Discovery Hut
Trip Start
Aug 16, 2007
1
25
61
Trip End
Apr 07, 2008
McMurdo,
Antarctica
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Here is a brief history of Scott's Discovery Hut at Hut Point:
Scott's Discovery Expedition, 1901-1904
- The hut was constructed in February 1902 of Australian jarrah wood from a design popular in the Outback for it ability to remain cool in the Outback heat.
- Too cold to live in, the hut was used for storage, emergency shelter for stranded shore parties and as a theater for the crew.
- George Vince, a member of the Cape Crozier Message Party, died after slipping off Danger Slopes in a storm trying to get to Hut Point. Hare survived 36 hours out in the same storm by letting snow cover him and staying put.
- Scott and Wilson aided a scurvy-ridden Shackleton back to Hut Point after their Southern Journey. Shackleton was sent home as an invalid, thus beginning his rivalry with Scott.
Shackleton's Nimrod Expedition, 1907-1909
- The expedition was based at Cape Royds but used Discovery Hut for storage and as an advance camp for Shackleton's Pole attempt.
- This was the first expedition to reach the South Magnetic Pole, to ascend Mount Erebus, and Shackleton, Wild, Adams, and Marshall came within 100 miles of the South Pole before having to turn back due to lack of food.
- Marshall collapsed from starvation and exhaustion 33 miles from Hut Point two days before the Nimrod was to leave McMurdo Sound. Leaving Adams to tend to Marshall, Shackleton and Wild marched non-stop for 18 hours to reach the Point to flag down the ship before it left. They attempted to burn a small outbuilding from Discovery days to signal the Nimrod but were unsuccessful. The Nimrod, however, returned anyway and Shackleton led a party to rescue Adams and Marshall.
Scott's Terra Nova Expedition, 1910-1913
- The expedition was based at Cape Evans but used Discovery Hut as an advance camp for all southern journeys.
- Discovery Hut found full of snow and ice after Shackleton's use.
- Sixteen men occupied the hut from March 5 to April 21, 1911 after returning from Depot Journey to lay supplies for the next year's Pole attempt. This was the largest group ever to live in the hut.
- Wilson, Bowers, and Cherry-Garrard spent one night in the hut returning from mid-winter Cape Crozier Journey.
- The hut was occupied for short periods between January 4 and May 1, 1912 by parties returning from Pole and parties going south to look for Scott.
- Crean, of the Last Returning Party, walked 35 miles in 18 hours across heavily crevassed terrain to get help at Hut Point for the scurvy-ridden Lt. Evans.
- Discovery Hut was used as an advance base for the Search Journey which found the bodies of Scott, Wilson, and Bowers.
- The hut was occupied by eight men building and erecting the Memorial Cross on Ob Hill, January 20-21, 1913.
Mackintosh and Shackleton's Aurora Expedition, 1915-1917
- The expedition's mission was to lay depots across the Ross Ice Shelf to assist Shackleton's Trans-Antarctic Expedition, which was in the Weddell Sea aboard the Endurance.
- The Aurora's anchor lines were broken in a storm in May 1915 and the ship was blown out to sea marooning ten men at Cape Evans with almost no food or equipment with which to carry out the Depot Journey.
- Scrounging supplies from all the huts, fabricating clothing and equipment, and surviving almost solely on seal meat, six men attempt Depot Journey leaving four men at Cape Evans.
- Spencer-Smith dies of scurvy just one-day's march from Hut Point. Mackintosh and Hayward are very sick with scurvy but Joyce, Wild, and Richards get them to Hut Point.
- Men spend five months in Discovery Hut, again full of snow and ice, mostly huddled around the blubber stove while Mackintosh and Hayward recover.
- Only partially recovered, Mackintosh and Hayward attempt to reach Cape Evans traveling over newly formed, very thin sea ice. Storm blows out the sea ice and the two men are never seen again.
- The three surviving members of Depot Journey eventually return to Cape Evans and the party is rescued by Shackleton.
Comments
dont even think about it.
i hope you two dont feel like going on any crazy expeditions by youself. and if you do, you have to make it back so we can see the pictures. :)
What Determination
Hi There:
Wow - what determination they had --to endure such harsh conditions and illness --
We are glad that the conditions are so much better for those of you who are there now.
Cannot imagine the extreme conditions they experienced as we just came back from Breckenridge and we had below zero weather the week we were out there!!! (and it was plenty cold with lots of snow fall). Of course, with all of our winter gear and taking a break at one of the lodges for hot chocolate while our toes and fingers unthalled made it 'bearable'. We also journeyed down to Colorado Springs and took the COG Railway train up Pike's Peak. They only run on Saturday at this time of the year and the train was not able to go all the way to the top due to all the snow and 40 below zero wind chill. We got up to 12,100 feet (Windy Point)and I think there was another 2,000 feet to the top. Of course, the maximum speed for the train is only 9 miles per hour and we don't think it was doing that. The snow machine was ahead of the train making sure the track was clear.
Keep warm - what is your departure date?
Love A. Carol & U. Joe