I`ve been watching a 6 part series re-creating the Scott - Amundsen race to the South Pole. They did it in Greenland as there is a ban on dogs at the South Pole. It`s like an exercise to explore the whole thing, what went wrong for Scott, who perished, and what went right for Amundsen.
One great aspect, is the coments by experts, authors who have written books about the 2 men, then also guys who are dog sledders and explorer types and there is a guy who is a south pole expedition vet and a nutritionist.
My point is, what consideration do the survivalist / SHTF`ers among us extend to the matter of nutrition? I like to hike, and I obviously camp when I hunt so more and more I am looking into nutrition with regard to what foods I take.
When I camp for hunting, wieght isnt an issue so I can live pretty high off the hog, generally throw diets out the window and gorge on evil fat laden goodies.
Hiking, well.. I consider every item of food carefully, as to wieght, shelf life and nutrition. Every serious survivalist would be very well served to give the matter of nutrition some serious consideration. I love to read, and accounts of success and failure like the Scott - Amundsen story viewed in hindsight by experts provides a real insight into what`s going to work and what won`t in a true survival situation.
Remember, the Polar ice caps are places that will not supply you with anything, okay you have plenty of fresh water but with out heat to melt it you are screwed, glued and countersunk. You need to take every single thing neccessary for your survival with you onto the ice.
It`s interesting to look back at what these guys ate in 1911-1912.. How vitamin deficency played a part. The lack of vitamin C, won`t allow cuts and scrapes to heal, let alone frost bite. Vitamin B deficency will cause a glitch in thought process, and leave you with a preoccupation with food. Irrational thought will also begin to play a part and lead one to make critical error`s.
So yeah, I for one beleive it would be in one`s best interest to give the topic of nutrition aleast a cursory glance. History has borne witness to chaps who seemingly had plenty of food, and have died the death of a dog due to an oversight of critcal nutrition.
Actually, to sit and watch these 6 episodes ( I`m at #5 ) is now in hindsight, to watch a critical take on STHF. Think: South Pole 1911, who`s coming to help you? Exactly..
How one man succeeded, Amundsen the Norwegian and one failed, Scott the Englishman is a lesson in survival in it`s purest sense.
Amundsen succeeded in reaching the pole first and returning safely due to one critical factor. Dogs. Scott had used dogs previously and had had trouble with them, probably the killing and eating of the dogs, left a real emotional mark on him.
Amundsen realised in planning, that a successful expedition in the most inhospitable place on earth left no room for emotion. He must be cold and calculating. He somewhat coldly allowed his ` food` to haul the major part of the load to a certain point, killed and butchered half his dogs, then fed these dogs to the remaining dogs.
Rule one in survival, no emotional sentiment. How does that sit with you? Hard to be objective sitting in a comfortable chair in front of a monitor isnt it. However, we`ll press on.
In a brief overview, seemingly Amundsen did everything right, he nailed the planning on the head. He did take calculated risks. Going to the store in 1911 -1912 wasn`t without risk, going to the South Pole would quite obviously have been fraught with risk. But as we know, there is risk, and there is RISK.
It would seem to the casual observer that Scott was reckless risk taker who went about with his head up his arse. However he was an experienced polar explorer. He experimented quite extensively with rationing and provisioning. He did this with his advance parties who took out the food and supplies to be cached at depots.
Scott was a forward thinker, he planned to use motorised transport ( pretty crappy in 1911 ) ponies and dogs, but critically he planned to man haul once he got up onto the shelf. He wrote about manhauling the quite incredible loads to be a more `noble` way to do things, highlighting a distinct romanticism that probably has no place in exploration in a savage place and climate.
Scott, like all really great explorers, was more than anything a great leader of men. He led by example. There are some who say in his recklessness he led 5 men, himself included, to certain death. In some ways, I beleive it was this great leadership, these guys didnt want to let the old man down, that had crucial input. One chap cut his hand badly fixing a sledge, kept quiet about it and due to the lack of vitamin C it of course didnt heal. This had a bearing on the return journey.
Amundsen had things go wrong, but because his plan was sound, he could ride over the bumps. He had that bit of give that allowed it because he on the money.
Scott had too many things go wrong all the way along. He made the incorect choices from the get go and he and 4 others paid a big price.
In summary: A plan can make you, or kill you. Amundsen succeeded due his North pole experience, he KNEW his stuff, he followed tried and true practices. On the return journey, his men were quite possibley over eating.
Scotts men were burning near 12,000 calories a day ( lets walk to the pole, that`ll get rid of the xmas cheer! ) and their intake was probably about 5,000. They had in all likelyhood lost 20% of their starting body mass, before they even reached the pole, 20% is said to be the start of the end, unless you can turn things around.
So, what have I learned about survival watching and reading this stuff?
Rule one. Know thy stuff. Experiment with the practices you think you`ll use. Don`t leave it to chance or take anything as a given.
rule two. No emotional sentiment. Thats okay in theory, but conversly, is to live like a pack rat, living for a human? Makes one think eh.
I love to plan stuff, I`m not alone there. But I have spared a thought for the more esoteric side of ` survival` Family, friends...
There certainly more to it all than a cellar full of MRE`s and powdered milk thats for sure.
The British ran numerous expeditions seeking the "Northwest Passage" through the arctic, and one of the more interestng was in the 1850's - I disremember the Commander's name. He had two ships, reinforced for icy waters, and carried what at the time was the mot high tech gear they had developed. Including that new invention - canned food! Enough for several years, in case they got stuck for a year or two. In actuality, they got stuck permanently. It seems the currents in the area they sailed made it impossible to get out of the bay they got sucked into, as well as a period of unusually frigid winter - the ice didn't thaw for five years.
A few guys were alive and talking with native hunters as long as six years later. PBS had a program on it. An amazing tale of bravery, adventure and eventual sacrifice and death.
One problem they hadn't counted on was the food cans were sealed with lead solder - so they began suffering lead poisoning. They also suffered scurvy, though they had a good load of limes. Unfortunately, vitamin C breaks down after a year or so - in the second year, the scurvy and lead poisoning took it's toll. Some even turned to cannabilism.
Not a man made it to safety.
Lance, I remember that. Well, not from personal memory you understand.. Scurvy was well known by then, Capt James Cook had it beaten in 1770. But the poor slobs with the bad solder, they thought they were not eating enough and so ate more canned food, vicious circle.
Capt Scott, on his ill fated trip to the South pole, their diet had no vitimin C. None.. Now, Scurvy wil take 3 months to take ahold, but with out vitamin C, more importantly you will not heal if cut or wounded. Consequently you`ll go down hill faster. A lack of vitamin B will cause irrationality, poor judement etc.
If you want to read white Knuckle tails of endurance and survivial, check out Sir Ranulph Fiennes books. He, at age 49, along with Dr Mike Stroud, crossed the Antarctic continent with out assistance. Thats 1400 miles dragging two 450 pound sledges through snow, ice and cravasse. Loosing 25 % body wieght, frost bite.. It was minus 90 with wind chill at the pole when they got there, and that was aboutr half way. 100 days with what the carried and nothing more.
He had a bad back, a stuffed ankle and Hemmoriods BEFORE he left.. He makes the word ` resiliant` look slack. His books also contain solid gold tips on trip planning, nutrition and survivial.
