![]() ![]() As the sailors – including Gerlache – sickened, two of the crew took charge. Gerlache sailed the ship into the pack ice and – it seems intentionally – trapped the Belgica for the long, dark winter in a move that contradicted previous plans to spend the coldest months in Australia.įaced with 24 hour darkness, the ship’s crew begin to deteriorate in physical and mental health – hence the ‘Madhouse’ of the title. ![]() However, it is once the Belgica reaches Antarctica that this book really becomes utterly compelling. ![]() It was far from an easy road to launch as he struggled to secure funding and a crew prepared to take on the epic and dangerous journey – all of which is covered in the first sections of the book. With scientific exploration in mind, Belgian Adrian de Gerlache de Gomery purchased a whaling ship and prepared to head for Antarctica. At this point in history, the Arctic had been explored to some extent but the southern pole was still very much a mystery – it wasn’t even known if it was land or just ice. ![]() This is the story of the Belgica, a ship that set sail from Belgium in 1897 with the aim of discovering Antarctica. The book’s subtitle – ‘The Belgica’s Journey into the Dark Antarctic Night’ sold it to me instantly! I’m quite obsessed with Antarctica and love historical non-fiction, so this was an obvious choice for me. ![]()
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