Antarctic Journals of Reginald Skelton by Reginald William Skelton

Vitamins and minerals are needed in tiny amounts but are essential for good health. Protein, which we get from meat, fish and cereals, provides some energy but is important also as a body- building material. Energy (measured in calories) comes mainly from carbohydrates such as sugar, bread and potatoes and from fats like butter and margarine. The main categories are carbohydrate, protein, fat, vitamins and minerals. Food and Storesįood must contain both energy to keep the body active and a range of nutrients to keep the body healthy. Often boots froze crooked and the explorers’ feet had to be forced into them. The explorers had to try to keep their socks as dry as possible and they had to take care not to take off their boots and leave them lying out of shape. At the end of each day’s exploration the men were able to shake the frozen sweat out of the grass. Also, the explorers filled their socks with a special grass, which grew in Norway called sennegrass. As well as thick leather boots, for outdoor wear the explorers had soft fur boots made from reindeer skin called finneskoe.

These furry mitts were attached to a harness, which they wore over their windproof jackets.Īboard Discovery Scott’s crew wore comfortable Russian-style felt boots. For very cold weather they wore mitts made from wolfskin or bearskin.

Over these they wore mitts made from felt or lambskin. Scott’s men wore fingerless woollen gloves because fingers stay warmer when they can touch each other. These goggles were made from wood with little slits to keep out most of the light. Scott’s expedition wore goggles to protect their eyes from snow-blindness caused by the glare of sunlight off Antarctica’s snow and ice. As a result, the explorers lost up to ten per cent of their body heat from around their necks, despite wearing scarves, flannel collars and fleece-lined helmets or balaclavas. The 1901-1904 expedition was supplied with separate hoods instead of having hoods attached to their windproof jackets. Their fuel supplies were limited so that they could not dry out their clothes properly when they made camp.

Scott’s men sweated a lot when man- hauling their sledges, but they could not adjust their clothing and the moisture froze making clothes heavy and uncomfortable. They had to spend hours patching and mending their clothes as they became worn. When they reached Antarctica, Scott and his men had to make do with the clothes that they had brought with them. The explorers wore Burberry wind-proof jackets, trousers, leggings and hoods made from fine-woven cotton when they set out to explore Antarctica. Scott’s men wore whatever clothes they had: coats, tweed jackets, scarves, felt hats and woollen underwear.

Antarctic Journals of Reginald Skelton by Reginald William Skelton