Richard Hollerman

Just today I was learning about the exploration of the North Pole and also the South Pole! Personally, I don’t know how these explorers did it and they came from many nations too! I become cold at about 74 degrees but this coldness that they experienced was much colder!

I have a friend and his family from the central part of Alaska and it reaches to 50 or 60 degrees below zero there during the winter. How can they survive! It is beyond me.

Not only did I find many facts—such as dates and names–but information too in the chapter that I was reading. From what I read, the United States, during this time may have reached the north and south poles. This is what I found.

The attempt failed but a submarine did make it and went under the North Pole to the other side! This explorer was Robert Perry who reached the North Pole in 1909. The Norwegian explorer, Fridtjob Nansen, did discover that there was only ice under the North Pole. Charles Hall died after seeking the Pole as did Salomon Andre. At this time, they used Huskie dogs to make the trip, even when it was still an attempt.

As for the South Pole, two different people sought to reach the South Pole. The first, led by Robert Scott, a British explorer. Then the Norwegian, Roald Amundsen, arrived at this Pole in1911, Amundsen left two weeks before Scott and was 68 miles closer to the Pole. Scott also sought to read the Pole but he and his team perished. Scott had used sledge dogs and ponies, but the latter died in the bitter cold. He and his party also died.

This shows that however well-planned and executed, these explorations failed. Definitely this shows that the “best laid plans” do come to sad failure. Only when God is brought into our lives and plans will they succeed. Although Amundsen reached this destination first, the other team that attempted to reach this destination, the South Pole, failed and lost much in the attempt. We might also say that Amundsen was better equipped and outfitted. He was lighter and killed dogs were eaten.

We think that this was utterly sad. These explorers had wrong motives. They sought to “win” over their competitors. Their attempt was wrong and their motives were in error. Surely, God could not bless such efforts.

Today, some 18 nations have scientific bases that they have devoted to this research.