Later this year, Max Worsely and expedition partner Martin Nesse will attempt to ski from the edge of the Antarctic to the geographic South Pole in temperatures plunging to minus 40 degrees Celsius. Skiing 870 miles across the Antarctic, pulling a 120kg sledge in such extreme conditions would be a mammoth task for anyone. But for Max Worsely, the challenge laid out ahead of him is much more personal and will be a promise to his father, Henry, who died attempting the exact same feat.
A Promise to His Father
Starting in November, Max, 31, will ski in the tracks of his father alongside expedition partner Martin Nesse to make the 60-day journey unsupported from the edge of Antarctica to the geographic South Pole, in a challenge called the Onwards Expedition. A decade ago, his former SAS soldier dad was just 30 miles from completing the same journey when he fell ill. He was airlifted to hospital in Chile, where he later died aged 55.
Ten years on, Max says carrying out his expedition will be fulfilling a dream to his late dad, who had wanted to one day embark on a father-son Antarctic adventure together. He told the Mirror: "It was a dream Dad and I had together and a promise we made to each other. So in a sense, this expedition is like me fulfilling his promise to Dad. It will be a special trip as it will be the same route that my father did on his last and fateful expedition in 2016. So I will be skiing in his tracks, which will be very special. There is definitely quite a strong personal angle to the whole expedition, and it is really why I am doing it."
The most special item Max will take is his father's diary from his last expedition. "I will be able to read from his diary in the same exact location that he wrote 10 years before. This is a trip with Dad at the heart of it, and trying to understand a little bit about why he loved Antarctica so much."
Training and Support
The gruelling mission, for which Max has been in training, will see him and expedition partner Martin camp in plunging temperatures, pulling all the essentials they need behind them in sledges. Training has included polar courses in Norway and Chamonix, learning how to negotiate fatal crevasses, and acquiring other skills such as how to eat 6,000 to 7,000 calories each day to maintain energy, all while wearing mittens.
Throughout, Max, from West London, has had the support of his mother Joanna and sister Alicia. It was his father's letters and text messages back home to his family on his expeditions that always ended with the word 'onwards', which inspired the name of Max's journey.
Prince William's Patronage
Another person to have thrown his support behind the expedition is Prince William. It was announced in January that the Prince of Wales would be a patron of the expedition, a role he took on for Max's father's expedition in 2016. Speaking at the time, William said: "I was immensely proud to have supported his father Henry, and it is deeply moving to see Max skiing the same route ten years on, demonstrating the same courage, determination and sense of purpose that defined his father's life. This expedition is not only a powerful tribute to Henry's legacy but also a reminder of Antarctica's vital importance to the health of our planet."
Max, who recently met up with the prince at a Buckingham Palace garden party, explained: "It is absolutely incredible. To have a royal patron is extraordinary, but to have the connection between His Royal Highness and my father makes the whole thing even more special. He came to my dad's funeral and he was very supportive towards myself and my sister and mother after Dad died. I felt very pleased when he accepted the role of patron and very honoured. He gave my dad a Union flag that he signed. He presented it to Dad with my mother, sister, and the idea he will do the same and present it back to me, which will be really special. It is very generous of him; he has been wonderful."
Supporting Causes
As well as being a personal mission, the expedition also aims to support two organisations: the British Exploring Society and William's own Earthshot Prize. Max said: "I realised after he died and when I started thinking about doing this expedition more and more that it had to be more than just me following in Dad's footsteps. It is about people and the planet. So the people angle is trying to get young people to form a deeper connection with our natural world and the outdoors. And it is ironic that the way we are most likely to do that is through social media. But the reality is we are trying to get young people to spend less time behind screens and devices because nature and the outdoors have been such a part of my life and upbringing, and I have felt the physical and mental wellbeing effects of nature. They are strong, and it is transformational, and I want to help young people reconnect. However, it is not about these big expeditions; it starts small at your home. You can hike through your nearest woodlands and listen out for the birds and try to identify the trees. That is an adventure. It is about being curious about the natural world. It starts on a small level, and that is where some of the best adventures happen, close to home, on a small budget, and on the spur of the moment."
To find out more about the Onwards Expedition, visit www.onwards-expedition.com or @onwards_expedition on Instagram.
