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James Cook
James Cook crossed the Antarctic circle and circumnavigated that there was land.Even though he didn't see land,pieces of rock in the icebergs showed that there was a southern continent. -
Captain Thaddeus Bellinghausen
Captain Thaddeus Bellingshausen,a Russian naval officer, was the first to cross the Antarctic circle after Captain Cook.He made the first sighting of the continent,describing an icefield covered with small hillocks(a small hill). -
James Wedell
British whaler,James Wedell,discovers the sea named after him and then reaches the most southerly point.No one else manages to penetrate the wedell sea for 80 years. -
Captain Robert Falcon Scott
Captain Robert Falcon Scott (UK) leads is very first Antarctic expedition to try and reach the south pole.He takes Ernest Shackleton and Edward Wilson with him.They are forced to turn back 2 months later having reached 82 degrees south,with scurvy and snow blindness. -
Ernest Shackleton
Ernest Shackleton leads his own expedition to within 156km of the south pole.He turns back though after his supplies are exuasted. -
Douglas Mawson
Douglas Mawson (Australia) reaches the south magnetic pole. -
Roald Amundsen
Roald Amundsen(Norwegian) leads a five man expedition.They reach the south pole for the first time. -
Robert Falcon Scott
Scott reaches the south pole to find that Amundsen has beaten him to it.All of the men in his team perish only 11 miles from their supply depot.Their bodies are not found until November. -
Mawson
Douglas Mawson begins his trek across George V land back to his base at Commonwealth Bay.Both hi commpanions had died and finally he makes it home.A new section of the coast has been discovered and radio is used for the first time in Antarctica. -
Shackleton
Ernest Shackleton returns to Antarctica to attemp to complete the first crossing of the continent.He does not acheive his goal,but one of the greatest adventures of all time follows.Their ship is crushed in the sea iceand a small party sets out for south Georgia and the whaling station.The party is eventually rescued in 1917. -
International Geographical Day
International Geographical day establishes over 60 stations in Antarctica. The first successful land crossing of Antarctica is led by,british geologist Vivian Fuchs with New Zealander Edmund Hillary leading the back up party.It is over 40 years since Shackleton set out with the same aim. -
Antarctic Treaty
The Antarctic treaty starts. -
Boerge Ousland
Boerge Ousland (Norway) becomes the first person to cross Antarctica unnsupported.Taking 64 days from Berkner Island to Scotts base towing a 180kg sled and using skis and a sail. -
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