Alone, by Admiral Richard E. Byrd,
pub. 1938 by Kodansha America, NY,NY, 309pp with afterward by David G.
Campbell.
This is a must read. If you base your reading on whether the
matter is paddling-related or not, this is and it isn’t. If your interest is day-paddling or
whitewater, there may not be much relevance here, but if your interest is
paddle-camping or expedition paddling, this is a must. Also, if you just enjoy a great adventure
spotlighting the power of nature and the will of the human spirit, it’s still a
must read. As most people that
expedition paddle will attest, the trip is as much about the mind as any other
aspect of the trip. Admiral Byrd’s trip
was about meteorological testing, experimentation, and observation; about
stretching the understanding of the polar regions; about overcoming adversity,
but he also planned to spend six months alone under the polar ice in total
darkness “to taste peace and quiet long enough to know how good they really
are.” He was about to overdose on peace
and quiet when he realized he needed to explore and overcome the deep reaches
of his own mind in order to survive both physically and mentally.
He was already a famed polar explorer
in 1934 when he set off on this trip, so he had some understanding of what he
faced. A 9 by 13-foot insulated hut was
taken first to Little America, a base camp on the Ross Ice Shelf, an Antarctic
area so inaccessible that it was also called the Barrier. From there the camp was taken further south
to his Advance Base. A hole was dug
large enough to bury the entire hut a few feet below the surface of the ice and
snow. By going up a ladder and opening a
hatch that was prone to freezing shut, he could access the surface. The hut was to be equipped with a coal stove,
but at the last minute it was decided that moving that much coal across the
polar ice cap before winter set in would be too difficult, so it was fitted
with an oil burner instead. That never
produced enough heat to either keep the interior of the hut from icing, or to
provide proper combustion, or keep ice from forming in the stove pipe or the
fresh-air return vent. Temperatures dropped
to 60-70 degrees below zero. He began to
suffer from monoxide poisoning, frostbite while inside his sleeping bag, couldn’t
get fresh air, injured his shoulder, couldn’t keep food down, eventually had
trouble keeping water or milk down, but the risk of another team trying to reach
him for rescue was too hazardous to attempt in the polar winter, so his
standing orders were that no one from Little America was to make a rescue
attempt.
If meeting nature on her terms, being
tested to overcome any and all challenges by your own wits, and sharing “one of
the most intense and moving dramas of our own or any time” interests you, this will
appeal to you. This is a compelling
ride you won’t want to miss. The book
has been republished a number of times, so there is a range of book covers that
may not match the one illustrated here.
Also, it can be accessed from a multitude of sources with a multitude of
prices. You should be able to get it
through inter-library loan if it isn’t already in your local library, but it is
also available on line, from Kindle, and used books for prices of $1.99 to $30
or more, so look around, but don’t miss the chance to enjoy it.
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