On this day in 1911, Norwegian Roald Amundsen became the first explorer to reach the South Pole, beating his British rival, Robert Falcon Scott.
Amundsen was born into a family of Norwegian shipowners and captains in Borge, between Fredrikstad and Sarpsborg.
Roald was the fourth son in the family. His mother wanted him to avoid the family maritime trade and encouraged him to become a doctor, a promise Amundsen kept until his mother died when he was 21. He promptly quit university for a life at sea
Amundsen joined the Belgian Antarctic Expedition as first mate at 25 in 1897. This expedition, led by Adrien de Gerlache using the ship the RV Belgica, became the first expedition to overwinter in Antarctica.
The Belgica, whether by mistake or design, became locked in the sea ice at 70°30′S off Alexander Island, west of the Antarctic Peninsula. The crew endured a winter for which they were poorly prepared.
By Amundsen's own estimation, the doctor for the expedition, the American Frederick Cook, probably saved the crew from scurvy by hunting for animals and feeding the crew fresh meat. In cases where citrus fruits are lacking, uncooked meat – particularly offal – from animals often contains enough of the vitamin to prevent scurvy and even partly treat it.
This was an important lesson for Amundsen's future expeditions. Amundsen and Cook later took over command of the ship when De Gerlache became severely ill.
Amundsen next planned to take an expedition to the North Pole and explore the Arctic Basin.
Finding it difficult to raise funds, when he heard in 1909 that the Americans Frederick Cook and Robert Peary had claimed to reach the North Pole as a result of two different expeditions, he decided to reroute to Antarctica.
Amundsen left Oslo for the south on 3 June 1910. At Madeira, Amundsen alerted his men that they would be heading to Antarctica and sent a telegram to Scott: "Beg to inform you Fram proceeding Antarctic – Amundsen.”
Nearly six months later, the expedition arrived at the eastern edge of the Ross Ice Shelf (then known as "the Great Ice Barrier"), at a large inlet called the Bay of Whales on 14 January 1911.
Using skis and dog sleds for transportation, Amundsen and his men created supply depots at 80°, 81°, and 82° South on the Barrier, along a line directly south to the Pole.
Amundsen also planned to kill some of his dogs on the way and use them as a source for fresh meat.
The team arrived at Framheim on 25 January 1912 with 11 surviving dogs. They made their way off the continent and to Hobart, Australia, where Amundsen publicly announced his success on 7 March 1912. He telegraphed the news to backers.
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December 14, 1911
Was in Antarctica with the US Navy (Naval Support Force Antarctica) while waiting for orders to Dive School. Been to the North Pole and to the South Pole, so I guess you can call me "bi-polar."