On the 27th of December 2008 Adam Wilton and Gavin Booth reached the South Pole. Their unsupported, unassisted expedition from Hercules Inlet to the Geographic South Pole took 45 days 13 hours and 30 minutes.

It is only just starting to sink in that we are actually here and we are over the moon. On reaching the South Pole we believe that we have become only the 12th/13th Britons in history ever to make it to the South Pole from the edge of Antarctica unsupported (no resupply) and unassisted (man-hauling only). Since the start of our planning, it has been a five year journey to get here and we look forward to reflecting on what we have done.

On Christmas day, while most of us were eating and drinking too much, Adam and Gavin spent 12 hours pulling sleds across the Antarctic snow. This was followed by a gruelling 22 hour march starting on Boxing day, taking them to the South Pole at 0915 GMT on the 27th of December.

South Pole Space Station

Adam and Gavin have been rewarded with a tour of the US Amundsen-Scott scientific research base at the south pole. Where experiments measuring seismic activity and studies of the sky and atmosphere are taking place.

The base itself was like a space station inside and out, a remote scientific outpost.

Return from the South Pole

A Twin Otter plane took Adam and Gavin back to the Patriot Hills Camp. This flight took 5 hours and gave the intrepid explorers a chance to see how far they had hiked across the snow and ice of the Antarctic.

Congratulations!

It is difficult to imagine the hardships endured on such an expedition, or the rewards that come with it. Our warmest congratulations go out to Adam and Gavin for their excellent achievement!

Adam and Gavin are hoping to raise £250,000 to help save Robert Falcon Scott’s hut.

On Friday 12th November, Adam Wilton and Gavin Booth passed the 86.5 degree line on their way to the South Pole. Adam and Gavin have been walking across the Antarctic for nearly five weeks now. They estimate that they will reach the South Pole on New Year’s Day.

With the snow softer and sastrugi less extreme, they have been able to ski instead of walk. This has meant using different muscles and has given a much needed rest to the muscles that are used for walking. They are pulling all of their expedition gear, including their tent and their food, on sleds without any help from dogs or snow-mobiles.

They are both in good spirits as they climb up to the polar plateaux.

We are celebrating every degree now with some extra food..on monday we had half a cake each (which was the size of a brick).

Food for Thought and Snow for Dinner

Adam and Gavin have provided their daily routine on their live update website, which I have reproduced below.

Whilst you are all gearing up for the Christmas party season, spare a thought for us …

7.15am -wake and reluctantly get ready.
Eat breakfast, do personal duties, sort kit and take down camp.
before 9.30am be on the move, starting our day’s man hauling.

No day is easy, in fact they are all very hard. We do a 10hr shift, with breaks every hour..for water and a bit of food. but not long enough to get too cold (it is still -20C before wind chill). For the last 2hrs we have a 1minute break at the half hour-so we can push on. At the end we are both exhausted and another step not possible. The sled weight may be reducing as we eat our rations, but the fatigue in legs gets worse. Even if we are both incredibly tired at 6hrs and bored of the white white white landscape, we always push on for the full day, things can get better.. After finishing, we then have to set up camp. It could be very windy.

7.30pm Get tent up and kit from sleds into tent by 8.
8.00pm call Patriot Hills with our position.
8.30pm one of us will start to melt snow in the vestibule. This will take up to 2hrs for all our water. The snow is incredibly dry. The other will have the chance to repair any equipment or himself! and perhaps call home or post a dispatch. During this time we will both start to eat (first meal-we are now eating 2, as we have a hard week of altitude gain) and rehydrate.

10.30pm water finished, and by 11pm time for second meal.
11pm record our expedition video diary, reflect on the day.

12am to sleep..although this will be broken up, as we will wake a number of times no matter how tired. it is hot in tent at night in down sleeping bags, and bright with 24hr sun. We are both suffering from lack of proper sleep.
The next day we do it all again…for 50 days. This is what we have to do to make it. No matter how tired or how cold. A test of mind, body and soul.

Shopping Centre or South Pole?

Where would you rather be? Your local shopping centre, battling the crowds trying to find those perfect Christmas presents…

Shopping Centre. Source: Flickr by MacBites

…or the South Pole, freezing cold with only your expedition partner to get on your nerves? Click on the “comments” link below and let us know!

South Pole. Source: Flickr by darth_emma

Perhaps the best answer is to be in The Lake District, North Wales or The Scottish Highlands and buy all your Christmas Presents and outdoor gear online, using your mobile phone or laptop!

Adam Wilton

Adam was born in London and 30 years old. He works as an investment banker at Kaupthing Bank in London.

Adam’s previous expeditions and challenges include:

Marathon of Britain 2005 (52 miles, 2 days)
Marathon des Sables 2004 (140 miles)
Guadarun, Guadeloupe 2005 (80 miles)
Mont Blanc Ultra 2005 (100 miles non-stop)
Greenland Expedition 2007 (8 first ascents; >200 km ice cap travel)
World Long Course Duathlon Championships 2008.

Adam and Gavin are hoping to raise £250,000 to help save Robert Falcon Scott’s hut.

British South Pole Expedition Updates

British South Pole Expedition 25th November
British South Pole Expedition Update 1 2nd December
British South Pole Expedition Update 2 8th December

On 11/11/08 Adam Wilton and Gavin Booth set off on an expedition to the South Pole. They have now reached the half way point, the 85 degree line.

The sun has been out and the wind is not strong, but the ambient temperature is still a bone chilling minus 19 degrees Celsius.

Adam and Gavin have no supply lines. They have with them everything that they need to survive the expedition, which they intend to complete on New Year’s Day 2009, when they arrive at the South Pole. Previously the Sastrugi were making the going hard. Now the snow has become soft skiing is impossible, so Adam and Gavin are walking, pulling their sleds behind them.

We both agree that this has been toughest thing we have ever done-nothing compares. Every day we put in 9 hours hard effort hauling in extreme conditions.

Since our previous British South Pole expedition update, the view for Adam and Gavin has improved: they can now see the Thiel Mountains on the horizon. This makes a change from seeing nothing but snow in every direction!

By the end of the week they will start the difficult ascent onto the Antarctic plateau. Increasing their day to 9.5 hours they will be able to start eating their larger ration bags of 6500 calories. So far they have been eating 5000+calories a day. Their food rations are made up of porridge, nuts, chocolate, flapjacks, kendal mint cake etc, protein recovery drinks, dehydrated meals and lots of butter.

Adam and Gavin are hoping to raise £250,000 to help save Robert Falcon Scott’s hut.

Robert Falcon Scott's Antarctic Hut. Source: www.ukaht.org

Gavin Booth

Gavin was born in Aberdeen and is 33 years old. When he is not in the South Pole he works for GE Real Estate in London. His hobby is adventuring: ultra marathons, road cycling and climbing mountains.

Gavin’s previous expeditions and challenges include:

Caledonian Challenge 2002, 2003 (54 miles)
Marathon of Britain 2005 (52 miles, 2 days)
Marathon des Sables 2004 (140 miles)
Yukon Arctic Ultra 2005 (100 miles non-stop)
Guadarun, Guadeloupe 2005 (80 miles)
Mont Blanc Ultra 2005 (100 miles non-stop)
Greenland Expedition 2007 (8 first ascents; >200 km ice cap travel)

More information about Adam, Gavin and their expedition can be found on their British South Pole expedition website.

On 11/11/08 Adam Wilton and Gavin Booth set off on an expedition to the South Pole. By the wonders of modern technology they are sending back progress reports which can be accessed via their website.

So far they have nearly covered a third of the total distance. Having started at 80 degrees they are now past the 83 degree line. The going is tough with poor visibility. Some days there is not a lot to see, just white in every direction! The sun has been shining on occasion and their spirits are high. To ensure adequate calorific intake they are eating 65 grams of butter with every meal. Yummy!

The goal is to hit 85degrees by next tuesday-that will keep us on target for an end of year finish at the pole?

Adam and Gavin are hoping to raise £250,000 to help save Robert Falcon Scott’s hut.

Sastrugi

One thing that has hampered Adam and Gavin’s progress are the Sastrugi. These are robust, small, furry creatures that attack humans with sharp, wooden handled spears. Since the Sastrugi are so short they mainly attack human’s ankles and legs. They reputedly hail from a galaxy far, far, far away.

Either that, or Sastrugi is the name for grooved surface features found on the surface of the snow in polar regions. The Sastrugi ridges form parallel to the prevailing winds and can be as high as 1 metre. They are sharp and irregular which makes them difficult to traverse and energy draining.

As well as encountering Sastrugi, Adam and Gavin could well encounter some Nunataks.

Sastrugi. Source: Flickr by foto3116

Even with the cold snap that we’re currently experiencing in the UK, it is difficult to imagine how severe the conditions are in the South Pole. As ever, we hope that everything continues to go well for Adam and Gavin.

Earlier this month Adam Wilton and Gavin Booth set off on a two man expedition to the geographic South Pole. Their journey started about a week ago at Hercules Inlet and will cover a distance of 1,130 km. They will climb almost 3,000 m on their expedition and will be heading into winds of up to 55 knots. With no support or re-supply they will each be pulling sleds of 120 kg with all their expedition equipment. Average Antarctic temperatures will be from – 25 °C to -40 °C.

Campaign to Save Robert Falcon Scott’s Hut

Robert Falcon Scott's Antarctic Hut. Source: www.ukaht.org

Adam and Gavin are hoping to raise £250,000 to help save Robert Falcon Scott’s hut. Located at Cape Evans, the hut dates back from Robert Falcon Scott’s ill fated Terra Nova expedition to the South Pole. The hut is of great historic value but is unfortunately deteriorating in the harsh weather conditions of the Antarctic. Preserving the hut and other Antarctic artefacts is a huge and expensive task, taken on by the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust. Any donations made will be doubled as a match funding pledge has been set up through the generosity of a British Charitable Foundation .

Frozen Sleeping Bags and Mitts

Adam and Gavin have been walking for nearly two weeks now. The weather has been harsh: snow storms and cold, biting winds. They have been waking up to find their sleeping bags and mitts frozen. It has been hard going, nevertheless they have reported that they are making good progress. Further progress reports on the South Pole expedition can be found on their British South Pole Expedition website. Adam and Gavin aim to reach the South Pole by New Year’s day 2009. If they have any energy left by that time they might consider celebrating by doing the crampon dance. Good luck guys!

This video was created by Broken Pixel, an animator / editor / painter / designer. It depicts the heroic story of Robert Falcon Scott’s ill fated Terra Nova Expedition to the South Pole.

Terra Nova Video

The song Terra Nova was performed by the band iLiKETRAiNS and reached UK chart position 132 in May 2006. iLiKETRAiNS are a post-rock band from Leeds, England. Their songs are composed of expansive orchestral and guitar-based sounds. They are signed to Beggars Banquet Records.

Robert Falcon Scott’s Terra Nova Expedition

Robert Falcon Scott’s Terra Nova Expedition took place from 1910 to 1913. The name Terra Nova is that of the expedition’s supply ship, meaning ‘new ground’.

The objective of the trip was to reach the South Pole and to carry out scientific research and geographical exploration. On the 1st of November 1911, Scott and his team embarked on their journey to the South Pole. They reached the South Pole on 17th of January 1912, however Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen had reached the South Pole just over one month before Scott’s team.

Scott’s team met with tragedy on the return journey from the South Pole as they crossed the Antarctic. Due to extremely bad weather conditions and weakness through dehydration, malnutrition and possibly scurvy, they were unable return back to their base at hut point. They died on 29th of March 1912.

Detailed accounts of Robert Falcon Scott’s Terra Nova Expedition can be found on many websites.