British Polar Explorers Planning to Reach South Pole Between Christmas and New Year

British polar explorers Ben Saunders and Tarka L’Herpiniere are hoping for a unique belated Christmas present this year – to reach their half-way mark at the South Pole (900 miles or 1,450km into their 1800 mile or 2,900km journey) between Christmas and New Year.

The duo set out from Scott’s historic Terra Nova Hut in Antarctica on 25 October 2013 on a world-record breaking unsupported return journey from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole and back making the first completion of iconic British explorer, Captain Scott’s ill-fated 1910-12 Terra Nova route.

In their first 50 days they have successfully covered more than 1,000km (621 miles) on foot, experienced temperatures down to -46°C. wind chill and climbed more than 9000 feet primarily up one of the world’s largest glaciers, the Beardmore Glacier, placing them amongst a small band of men that have gone before including Ernest Shackleton, Captain Robert Falcon Scott, Robert Swan and Henry Worsley.

Ben Saunders said, “We’ve just passed 50 days and 1000km on the ice which feels like a bit of a milestone. We’re up on the Antarctic Plateau now. It is cold and windy and hard work. But we’re optimistic and on track to the South Pole. Our aim is to get there between Christmas and New Year. It would be the best Christmas present if we do.”

Scott Expedition patron and first to walk to the North and South Pole, Robert Swan OBE said, “Ben and Tarka are making excellent progress. It was a very tough start hauling an unprecedented amount of weight and they’ve been covering good ground. It’s an unbelievable effort and my thoughts are with them as they head towards their half-way mark at the South Pole.”

For a snapshot of Ben and Tarka’s first month on the ice watch this video: Life on Ice – First Month in Antarctica.

 

Five Scott Expedition facts:

1. Ben and Tarka are walking 1800 miles (2,900km) from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole and back – equivalent to 69 back-to-back marathons or the distance from the Earth’s surface to its core. It will be the longest unsupported polar journey in history.

2. They each set out hauling a load of almost 200kg – approximately double the weight of two adult men. To get an idea of what it’s like to haul almost 200kg across ice please click here.

3. In approximately 110 days on the ice Ben and Tarka will change their underwear three times.

4. In four months in Antarctica Ben and Tarka will never experience darkness. Antarctica has 24-hour daylight in its summer season.

5. Ben and Tarka consume almost 6,000 calories daily – the equivalent of 4.8kg of egg-fried rice, 23 and a half hamburgers or the amount one may eat on Christmas day.

A 21st Century expedition, Ben and Tarka are using Intel’s latest 4th Generation technology connected to a modified Iridium pilot to share their journey in unprecedented detail with followers worldwide

The duo are blogging daily at www.scottexpedition.com/blog and are sharing regular images and video across a host of social media channels:

YouTube – www.youtube.com/scottexpedition

Instagram – www.instagram.com/scottexpedition

Falcon Scott (grandson of Captain Robert Falcon Scott) and Robert Swan OBE (first to walk to both the North and South Pole and Founder of 2014) are expedition patrons.

Intel and Land Rover are co-presenting partners of the Scott Expedition.

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