Southern Cross Expedition

London · Exploration / Exploration and Discovery

Newnes stipulated that Borchgrevinks expedition must sail under the British flag, and be styled the British Antarctic Expedition. Borchgrevink readily agreed to this, even though only two of the entire expedition party were British

London · Exploration / Exploration and Discovery

Barrier's surface.

London · Exploration / Exploration and Discovery

It also pioneered the use of dogs and sledges in Antarctic travel. Borchgrevink purchases the whaling ship Pollux, renamed her Southern Cross, and had her fitted out for Antarctic service, the Southern Cross sails from London

London · Exploration / Exploration and Discovery

The Southern Cross Expedition, officially known as the British Antarctic Expedition 1898-1900, was the first British venture of the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration, and the forerunner of the more celebrated journeys of Robert Falcon Scott and Ernest Shackleton.

London · Exploration / Exploration and Discovery

The brainchild of the Norwegian-born, half-British explorer and schoolmaster Carsten Borchgrevink, it was the first expedition to over-winter on the Antarctic mainland, the first to visit the Great Ice Barrier since James Clark Ross in 1839-43, and the first to effect a landing on the

London · Exploration / Exploration and Discovery

The Southern Cross left London on 23 August 1898, after inspection by HRH the Duke of York (the future King George V), who presented a Union Flag

Cape Adare · Exploration / Exploration and Discovery

Cape Adare is sighted

Cape Adare · Exploration / Exploration and Discovery

Unloading began on 17 February. First ashore were the 75 dogs, with their two Sami handlers, who remained with them and thus became the first men to spend a night on the Antarctic continent. Sets up the first ever shore base on the Antarctic continent, in the midst of a penguin colony, named "Camp Ridley" in honour of Borchgrevinks mother. Borchgrevink reaches Cape Adare

Cape Adare · Exploration / Exploration and Discovery

Establishes the Southern Cross Expedition base at Cape Adare, the first overwintering base on the Antarctic mainland

Cape Adare · Exploration / Exploration and Discovery

The Southern Cross departs for New Zealand to winter there, leaving a shore party of 10 with their provisions, equipment and 70 dogs. By 2 March the base, christened "Camp Ridley" after Borchgrevinks English mothers maiden name, was fully established, and the Duke of Yorks flag raised

Duke of York Island · Exploration / Exploration and Discovery

Discovery of Duke of York Island, named after the expeditions patron

Cape Adare · Exploration / Exploration and Discovery

The Southern Cross returned to Cape Adare from Australia

Cape Adare · Exploration / Exploration and Discovery

When the Southern Cross returned at the end of January 1900, Borchgrevink decided to abandon the camp, although there were sufficient fuel and provisions left to last another year, sledging activity became possible, Borchgrevinks assumptions about an easy route to the interior proved false; the glaciated mountain ranges adjoining Cape Adare precluded any travel inland, restricting exploration to the immediate area around the cape

Bay of Whales · Exploration / Exploration and Discovery

Instead of returning home the Southern Cross sailed south to the Great Ice Barrier, Ross had been unable to mke a landing so Borchgrevink discovered an inlet in the Barrier edge, the "Bay of Whales", Borchgrevink, William Colbeck and Per Savio make the first landing on the Barrier and travelled 10 miles (16 km) south to set a new Farthest South record at 78 degrees 50S

Clements Markham Island · Exploration / Exploration and Discovery

The Southern Cross proceeded southwards, following the Victoria Land coast and discovering further islands, one of which Borchgrevink named after Sir Clements Markham, whose hostility towards the expedition was evidently unchanged by this honour

Ross Sea · Exploration / Exploration and Discovery

The Southern Cross visits other Ross Sea islands before turning for home, reaching New Zealand on 1 April 1900

Exploration / Exploration and Discovery

The party left Cape Adare in Southern Cross to explore the Ross Sea, following the route taken by Ross sixty years earlier. They reached the Great Ice Barrier, where a team of three made the first sledge journey on the Barrier surface, during which a new Farthest South record latitude was established at 78 degrees 50 mins S