Julian Sancton

Really good read. Marred only by the gratuitous description of the frequently-mentioned Sir John Franklin as a “bald and doughy naval officer” (p.56). A as resident of Franklin Road in Claremont Cape Town (close to Cook and Nansen Roads) I take exception to this casual characterisation. I first believed it might be a misprint for “doughty” – but there are no misprints in the book, so “doughy” is the word Julian Sancton meant to use. Franklin visited Cape Town in 1836 on his way show more to his unlucky posting as Governor of Tasmania. Other sources describe Franklin as “short and stocky”, but “bald, short and stocky” would also be unjust. Franklin was bald, resourceful and unlucky. New research casts doubt on Sancton’s view that Franklin refused to eat artic game when trapped in the Northwest Passage in 1845 as he stuck to “Royal Navy Protocols”. Much of his expedition’s tinned food was contaminated with lead, and lead poisoning is now believed as an important factor in the death of the last survivors in the Arctic.
For some reason, we have no Amundsen Road – although artic explorers Nares, Parry, Lockwood, Thomson, Markham and Hall are all recognised – maybe this is because the naming of streets took place in 1904, when Amundsen himself was stuck in the Northwest Passage for 2 years. show less

Narrative non-fiction that tells the story of the Belgica, commanded by Adrien de Gerlache de Gomery, that set off for Antarctica in 1897 in an early attempt to reach the South Pole. Crew members included Norwegian Roald Amundsen, the First Mate, and American Dr. Frederick Cook, the ship’s doctor, whose future exploits would make them famous (or infamous). De Gerlache was seeking fame, adventure, and acclaim for his country, Belgium. He and Captain Lecointe had to decide, as winter closed show more in, whether to continue their quest or turn back.

“Floes parted and leads opened up, inviting the Belgica in and presenting de Gerlache with a fleeting opportunity to pierce deep into the heart of the Antarctic sea ice. The commandant was forced to make a decision. The ship had just passed the 70th parallel, and the newly formed avenues offered him the chance to blaze a southern course and perhaps set a new record. But penetrating this far into the pack this late in the year meant almost certain entrapment, not for hours or days but for months or possibly years.”

They proceeded and became the first ship to over-winter in the Antarctic ice pack. It is a survival story of overcoming significant mental and physical obstacles. These men faced perilous conditions. The ship was at constant risk of getting crushed. Food became scarce. They were beset by a mysterious illness and suffered from a monotonous existence. Several developed alarming mental issues. Two never returned.

“Cook expected a downward turn in the general mood, but he was surprised by the depth to which it fell in the days following the last sunset. The men walked the Belgica’s decks seized by despair—when they could even be roused to walk at all. The primordial gloom that all humans feel in darkness…was here compounded by total isolation and the ever-present fear that the ice could crush the ship or open up beneath one’s feet.”

The author does a brilliant job of transporting the reader back in time, adding appropriate historical context. It offers an example of people pushed to the limits of endurance. It portrays the importance of optimism and creativity in survival situations. The manner in which they finally escaped the ice is amazing. An epilogue provides an account of what happened to these people afterward.

“The Belgica entered the strait under a fairy-tale light. The sun had dipped behind the mountains to the west but was still catching their peaks and illuminating the sparse clouds above, forming a golden canopy that stretched over the darkened valley and reflected against the blue-black water. Icebergs glided silently along, like apparitions.”

I have read many non-fiction books about Arctic and Antarctic explorations but had never before read anything about the Belgica. Sancton has employed primary sources to reconstruct the expedition from long-forgotten diaries and journals kept by the officers and crew. His documentation is thoroughly footnoted. The photos are a wonderful addition, showing the people and the images taken during their journey. Their challenges are described in vivid detail. It is an impressive accomplishment, especially for a first full-length book of non-fiction. show less

Fireless Snow

Read by Vikas Adam
Length: 13 hrs and 28 mins

This book is a narrative account of the Belgian Antarctic Expedition of 1897–99, its “planning”, execution, and aftermath. The expedition was Led by Adrien de Gerlache de Gomery aboard the RV Belgica, and was the first Belgian Antarctic expedition. It is considered to be the first expedition of the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration.

Madhouse at the End of the Earth is a well-researched and competently-written book, but for me it show more failed to convey the claustrophobia and dread that is so often engendered in such sea tales.

There’s a lot of detail of the members of the crew and their quarrels that threatened the success of the expedition, but I just didn’t get the feel of the sea and the extreme conditions of Antarctica that I was expecting. There was no fire for me in this book, despite the catchy title.

But perhaps I had unrealistic expectations. One of my earliest memories is of listening to Douglas Stewarts’s play, Fire on the Snow on the radio in Australia. Australians are perhaps more aware than others of Antarctica. Especially those of us from the southern coast. We feel Antarctica’s cold winds in winter. And even travelling by boat from the mainland to Tasmania can be a rough experience. All things considered please take my 3.5 rating with a grain of sand. show less

An incredible story of Antarctic exploration by the ship and crew of the Belgica. Memorable characters and events. Well researched and written. It also features two significant characters of polar exploration, Amundsen and Cook in their early years. To read how the journey shaped these men for their future exploits was fascinating.

Highly enjoyable read.