Oldest person to conquer Antarctica

Mr. Dave Thomas (left) and Mr. Alan Chambers (right) take a photo at the South Pole.
Photo: The Royal Marines Charity

Dave Thomas, a 68-year-old former Marine from Coelbren, South Powys, has beaten the previous record holder by four years. He has become the oldest person to reach the South Pole to date.

He and his companion Alan Chambers reached their destination on January 19, after 58 days on the most extreme journey on the planet.

The couple set off from Hercules Inlet on the western side of the Antarctic mainland on November 22 and skied to their destination unaided, covering 1,180 km.

However, they also had to drag food, fuel and supplies on heavy sleds.

The two explorers pulled heavy sledges loaded with supplies without help.
Photo: BBC

Temperatures were around -24 degrees Celsius as they crossed the polar plateau. Those conditions worsened in the final few days before they crossed the finish line.

Mr Thomas celebrated his 68th birthday just before Christmas, on the 19th day of the expedition.

Portrait of the world's oldest independent Antarctic explorer Dave Thomas.
Photo: The Royal Marines Charity

“The 1,000km mark five days ago was huge for us emotionally,” he said. “And although we knew we were in the final stretch and still had a few tough days to go, we were determined to keep to our pace and resist any temptation to try to sprint to the finish.”

Mr Chambers added that the Antarctic journey was not an easy feat but their determination to conquer all difficulties helped them overcome.

According to Sky News, the duo conducted scientific research during the expedition, looking at the global impact of nanoplastics and the effects of prolonged sensory deprivation in remote climates on the human body.

TB (according to Tin Tuc Newspaper)

Source: https://baohaiduong.vn/nguoi-cao-tuoi-nhat-chinh-phuc-nam-cuc-371424.html