“Explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes has to pull out of an expedition across Antarctica hailed as the last great polar challenge because of severe frostbite” - BBC

Hero to some? To me he is a liability, his cavalier attitude goes beyond just being an explorer towards a Captain Scott like “get it done even if it kills me and those i get to tag along” attitude.

Now he has frostbite.... again. It is just amateurish to get frostbite in this day and age but he seems to do so on every expedition. He is also comes across in interviews as miserable cantankerous old git.

I think he is just wasting other peoples time and resources and littering the Antarctic. I cannot see a single reason to traverse the Antarctic in the middle of winter, just madness putting him, his team, and anyone else who has to rescue them when it goes wrong, at risk.

Glad he is no longer going but still question the trip at all. Armundsen did it properly years ago.

Is this the expedition where they have no modern kit?

It's a thin line between clever and stupid.

I think he got cold feet...

On a more serious note: if he wants to do it, that's fine by me. But don't expect me to either pay him for it, or laud him for it. He's there for his own self-gratification, no more, no less.

That's some biting wit there; actually, I think he threw his hand in..

I have to agree... the big question is WHY!!

If this was to discover something new I could get it, but there will be no benefit to mankind in just repeating something that has already been done before. Just self-gratification and a waste of money that could be spent better elsewhere (like a Coupe track day ) .. whoops! Maybe he just thinks it is fun.........

He took his glove off to fix a binging on his skis which resulted in the frostbite, obviously not the best move.

I don't see what the big deal is, if he wants to travel to the extremes of the earth then who's he hurting? The guys with him are clearly like-minded and want to be there (seeing as they're going to carry on without him).

We've explored almost all of the planet we occupy (all the stuff above sea level at least) so no, he's not doing anything revolutionary but I still think it's fairly incredible that he has the desire to do these things at his age and he was doing it for charity so why not!?

Exactly that ^^^^
People who go to these extreme places in pursuit of whatever, do so knowing fine well what they'll be up against . No one is making them 'tag along'.
Everybody's different and everyone has different ideas of what's 'fun' or 'worthwhile'.
I'm sure Mr Fiennes would scoff at us indulging in our love of an 'old' fiat.. .

"He was doing it for charity"

And how many times have you seen people claim that to persuade others to pay for something they want to do for themselves? Yes, they may raise money for charity, mostly by guilting out their friends and colleagues, but I'd argue that raising the money is the means to an end and not the end in itself... of course I don't know the financial details of Fiennes' trip, except that (a) it's bloody expensive and (b) most of it will be supported by sponsors (aka advertising). It's not at all clear where the charity comes in.

But while I will happily accept that anyone has the right to do anything they feel they want, provided it's legal and doesn't scare the horses, I'm not sure the epithet 'hero' is applicable. This is no great research effort (though they will no doubt claim huge knowledge gains for science) but an exercise in vainglory.

It's no more 'heroic' than my own attempts to launch the world's highest rocket.

Meh.

I agree that people should be able to do what they want if it does not affect or cost others, and he is doing this for Charity, but clearly a lot of the charity money was spent in the expedition costs.

It just seems a pointless exercise, like and expedition to climb the twin peaks of Kilamanjero He bleated on to Clarkson etc how their artic trip would be a disaster, and it was not. And yet he fails to follow even the most basic of survival advice and takes his gloves off in -30. It is just stupid as is his stupid idea to traverse the Pole in the darkness.


So of course he is free to do so, but if that endangers others then it is not right. The expedition is not heroic, it is just foolish and adding more litter to one of the last unspoilt places on earth.

He feels compelled to do these things for whatever reasons, it may be reckless at his age and it may be nonsensical but thank god we're not all the same, vive la difference!

http://www.businessinsider.com/sir-ranul...rostbite-2013-1

Imho... Idiot.

Perhaps, Neil. I didn't label him a hero though, I just offered a different perspective. To an observer, could your attempts to launch the world's highest rocket not be seen as an exercise in vainglory too?



Unless you know something we don't, I don't think that's clear at all.

"IF YOU want to cut the cost of living, go on sponsored expeditions where all your bills are paid, suggests the avid explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes." - Sunday Times 20th Jan 2013

So I don't think he is paying for it. OK I was being a bit disingenuous but clearly the costs are picked up by sponsorship rather than taking from the charity he is doing this for. Why not just cut out the costly middle man?

To be fair it would not be the mission itself (although this one is hardly a first, just doing it when it is colder) that annoys me but the fact that he is risking others lives in that pointless feat. Now maybe he has abandoned they have a better chance on a bloody pointless trek. Next step will be climbing Everest blindfolded backwards and in the dark?

He has raised more than £14,000,000 for charity ( MS Society, Marie Curie Cancer Care, Breakthrough Breast Cancer and the British Heart Foundation ) . Corporate funds pay for the trips and sponsorship comes from all sorts. Is that clear enough?

He isn't.

They are all doing so of their own accord knowing full well the consequences of any and all actions . They're all fully grown, free thinking decision making adults.

The fact that they're continuing on shows this...

I'm in! Sounds fun

Ok, fiar cop. Just all sounds a bit pointless still. I just hope they all make it, the start of the expedition is not going too well

I 100% agree with Barnacle

Tragically Henry Worsley is the latest casualty in well meaning fund raising. I'm not sure quite what is to be achieved by walking alone across Antarctica? It seem to be another case endangering oneself and others who come to fetch you when the inevitable happens. Is the money raised worth a mans life?

I truly feel for his family, no doubt they were powerless to stop him

It's very sad but people die all the time doing the most innocuous things - at least he died pushing the envelope of what humanity has done.

Worsely was pursuing a dream. He was obsessed by Shackleton and was attempting to do what Shackleton failed to 100 years before him. Worsely is also directly descended from Frank Worsely who was Shackleton's Skipper on the endeavour, so had family connections with polar adventure.

He was also an army officer whom had served in the SF. A man used to extremes, it is very hard to give up the drug of the extreme after you have tasted it! Who's lives did he risk? he was travelling alone. The rescue team? you do not sign-up to be a member of one of these teams if you do not yourself have a liking for danger.

Fiennes is indeed a hero, apart from his £14 million in cash raised never mind the exposure gained for various charities, he should be held up as an example of what is possible to our aging population.

He, along with Stroud, completed 7 marathons in 7 days on 7 continents at 59 years old...4 months after having a heart attack and by-pass surgery. Maybe there would be less burden placed on the NHS if those attending doctors and hospitals for treatment for self-inflicted conditions could only take a bit of inspiration from him and get of their backside and do some exercise! He completed the Marathon Des Sables at 71!!

It is very easy, and increasingly prevalent in society to scoff and mock people whom attempt frankly unimaginable things, especially when they fail. It isn't so easy to realise that these guys are living their lives to the fullest. Obsession comes in various guises; if you can raise significant sums of money and push boundaries of what is possible on your journey then surely that is to be applauded. Is it selfish? maybe. Is it dangerous? probably. Is it worthwhile? definitely.