Roald Amundsen - Through the Maze: The Northwest Passage

After

Amundsen before and after his 25 days in the Arctic Copyright/Source

Amundsen's next goal was to try to float over the North Pole with the ice, which moves very slowly. He failed, but did manage to sail through the Northeast Passage over Russia. His last great feat was to fly over the North Pole in a dirigible in May 1926. He and his companions were able to prove that there was no land at the North Pole.

Amundsen died in a plane crash in May 1928, while trying to rescue another explorer. By then he was very famous and had set the example of how a modern explorer must be a good leader, a good scientist and a professional. His careful measurements and notes were in many ways as important as the fact that he was the first to accomplish so much.

Why They Chose an Airship
An airship (dirigible) was a better choice than an airplane because:

1. an airship floats, even with no motors working.
2. it's safer to fly in fog. An airplane needs high speeds, making the risk of running into a mountain greater in fog.
3. navigation is easier. There is no shaking or drafts, so the sun's altitude can be taken accurately. Observation is easier too.

Amundsen, Roald and Lincoln Ellsworth. The First Flight Across the Polar Sea. London: Hutchinson & Co., [1927], p. 197-198.

	The most important conditions for a successful flight were favorable winds and good visibility.

The Inevitable Pemmican
Besides wrenches, motors and motor oil, there were pemmican and oatmeal biscuits aboard the Norge.

Frosty Flight
During the flight, they sailed through fog. The frost in the fog coated the Norge with ice, mostly at the front. On landing, the ice weighed 1 ton. The extra weight was balanced by using more gasoline from the front tanks than from the back ones.