Great Britain · Exploration / Exploration and Discovery. Chronological records rendered directly from the World History Database.
The British National Antarctic Expedition, later known as the Discovery Expedition, was a joint enterprise of the RGS and the Royal Society. Scott appears at the Markham residence and volunteered to lead the Discovery Expedition
Scott is given overall command, and is promoted to the rank of Commander before Discovery sailed for the Antarctic. Despite an almost total lack of Antarctic or Arctic experience within the 50-strong party, there was very little special training in equipment or techniques before the ship set sail
The Discovery sets sail from the Isle of Wight
Discovery sails from Cowes on the British National Antarctic Expedition under Scott's command
The Discovery arrives in New Zealand
The Discovery sets sail from Lyttleton, New Zealand
Appointed by Scott as Second Lieutenant to the Polar Expedition
Joins Scott's Discovery Expedition, his first Antarctic expedition
The Discovery arrives at Cape Adare
The Discovery follows the Barrier to its eastern extremity where, on 30 January, the land predicted by Ross was confirmed, and named King Edward VII Land
Scott lands on the Barrier and unpacks an observation balloon which he had acquired for aerial surveys
The Discovery enters McMurdo Sound and later that day anchors in a spot near its southern limit which was afterwards christened Winter Quarters Bay. Of the entire party, none were skilled skiers and only Bernacchi and Armitage had any experience with dog-sledges. The results of the mens early efforts to master these techniques were not encouraging, and tended to reinforce Scotts preference for man-hauling
Evans is seconded from the Navy to be second officer aboard the relief ship, the Morning, an ageing ex-whaler, The Morning sails from London in July
Crean accompanies Lieutenant Michael Barne on three sledging trips across the Ross Ice Shelf, then known as the "Great Ice Barrier" including the 12-man party led by Barne which set out on 30 October 1902 to lay depots in support of the main southern journey undertaken by Scott, Shackleton and Edward Wilson
Scott, Wilson and Shackleton left on 2 November 1902 with dogs and supporting parties. Their goal was "to get as far south in a straight line on the Barrier ice as we can, reach the Pole if possible, or find some new land"
Scott, Wilson and Shackleton left on 2 November 1902 with dogs and supporting parties. Their goal was "to get as far south in a straight line on the Barrier ice as we can, reach the Pole if possible, or find some new land"
Leaves with Scott and Shackleton on the southern sledging journey during the Discovery Expedition
The first significant milestone was passed on 11 November, when a supporting party passed Borchgrevinks Farthest South record of 78 degrees 50 mins
The Morning sails from London in July 1902, and after a severe storm and a refit in Christchurch, New Zealand, heads for the Antarctic on 6 December to search for the expedition in their winter quarters.
somewhere in the Ross Sea. after a severe storm and a refit in Christchurch, New Zealand, headed for the Antarctic on 6 December to search for the expedition in their winter quarters, somewhere in the Ross Sea.
On 30 December 1902, without having left the Barrier, they reached their Furthest South at 82 degrees 17 mins S
After working steadily south-east from Cape Adare and along the ice-front to Cape Crozier, the limit of their search range, they found a message from the expedition, directing them back towards McMurdo Sound, the two ships are separated by fifteen miles of ice, requiring long sledge journeys with Evans among the first party to greet the Discoverys crew
Barne Inlet, a 17-mile-wide (27 km) feature on the Western side of the Ross Ice Shelf he discovered is named after him
Seconded from the Navy to be second officer aboard the relief ship, the Morning
The second year showed improvements in technique and achievement, culminating in Scotts western journey which led to the discovery of the Polar Plateau
Among these, against his will, was the convalescent Shackleton, who Scott decided "ought not to risk further hardships in his present state of health".
The party eventually reached the Discovery on 3 February 1903 after covering 960 miles (1,540 km) including relays, in 93 days travel at a daily average of just over 10 miles (16 km).
The relief ship provided an opportunity for some of the party to return home.
At the end of March 1903 the Morning is ordered to return, leaving supplies with the Discovery, still sealed in the ice, several crew are exchanged, including Shackleton, who was considered not healthy enough to remain for the winter
While the Morning is refitted for another relief voyage, this time organised by the Admiralty rather than the Royal Geographical Society, she sails south again in November, in company with a second relief ship, Terra Nova.
The party reached Discovery on 24 December, after a round trip of seven hundred miles covered in 59 days. Their daily average of over 14 miles on this man-hauling journey was significantly better than that achieved with dogs on the previous seasons southern journey, a fact which further strengthened Scotts prejudices against dogs
The relief ship Morning returned, this time with a second ship, the Terra Nova.
In recognition of his work with the expedition, Scott names a mountain overlooking the Sound as Mount Evans
The Terra Nova relief ship meets Discovery. Evans leads men laying explosives to blast a channel through eight miles of ice, helping free Discovery shortly before a heavy gale strikes.
Most of the ice suddenly broke up, and Morning and Terra Nova are at last able to sail alongside Discovery.
The Discovery begins the return journey to New Zealand
On its return to Britain the expeditions reception was initially muted. Markham was present to meet the ship in Portsmouth when Discovery docked there on 10 September 1904, but no dignitaries greeted the party when it arrived in London a few days later
Scott was quickly promoted to Captain, and invited to Balmoral Castle to meet King Edward VII, who invested him as a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO)
The Discovery Expedition reports King Edward VII Land, the Polar Plateau, the Dry Valleys, Cape Crozier's emperor penguin colony and extensive coastal and mountain surveys
Scott was given leave from the Navy to write the official expedition account, The Voyage of the Discovery; this was published in 1905
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