Modern Day Antarctic Adventurers, Heroes or Holidaymakers?

There has been an ever increasing tendency in recent years for people to use Antarctica as an adventurous playground for their extreme exploits. 

This is really just an extension of the drives that take people up mountains and down rapids, engage in long overland journeys from one place to another for some historical precedence - following in the wake of some famous figure who has gone before, or because they want to be the first.

But when these exploits happen in Antarctica, they seem to frequently become imbued with some kind of heroism that I feel doesn't always really apply.

Take the South Pole for instance, all sorts of people go there today, and many are trying to be the "First" something, first to get there wearing an orange hat, first to get there and have clean underwear on everyday. They, or maybe the press (their press officers) try to convince us that they are "Walking in the footsteps of Scott". 

Ahem! - Scott and his team really did walk there - all the way from the coast - and despite great logistical support of their own organization died in the process. By 1950, there had still only been ten men who had stood at the South Pole (five from Scott's party and five from Amundsen's) and half of them had died on the way back. Today's climate of technologically advanced clothing, tents, communications and support is very different. Not to mention the fact there are lots of National Stations dotted around the continent for emergencies - more of those later.

Sometimes charity is cited as the reason for all this effort. While there are those who do raise great amounts of money for charity through their efforts, there are those for whom this seems to be a great way of getting to go to a place they could never otherwise manage and to have a great adventure in the process. I met someone a couple of years ago whose expedition was looking like it was going to fail at the last minute through a lack of sponsorship, fortunately it was rescued when his father came in and supplied many thousands of pounds to pay for it all. When I asked if he could come to the state school where I teach and give one of his heavily promoted talks, he regretted that he couldn't as we couldn't afford to pay the  (very expensive) asking price - so much for charity.

A while ago there was some guy whose expedition was to be the "First" to ski down Mount Erebus. He was sort-of in that he was the first to mount an expedition with this as an aim (and indeed I think he succeeded) but personnel from nearby national Antarctic stations had been using Mount Erebus as a ski slope for years. They just weren't claiming that it was particularly heroic to do so.

Now I'm not of the ilk that says we should all stay away from Antarctica and not touch it or go there at all, far from it. It's a fantastic place and if you ever get the remotest chance of going I suggest you grab it with both hands.

Having spent two of the best years of my life in Antarctica, I feel that I know it more than most who go there briefly or just write about it. Antarctica is not so different to the Arctic and plenty of people live there all the time and have done for centuries. What is different about the Antarctic is that it is even more remote than the Arctic and has a greater mystique as so few people have been. To survive there is not a great feat, it is the result of careful planning, familiarity with the risks and having the ability to deal with any unexpected trouble that may come your way. It also relies on the fact that you aren't going to do anything extreme unless you're well practiced. Would you haul a sledge or trolley for a few hundred miles from your home, plant a flag and go back again? thought not.

Maybe it's just a part of my progress to becoming a grumpy old man, but I find it less than impressive or convincing, when starting around the end of November and running through to about March, I read about some new great heroic expedition (why are they always expeditions?) in the papers nearly every week.

I hope you have a great time and get what you want out of the experience, but please:

Then there's one more thing that I've saved until last, that is possibly the most important this is in regard to support and rescue.

There have been several instances particularly in recent years, where adventurers have got themselves into what could potentially have been a fatal position. The reason that it wasn't is that there were research bases nearby (often by design of the adventurers) who came to the rescue (or answered the door when a knock was received). The rescue may have been literal in the case of downed aircraft or more benign in the case of adequate food, shelter and transport for those who simply hadn't provided for themselves when things went wrong.

Human nature will always ensure that someone in an emergency will receive help and assistance from those nearby who are able to give aid. However to put yourself into a position where you know you are relying on others to achieve your own goal, adventure - dare I say - holiday, is of a rather different nature.