The greatest antarctic rescue of all time

Our Shackleton Comic is now available through the Kildare Libray ebook section.

kildare.ie/library

http://digitallibrary.kildare.ie/554B7673-8261-4C0B-AC54-00E6583AA849/10/50/en/ContentDetails.htm?id=F715E448-4603-4EA0-AF6A-AF3504A6AAD1#descExpand

Michael Smith Polar Author Athy Library Visit

Michael Smith Polar Author launching our comic 

"Ernest Shackleton The Greatest Antarctic rescue of all time" in Athy library.

The comic was produced In association with students from 5th and 6th class Scoil Diarmada Castledermot, Co. Kildare  All artwork was illustrated by the students through a series of workshops by illustrator David Butler Ani-thing Artist. many thanks to teacher Eoin Kirk for  his enthusiasm for the project. Facilitated by Trina Coyne Kildare County Library Service. Limited copies are available free from the Shackleton Museum Athy.www.shackletonmuseum.com

Michael is the Author of 

Ernest Shackleton The Boss and Tom Crean The Ice Man

 

Kildare Post article.

Kildare Nationalist coverage below.

Newbridge Library World Book Day 2014

Maynooth 30 years Poem

Shackleton Expedition Reference

  Shackleton Expedition Food List by rik_uk3

Antarctica, South Georgia & the Falkland Islands by Zegrahm

Circumnavigation of South Georgia with the Falkland Islands by Zegrahm

The James Caird Voyage and Sea Survival Success by Undergraduate Awards

Antarctica Fact File

http://www.coolantarctica.com/Antarctica%20fact%20file/antarctica%20fact%20file%20index.htm

Quick Antarctic Statistics Area: 1.4 x bigger than the USA 58 x bigger than the UK 1.8 x bigger than Australia 13,829,430 km25,339,543 miles2 Ice-free area (0.32% of total) 44,890 km217,330 miles2 Largest Ice Shelves Ross ice shelf:(about the size of France) 510,680 km2 197,974 miles2   Ronne-Filchner ice shelf:(about the size of Spain) 439,920 km2 169,850 miles2 Mountains Transantarctic Mountain chain: 3,300 km 2,050 miles   Highest 3 mountains: Mt. Vinson - 4,892 m / 16,050 ft(sometimes called "Vinson Massif") Mt. Tyree - 4,852 m / 15,918 ft Mt. Shinn - 4,661 m / 15,292 ft IceAntarctica has 70% of all the world's freshwater frozen as ice - and 90% of all the world's ice. Thickness Mean 1,829 m / 6,000 ft Mean thickness East Antarctica: 2,226 m / 7,300 ft Mean thickness West Antarctica: 1,306 m / 4,285 ftMaximum ice thickness: 4,776 m / 15,670ft Lowest point - Bentley subglacial trench,depth below sea-level 2,496 m / 8,188 ft M km3 - Million cubic kilometres Volume Total: 25.4 M km3 / 6.09 M miles3 Grounded ice sheets 24.7 M km3 / 5.93 M miles3 Ice shelves: 0.7 M km3 / 0.17 M miles3 Peninsula ice: 0.1 M km3 / 0.024 M miles3 Population About 4,000 on scientific bases in the short summer 1,000 total in winter, around 30,000-40,000 summer tourists - and this place is 1.4 x bigger than the USA! There are NO permanent residents and NEVER has been a native population. Discovery and Exploration Antarctica was imagined by the ancient Greeks, but not even seen until 1820.The first time anyone set foot on Antarctica was in 1821. The first year-round occupation -overwintering - was in 1898. The South Pole was first reached in 1911. Climate 3 factors rule in Antarctica - cold, wind and altitude. Antarctica holds the world record for each of these three things.The temperature falls as you leave the coast as the continent slopes upwards and temperature falls as you go higher. Temperature: Lowest recoded on earth - Vostok station -89.2°C / -128.6°F Average summer temperature at South Pole -27.5°C / -17.5°F Average winter temperature at South Pole -60°C / -76°F Wind:Mawson station in Antarctica is the windiest place on earth. Average wind speed: 37 kmh / 23 mph Maximum recorded gust: 248.4 kmh / 154 mph Landforms Antarctica has many landforms - it's a continent! But for the benefit of your geography teacher, here's a few main ones: glaciercoral reef #desert mountain plain plateau valley nunatak# - this is a lie

Antarctica Environment What is it like in Antarctica?- 1 What is it like in Antarctica? - 2 Fascinating Facts about Antarctica Antarctica Lite Antarctic Climate and Weather Climate data and graphs Comparisons Casey and Mawson stations South Pole, McMurdo and Vostok stations Weather phenomena Icebergs1  |  Icebergs 2  |  Sea-ice formation Mountains  |  Mountains2  |  Diving 1  |  Diving 2 Antarctica Politics The Government of Antarctica The Antarctic Treaty summary The Antarctic Treaty full version Human impacts and threats hunting and fishing  |  mining and oil  |  pollution tourism  |  endangered animals Antarctic Conservation Antarctica Science The ozone hole Antarctic Bases Antarctica glossary A - H Antarctica glossary I - Z Antarctic slang Food  |  More on food Surviving the cold How penguins survive the cold Hypothermia Global Warming - an Overview Global Warming in Antarctica Misconceptions Prevention Carbon Offsetting Tree Planting Carbon sinks Carbon cycle Antarctica History Exploration time line Roald Amundsen Douglas Mawson Robert Falcon Scott, Discovery expedition Robert Falcon Scott, the South Pole Sir Ernest Shackleton, Nimrod Expedition Sir Ernest Shackleton, Trans-Antarctic (Endurance) expedition Antarctica geological timeline  Ships of the explorers L'Astrolabe  |  Aurora  |  Belgica  |  Discovery  |  Endurance Erebus and Terror  |  Fram   page 2  |  Nimrod  |  Terra Nova Antarctica Animal Life  Penguins Adelie penguin Pygoscelis adeliaeChinstrap penguin Pygoscelis antarcticaGentoo penguin Pygoscelis papuaEmperor penguins Aptenodytes forsteriKing penguins Aptenodytes patagonica Seals Weddell seals  Leptonychotes weddelliSouthern Fur seal  Arctocephalus gazellaSouthern Elephant seal  Mirounga leoninaCrabeater seal  Lobodon carcinophagusLeopard Seal  Hydruga leptonyx Marine Life Whale species - species and lifestyle Whaling -1  - historical perspective Whaling -2 - why were whales caught? Whaling in the 21st century Whaling pictures Whales and food webs Krill - Euphausia superba Other birds Snow petrel   Pagrodama niveaBlue eyed shag   Phalacrocopax atricepsGiant petrel   Macronectes giganteusWandering albatross   Diomedea axulansAntarctic skua   Catharacta maccormickiCape pigeon   Sheathbill Antarctic tern   Sterna vittata Invertebrates Transport Icebreakers and ice-strengthened ships James Clark Ross - ice strengthened ship Kapitan Khlebnikov - icebreaker Yamal - nuclear powered icebreaker Ships then and now, a comparison Transport at McMurdo Base