Sunday, 21 January 1912

Scott

A thick blizzard in the morning delayed the start until well after lunch, and they managed only 5 1/2 miles. They were at 10,010 ft. (3051 m), with temperatures from -18° to -11 (-28 to -24 C). "We are going to have a pretty hard time this next 100 miles I expect," wrote Scott. "If it was difficult to drag downhill over this belt, it will probably be a good deal more difficult to drag up. Luckily the cracks are fairly distinct, though we only see our cairns when less than a mile away; 45 miles to the next depot and 6 days' food in hand -- then pick up 7 days' food (T. -22°) and 90 miles to go to the 'Three Degree' Depot." [1]

"[Soft] plodding for me on foot," remarked Bowers. "I shall be jolly glad to pick up my dear old ski." [2]


Amundsen

After starting off at midnight, they reached their 80° depot late in the morning. There was a report from Prestrud that they had been there 13th November [i.e. 12th], and that all was well. "Thus," wrote Amundsen, "we have a realistic hope of being able to complete the entire west coast of K.E. VII according to our observations." [3]

Since the Eastern Party's visit, Amundsen found, the uppermost box of biscuit on the depot, which being painted black had absorbed enough sunlight to split open from the heat, was ruined, but everything else was in order, and in fact they now had so much supplies that they left a sledge case of biscuit, about 25 kg of chocolate, and a few bags of dried milk, taking only 12 pieces of pemmican for the men, and 40 seal steaks.

The skiing was, "as usual" on the Barrier, Amundsen noted, "extremely loose. Deep, deep snow."

"It was a damned hard job being forerunner," wrote Bjaaland. [4] They were, he estimated, four marches from Framheim.


Notes:

[1] R.F. Scott, diary, 21 January, 1912, quoted in Scott's Last Expedition, v.1.
[2] H.R. Bowers, diary, 21 January, 1912, quoted by Roland Huntford in Scott and Amundsen (New York : Putnam, 1980, c1979), p.519.
[3] Roald Amundsen, diary, 22 January, 1912, quoted by Roland Huntford in Race for the South Pole : the expedition diaries of Scott and Amundsen (London : Continuum, c2010), p.255.
[4] Olav Bjaaland, diary, 22 January, 1912, quoted by Roland Huntford in Scott and Amundsen (New York : Putnam, 1980, c1979), p.508.