Alone in Antarctica | The Windiest Place on Earth | 1

0:00A listener note, Against the Odds uses dramatizations that are based on true events. Some elements, including dialogue, may be invented, but everything is based on research.

0:20Douglas Mawson is in freefall. He flails his arms, desperate for a handhold, but there's nothing but slick ice surrounding him. A moment ago, his leather boots were crunching on snow, but now there's nothing beneath his feet but air. Mawson knows what's happening. He's tumbled into a hidden crevasse about six feet wide. He has no idea how deep it is. All he can see below him is a pit of darkness. Suddenly, pain shoots through his torso. The harness he's wearing tightens around his shoulders and chest, cutting into his malnourished muscles. The harness is attached to a 14-foot alpine rope, which has just gone taut.

1:01The other end of the rope is tied to a sledge that's weighed down with all his supplies. And somehow, the sledge is still perched somewhere above him on the surface. The weight of the sledge has saved him from falling any deeper. It's January 17th, 1913, and Mawson is the leader of an expedition to explore Antarctica. Two months ago, he and two other members of the expedition set out to explore more than 300 miles of unmapped Antarctic wilderness, but both men perished, along with their sled dogs, leaving Mawson alone in the most unforgiving environment on Earth. Now, as Mawson dangles in the crevasse, he takes stock of his situation.

1:45He's exhausted and weak from lack of food. His skin is literally peeling off his body from starvation and frostbite. And he's at least 60 miles away from base camp, where other members of his expedition are waiting for him. Or so he hopes. For all he knows, they've already given him up for dead and taken the supply ship back to Australia. And now he realizes that he's still dropping, just slower. Any second, the sledge will reach the edge of the crevasse. When it falls, it will drag Mawson down into the abyss. He'll die deep in the ice of Antarctica, and nobody will ever find him. His fiancée, Paquita, will visit an empty grave and always wonder where his body lies.

2:30Mawson strains his neck to look up. He sees the tips of the sledge's runners appear above him. He shuts his eyes and waits. But the sledge doesn't fall. Mawson opens his eyes and looks up again. The sledge must have caught on something at the lip of the crevasse. But Mawson feels little solace. He is too exhausted to pull himself out. He's emaciated and weak, barely recognizable from the man who arrived a year ago on this forsaken continent. Mawson looks down and sees the darkness of the icy void. He has nobody to call out to for help. nobody even knows where he is and he has no idea how to get out

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4:10From Wondery, I'm Mike Corey, and this is Against the Odds.

4:22Starting in the late 19th century, and spanning into the early 1920s, exploring Antarctica was the space race of its time. Countries across the globe competed to survey and claim potentially valuable land on the least explored and least hospitable continent. During this so-called heroic age of Antarctic exploration, the likes of Robert Falcon Scott and Sir Ernest Shackleton became legends and household names. At the height of this period, in November 1912, a group of explorers called the Australasian Antarctic Expedition arrived on the frozen continent. Led by a 30-year-old geologist named Douglas Mawson, their mission was to explore an unmapped section of the Antarctic coast, about 1 ,500 miles south of Australia.

5:09They would do this by venturing out from a base camp in three-man teams. Mawson's own team, the Far Eastern Party, would cover the most ground, 350 miles, into territory no human had ever set eyes on. But when the Far Eastern Party's journey took a disastrous turn, Mawson would have to endure what the mountaineer Sir Edmund Hillary called the greatest survival story in the history of exploration. Douglas Mawson endured one of the planet's most extreme environments, but no matter where you are, the unexpected can strike at any moment. That's why we are so excited to launch our Against the Odds book, How to Survive Against the Odds, Tales and Tips for Animal Attacks and Natural Disasters, available now at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or wherever you get your books.

5:59In this survival guidebook, we'll go inside the stories of everyday people confronted by life or death situations, showing you how they survived and how you can too. This is the only book of its kind where you'll also hear from the experts, including top doctors and psychologists explaining what happens to your mind and body in life-threatening situations. Plus, get important tips on how to mentally and physically persevere when faced with a situation that is truly against the odds. This book teaches you what to do and importantly, what not to do when faced with your own survival scenario. Go to survivalguidebook.com to order your copy today, or click the book link in the episode description.

6:41This is Episode 1, The Windiest Place on Earth.

6:54Douglas Mawson takes his girlfriend's hand and steers her out to the veranda. It's December 19th, 1910, and the young couple is overlooking a beach outside Adelaide, Australia. The sound of the waves lapping at the shore and the gentle evening breeze makes this a perfect setting for what Mawson is about to ask Paquita Del Prat. She's the 19-year-old daughter of a wealthy mining engineer, and Mawson has been taken with her since they first met at a dinner party last year. Paquita is nearly six feet tall, with black hair and pale skin, She's a trained singer and a skilled piano player, and fluent in three languages.

7:34Mawson, too, is tall and thin. Paquita has admitted that his height, athleticism, and good looks are part of what drew her to him. He turns towards her, and she meets his eyes. He holds his breath for a moment, and then the words spill out. Paquita, as you know, I will be going away for some time, but I'll be thinking about you every step of the way. and honestly, I'd just feel so much better if I could think of you as my wife. What do you say? Will you marry me? Paquita looks away for a moment, and Mawson follows her gaze to the ocean, the same ocean he'll be crossing to get to Antarctica in a year.

8:12Paquita turns back with tears in her eyes. Yes, Douglas. Obviously, yes. I will marry you after you return, and then we can plan our wedding and our lives together. Mawson already knows that Paquita's father has concerns. Not about Mawson's character, but about the mission that he will be leading. The Australasian Antarctic Expedition will put Mawson in one of the world's most dangerous places for more than a year. Here on the warm veranda, Paquita repeats these concerns, but tells Mawson that she understands that he has to go. Before they met, Mawson was part of Ernest Shackleton's expedition to the South Magnetic Pole.

8:53As grueling as it was, Mausson wanted nothing more than to lead his own excursion to the White Continent. And not simply for his own glory. He wants to claim new territory for his homeland, Australia. It's territory that could hold precious minerals and other valuable resources. And as a geologist, Mausson is uniquely suited to discover them. Mausson can't think of anything more exciting or important for humankind than exploring new places and discovering new species. Mawson hugs Paquita, now his fiancée. He realizes it's more important than ever that he returns safely from his voyage to Antarctica.

9:38Captain John King Davis looks out into the distance as he stands on the deck of his ship, the Aurora. It's 5 a.m. on January 4th, 1912, and the Aurora has been at sea in the Antarctic Ocean since Christmas Eve. The wind is stirring, the fog is thick, and the cold is paralyzing. For more than a week, Captain Davis and the rest of the crew have been searching for the Antarctic mainland, but all they've found is pack ice, bergs, floes, and vast sheets covering the ocean. They grind noisily against the hull of the ship, making it hard to maneuver. Douglas Mawson, the man leading the expedition, approaches Davis.

10:19Still no sign of land? Davis shakes his head. Mawson studies the pack ice, his face grim. How long do we have left? I'd say a few days at most. Both men know they're racing against time to get to shore. The days will soon get even colder, which means more pack ice will form around them, freezing the ocean and trapping the ship. They also risk running out of the coal that powers the Aurora. She's a 580-ton steamship, built of solid oak and reinforced with steel plates. She's sturdy enough to withstand the ice, but not to break through it. Davis takes out a map and points to a crudely drawn spot.

10:59We'll go no farther than this cape, assuming that it's even there. You've seen how inaccurate these maps can be. And if there's no cape and no sign of land before then, we'll have to turn back. Mawson looks desperate. No, we must find a way to shore, somehow. Just then, one of the watchmen shouts, Land! Land! Davis and Mawson sprint across the deck to meet the watchmen. He's pointing off the port side of the ship, between patches of fog. Davis sees what the man is excited about. About 400 yards away, a giant ice wall is rising out of the ocean. It's so big it disappears behind the fog in all directions.

11:40Davis looks at Mawson and they share a victorious grin. The Aurora may land soon after all.

11:54Xavier Mertz plants his feet firmly into the snow-covered ground of the Antarctic mainland. Back in Switzerland, Mertz is a champion skier, but this terrain is nothing like those vast mountain ranges back home. The land here is rocky, but since it's mostly ice-free, it's a good place to build the camp. He watches penguins waddle around, and above him, cormorants swoop and dive. For Mertz, who's never been to Antarctica, it's like landing on another planet. It's January 8th, 1912, and after two weeks at sea and over a thousand miles traveled, they finally found a good landing spot. Mertz gazes around in awe.

12:35He can't believe how beautiful Antarctica is. Like a fairyland, the ice stretches all around them, soaring into steep cliffs that gleam like silver in the afternoon sun. The temperature is mild enough that the men strip off layers. Mertz thinks about what's ahead. Eighteen of them will spend the coming ten-month winter on this secluded snow-covered cape, never before inhabited by man. They will build huts, train themselves and the huskies on how to haul sledges, and try to get accustomed to their surroundings. When summer returns, and with it extended hours of daylight, they will set out in three-man teams to explore the continent.

13:17Mertz is 29 years old, and though he has no expedition experience, Douglas Mawson picked him for his skiing ability. He said it would come in handy on the snowy terrain. Mertz closes his eyes to soak in the sun. And just then, something smacks him in the chest. A ball of slush and ice. The men have started a snowball fight. They're running around laughing like children. Mawson is the only one among them who has ever set foot in Antarctica before, and for some of the men, this trip is their first time seeing snow. Mertz feels lucky to be on this adventure, and luckier still that they found this serene cape for a home.

13:58He knows how much work lies ahead, but for now, he just wants to enjoy the incredible newness around him. Mertz bends over and makes a snowball, enjoying the crunch in his hand. Then, laughing, he throws it at the nearest man.

14:24Douglas Mawson lifts the last box of supplies from the whale boat and carries it to shore. As he makes his way over the rocks, a fierce gust of wind sweeps over the beach, knocking him from the crate to the ground. He gets up and looks back at the harbor. The whale boat, headed back to the Aurora, almost capsizes in the choppy windblown water. Mawson hoists the crate again and heads further inland. Each step is a fight to stay afoot, as the wind blows steadily at what feels like 30 miles per hour. At home in Australia, wind like this means a storm. Here at the Cape, it just means you're outside.

15:03It's January 19th, 1912. Eleven days since they landed. Mawson has named the place Cape Denison after one of the expedition's benefactors. At first, it seemed like the ideal spot to build their camp, but the weather at the Cape quickly changed. Almost as soon as the snowball fight ended that first day, clouds gathered. Snow started falling, and temperatures dropped. The winds started raging, but they couldn't escape to the ship for shelter. With winter approaching, the Aurora needed to head back to Australia or risk getting locked into the ice. Mawson fights through another strong gust. It pushes him backwards, but he braces himself and lurches forward, still carrying the heavy crate.

15:49It has taken much of the past 11 days to offload the supplies from the Aurora and shuttle them to the shore by whale boat. At times, the winds have been so strong they cause the anchored Aurora to drift. Some of the men have speculated that this must be the windiest place on Earth. When the winds reached 70 miles per hour, the men had to suspend work for two days and just wait it out. Among the supplies they have ferried to shore are 23 tons of coal, enough materials to build two complete living huts, and more than 2 ,000 containers of rations for 18 men for the entire expedition. There's also kerosene, instruments, and several sledges, which are long, sturdy sleds built for hauling supplies.

16:34The Aurora also dropped off 19 huskies. The dogs will eventually pull the sledges when the men venture deeper into the mainland. Mausson knows how difficult the winter ahead will be. They'll have to build permanent huts in the intense cold and wind, and then live in them in extremely close quarters for nine months. They'll have to fight weather, sickness, and boredom. Then, when the Antarctic summer returns, it will be safe enough again to begin exploring. Mawson reaches a massive pile stacked with supplies. He puts the crate down and catches his breath. His back is sore from all the lifting and carrying, but finally, all their supplies are ashore.

17:16He takes a good stretch, and he looks out to sea at the Aurora. Later today, he and his men will return to the ship for a farewell celebration with Captain Davis and his crew. Mawson knows the men are looking forward to it, but for him, the festivities will be bittersweet. because he knows that as soon as the Aurora leaves, they'll be on their own. And when the ship returns 10 months from now, they'll be lucky if every man is still alive.

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18:21Douglas Mawson:A dark night. A quiet house. But inside, danger was lurking. Oh, not really. We have Xfinity Shield, so we're not worried. What if protecting your home and devices could be drama-free? Xfinity. Imagine that. Restrictions apply. Not available in all areas.

18:44Douglas Mawson removes five sticks of dynamite from underneath his thick wool coat. The dynamite freezes fast in this cold, and so Mawson has bundled the sticks in his clothing to keep them warm. He places the sticks into neat holes drilled into the rock by his men. He connects the charges, steps back, and nods to the man holding the detonator switch. Okay, go. The man presses it down, but nothing happens. No explosion, no flying rock. Mawson sighs. He walks over to the dynamite, disconnects it, and places it back underneath his coat. It's January 20th, a day after the Aurora departed, leaving 18 men at Cape Denison.

19:29They've been sleeping in a small temporary hut, but today they begin building the main shelters. They'll consist of two larger huts, almost cabins, made of boards and timbers prefabricated back in Australia. The huts will be crowded, but will provide enough shelter and warmth to keep them alive through the brutal Antarctic winter. Mawson wants the huts to be secure against the hurricane-force winds that seem to blow constantly at Cape Denison. So, they're dynamiting holes in the rock to build foundations for the huts. Each hole will be filled with a timber post anchored by rubble mixed with ice to form a kind of cement.

20:09Mawson is convinced that the foundations are necessary, but some of his men aren't so sure. One of them approaches Mawson now. Hey boss, are you sure we need to do this? We could build the hut so much faster if we don't anchor them to the rock. Mawson reminds the man of his motto. In this land, we must prepare for the worst. You never know what Antarctica will throw at you. After an hour, Mawson takes the dynamite back out from under his coat. It feels warmer than before. He places it back in the drilled holes and signals the men once again to step back.

20:50This time, it works. The blast is loud and scatters rock in every direction. And the hole the dynamite has created looks perfect for the foundation posts. When Mawson looks around, he sees approval in the faces of his men. Perhaps they'll get these huts built after all.

21:18Douglas Mawson struggles to keep his balance as he stands up in the whale boat and peers over the edge. The gusts across the harbour are so strong they threaten to knock him off his feet. It's late January, about two weeks since they landed at Cape Denison. They've been making good progress on the huts, which are starting to resemble livable structures. But there is a problem. The main hut will not keep them warm enough without a working stove, and a key part of that stove hasn't been found in their pile of gear. Mawson is convinced the part is in a box that fell into the shallow harbor during unloading.

21:56So he's taken a whale boat into the water with a man named Joe and they're using the boat hooks to try to lift the box out of six feet of water. Mawson reaches over the side as far as he can without falling in. He places the hook on the side of the box and Joe does the same on the other side. Okay, on three. Ready? One, two, three! They each pull with all of their might, but the box barely budges. Joe sits down in the whale boat. It's just... it's just too heavy, boss. What do we do now? They've been at this for half an hour, and Maussin is frustrated. They can't get enough leverage from this far up.

22:39They need to try something else. Without a word, Mawson starts stripping off his clothes. He takes off his gloves, and his jacket, and then the layers of shirts beneath him. Joe stares at him as if he's gone mad. Hey, boss, what are you doing? One of us just needs to lift it out. Don't worry, I'll be quick. Wait, boss, no! But Mawson, now naked, is going in. As he goes under the surface, the cold hits him like a thousand needles. His chest tightens, and his fingers and toes go numb. Mawson is tall, but has to stay on his tiptoes just to keep his mouth above the water, and takes one big breath, and then goes under.

23:24After some struggle to feel the box with his numb fingers, Mawson gets his hands underneath it. He lifts with all his remaining strength, and hoists it up past his chest until the box breaks the surface. Joe grabs it from the whale boat and pulls it aboard. Mawson reaches up, and Joe helps him back into the boat. Mawson wraps his clothes around himself. He can't muster the dexterity to put them on. He's shivering uncontrollably. As soon as Joe gets the boat ashore, Mawson sprints toward the temporary hut, where the fire burns. And as he runs, he can feel the water on his skin already turning to ice.

24:06Thirty minutes later, as Mawson thaws by the fire, Joe approaches him. That was some decision, boss. Mawson just nods, still too cold to speak. Joe continues. I hate to tell you this now, you know, but we opened the box. No stove parts, just cans of jam. Mawson feels like a defrosted steak. Even with the fire, three layers of clothes and two blankets, he's still freezing. Still, he can't help but laugh.

24:45Xavier Mertz takes a nail out of a small sack and holds it point down against a wooden beam. He hits it twice with a hammer, then checks to make sure it's flush. It's January 25th, and Mertz is sitting atop the nearly completed roof of one of the two huts. Up here, the wind is gale strength, and the air is frigid. His fingers are nearly frozen, which makes hammering far more of a chore than it would be on a summer day back home in Switzerland. He stops for a moment and takes in the bustle of activity around him. He sees two other men hammering on the roof of the adjoining hut. Another man is lugging bags of coal to the stove, now complete after they've found the missing part.