Video: Brian Newham on Today's Announcement

Video: Brian Newham on Today’s Announcement

Posted by Hugh Bowring in From the Ice Videos on June 18, 2013

Following today’s announcement, Ice Team Leader Brian Newham talks to camera about what was ultimately his decision to put a halt to the first ever attempt to cross the Antarctic in winter. The video includes footage of the Cat D6Ns getting into tricky situations on the ice, as well as providing an idea of the science work that is being carried out by the team and will remain an extremely important part of the expedition.

There are 21 comments

Posted by Minouathome on June 18, 2013 @ 7:27 pm

Hard luck! Too much, too heavy kit maybe. Still, an amazing, fantastic, totally courageous attempt. Keep “talking” to us throughout the winter and come out safely (with Mary Mouse, of course). I think that what you have achieved is brilliant.

Posted by Ade on June 18, 2013 @ 9:46 pm

Good on ya Brian; good decision; hang in there mate; my best to the team.

Posted by Suzannah Frobisher on June 18, 2013 @ 10:07 pm

June 21 is Antarctica’s shortest darkest day. I guessed (wrongly it turns out) that Plan B would be to carefully explore, measure and map the area to the south to determine whether the crevasses do stretch the “up to 100 km south” quoted in blogs, which figure is a total guess. No-one knows the lie of that land and what a valuable exploration that would be. Men, machines and supplies are thankfully all in good health and there is no rush, so the decision to stay put will I think go down in history as irrational. That is a great shame because it will overshadow the Ice Team’s formidable courage and achievement to date. An unnecessarily sad day.
However best wishes to the Team as they prepare to join every other person in Antarctica in celebrating the 21st June.

Posted by Boris on June 19, 2013 @ 1:51 pm

Suzannah, first, they have never planned for such exploration, which means, they are not equipped for it. Second, just think of what you’re proposing: How do you “carefully” explore a stretch where your machinery can’t go because it’s riddled with house-sized bottomless crevasses, so you’re on foot, in pitch darkness, at a brisk -80, with no ground-penetrating radar (it’s vehicle-mounted)? They’d have exactly zero fallback if something – anything – were to go wrong. A broken shoelace would be fatal.
Make no mistake: They’re stranded. If you’re shipwrecked, you don’t go swimming out to explore the next island, unless you want to provide the sharks with a free meal.

Posted by Suzannah Frobisher on June 27, 2013 @ 8:04 pm

Boris, I’ve only just come across your reply. But just to get a few facts straight: 1. The team were crossing crevasses back in April, safely and with apparent determination then, 2. Back then it was getting darker every day, now it’s getting lighter, 3. The -80 temps haven’t been encountered and the whole expedition was planned in the expectation that it could get to -90, 4. In crevasse territory the leading Cat was preceded by a man with their hand-held GPR, 5. The existence of deep crevasses was always known about and planned for – though maybe not the quantity of them in this untravelled and unmapped area. No, nothing I have read since my comment above has done anything to dissuade me that there has been a really sad decline in determination which prompted the decision not to move a single kilometre further south. They will still have to re-cross or re-skirt every crevasse on their way back north to the coast, but I’ve not seen any anxieties expressed about that yet. Very sad for everyone concerned.

Posted by Boris on June 27, 2013 @ 9:13 pm

Susanna, they got *trapped*. New crevasses opened, closing the way back. Right now they are in an “island”, surrounded by heavy crevassing.
They *don’t know* how they will get back.
They barely made it back to that “island”, too. They had to *winch* all the sleds, one-by-one, in 50-meter increments. Winching involves a lot of hard manual labor.
I’ve tried labor in -50 degrees at 1000m altitude. It was not enjoyable.
For the Ice Team, it was the measure of last resort. There’s no way they planned on weeks after weeks of this.
The original vision was to use GPR to find crevasses and to navigate around them – sometimes build bridges and winch the loads, but mostly, go around. Well, that turned out to be impossible.
Imagine that you planned to explore a stretch of countryside on foot, and in the process found out that the only way to move is to crawl, flat on your belly. How far would you explore then?

Posted by RobertP on June 18, 2013 @ 10:33 pm

It’s tough to have to face up to the reality, but the terrain has defeated progress.
Perhaps a lighter outfit could have continued, but food plus fuel for five or six guys is a fairly fixed load.
Maybe it’s simply not a viable proposition to haul across The Antarctic with this type of outfit.
Maybe another route would have been easier, but the best available aerial/satellite reconnaisance suggested this was the best option.
How do we learn if we do not get out there and try?
Full marks for getting this far. Lessons have been learned. Next time……..

Posted by Patrick on June 18, 2013 @ 10:45 pm

I don’t agree with SF that this decision will go down in history as irrational. I think that, at last, rational thinking has eclipsed heroic bravado. Thanks for that.

Posted by Ron Eyley on June 19, 2013 @ 8:10 am

The team at William Twigg Matlock Ltd ( who designed and fabricated the skoots) were sad to hear this news but fully understand Brian’s decision to abandon the crossing attempt. We wish the team all the best for the remainder of their time in Antarctica. Will the blogs continue?

Posted by AW on June 19, 2013 @ 8:12 am

It takes courage to take the decision to stop. That is real leadership. Brian, and no doubt the rest of the team, know this is the rational thing to do but will be bitterly disappointed and in their hearts still wishing they could carry on. Best wishes for a safe return.

Posted by Martin B on June 19, 2013 @ 1:22 pm

Well done lads, better to come back in one piece. It was never going to easy going that direction. MHB

Posted by Boris on June 19, 2013 @ 2:00 pm

Well done for coming this far, and for keeping a level head through the ordeal of the last three weeks!
And the hard part hasn’t even started yet. Spending a winter in Antarctics is no small thing. Stay safe! Lots of people are keeping their fingers crossed for you.
Sounds like the next expedition will have to figure out how to equip a bulldozer with ice-climbing gear.

Posted by Aviator (Old) on June 19, 2013 @ 3:19 pm

Well done to all the team! A rational decision taken by a true and experienced leader. You have all contributed to pushing back the boundaries of Man’s limitations – and that continues! We are all very proud of you! Jonathan Seagull would be proud of you too!
Best wishes to all of you! …and a big Thank You for sharing your adventures with us.

Posted by Malcolm Johnson on June 19, 2013 @ 5:32 pm

A sad day for the team but a bold decision by Brian Newham. History recounts how leaders of men are made by making bold decisions in the face of overwhelming odds so that they and those who follow can reap the benefits for the advancement of mankind. Stay safe, best wishes,
Malcolm & Liz

Posted by Debra Hargreaves on June 19, 2013 @ 5:42 pm

Year 5, St. Mary’s

We are glad that you are all safe – our learning includes the highs and lows. We will continue to follow your “journey” – Living in a caboose, in the cold and dark, this is still survival in the extreme. Keep posting the video clips of you all and Mary Mouse.

Something to make you smile -one of the children has said, following on from our interview with you- “Now they will have time for washing their clothes!”

Keep safe.

All at St Mary’s School including Martha Mouse – Mary’s Sister

Posted by Jo on June 19, 2013 @ 9:13 pm

Brian, you have shown the true meaning of leadership, you are an inspiration to us all. I too do not agree with the nay-Sayers who are speaking of failure, you have achieved so much and have so much more to do (and endure), we are proud of you all and wish you all the best for the long dark months ahead.

Posted by David L'dale on June 20, 2013 @ 8:35 am

It’s disappointing Brian but I’m sure its the right decision in the circumstances. Recognising when the odds have become unacceptable is the difference between Scott and Shackleton.

Posted by anewview on June 20, 2013 @ 8:38 pm

Sorry for you all, guys, but aside from the odd finger at least everyone is ok and you will get off the ice cleanly. The thing spectators forget about these expeditions is that nothing is certain, if it was where would be the excitement in that? If you want to guarantee seeing a polar bear, go to zoo, if you want to see a polar bear in the wild, to smell him, to fear and admire him, to understand him better, to help protect him, you take your chances on the ice cap (the other one!)…. and after 2 or 3 years may still never see him BUT the chance is worth the uncertainty, the uncertainty is the challenge, and the challenge is the inspiration to others to follow your expedition. No polar bears your end of the planet but in some ways it´s comforting and humbling to know that our world still has the odd boundary to modern man in tact!
So, we salute you all, and hope you can celebrate achievements to date, learn from the experience and apply the wisdom.

Posted by Mike R on June 21, 2013 @ 1:32 pm

Hi Brian, Ian and the rest of the team. Tough decision, but its the right one. I can see the weight of it on your shoulders. Lets hope some of the weight gets lifted with passing of winter. All the best Mike

Posted by Jim Youncofski, Nashville, Tn. on June 21, 2013 @ 8:23 pm

My heartfelt condolences to your team in what must be a terribly dissapointing time. Still. your bravery and tenacity in regards to your mission is amazing. I’m sure that you will try again. Mother nature can be a bitch.

Posted by Jean on June 24, 2013 @ 10:17 am

we have been thinking of you every day, and have so much respect for all the planning you have done, and ultimately, the decision to stop the onwards journey. Safety has to come first, and the scientific research can continue from where you are. (And we are complaining that -3C is cold overnight!!!!!) Please give my special love to my cousin Brian Newham, of whom we are very proud.

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Video: Brian Newham on Today’s Announcement