About 200 years later, in 1773, British Naval officer James Cook became the first person to go to the South of the Antarctic Circle. He was about 130 km farther from Antarctica, when he turned his ship around. Even though he hadn’t seen Antarctica, he had seen icebergs with rock deposits on them.
When he saw those rocks, he concluded that Terra Australis does exist. But going much closer to Antarctica was so dangerous, that he had famously said.
I Can Be Bold Enough To Say No Man Will Ever Venture Farther Than I Have Done: And That The Lands Which Lie To The South Will Never Be Explored.”
He was so sure that no one could reach Antarctica, because the place was so perilous. With strong winds blowing and the ship at danger of hitting icebergs at any moment. But his words were proven wrong 50 years later.
It is quite controversial as to who was the first person to step on Antarctica. Because several people claim to have been the first person. British-American Captain John Davis believed that he was the first person to do so, because his ship was lost and he reached Antarctica.
