THANK YOU very much for sharing your great ideas with us

infoeditorialweeblecom

The entire crew was aware that for them to succeed they had to be well-prepared among other things they must use skis and dog sleds for transportation Then Amundsen and his men decided to create 3 intermediate supply depots along the way to the Pole They created them during the months of February March and April

Besides they took advantage of the freezing winter to improve their expedition materials particularly the sledges Their purpose was to start their trip in September

29

Our brave explorer thought September was the perfect month mainly because spring came to Antarctica then and therefore the weather conditions were rather better

So when everything was ready for the voyage Amundsen chose 8 crewmen and they departed towards the South Pole

However contrary to what they believed the freezing temperatures were so extreme that dropped as low as minus 40ordmC there were strong winds with snow the blizzards and heavy fogs were so strong that visibility was extremely poorhellip

Therefore they had to quit their huge trek due to the adverse weather conditions Though they decided to leave the food supplies they did not need in the first intermediate camp

Meanwhile the expedition looked forward patiently in the base camp until the weather conditions improve

30

A second attempt took place in mid October with a team made up of 5 Bjaaland Hassel Wisting Hanssen and Amundsen

Everybody in the camp wished the new team all the best

This time they departed Framheim on 19 October They took four sledges and 52 dogs The sled dogs were led by a Samoyed named Etah Amundsen made sure that the dogs were well fed

Bjaaland the carpenter of the crew was the one who redesigned the sledges they would use by lowering their weight Later this lower weight was crucial in saving energy during the trip

31

Once again when everything was ready Amundsen ordered to trek

- Come on guys Towards the South Pole ndash Amundsen exclaims

- Yes towards the South Pole ndashthe team yells

It had been over a year since they left their country and finally the long awaited moment had arrivedhellip

32

- We will continue straight on towards the South Pole crossing the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf ndash Amundsen tells to his team

Fortunately this time the weather conditions did not worse so that they reached the first depot without any kind of setback

Also they reached the second depot without any problem and at the beginning of November they arrived at the third intermediate depot

Until then everything was going well Even the sledges pulled by dogs were progressing as scheduled

Sometimes the blistering cold and the frozen wind forced them to shelter in their tents So fighting against the extreme cold the expedition continued as planned

33

In mid November they arrived at the edge of the Trans-Antarctic mountains using a route along the previously unknown Axel Heiberg Glacier

Although the ascent to the mountains was not as hard as expected the intense cold remained being their first enemy hellip

At last after a four-day climb Wisting who was the first in the group shouts

- Captain the plateau

They had arrived at the Antarctic Plateau a large and flat area of central Antarctica

34

The expedition camped there and then hellip the harshest moment in the voyage came

Amundsen reminds his men - Hassel Hanssen as you already know we must slaughter some dogs

-Yes captain We know that is our foreseen plan ndash they answer while unsheathing their knives

So fulfilling their initial plan they had to slaughter 24 dogs The expedition team as well as the other 28 dogs were fed by them

The remaining meat and the bones were buried under the frozen snow with the aim of being eaten when they returned

Henceforth that place was called as `The Butcheracutes Shopacute

35

From there they started walking through the Antarctic Plateau

Unfortunately the weather tended to worsen a dense fog forced them to take refuge in the tent until it was cleared But hellip the days passed by and the fog continued and even grew The explorers were slowly becoming impatient

- Captain the fog does not disappear We cannot just stay here quietly and wait ndash Hanssen tells to Amundsen

- I know it We can hardly do otherwise We have to resist This endless fog will rise soon ndash Amundsen with conviction answers

Amundsen was also concerned about the situation but he wanted to avoid

bringing them any sadness Besides he was worried because they were taking more provisions than expected and it was an unbearably cold

36

The fog was risen after 9 long days From then they were able to continue their voyage towards the South Pole

On 7 December 1911 after a difficult journey they were very close to achieving their target

- Gentlemen I would inform you we are 150 kms from the South Pole So far no one has been so close Keep going donacutet give up ndash Amundsen encourages them

-My captain we are about to achieve it The dogs are behaving rather nicely and we are certainly on the right track ndash Bjaaland replies

This way despite all the difficulties the crew encouraged each other to move forward

However our brave polar explorers were less and less strengthhellip

37

At last they reached their destination on December 14 1911

-Amundsen we have achieved it we are in the South Pole ndash Wisting yells

-We are the first ndash Hassel welcomes

It was nearly two months since they had left the Framheim With a big smile on his face and with bright eyes Amundsen congratulates his team

-Gentlemen congratulations for the fine work you have done It has been a pleasure to reach the South Pole with all of you

-Hurray Amundsen ndash everybody yells almost without any strength left

On that historic day the team of five with their 16 dogs arrived at the South Pole at latitude 90ordm S There they planted the Norwegian flag

They also left a small tent and a letter stating their accomplishment in case they did not return safely to Framheim

38

Quickly they returned to the base camp following the same route They were so exhausted and so cold they may not stay there any longer

On the other hand Robert Scottacutes British expedition reached the South Pole 35 days after Amundsen But unfortunately they did not return home alive Some months later they were found frozen to death hellip

On the contrary all five of Amundsenacutes crew returned safely to Framheim but only 11 dogs made it back alive The journey to the South Pole and back had taken 99 days

So it was on 25 January 1912 when the team finally reached the base camp When they saw the expedition safe and sound everybody shouts for joy

- Congratulations captain

- We are the first Cheers for Norway Long live Amundsen

39

CHAPTER 6

Others expedition achivements

During the next years Amundsen continued making many explorations among others he sailed the Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through Russiaacutes northern coast Later on he joined an expedition aboard an airship and they flew over the North Pole

Amundsen died in a plane crash during a rescue attempt on 18 June 1928 He was trying to rescue some of the crew of an expedition which had lost The hydroplane wherein he flew crashed in the deep Bareints sea in northern Norway and Russia His body was never found hellip

41

This story is considered as one of the greatest historical epics in recent human history

All the brave explorers who took part in the conquest of the South Pole shared their frozen experiences with all of us They all challenged their own human limits

They all are considered our great heroeshellip

42

The endIf you wish you can express your own opinion what

you liked the most and the less what kind of tales you would like to read the next time orhellip just you can say

`HELLOacute

THANK YOU very much for sharing your great ideas with us

infoeditorialweeblecom

Our brave explorer thought September was the perfect month mainly because spring came to Antarctica then and therefore the weather conditions were rather better

So when everything was ready for the voyage Amundsen chose 8 crewmen and they departed towards the South Pole

However contrary to what they believed the freezing temperatures were so extreme that dropped as low as minus 40ordmC there were strong winds with snow the blizzards and heavy fogs were so strong that visibility was extremely poorhellip

Therefore they had to quit their huge trek due to the adverse weather conditions Though they decided to leave the food supplies they did not need in the first intermediate camp

Meanwhile the expedition looked forward patiently in the base camp until the weather conditions improve

30

A second attempt took place in mid October with a team made up of 5 Bjaaland Hassel Wisting Hanssen and Amundsen

Everybody in the camp wished the new team all the best

This time they departed Framheim on 19 October They took four sledges and 52 dogs The sled dogs were led by a Samoyed named Etah Amundsen made sure that the dogs were well fed

Bjaaland the carpenter of the crew was the one who redesigned the sledges they would use by lowering their weight Later this lower weight was crucial in saving energy during the trip

31

Once again when everything was ready Amundsen ordered to trek

- Come on guys Towards the South Pole ndash Amundsen exclaims

- Yes towards the South Pole ndashthe team yells

It had been over a year since they left their country and finally the long awaited moment had arrivedhellip

32

- We will continue straight on towards the South Pole crossing the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf ndash Amundsen tells to his team

Fortunately this time the weather conditions did not worse so that they reached the first depot without any kind of setback

Also they reached the second depot without any problem and at the beginning of November they arrived at the third intermediate depot

Until then everything was going well Even the sledges pulled by dogs were progressing as scheduled

Sometimes the blistering cold and the frozen wind forced them to shelter in their tents So fighting against the extreme cold the expedition continued as planned

33

In mid November they arrived at the edge of the Trans-Antarctic mountains using a route along the previously unknown Axel Heiberg Glacier

Although the ascent to the mountains was not as hard as expected the intense cold remained being their first enemy hellip

At last after a four-day climb Wisting who was the first in the group shouts

- Captain the plateau

They had arrived at the Antarctic Plateau a large and flat area of central Antarctica

34

The expedition camped there and then hellip the harshest moment in the voyage came

Amundsen reminds his men - Hassel Hanssen as you already know we must slaughter some dogs

-Yes captain We know that is our foreseen plan ndash they answer while unsheathing their knives

So fulfilling their initial plan they had to slaughter 24 dogs The expedition team as well as the other 28 dogs were fed by them

The remaining meat and the bones were buried under the frozen snow with the aim of being eaten when they returned

Henceforth that place was called as `The Butcheracutes Shopacute

35

From there they started walking through the Antarctic Plateau

Unfortunately the weather tended to worsen a dense fog forced them to take refuge in the tent until it was cleared But hellip the days passed by and the fog continued and even grew The explorers were slowly becoming impatient

- Captain the fog does not disappear We cannot just stay here quietly and wait ndash Hanssen tells to Amundsen

- I know it We can hardly do otherwise We have to resist This endless fog will rise soon ndash Amundsen with conviction answers

Amundsen was also concerned about the situation but he wanted to avoid

bringing them any sadness Besides he was worried because they were taking more provisions than expected and it was an unbearably cold

36

The fog was risen after 9 long days From then they were able to continue their voyage towards the South Pole

On 7 December 1911 after a difficult journey they were very close to achieving their target

- Gentlemen I would inform you we are 150 kms from the South Pole So far no one has been so close Keep going donacutet give up ndash Amundsen encourages them

-My captain we are about to achieve it The dogs are behaving rather nicely and we are certainly on the right track ndash Bjaaland replies

This way despite all the difficulties the crew encouraged each other to move forward

However our brave polar explorers were less and less strengthhellip

37

At last they reached their destination on December 14 1911

-Amundsen we have achieved it we are in the South Pole ndash Wisting yells

-We are the first ndash Hassel welcomes

It was nearly two months since they had left the Framheim With a big smile on his face and with bright eyes Amundsen congratulates his team

-Gentlemen congratulations for the fine work you have done It has been a pleasure to reach the South Pole with all of you

-Hurray Amundsen ndash everybody yells almost without any strength left

On that historic day the team of five with their 16 dogs arrived at the South Pole at latitude 90ordm S There they planted the Norwegian flag

They also left a small tent and a letter stating their accomplishment in case they did not return safely to Framheim

38

Quickly they returned to the base camp following the same route They were so exhausted and so cold they may not stay there any longer

On the other hand Robert Scottacutes British expedition reached the South Pole 35 days after Amundsen But unfortunately they did not return home alive Some months later they were found frozen to death hellip

On the contrary all five of Amundsenacutes crew returned safely to Framheim but only 11 dogs made it back alive The journey to the South Pole and back had taken 99 days

So it was on 25 January 1912 when the team finally reached the base camp When they saw the expedition safe and sound everybody shouts for joy

- Congratulations captain

- We are the first Cheers for Norway Long live Amundsen

39

CHAPTER 6

Others expedition achivements

During the next years Amundsen continued making many explorations among others he sailed the Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through Russiaacutes northern coast Later on he joined an expedition aboard an airship and they flew over the North Pole

Amundsen died in a plane crash during a rescue attempt on 18 June 1928 He was trying to rescue some of the crew of an expedition which had lost The hydroplane wherein he flew crashed in the deep Bareints sea in northern Norway and Russia His body was never found hellip

41

This story is considered as one of the greatest historical epics in recent human history

All the brave explorers who took part in the conquest of the South Pole shared their frozen experiences with all of us They all challenged their own human limits

They all are considered our great heroeshellip

42

The endIf you wish you can express your own opinion what

you liked the most and the less what kind of tales you would like to read the next time orhellip just you can say

`HELLOacute

THANK YOU very much for sharing your great ideas with us

infoeditorialweeblecom

A second attempt took place in mid October with a team made up of 5 Bjaaland Hassel Wisting Hanssen and Amundsen

Everybody in the camp wished the new team all the best

This time they departed Framheim on 19 October They took four sledges and 52 dogs The sled dogs were led by a Samoyed named Etah Amundsen made sure that the dogs were well fed

Bjaaland the carpenter of the crew was the one who redesigned the sledges they would use by lowering their weight Later this lower weight was crucial in saving energy during the trip

31

Once again when everything was ready Amundsen ordered to trek

- Come on guys Towards the South Pole ndash Amundsen exclaims

- Yes towards the South Pole ndashthe team yells

It had been over a year since they left their country and finally the long awaited moment had arrivedhellip

32

- We will continue straight on towards the South Pole crossing the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf ndash Amundsen tells to his team

Fortunately this time the weather conditions did not worse so that they reached the first depot without any kind of setback

Also they reached the second depot without any problem and at the beginning of November they arrived at the third intermediate depot

Until then everything was going well Even the sledges pulled by dogs were progressing as scheduled

Sometimes the blistering cold and the frozen wind forced them to shelter in their tents So fighting against the extreme cold the expedition continued as planned

33

In mid November they arrived at the edge of the Trans-Antarctic mountains using a route along the previously unknown Axel Heiberg Glacier

Although the ascent to the mountains was not as hard as expected the intense cold remained being their first enemy hellip

At last after a four-day climb Wisting who was the first in the group shouts

- Captain the plateau

They had arrived at the Antarctic Plateau a large and flat area of central Antarctica

34

The expedition camped there and then hellip the harshest moment in the voyage came

Amundsen reminds his men - Hassel Hanssen as you already know we must slaughter some dogs

-Yes captain We know that is our foreseen plan ndash they answer while unsheathing their knives

So fulfilling their initial plan they had to slaughter 24 dogs The expedition team as well as the other 28 dogs were fed by them

The remaining meat and the bones were buried under the frozen snow with the aim of being eaten when they returned

Henceforth that place was called as `The Butcheracutes Shopacute

35

From there they started walking through the Antarctic Plateau

Unfortunately the weather tended to worsen a dense fog forced them to take refuge in the tent until it was cleared But hellip the days passed by and the fog continued and even grew The explorers were slowly becoming impatient

- Captain the fog does not disappear We cannot just stay here quietly and wait ndash Hanssen tells to Amundsen

- I know it We can hardly do otherwise We have to resist This endless fog will rise soon ndash Amundsen with conviction answers

Amundsen was also concerned about the situation but he wanted to avoid

bringing them any sadness Besides he was worried because they were taking more provisions than expected and it was an unbearably cold

36

The fog was risen after 9 long days From then they were able to continue their voyage towards the South Pole

On 7 December 1911 after a difficult journey they were very close to achieving their target

- Gentlemen I would inform you we are 150 kms from the South Pole So far no one has been so close Keep going donacutet give up ndash Amundsen encourages them

-My captain we are about to achieve it The dogs are behaving rather nicely and we are certainly on the right track ndash Bjaaland replies

This way despite all the difficulties the crew encouraged each other to move forward

However our brave polar explorers were less and less strengthhellip

37

At last they reached their destination on December 14 1911

-Amundsen we have achieved it we are in the South Pole ndash Wisting yells

-We are the first ndash Hassel welcomes

It was nearly two months since they had left the Framheim With a big smile on his face and with bright eyes Amundsen congratulates his team

-Gentlemen congratulations for the fine work you have done It has been a pleasure to reach the South Pole with all of you

-Hurray Amundsen ndash everybody yells almost without any strength left

On that historic day the team of five with their 16 dogs arrived at the South Pole at latitude 90ordm S There they planted the Norwegian flag

They also left a small tent and a letter stating their accomplishment in case they did not return safely to Framheim

38

Quickly they returned to the base camp following the same route They were so exhausted and so cold they may not stay there any longer

On the other hand Robert Scottacutes British expedition reached the South Pole 35 days after Amundsen But unfortunately they did not return home alive Some months later they were found frozen to death hellip

On the contrary all five of Amundsenacutes crew returned safely to Framheim but only 11 dogs made it back alive The journey to the South Pole and back had taken 99 days

So it was on 25 January 1912 when the team finally reached the base camp When they saw the expedition safe and sound everybody shouts for joy

- Congratulations captain

- We are the first Cheers for Norway Long live Amundsen

39

CHAPTER 6

Others expedition achivements

During the next years Amundsen continued making many explorations among others he sailed the Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through Russiaacutes northern coast Later on he joined an expedition aboard an airship and they flew over the North Pole

Amundsen died in a plane crash during a rescue attempt on 18 June 1928 He was trying to rescue some of the crew of an expedition which had lost The hydroplane wherein he flew crashed in the deep Bareints sea in northern Norway and Russia His body was never found hellip

41

This story is considered as one of the greatest historical epics in recent human history

All the brave explorers who took part in the conquest of the South Pole shared their frozen experiences with all of us They all challenged their own human limits

They all are considered our great heroeshellip

42

The endIf you wish you can express your own opinion what

you liked the most and the less what kind of tales you would like to read the next time orhellip just you can say

`HELLOacute

THANK YOU very much for sharing your great ideas with us

infoeditorialweeblecom

Once again when everything was ready Amundsen ordered to trek

- Come on guys Towards the South Pole ndash Amundsen exclaims

- Yes towards the South Pole ndashthe team yells

It had been over a year since they left their country and finally the long awaited moment had arrivedhellip

32

- We will continue straight on towards the South Pole crossing the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf ndash Amundsen tells to his team

Fortunately this time the weather conditions did not worse so that they reached the first depot without any kind of setback

Also they reached the second depot without any problem and at the beginning of November they arrived at the third intermediate depot

Until then everything was going well Even the sledges pulled by dogs were progressing as scheduled

Sometimes the blistering cold and the frozen wind forced them to shelter in their tents So fighting against the extreme cold the expedition continued as planned

33

In mid November they arrived at the edge of the Trans-Antarctic mountains using a route along the previously unknown Axel Heiberg Glacier

Although the ascent to the mountains was not as hard as expected the intense cold remained being their first enemy hellip

At last after a four-day climb Wisting who was the first in the group shouts

- Captain the plateau

They had arrived at the Antarctic Plateau a large and flat area of central Antarctica

34

The expedition camped there and then hellip the harshest moment in the voyage came

Amundsen reminds his men - Hassel Hanssen as you already know we must slaughter some dogs

-Yes captain We know that is our foreseen plan ndash they answer while unsheathing their knives

So fulfilling their initial plan they had to slaughter 24 dogs The expedition team as well as the other 28 dogs were fed by them

The remaining meat and the bones were buried under the frozen snow with the aim of being eaten when they returned

Henceforth that place was called as `The Butcheracutes Shopacute

35

From there they started walking through the Antarctic Plateau

Unfortunately the weather tended to worsen a dense fog forced them to take refuge in the tent until it was cleared But hellip the days passed by and the fog continued and even grew The explorers were slowly becoming impatient

- Captain the fog does not disappear We cannot just stay here quietly and wait ndash Hanssen tells to Amundsen

- I know it We can hardly do otherwise We have to resist This endless fog will rise soon ndash Amundsen with conviction answers

Amundsen was also concerned about the situation but he wanted to avoid

bringing them any sadness Besides he was worried because they were taking more provisions than expected and it was an unbearably cold

36

The fog was risen after 9 long days From then they were able to continue their voyage towards the South Pole

On 7 December 1911 after a difficult journey they were very close to achieving their target

- Gentlemen I would inform you we are 150 kms from the South Pole So far no one has been so close Keep going donacutet give up ndash Amundsen encourages them

-My captain we are about to achieve it The dogs are behaving rather nicely and we are certainly on the right track ndash Bjaaland replies

This way despite all the difficulties the crew encouraged each other to move forward

However our brave polar explorers were less and less strengthhellip

37

At last they reached their destination on December 14 1911

-Amundsen we have achieved it we are in the South Pole ndash Wisting yells

-We are the first ndash Hassel welcomes

It was nearly two months since they had left the Framheim With a big smile on his face and with bright eyes Amundsen congratulates his team

-Gentlemen congratulations for the fine work you have done It has been a pleasure to reach the South Pole with all of you

-Hurray Amundsen ndash everybody yells almost without any strength left

On that historic day the team of five with their 16 dogs arrived at the South Pole at latitude 90ordm S There they planted the Norwegian flag

They also left a small tent and a letter stating their accomplishment in case they did not return safely to Framheim

38

Quickly they returned to the base camp following the same route They were so exhausted and so cold they may not stay there any longer

On the other hand Robert Scottacutes British expedition reached the South Pole 35 days after Amundsen But unfortunately they did not return home alive Some months later they were found frozen to death hellip

On the contrary all five of Amundsenacutes crew returned safely to Framheim but only 11 dogs made it back alive The journey to the South Pole and back had taken 99 days

So it was on 25 January 1912 when the team finally reached the base camp When they saw the expedition safe and sound everybody shouts for joy

- Congratulations captain

- We are the first Cheers for Norway Long live Amundsen

39

CHAPTER 6

Others expedition achivements

During the next years Amundsen continued making many explorations among others he sailed the Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through Russiaacutes northern coast Later on he joined an expedition aboard an airship and they flew over the North Pole

Amundsen died in a plane crash during a rescue attempt on 18 June 1928 He was trying to rescue some of the crew of an expedition which had lost The hydroplane wherein he flew crashed in the deep Bareints sea in northern Norway and Russia His body was never found hellip

41

This story is considered as one of the greatest historical epics in recent human history

All the brave explorers who took part in the conquest of the South Pole shared their frozen experiences with all of us They all challenged their own human limits

They all are considered our great heroeshellip

42

The endIf you wish you can express your own opinion what

you liked the most and the less what kind of tales you would like to read the next time orhellip just you can say

`HELLOacute

THANK YOU very much for sharing your great ideas with us

infoeditorialweeblecom

- We will continue straight on towards the South Pole crossing the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf ndash Amundsen tells to his team

Fortunately this time the weather conditions did not worse so that they reached the first depot without any kind of setback

Also they reached the second depot without any problem and at the beginning of November they arrived at the third intermediate depot

Until then everything was going well Even the sledges pulled by dogs were progressing as scheduled

Sometimes the blistering cold and the frozen wind forced them to shelter in their tents So fighting against the extreme cold the expedition continued as planned

33

In mid November they arrived at the edge of the Trans-Antarctic mountains using a route along the previously unknown Axel Heiberg Glacier

Although the ascent to the mountains was not as hard as expected the intense cold remained being their first enemy hellip

At last after a four-day climb Wisting who was the first in the group shouts

- Captain the plateau

They had arrived at the Antarctic Plateau a large and flat area of central Antarctica

34

The expedition camped there and then hellip the harshest moment in the voyage came

Amundsen reminds his men - Hassel Hanssen as you already know we must slaughter some dogs

-Yes captain We know that is our foreseen plan ndash they answer while unsheathing their knives

So fulfilling their initial plan they had to slaughter 24 dogs The expedition team as well as the other 28 dogs were fed by them

The remaining meat and the bones were buried under the frozen snow with the aim of being eaten when they returned

Henceforth that place was called as `The Butcheracutes Shopacute

35

From there they started walking through the Antarctic Plateau

Unfortunately the weather tended to worsen a dense fog forced them to take refuge in the tent until it was cleared But hellip the days passed by and the fog continued and even grew The explorers were slowly becoming impatient

- Captain the fog does not disappear We cannot just stay here quietly and wait ndash Hanssen tells to Amundsen

- I know it We can hardly do otherwise We have to resist This endless fog will rise soon ndash Amundsen with conviction answers

Amundsen was also concerned about the situation but he wanted to avoid

bringing them any sadness Besides he was worried because they were taking more provisions than expected and it was an unbearably cold

36

The fog was risen after 9 long days From then they were able to continue their voyage towards the South Pole

On 7 December 1911 after a difficult journey they were very close to achieving their target

- Gentlemen I would inform you we are 150 kms from the South Pole So far no one has been so close Keep going donacutet give up ndash Amundsen encourages them

-My captain we are about to achieve it The dogs are behaving rather nicely and we are certainly on the right track ndash Bjaaland replies

This way despite all the difficulties the crew encouraged each other to move forward

However our brave polar explorers were less and less strengthhellip

37

At last they reached their destination on December 14 1911

-Amundsen we have achieved it we are in the South Pole ndash Wisting yells

-We are the first ndash Hassel welcomes

It was nearly two months since they had left the Framheim With a big smile on his face and with bright eyes Amundsen congratulates his team

-Gentlemen congratulations for the fine work you have done It has been a pleasure to reach the South Pole with all of you

-Hurray Amundsen ndash everybody yells almost without any strength left

On that historic day the team of five with their 16 dogs arrived at the South Pole at latitude 90ordm S There they planted the Norwegian flag

They also left a small tent and a letter stating their accomplishment in case they did not return safely to Framheim

38

Quickly they returned to the base camp following the same route They were so exhausted and so cold they may not stay there any longer

On the other hand Robert Scottacutes British expedition reached the South Pole 35 days after Amundsen But unfortunately they did not return home alive Some months later they were found frozen to death hellip

On the contrary all five of Amundsenacutes crew returned safely to Framheim but only 11 dogs made it back alive The journey to the South Pole and back had taken 99 days

So it was on 25 January 1912 when the team finally reached the base camp When they saw the expedition safe and sound everybody shouts for joy

- Congratulations captain

- We are the first Cheers for Norway Long live Amundsen

39

CHAPTER 6

Others expedition achivements

During the next years Amundsen continued making many explorations among others he sailed the Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through Russiaacutes northern coast Later on he joined an expedition aboard an airship and they flew over the North Pole

Amundsen died in a plane crash during a rescue attempt on 18 June 1928 He was trying to rescue some of the crew of an expedition which had lost The hydroplane wherein he flew crashed in the deep Bareints sea in northern Norway and Russia His body was never found hellip

41

This story is considered as one of the greatest historical epics in recent human history

All the brave explorers who took part in the conquest of the South Pole shared their frozen experiences with all of us They all challenged their own human limits

They all are considered our great heroeshellip

42

The endIf you wish you can express your own opinion what

you liked the most and the less what kind of tales you would like to read the next time orhellip just you can say

`HELLOacute

THANK YOU very much for sharing your great ideas with us

infoeditorialweeblecom

In mid November they arrived at the edge of the Trans-Antarctic mountains using a route along the previously unknown Axel Heiberg Glacier

Although the ascent to the mountains was not as hard as expected the intense cold remained being their first enemy hellip

At last after a four-day climb Wisting who was the first in the group shouts

- Captain the plateau

They had arrived at the Antarctic Plateau a large and flat area of central Antarctica

34

The expedition camped there and then hellip the harshest moment in the voyage came

Amundsen reminds his men - Hassel Hanssen as you already know we must slaughter some dogs

-Yes captain We know that is our foreseen plan ndash they answer while unsheathing their knives

So fulfilling their initial plan they had to slaughter 24 dogs The expedition team as well as the other 28 dogs were fed by them

The remaining meat and the bones were buried under the frozen snow with the aim of being eaten when they returned

Henceforth that place was called as `The Butcheracutes Shopacute

35

From there they started walking through the Antarctic Plateau

Unfortunately the weather tended to worsen a dense fog forced them to take refuge in the tent until it was cleared But hellip the days passed by and the fog continued and even grew The explorers were slowly becoming impatient

- Captain the fog does not disappear We cannot just stay here quietly and wait ndash Hanssen tells to Amundsen

- I know it We can hardly do otherwise We have to resist This endless fog will rise soon ndash Amundsen with conviction answers

Amundsen was also concerned about the situation but he wanted to avoid

bringing them any sadness Besides he was worried because they were taking more provisions than expected and it was an unbearably cold

36

The fog was risen after 9 long days From then they were able to continue their voyage towards the South Pole

On 7 December 1911 after a difficult journey they were very close to achieving their target

- Gentlemen I would inform you we are 150 kms from the South Pole So far no one has been so close Keep going donacutet give up ndash Amundsen encourages them

-My captain we are about to achieve it The dogs are behaving rather nicely and we are certainly on the right track ndash Bjaaland replies

This way despite all the difficulties the crew encouraged each other to move forward

However our brave polar explorers were less and less strengthhellip

37

At last they reached their destination on December 14 1911

-Amundsen we have achieved it we are in the South Pole ndash Wisting yells

-We are the first ndash Hassel welcomes

It was nearly two months since they had left the Framheim With a big smile on his face and with bright eyes Amundsen congratulates his team

-Gentlemen congratulations for the fine work you have done It has been a pleasure to reach the South Pole with all of you

-Hurray Amundsen ndash everybody yells almost without any strength left

On that historic day the team of five with their 16 dogs arrived at the South Pole at latitude 90ordm S There they planted the Norwegian flag

They also left a small tent and a letter stating their accomplishment in case they did not return safely to Framheim

38

Quickly they returned to the base camp following the same route They were so exhausted and so cold they may not stay there any longer

On the other hand Robert Scottacutes British expedition reached the South Pole 35 days after Amundsen But unfortunately they did not return home alive Some months later they were found frozen to death hellip

On the contrary all five of Amundsenacutes crew returned safely to Framheim but only 11 dogs made it back alive The journey to the South Pole and back had taken 99 days

So it was on 25 January 1912 when the team finally reached the base camp When they saw the expedition safe and sound everybody shouts for joy

- Congratulations captain

- We are the first Cheers for Norway Long live Amundsen

39

CHAPTER 6

Others expedition achivements

During the next years Amundsen continued making many explorations among others he sailed the Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through Russiaacutes northern coast Later on he joined an expedition aboard an airship and they flew over the North Pole

Amundsen died in a plane crash during a rescue attempt on 18 June 1928 He was trying to rescue some of the crew of an expedition which had lost The hydroplane wherein he flew crashed in the deep Bareints sea in northern Norway and Russia His body was never found hellip

41

This story is considered as one of the greatest historical epics in recent human history

All the brave explorers who took part in the conquest of the South Pole shared their frozen experiences with all of us They all challenged their own human limits

They all are considered our great heroeshellip

42

The endIf you wish you can express your own opinion what

you liked the most and the less what kind of tales you would like to read the next time orhellip just you can say

`HELLOacute

THANK YOU very much for sharing your great ideas with us

infoeditorialweeblecom

The expedition camped there and then hellip the harshest moment in the voyage came

Amundsen reminds his men - Hassel Hanssen as you already know we must slaughter some dogs

-Yes captain We know that is our foreseen plan ndash they answer while unsheathing their knives

So fulfilling their initial plan they had to slaughter 24 dogs The expedition team as well as the other 28 dogs were fed by them

The remaining meat and the bones were buried under the frozen snow with the aim of being eaten when they returned

Henceforth that place was called as `The Butcheracutes Shopacute

35

From there they started walking through the Antarctic Plateau

Unfortunately the weather tended to worsen a dense fog forced them to take refuge in the tent until it was cleared But hellip the days passed by and the fog continued and even grew The explorers were slowly becoming impatient

- Captain the fog does not disappear We cannot just stay here quietly and wait ndash Hanssen tells to Amundsen

- I know it We can hardly do otherwise We have to resist This endless fog will rise soon ndash Amundsen with conviction answers

Amundsen was also concerned about the situation but he wanted to avoid

bringing them any sadness Besides he was worried because they were taking more provisions than expected and it was an unbearably cold

36

The fog was risen after 9 long days From then they were able to continue their voyage towards the South Pole

On 7 December 1911 after a difficult journey they were very close to achieving their target

- Gentlemen I would inform you we are 150 kms from the South Pole So far no one has been so close Keep going donacutet give up ndash Amundsen encourages them

-My captain we are about to achieve it The dogs are behaving rather nicely and we are certainly on the right track ndash Bjaaland replies

This way despite all the difficulties the crew encouraged each other to move forward

However our brave polar explorers were less and less strengthhellip

37

At last they reached their destination on December 14 1911

-Amundsen we have achieved it we are in the South Pole ndash Wisting yells

-We are the first ndash Hassel welcomes

It was nearly two months since they had left the Framheim With a big smile on his face and with bright eyes Amundsen congratulates his team

-Gentlemen congratulations for the fine work you have done It has been a pleasure to reach the South Pole with all of you

-Hurray Amundsen ndash everybody yells almost without any strength left

On that historic day the team of five with their 16 dogs arrived at the South Pole at latitude 90ordm S There they planted the Norwegian flag

They also left a small tent and a letter stating their accomplishment in case they did not return safely to Framheim

38

Quickly they returned to the base camp following the same route They were so exhausted and so cold they may not stay there any longer

On the other hand Robert Scottacutes British expedition reached the South Pole 35 days after Amundsen But unfortunately they did not return home alive Some months later they were found frozen to death hellip

On the contrary all five of Amundsenacutes crew returned safely to Framheim but only 11 dogs made it back alive The journey to the South Pole and back had taken 99 days

So it was on 25 January 1912 when the team finally reached the base camp When they saw the expedition safe and sound everybody shouts for joy

- Congratulations captain

- We are the first Cheers for Norway Long live Amundsen

39

CHAPTER 6

Others expedition achivements

During the next years Amundsen continued making many explorations among others he sailed the Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through Russiaacutes northern coast Later on he joined an expedition aboard an airship and they flew over the North Pole

Amundsen died in a plane crash during a rescue attempt on 18 June 1928 He was trying to rescue some of the crew of an expedition which had lost The hydroplane wherein he flew crashed in the deep Bareints sea in northern Norway and Russia His body was never found hellip

41

This story is considered as one of the greatest historical epics in recent human history

All the brave explorers who took part in the conquest of the South Pole shared their frozen experiences with all of us They all challenged their own human limits

They all are considered our great heroeshellip

42

The endIf you wish you can express your own opinion what

you liked the most and the less what kind of tales you would like to read the next time orhellip just you can say

`HELLOacute

THANK YOU very much for sharing your great ideas with us

infoeditorialweeblecom

From there they started walking through the Antarctic Plateau

Unfortunately the weather tended to worsen a dense fog forced them to take refuge in the tent until it was cleared But hellip the days passed by and the fog continued and even grew The explorers were slowly becoming impatient

- Captain the fog does not disappear We cannot just stay here quietly and wait ndash Hanssen tells to Amundsen

- I know it We can hardly do otherwise We have to resist This endless fog will rise soon ndash Amundsen with conviction answers

Amundsen was also concerned about the situation but he wanted to avoid

bringing them any sadness Besides he was worried because they were taking more provisions than expected and it was an unbearably cold

36

The fog was risen after 9 long days From then they were able to continue their voyage towards the South Pole

On 7 December 1911 after a difficult journey they were very close to achieving their target

- Gentlemen I would inform you we are 150 kms from the South Pole So far no one has been so close Keep going donacutet give up ndash Amundsen encourages them

-My captain we are about to achieve it The dogs are behaving rather nicely and we are certainly on the right track ndash Bjaaland replies

This way despite all the difficulties the crew encouraged each other to move forward

However our brave polar explorers were less and less strengthhellip

37

At last they reached their destination on December 14 1911

-Amundsen we have achieved it we are in the South Pole ndash Wisting yells

-We are the first ndash Hassel welcomes

It was nearly two months since they had left the Framheim With a big smile on his face and with bright eyes Amundsen congratulates his team

-Gentlemen congratulations for the fine work you have done It has been a pleasure to reach the South Pole with all of you

-Hurray Amundsen ndash everybody yells almost without any strength left

On that historic day the team of five with their 16 dogs arrived at the South Pole at latitude 90ordm S There they planted the Norwegian flag

They also left a small tent and a letter stating their accomplishment in case they did not return safely to Framheim

38

Quickly they returned to the base camp following the same route They were so exhausted and so cold they may not stay there any longer

On the other hand Robert Scottacutes British expedition reached the South Pole 35 days after Amundsen But unfortunately they did not return home alive Some months later they were found frozen to death hellip

On the contrary all five of Amundsenacutes crew returned safely to Framheim but only 11 dogs made it back alive The journey to the South Pole and back had taken 99 days

So it was on 25 January 1912 when the team finally reached the base camp When they saw the expedition safe and sound everybody shouts for joy

- Congratulations captain

- We are the first Cheers for Norway Long live Amundsen

39

CHAPTER 6

Others expedition achivements

During the next years Amundsen continued making many explorations among others he sailed the Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through Russiaacutes northern coast Later on he joined an expedition aboard an airship and they flew over the North Pole

Amundsen died in a plane crash during a rescue attempt on 18 June 1928 He was trying to rescue some of the crew of an expedition which had lost The hydroplane wherein he flew crashed in the deep Bareints sea in northern Norway and Russia His body was never found hellip

41

This story is considered as one of the greatest historical epics in recent human history

All the brave explorers who took part in the conquest of the South Pole shared their frozen experiences with all of us They all challenged their own human limits

They all are considered our great heroeshellip

42

The endIf you wish you can express your own opinion what

you liked the most and the less what kind of tales you would like to read the next time orhellip just you can say

`HELLOacute

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The fog was risen after 9 long days From then they were able to continue their voyage towards the South Pole

On 7 December 1911 after a difficult journey they were very close to achieving their target

- Gentlemen I would inform you we are 150 kms from the South Pole So far no one has been so close Keep going donacutet give up ndash Amundsen encourages them

-My captain we are about to achieve it The dogs are behaving rather nicely and we are certainly on the right track ndash Bjaaland replies

This way despite all the difficulties the crew encouraged each other to move forward

However our brave polar explorers were less and less strengthhellip

37

At last they reached their destination on December 14 1911

-Amundsen we have achieved it we are in the South Pole ndash Wisting yells

-We are the first ndash Hassel welcomes

It was nearly two months since they had left the Framheim With a big smile on his face and with bright eyes Amundsen congratulates his team

-Gentlemen congratulations for the fine work you have done It has been a pleasure to reach the South Pole with all of you

-Hurray Amundsen ndash everybody yells almost without any strength left

On that historic day the team of five with their 16 dogs arrived at the South Pole at latitude 90ordm S There they planted the Norwegian flag

They also left a small tent and a letter stating their accomplishment in case they did not return safely to Framheim

38

Quickly they returned to the base camp following the same route They were so exhausted and so cold they may not stay there any longer

On the other hand Robert Scottacutes British expedition reached the South Pole 35 days after Amundsen But unfortunately they did not return home alive Some months later they were found frozen to death hellip

On the contrary all five of Amundsenacutes crew returned safely to Framheim but only 11 dogs made it back alive The journey to the South Pole and back had taken 99 days

So it was on 25 January 1912 when the team finally reached the base camp When they saw the expedition safe and sound everybody shouts for joy

- Congratulations captain

- We are the first Cheers for Norway Long live Amundsen

39

CHAPTER 6

Others expedition achivements

During the next years Amundsen continued making many explorations among others he sailed the Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through Russiaacutes northern coast Later on he joined an expedition aboard an airship and they flew over the North Pole

Amundsen died in a plane crash during a rescue attempt on 18 June 1928 He was trying to rescue some of the crew of an expedition which had lost The hydroplane wherein he flew crashed in the deep Bareints sea in northern Norway and Russia His body was never found hellip

41

This story is considered as one of the greatest historical epics in recent human history

All the brave explorers who took part in the conquest of the South Pole shared their frozen experiences with all of us They all challenged their own human limits

They all are considered our great heroeshellip

42

The endIf you wish you can express your own opinion what

you liked the most and the less what kind of tales you would like to read the next time orhellip just you can say

`HELLOacute

THANK YOU very much for sharing your great ideas with us

infoeditorialweeblecom

At last they reached their destination on December 14 1911

-Amundsen we have achieved it we are in the South Pole ndash Wisting yells

-We are the first ndash Hassel welcomes

It was nearly two months since they had left the Framheim With a big smile on his face and with bright eyes Amundsen congratulates his team

-Gentlemen congratulations for the fine work you have done It has been a pleasure to reach the South Pole with all of you

-Hurray Amundsen ndash everybody yells almost without any strength left

On that historic day the team of five with their 16 dogs arrived at the South Pole at latitude 90ordm S There they planted the Norwegian flag

They also left a small tent and a letter stating their accomplishment in case they did not return safely to Framheim

38

Quickly they returned to the base camp following the same route They were so exhausted and so cold they may not stay there any longer

On the other hand Robert Scottacutes British expedition reached the South Pole 35 days after Amundsen But unfortunately they did not return home alive Some months later they were found frozen to death hellip

On the contrary all five of Amundsenacutes crew returned safely to Framheim but only 11 dogs made it back alive The journey to the South Pole and back had taken 99 days

So it was on 25 January 1912 when the team finally reached the base camp When they saw the expedition safe and sound everybody shouts for joy

- Congratulations captain

- We are the first Cheers for Norway Long live Amundsen

39

CHAPTER 6

Others expedition achivements

During the next years Amundsen continued making many explorations among others he sailed the Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through Russiaacutes northern coast Later on he joined an expedition aboard an airship and they flew over the North Pole

Amundsen died in a plane crash during a rescue attempt on 18 June 1928 He was trying to rescue some of the crew of an expedition which had lost The hydroplane wherein he flew crashed in the deep Bareints sea in northern Norway and Russia His body was never found hellip

41

This story is considered as one of the greatest historical epics in recent human history

All the brave explorers who took part in the conquest of the South Pole shared their frozen experiences with all of us They all challenged their own human limits

They all are considered our great heroeshellip

42

The endIf you wish you can express your own opinion what

you liked the most and the less what kind of tales you would like to read the next time orhellip just you can say

`HELLOacute

THANK YOU very much for sharing your great ideas with us

infoeditorialweeblecom

Quickly they returned to the base camp following the same route They were so exhausted and so cold they may not stay there any longer

On the other hand Robert Scottacutes British expedition reached the South Pole 35 days after Amundsen But unfortunately they did not return home alive Some months later they were found frozen to death hellip

On the contrary all five of Amundsenacutes crew returned safely to Framheim but only 11 dogs made it back alive The journey to the South Pole and back had taken 99 days

So it was on 25 January 1912 when the team finally reached the base camp When they saw the expedition safe and sound everybody shouts for joy

- Congratulations captain

- We are the first Cheers for Norway Long live Amundsen

39

CHAPTER 6

Others expedition achivements

During the next years Amundsen continued making many explorations among others he sailed the Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through Russiaacutes northern coast Later on he joined an expedition aboard an airship and they flew over the North Pole

Amundsen died in a plane crash during a rescue attempt on 18 June 1928 He was trying to rescue some of the crew of an expedition which had lost The hydroplane wherein he flew crashed in the deep Bareints sea in northern Norway and Russia His body was never found hellip

41

This story is considered as one of the greatest historical epics in recent human history

All the brave explorers who took part in the conquest of the South Pole shared their frozen experiences with all of us They all challenged their own human limits

They all are considered our great heroeshellip

42

The endIf you wish you can express your own opinion what

you liked the most and the less what kind of tales you would like to read the next time orhellip just you can say

`HELLOacute

THANK YOU very much for sharing your great ideas with us

infoeditorialweeblecom

CHAPTER 6

Others expedition achivements

During the next years Amundsen continued making many explorations among others he sailed the Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through Russiaacutes northern coast Later on he joined an expedition aboard an airship and they flew over the North Pole

Amundsen died in a plane crash during a rescue attempt on 18 June 1928 He was trying to rescue some of the crew of an expedition which had lost The hydroplane wherein he flew crashed in the deep Bareints sea in northern Norway and Russia His body was never found hellip

41

This story is considered as one of the greatest historical epics in recent human history

All the brave explorers who took part in the conquest of the South Pole shared their frozen experiences with all of us They all challenged their own human limits

They all are considered our great heroeshellip

42

The endIf you wish you can express your own opinion what

you liked the most and the less what kind of tales you would like to read the next time orhellip just you can say

`HELLOacute

THANK YOU very much for sharing your great ideas with us

infoeditorialweeblecom

During the next years Amundsen continued making many explorations among others he sailed the Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through Russiaacutes northern coast Later on he joined an expedition aboard an airship and they flew over the North Pole

Amundsen died in a plane crash during a rescue attempt on 18 June 1928 He was trying to rescue some of the crew of an expedition which had lost The hydroplane wherein he flew crashed in the deep Bareints sea in northern Norway and Russia His body was never found hellip

41

This story is considered as one of the greatest historical epics in recent human history

All the brave explorers who took part in the conquest of the South Pole shared their frozen experiences with all of us They all challenged their own human limits

They all are considered our great heroeshellip

42

The endIf you wish you can express your own opinion what

you liked the most and the less what kind of tales you would like to read the next time orhellip just you can say

`HELLOacute

THANK YOU very much for sharing your great ideas with us

infoeditorialweeblecom

This story is considered as one of the greatest historical epics in recent human history

All the brave explorers who took part in the conquest of the South Pole shared their frozen experiences with all of us They all challenged their own human limits

They all are considered our great heroeshellip

42

The endIf you wish you can express your own opinion what

you liked the most and the less what kind of tales you would like to read the next time orhellip just you can say

`HELLOacute

THANK YOU very much for sharing your great ideas with us

infoeditorialweeblecom

The endIf you wish you can express your own opinion what

you liked the most and the less what kind of tales you would like to read the next time orhellip just you can say

`HELLOacute

THANK YOU very much for sharing your great ideas with us

infoeditorialweeblecom

Amundsen the polar explorer

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2014 Editorial Weeble

Author Fernando G Rodriacuteguez infoeditorialweeblecomIllustrations Fernando G RodriacuteguezTranslation Mariacutea Jesuacutes Chacoacuten Huertas mariajechahuhotmailcom

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