A century since Sir Ernest Shackleton set out on an ill-fated attempt to cross Antarctica by foot, another British man is attempting the same journey.
But this time, he's travelling solo.
Henry Worsley, 55, began walking across the Antarctic landmass on Friday. The former British army officer plans to make the entire journey unsupported, without dogs, a kite, or other people to help carry the 150-kilogram sledge which holds all his supplies.
Worsley's journey comes 101 years after Shackleton first set out by ship from Buenos Aires on Oct. 26, 1914, headed toward the Antarctic landmass where he planned to begin his walk.
Shackleton's 'Endurance' ship in 1915 (Frank Hurley/State Library of New South Wales)
But Shackleton's ship, the "Endurance" never made it to its destination. It became trapped in sea ice in 1915 and the shifting floes crushed the boat. Shackleton and his men abandoned ship and ventured onto the ice. Some split off to get help, while the majority made camp on Elephant Island, Antarctica.
It would be two years before the entire crew was safely rescued on Aug. 30, 1916.
Now, Worsley is out to complete Shackleton's unfinished journey. And unlike the earlier explorer, Worsley doesn't have a crew to support him along the way.
"Whereas he wanted to be the first to cross the continent a hundred years ago, I want to be the first to cross it on my own in the centenary year," Worsley told CTVNews.ca in a satellite phone call from Antarctica.
The planned route will take him 1,600 kilometres, through the heart of the South Pole and down to the Ross Ice Shelf. He hopes to complete the trek in 70 days.
It will be Worsley's third trip to the Antarctic, but his first journey on his own.
"I'm just keen to experience this place and a journey of this length without relying on other people, without having to share decisions," Worsley said. "The ultimate success or failure is my hands."
Camped on Ronne Ice Shelf on Monday evening, Worsley said the first few days of his expedition have already proven challenging.
The skies have been clear, but in the middle of Antarctica's summer, an intense sun beats down on his back 24-hours-a-day.
And while the snow has been fairly firm, the sledge sinks into softer patches, requiring extra effort to heave it out.
"Right now it's very hot. It's about – 10 C, there's no wind, there's blazing sunshine, not a cloud in the sky, and it's 24 hours of sunlight," he said. "So it's quite hard, hot going when you're pulling a heavy weight behind you."
Worsley says he starts his day at 9 a.m., and walks about an hour-and-a-half at a time, with short breaks in between, until 7 p.m.
So far, he's averaging 16 kilometres a day. But he's working on slowly increasing that distance.
More than weather conditions, geography, and isolation, he said his biggest challenge is just "chipping away at the mileage."
In the coming weeks, Worsley plans to climb the daunting polar plateau, and, in the final stretch of his journey, he will face the Shackleton Glacier.
Worsley hopes to reach the 96-kilometre long glacier in mid-January, and complete the final stretch of his journey on the ice sheet named after his hero.
"(Shackleton) has been a sort of role model of mine since I was a child," Worsley said. "I joined the army at 19 and his style of leadership struck me as being very appropriate for a young officer joining the army."
In his 36 years in the British Armed Forces, Worsley said he was inspired by Shackleton's devotion to his crew.
"The welfare of his men was most important to him," Worsley said.
Over the course of his career, Worsley said he's also been inspired by the men with whom he served.
In their honour, he's trying to raise 100,000 pounds, the equivalent of $202,600, for the Endeavour Fund.
Supported by Prince Harry and his brother and sister-in-law, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the Endeavour fund supports recovery for sick or injured veterans.
"I've just left the army after 36 years … I want to leave a financial legacy for my wounded mates," Worsley said. "So (this trip) is also an opportunity to give back."
Aspiring explorers can donate to the Endeavour fund and follow Worsley's journey on his Shackleton Solo website.
