Wow... it's winter down there.
Bill, have you ever read the book by Admiral Byrd named, "Alone" ?
It's about his solo stay in Antarctica back in 1933.
It's free to read on the web and may be one of the best short books I've read. I started reading it and it became a marathon session...
Check it out:
http://www.ast.leeds.ac.uk/haverah/spaseman/bookalone.shtml--------------------------------------
Alone- Richard Evelyn Byrd
A terrific story of human endurance. Admiral Richard Byrd is one of the great Polar explorers and is responsible for transforming Antarctic expeditions from the dangerous days of the heroic era to the comfort and safety available in modern Antarctic stations.
Byrd organised several American expeditions to Antarctica and built the research station Little America in the Bay of Whales next to the remains of Roald Amundsens base Framheim. He did all this with little government support and paved the way for todays US Antarctic Program. In 1929 he became the first man to fly over the South Pole, and the first to see it since Scott left it in 1911. In 1933, frustrated by the limited meteorological observations he could make at his coastal station he determined to establish a second base far inland. So was Advance Base born. Initially to be manned over winter by three men, time and material constraints resulted in a sole occupant over five months of winter: Admiral Byrd himself. In this book we see the hopeful but wary Byrd descend slowly into despair as unknown to him toxic carbon monoxide gas from his heater begins to slowly kill him. After recovering from a coma he realises his predicament and tries to nurse his broken, poisoned body back to health.
It is a harrowing tale as a bedridden and brain damaged Byrd tries to feed and water himself. He is forced to make the daily decision as to how long he can run his heater without further worsening his condition. Lying alone in the dark with only his thoughts for company he enters the darkest parts of the human psyche and somehow finds the strength to fight. All through this Byrd maintains his daily observations and his weekly radio contact with his colleagues at Little America. Tapping out morse code messages he hopes will disguise his desperate state and prevent a dangerous mid winter rescue. This is a gripping read that would appeal to anyone, not just those interested in Antarctica, but why listen to me when you can judge for yourself? The entire text of this book is available online. Just click on the links below.
Contents
Introduction and Preface
Chapter 1 1933: The Idea
Chapter 2 March: The Decision
Chapter 3 April I: God of 2.5
Chapter 4 April II: The night
Chapter 5 May I: The Intimation
Chapter 6 May II: The Blow
Chapter 7 June I: Despair
Chapter 8 June II: The Struggle
Chapter 9 June III: The Proposal
Chapter 10 July I: Cold
Chapter 11 July II: The Tractors
Chapter 12 August: The Searchlight
