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Between 1772-1775 The British exploring expedition led by James Cook was the first to Circumnavigate Antarctica. It was also the first to cross the Antarctic Circle on Jan 17, 1773 reaching 67° 15′ S by 39° 35′ E. Despite his remarkable first circumnavigation of Antarctica, Cook unfortunately did not manage to find the southern continent itself, but came extremely close. It is believed he was…

Further snow clearance around camp and fuel scoots using the Cat that is being kept running around the clock. High winds and heavy drifting snow has so far prevented further work to get the second Cat started.

Current Location: S72 51′ 13.5″, E023 33′ 50.2″ Welcome back to all the schools subscribed and following The Coldest Journey. First of all, the entire Coldest Journey team are extremely pleased to announce that our Seeing is Believing fundraising total has now passed $1 million. Just a few weeks ago, Sir Ranulph Fiennes, Joanna Lumley and Anton Bowring visited Bangladesh to witness som…

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It is in stark contrast that, while the expedition team busy themselves with their scientific studies in the remotest part of the world, Ranulph Fiennes, Joanna Lumley and I spent a few days last week in Dhaka,   Bangladesh. Dhaka is one of the world’s most densely populated cities. Whereas Brian, Ian, Richmond, Rob and Spencer have an area the size of Britain between them and their nearest…

Antarctica today is a cold, inhospitable desert; however, in the more distant past, the climate was much warmer. Abundant finds of fossil leaves and wood point to the existence of extensive forestation in earlier geological periods, even to within a few degrees of latitude of the South Pole itself. Dinosaurs, and later, marsupial mammals once roamed across its surface. Leaves and stems belonging…

  The Beast is Purring – by Spencer Smirl After almost 100 days of hibernating beneath a mountain of snow at temperatures as low as -55C, it is difficult to anticipate a trouble-free start-up of any machine, regardless of how much time, money and effort has been devoted to preparing the equipment for operating in such an extreme environment. On Saturday we began the epic dig.

Current position: S72 51′ 13.5″     E023 33′ 50.2″ Altitude: 2,752m Distance travelled today: zero Temperature: -44C Wind: 34 knots Today’s action: First Cat started after further snow clearance and 5hr preheat. Hoping to move this Cat tonight and it will be left running overnight. Second Cat snow clearance started.   Met observations + GPS trial continues. Final day of four-day food intak…

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Richmond clearing the engine compartment By Ian Prickett. We woke this morning to moderate winds of around 20 knots (23mph) with low blowing snow dusting the camp. Brian came back in from his morning MET observations to say the weather had cleared sufficiently and the temperature was up in the mid -30Cs, so we were all set for the start of the ‘Big Dig’. Brian, Rob and Spencer digging t…