Albert Bosch : First Catalan and first Spaniard too
Published on 09.01.2012 - South Pole 1911-2011, Two Men One Goal
The polar expeditioners like so much to have the word 'First' somewhere written on the final outcome of their trek. That's done for Albert Bosch.
That's it for Albert Bosch : he his the first Catalan who completes the Antarctica traverse, from the coast to the South Pole. And also he is the first Spaniard to do it in unsupported and self sufficient. He has arrived at SP on 5 January at 2.50 pm local time.
Bosch has taken 67 days to reach the SP starting at Hercules Inlet. He has spent 15 days tentbounded waiting for the good weather window to open itself and he has been solo on the ice 63 days after Carles Gel had decided to abandon after 19 days trek.
Here are some other figures of his adventure : on his own he has covered 1.124 kil and 31 kil with his companion Carles Gel. He has moved on the ice a total of 480 hours.
Let's finish this adventure, giving the word to the protagonist himself :
"... I have never done anything where I was so physically lonely, but in all honesty, I have been very well accompanied, supported and cheered by so many people. For that reason, and in capital letters I say thet WE HAVE MADE IT, and that´s why the chronicle title, with a big hug to all of you."
"May I finish with a sentence from Marcel Proust which It´s been in mind during the last expedition km., when I could finally see the South Pole: “ que he tingut molt present durant els darrers km. de l’expedició, quan ja tenia el Pol Sud a la vista: “"The real act of discovery consists not in seeking new lands out, but learning to see the old lands we know with new eyes ". If from this adventure, aside of my own personal enjoyment, aside of having shared this project with plenty of people,aside of having navigated deep inside of myself, and after having learned and developed plenty of concepts, only remains a bit of understanding, love and respect towards our planet, I would already be very pleased with the project it..."
On 7 January, Bosch was already back in Punta Arenas.
