About This Site

Antarctic discovery and exploration occurs in many places simultaneously.  This was as true during the “heroic era” as it is today.

This website “Antarctic Discovery–Antarctic Posts:  Live from 1918” brings you firsthand accounts during those heady days in the early years of the twentieth century, posted one hundred years to the day after they were written by members of the expeditions in the field at that time:  Scott’s last expedition in their second year at Cape Evans, Mawson’s at Commonwealth Bay, Frank Wild’s in Queen Mary Land, Filchener’s in the Deutschland, Shirase’s in the Kainan Maru, Shackleton’s Endurance expedition, including the heroic efforts of his Ross Sea Party and the drift of the Aurora.

These were all operating at widely separated points during the years 1910-1917.  As you will see by visiting each in turn on today’s date one hundred years ago, their experiences are in many ways unique and in other ways much the same.

Whenever possible, the postings are quoted from the participants’ own words, from published accounts listed in the Antarctic Bibliography page.  There are other accounts besides these that recount their experiences, but my resources for this project are limited to those within my personal archive.