Ballsy: RIP Henry Worsley

[summilux]

I have a soft spot for Arctic/Antarctic explorers. Yesterday, Briton Henry Worsley died after trying to cross Antarctica solo and unsupported (i.e no kites, no supply drops). He abandoned his journey just 50km shy of completion. He later died of organ failure after being evacuated to a Chilean hospital. He had spent 71 days on the ice and travelled about 1500 km. Over and above the physical effort involved, I am in awe of the psychological strength required to do this solo. No dogs for company even.

Sometimes, perhaps, failure is more awe-inspiring than success. Worsley's final audio message is on youtube.



Explorer Henry Worsley dies attempting Antarctic crossing - BBC News

[j44ke]

Hard to listen but definitely cut from the old Explorer Club cloth. Shackleton's era was that of Queen Victoria, during whose reign there were very few wars and the British Empire was at full strength. The result was this tremendous movement of men out into the wider world as explorers and entrepreneurs. So much of what we think of as "The World" was puzzled out and inventoried during that era.

I heard a description of the conditions during Worsley's attempt as being so cold the metal fillings in your teeth contract and fall out. The person described having to shoot his own jaw with novacain in order to eat.

Some people are made out of tougher stuff. Chapeau.

[summilux]

Shackelton is so great. He led his men on an 800 mile, 3 week, open boat journey from Antarctica to South Georgia island. That kind of tenacity just boggles my mind.

[Scott G.]

Shackelton is so great. He led his men on an 800 mile, 3 week, open boat journey from Antarctica to South Georgia island. That kind of tenacity just boggles my mind.

The navigator on the journey was Frank Worsely, Captain of the Endurance and distant relative of Henry Worsley.

[mnoble485]

Full disclosure...I live in Florida and have a hard time getting on the bike unless it's 50 and rising. I can't imagine that the thought would come telling me to try this. It really boggles my mind.

Mike

[summilux]

The navigator on the journey was Frank Worsely, Captain of the Endurance and distant relative of Henry Worsley.

I didn't know that. I knew that there was a Worsely on Shackleton's expedition, but I didn't know that the elder Worsely performed that amazing feat of navigation. Cool. Non-GPS navigation beyond sight of land in calm water scares the pants off me. Doing it correctly with numb fingers in rough seas, cold and hungry, knowing that if you make a mistake you and everyone else will die takes a special type of person.