If you are shivering and feeling the seasonal cold spare a thought for our Yorkshire forefathers who were early visitors to Antarctica. In 1525 a Spanish captain explored around the Horn. The passage of sea between antarctic and Argentina was named after Francis Drake after he demonstrated that there was open water south of South America.
Sailors and Explorers
Douglas Mawson born Yorkshire geologist explorer Macquarie island wild life sanctuary
William Scoresby scientist son of whaling captain William Scoresby, (born October 5, 1789, Cropton, near Whitby, vicar in Bradford diocese
William Wales astronomer sailed on the Resolution with James Cook to observe the transit of Venus for the royal society
Frank Wild Born near James Cook’s birthplace to whom he was distantly related. 1907 joined Ernest Shackleton for the second arctic expedition.
Whalers and Fishermen
Spare a thought for the various ship crews that set off from Yorkshire homes and ports to hunt whales, seals and Antarctic fish. They must have been brave to sail so far into such an inhospitable continental environment.