Photo Series | ~ Help! ~

what if the solution to all your problems is to get really into the history of polar exploration. Have you tried that

deep in the arctic circle

You can't even go on an expedition to find a passage through dangerous ice fields and die alongside 100+ men for your hubris anymore. Because climate change 🙄

Examples of Inuit clothing. The ironic problem of wearing linen and cotton clothing in the arctic was sweat. Activities such as manhauling, warping the ship, and preparing camp were strenuous, and the men would sweat from the exertion. The problem came when they stopped. In low arctic and Antarctic temperatures the sweat would freeze almost instantly, leaving the unfortunate individual wearing what was more or less a sheet of ice.This, of course, ended in frostbite and hypothermia. Several explorers accounts recall clothing and sleeping bags that were like sheets of iron, thawed only with more exertion. The Inuit not only relied on dogs for hauling thus saving unnecessary exertion, they also overcame that tropical adaptation to cooling off all humans have with their clothing. Hides do not absorb sweat as readily, and were softened by chewing. Anoraks also are designed to ventilate, as discovered and described by Amundsen when he began wearing Netchili clothing. The air running through it evaporates the sweat and ends up leaving the wearer virtually free of ice garments.

Northern Gothic

Photos taken by Harald Sverdrup of the aurora borealis as viewed from ‘Maud’, 1918-1925

On this day, 5th January 1922, Ernest Shackleton, died.

Sir Ernest Shackleton was an Antarctic explorer, best known for leading the ’Endurance’ expedition of 1914-16.

Ernest Henry Shackleton was born on 15 February 1874 in Ireland but his family moved to London where Shackleton was educated. He joined the merchant navy when he was 16 and qualified as a master mariner in 1898. 

In 1901, Shackleton was chosen to go on the Antarctic expedition led by British naval officer Robert Falcon Scott on the ship ‘Discovery’.  The team trekked towards the South Pole in extremely difficult conditions, getting closer to the Pole than anyone had come before. Shackleton became seriously ill and had to return home.

In 1908, he returned to the Antarctic as the leader of his own expedition, on the ship 'Nimrod’. During the expedition, his team climbed Mount Erebus, made many important scientific discoveries and set a record by coming even closer to the South Pole than before. Shackleton was knighted on his return to Britain.

In 1911, Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen reached the South Pole, followed by Scott who died on the return journey. In 1914, Shackleton made his third trip to the Antarctic with the ship 'Endurance’, planning to cross Antarctica via the South Pole. Early in 1915, ’Endurance’ became trapped in the ice, and ten months later sank. Shackleton’s crew had already abandoned the ship to live on the floating ice. In April 1916, they set off in three small boats, eventually reaching Elephant Island. Taking five crew members, Shackleton went to find help. In a small boat, the six men spent 16 days crossing 1,300 km of ocean to reach South Georgia and then trekked across the island to a whaling station. The remaining men from the 'Endurance’ were rescued in August 1916. Not one member of the expedition died. Shackleton’s account of the 'Endurance’ expedition, South was published in 1919. The State Library of New South Wales holds a number of editions of this book, including first editions.

Shackleton’s fourth expedition aimed to circumnavigate the Antarctic continent but on 5 January 1922, Shackleton died of a heart attack off South Georgia and he was buried on the island.

The State Library of New South Wales holds collections of photographs depicting Shackleton’s expeditions, including these taken by photographer Frank Hurley. Photographs of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s trans-Antarctic expedition in the 'Endurance’, ca. 1914-1917  

Canadian(BC) Gothic

- You hear the crickets at night. It’s louder then you remember. It’s better then it being quiet.

- Winter comes fast. When will it leave? You don’t remember.

- There’s a snap in the woods behind you. You hope it’s your dog. You don’t check.

- You see an Alberta license plate. Then another one. The cars are the same.

- You walk around the fall fair. The bright lights and noises fend off anything coming from the surrounding woods, but only till 10:00.

- Halloween is around the corner. You see the local adds about it. Check your candy, don’t go into the woods, always carry a flashlight, stay with your group.

- The tenth person this year has gone missing in the mountains. It’s February.

- Your friend collects animal skulls. You help.

- You go hiking to pick Saskatoon berries. You dare stray from the path, but never go so far you can’t see it.

- You see a missing pet sign and wonder why people still put them up. We all know if it hasn’t turned up before nightfall that the coyotes got to it.

- You always go to the same timmies. You order a double double. They get you a triple triple instead.

- You plan to move to Vancouver. Everyone does.

- You’re stuck behind a logging truck. You’re always stuck behind a logging truck.

- The crust on top of the snow makes it easier to walk on. That is, of course, unless the snow decides it wants to keep you.

- You’re skiiing. No one is wearing a jacket. You’re not wearing a jacket. It’s very hot out.

- Winter snow is blinding. Summer sun is blinding. There is no happy medium.

- Your window rattles. You don’t need to look outside. Part of you knows and dreads whatever is out there.

- The rain is pouring. It’s sunny out.

- The hockey academy guys leave for the rink on the first day. You don’t see them again.