11 babies, a nuclear disaster and maybe a murder, a new Herald podcast uncovers forgotten stories from Antarctica.
In a major new Herald podcast series, Detour: Antarctica, Thomas Bywater goes in search of the white continent's hidden stories. In this accompanying text series, he reveals a few of his discoveries to whet your appetite for the podcast. You can read them all, and experience a very special visual presentation, by clicking here. To follow Detour: Antarctica, visit iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Antarctica: I came, I saw, I conquered? Perhaps not.
A new record classification system has been adopted by Guinness World Records and polar explorers in an attempt to better compare and certify record attempts in the polar regions.
The Polar Expedition Classification System (PECS) was launched last year to "provide adventurers, media and the public guidance on how to accurately and equitably compare, promote and immortalise polar journeys".
It was devised by a group of 50 explorers in response to a series of controversial record claims.
In 2018 Colin O'Brady claimed to have completed the first unaided, unsupported solo crossing of Antarctica.
O'Brady skied 1500km in 54 days, beating rival Louis Rudd by two days.
Colin O'Brady in January, 2019, after his solo crossing attempt. Photo / Nathan Congleton, Getty Images
A key part of PECS is that unsupported attempts must not follow the South Pole Traverse, a marked vehicle resupply route linking the McMurdo and Amundsen–Scott South Pole stations.
Should a team use it by design or accident "unsupported status will be lost".
So, the first solo, unsupported crossing of Antarctica is potentially up for grabs again.
An earlier solo crossing, by British skier Felicity Aston in 2012, would also not count as unsupported due to her use of the traverse and supply drops.
O'Brady, who wrote a bestselling book, Impossible First, about the crossing, drew criticism from the polar community. Last year, an open letter signed by explorers including John Krakauer and Børge Ousland called on O'Brady to renounce his claim.
Adventurer Børge Ousland reaches the Ross Sea on the first Solo crossing of Antarctica. Photo / Antarctica NZ
"If people are trying to establish something that creates more clarity moving forward, I think that that's totally fine," says O'Brady.
"But to vilify the people from the past that were doing exactly what was the 'law of the land', so to speak, at that time, I think that's a major mistake and deserves to be widely criticised."
PECS would serve as a "records consultant assisting with record titles and record attempts", said a Guinness spokesperson.
"Colin O'Brady has not made an application for this record title and has not been recommended by PECS for any Guinness World Records title."
O'Brady, who holds previous records for ocean rowing and mountaineering recognised by Guinness, said that submitting his crossing for consideration had "not been a priority".
"I doubt Amundsen filled out his Guinness forms after he reached the pole," he said.
Detour: Antarctica is a New Zealand Herald podcast. You can follow the series on iHeartRadio,Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
