Dancing On Ice: A 1930s Arctic Adventure [Paperback]

Accounts of polar exploration, with their repeating elements of frostbite and raw seal-eating, are strangely addictive, and after getting through the classics of the genre you may find yourself casting around for more. DoI is a solid addition to the compendium: the story of a group of college-aged upper-class Brits who head to coastal Greenland to map out the place in advance of transcontinental airplane routes.

The characters are well-described and the story is compelling. The author has useful opinions about the nature of risk-taking and the tone of leadership on the expedition, as successfully set by the quite young and effete leader of the group. There are frank and interesting descriptions of inuit life and the collision of sexual mores as explorers interact with natives. The writing is a little uneven and as the expedition fragments into different small teams the narrative struggles to keep up; but these are small faults. Those interested in the topic will find it a compelling and enjoyable read.

If you are new to the 'early 20th century polar explorers' or 'cold weather survival' genres there are many books also worthy of a look -- certainly, 'Endurance' and 'Land of the White Death', 'We Die Alone,' maybe 'The Long Walk', or 'Shadows on the Wasteland.' And, if you love DoI, also take a look at "Ada Blackjack", a contemporaneous account of a similarly young American expedition that does not fare so well.

I love stories of survival, whether it's the 16 remarkable young men that survived nearly three months in the Andes Mountains after a plane crash (1972), or Ernest Shackleton's miraculous feat of survival after his ship was trapped in the Antarctic ice and lost (1914-7). These stories don't always have a happy ending, of course, that of Captain Scott (1910-12) being a notable example. Jeremy Scott's Dancing On Ice documents the British Arctic Air Route Expedition (1930-1) that his father took part in and introduces us to a group of remarkable young men who set out for adventure and discovery and, for at least one of them, endured a desperate struggle for survival.

Joining the ranks of Scott, Amundsen and Shackleton back in the 1930s was Henry George "Gino" Watkins who had a passion for mountaineering, learnt to fly and was an inspirational leader. Heading an expedition of fourteen men to Greenland in 1930, Gino's group not only explored the landscape in depth, they sailed along the coastline, researched the possibility of a commercial air route that would link Europe and America and through an observation post in the heart of Greenland recorded weather conditions and other meteorological readings.

Gino's group lived for adventure. Their lives back in England promised steady but unfulfilling jobs and it's admirable but at the same time somewhat tragic to read of these talented and well educated young men who were maladjusted at home but free and at ease wandering the hostile unknown. The group not only studied Greenland but lived amongst the Inuit people, learning from them the ways and means to survive and for some of the men even taking Inuit women as lovers.

What seems a foolhardy expedition turns out to be a richly rewarding one for the men and brings them international fame. One of the most notable aspects of this story centres around Augustine Courtauld who volunteered to remain alone at the observation point in the heart of Greenland and monitor the conditions there. What should have been a rewarding research project turned into a nightmare when blizzards set in, burying Courtauld in his tent and leaving him trapped with no means of escape. It took more than one expedition to reach Courtauld and by the time he was located he had been alone with dwindling supplies for five months! When Gino finally returned to Europe he and his men had the adoration of the world to look forward to but being home left the majority of the men unfulfilled and longing to return to Greenland or head out on a new adventure.

Scott's book conveys a fascinating tale here, one that like Captain Scott's expedition, wasn't just about claiming a prize but researching the landscape and coming back with something worthwhile for the benefit of future generations. For all the glory and adventure these men enjoyed, the story has a somewhat bittersweet taste to it. It's sad to read of Courtauld who despised all the fuss made about his feat of survival, even when meeting Royalty he denied any talk of a struggle. As for the remarkable Gino Watkins, well, he would return to Greenland in 1932 but sadly for the last time. The story ends with something of a mystery behind Gino who, like Amundsen, disappeared without trace.

Dancing On Ice may not be as harrowing a story to read as say Franklin's failed expedition through the northwest passage in the 19th century but this is still a fascinating tale where a group of young men turned their backs on the conventions of English society and sought lives of mystery and adventure. I thankfully don't feel the same maladjustment as these men did but at the same time I can understand and appreciate the lure of adventure that was available in a time when not all of the world had been fully explored.