Antarctic Crossing

Synopsis

About the 1957-58 crossing of the Antarctic continent. Tells how eight men of the Commonwealth Trans Antarctic Expedition’s advance party made landfall on the coast of Antarctica and established the base at Shackleton. A year later Sir Vivian Fuchs and the main crossing party sailed from London while at the same time the expedition’s support party, under Sir Edmund Hillary, were training in New Zealand. Fuchs spent the months of winter darkness and blizzards preparing for the crossing. Once under way in the spring, Fuchs’ progress was slowed down to a crawl by a succession of crevasses which continued for mile after mile. He reached the South Pole on 20 January 1958. By following the route marked by Hillary, the crossing party was able to move more rapidly from then on, and a month later reached Scott Base.

Language

English

Medium

Video; Videocassette. Standard formats. col. 49 min.

Year of production

1958

Availability

Free loan

Subjects

Geography

Keywords

Antarctic; exploration

Sponsor

Name

British Petroleum