what a 19th century expedition trapped in sea ice for a year tells us about Antarctica’s future

  • Written by: Edward Doddridge, Senior Research Associate in Physical Oceanography, University of Tasmania
what a 19th century expedition trapped in sea ice for a year tells us about Antarctica’s futureArmin Rose/Shutterstock

In 1897, the former whaling ship RV Belgica left Antwerp in Belgium and set sail due south. It was the first voyage of what would become known as the Heroic Age of Antarctic exploration. It did not go to plan.

After a six-month voyage, they begin encountering sea ice. Several times the ship is caught in the ice for a day or...

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