The Sledge
The most important item for transportation on the ground were the sledges. They were used to carry food supplies, shelter, clothing, cooking equipment and other tools necessary for survival on the ice.
The sledge used in polar exploration was called the 'Nansen sledge' after the great Norwegian explorer Fridtjof Nansen who had perfected its design. The wooden sledge had two runners much like skis. The sledge was built around a framework of uprights and crossbars lashed together with greenhide. This gave the sledge flexibility over difficult terrain. A sledge could carry up to 0.5 tonne.
One feature of the sledges used on the Polar route was a sledgemeter, a wheel which ran behind the sledge. This was used for measuring mileage along the route and helped the explorers with their route planning. Accurate measurement of daily distances covered were very important for evaluating ration supplies and progress made.
Motor sledge
Scott had shown an interest in adapting the combustion engine to Antarctic exploration. The Wolseley company had made a motor sledge which Scott trialed in Norway. The trials had shown Scott that the motor sledges could be expected to pull three tons at four and a half miles per hour. On these trials a motor sledge could cover the Barrier in about 55 running hours.
Three motor sledges were taken to the Antarctic. One of these fell through the ice while it was being unloaded. The other two set off first on the polar march but they broke down after reaching the Corner Camp and were abandoned.
Ponies
Scott believed that the experience of Shackleton on his 1907-1909 Nimrod expedition had demonstrated the value of Siberian ponies in hauling the sledges. Noting that Shackleton's white ponies had fared better than the darker ones Meares was instructed to purchase similar ponies in Siberia. Meares bought 19 ponies but unfortunately he was not an expert on horses and the ponies were not good ones. Oates, the authority on horses, was dismayed at their poor condition when he first set eyes on them in Lyttelton.
The ponies were used to haul sledges to the bottom of the Beardmore Glacier where they were shot.
As a key part of the expedition's transport arrangements the ponies were not well suited to the work required of them. They were not good in blizzards and. despite being fitted with special horse snowshoes, they sank in soft snow. Their sweat quickly turned to ice and they needed a lot of attention at the end of a day's march before they could settle down for a rest.
Man-hauling
Man hauling was to be the main form of transportation on the expedition. This reflected the practicalities of the Antarctic environment, the limitations of the ponies and the motor sledges, and the lack of reliance on the dogs.
Man hauling also reflected the firm belief of Scott that the achievement of reaching the Pole would be worthier if it was achieved through hard, honest human effort. After the ponies had been shot on 9 December and the dogs sent back on 11 December the rest of the journey was done by man hauling.
In man hauling a team of men are harnessed to the sledge and they pull it through the snow. Most of the pulling effort is focused on the waist where a wide canvas strap was worn.
Skis were also used to help the men over the snow, but unfortunately Scott and his team had not spent enough time learning the proper skiing techniques, despite the presence of Gran as a ski instructor on the expedition. Skis helped the men to avoid sinking into soft snow and made for easier movement on the hard snow.
Man-hauling required good teamwork as each person had to keep their attachment with the sledge tight to maximise the effort. Thoughts that an individual was not putting in a fair effort undermined teamwork.
The strong Bowers described man-hauling as
The most back-breaking work I have ever come up against…I have never pulled so hard, or so nearly crushed my inside into my backbone by the everlasting jerking with all my strength on the canvas band around my unfortunate tummy.
Dogs
Scott brought 33 dogs with him. Meares, who had also persuaded a Russian dog-handler Dmetri Girev to join the expedition, had bought these in Siberia. The dogs were not well used by Scott and, even though they had shown how effective they were, they were given a supporting role in the party's transport arrangements.
Amundsen knew the value of dogs, bringing over 100 for his trip. They were the key to his success
Sails
The use of an improvised sail was evident in the trip. The groundsheet of a tent was fixed to the sledge and used with man hauling. The effect of this crudely erected sail was to provide some assistance to the men. It was used for a few days at the beginning of the return trip and probably had some benefit as good mileage was made in these days.
Sleds
Sleds are made of plastic, are 2 metres long and weigh 10kg bare and 12kg with cover, poles etc. They were used on the crossing of Greenland with plastic kayaks.
Preliminary strength, freezing and stress test results have been excellent.
Traces, harnesses and sleds require a great deal of adjustment to suit the individual skier. Planning trips will eliminate problems and difficulties, and develop skills in hauling, packing and negotiation of crevasses.
Quadrifoils
Kite traction has revolutionised self-supported polar travel during the last decade. Since their introduction in Greenland in the late 80's, kites, foils, sails and chutes have been used extensively in both the Arctic and Antarctic.
The Quadrifoil is a steerable kite and comes in various sizes from ¾ sqm to 7sqm. It is specifically designed and manufactured for traction, particularly on ice and snow. It operates from two power lines and two brake lines attached to two handles. This combination allows the kite to be looped, hovered, stalled and dropped, and enables the skier to sail to within 20o of the wind. The steerable nature of the kite also enables the skier to generate power in low winds by looping the kite. Eric Philips used a #4 in Greenland and sailed 240km out of a total of 540km, almost half the total distance. IceTrek will uses 3 different sizes - 3, 5 and 7 sqm. The kites and accessories are manufactured in Spain by a German company.
Kite
The kite consists of a number of inflatable cells, and is made from a durable nylon which performs well in cold temperatures. The kite is available in different sizes - a #4 weighs less than 1kg.
Lines
The lines are 15 metres long to enable the kite to fly in clean winds. Lines are made of Spectra, regarded as the strongest cord available, and sheathed in Dyneema, an abrasive resistant fibre. This combination creates the strongest kite lines available. Spectra stiffens in cold weather, preventing knotting of the lines, yet retains 100% of it's strength. A spare line set is carried.
Handles
Handles are made of strengthened aluminium covered in an insulating foam.
Harness
A specialised harness is used, which is incorporated into the sledding harness, which directs the pull from the kite directly to the sled, allowing the skier to simply steer without stress on the arms. This conserves energy, yet the action of the steering motion keeps the skier warm.
Sailing
The kites will be instrumental in the success of IceTrek. The team has taken delivery of the Quadrifoils and are undertaking regular practise sessions.
To date the team has not used the kites with skis due to a lack of snow in Australia. A comprehensive training schedule is planned for Australia and New Zealand.