Ordeal by Ice

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Surrounded by hazardous seas and pitiless ice, Antarctica was first sighted by Europeans less than three centuries ago. Since then, ships have been of vital importance in Antarctic exploration. Expeditions were challenged by poorly charted waters, violent storms, pack ice and icebergs, and disease. Frequently, the success of expeditions was determined by the qualities of the ships involved. The pivotal importance of ships and ship design has been largely ignored in Antarctic literature. This is the story of these ships - some specially designed, some plucked form obscurity - and the critical role they played in opening up the continent, from the hypothetical earliest sightings by fleets of the Ming Emperors of China in the fifteenth century right up to the tourist ships and sophisticated reinforced research vessels of today. Using extensive research in archives, museums, libraries and private sources in many parts of the world, Rorke Bryan brings the detailed information about the ships into a single, comprehensive record. It contains technical information, plans, photos, paintings and maps, and describes the expeditions and exploratory activities in which the ships took part. This authoritative work fills an important gap in Antarctic literature.