Icebound: shipwrecked at the edge of the world

Abstract

a perilous journey would hardly be contemplated now, but many signed up for the thrill of an expedition founded only on self-belief and potential fame. Despite failing in its primary goals, the Belgica expedition persisted with collecting hundreds of valuable scientific specimens. It also returned precious personal diaries, not knowing that Sancton would re-unite them to add stunning insight. Other historians will envy the author’s access to such records from the Felix Archive in Antwerp, the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Science and the Byrd Polar Research Centre. Instead of footnotes, Sancton’s notes about his sources goes some way towards filling the gaps for other historians hoping to see precisely where such fine detail was obtained. Throughout the chronological narrative, the slowly building tension over what would become of the ship will capture the armchair adventurer. Equally, it satisfies the Antarctic scholar by confidently examining one of the least-discussed Heroic Era expeditions. We can now better appreciate the significance of many familiar place names in the Antarctic Peninsula, such as the Gerlache Strait, Wiencke Island and other parts of the cartographical landscape. With this new book, Sancton has helped de Gerlache finally achieve respect for his expedition and help cement Belgium’s Antarctic legacy.