Surviving The Endurance

The crew hunkered down for the polar winter, a period of almost total darkness lasting about six months. Seeking to keep the men hopeful and mentally fit, Shackleton gave them daily tasks, such as hunting seals and penguins for food or collecting research specimens.

When they had to abandon the Endurance in October, the men took food and equipment with them. Each man kept just 2 pounds of his own possessions. They set up shelter on an ice floe. Then, 25 days later—on November 21— they watched the Endurance disappear into the sea. 

Now without a ship, the objective for the expedition changed—from exploration to survival.

The crew hunkered down for the polar winter. That is a period of almost total darkness lasting about six months. Shackleton wanted to keep the men hopeful and mentally fit. So he gave them daily tasks, such as hunting seals and penguins for food or collecting research specimens.

In October, they had to abandon the Endurance. The men took food and equipment with them. Each man kept just 2 pounds of his own possessions. They set up shelter on an ice floe. Then, 25 days later—on November 21—they watched the Endurance disappear into the sea.

Now they were without a ship. The goal of the expedition changed—from exploration to survival.

Getting to safety would not be easy. “They were castaways in one of the most savage regions of the world, drifting they knew not where, without hope of rescue,” wrote historian Alfred Lansing. 

In December, Shackleton and his men moved to a sturdier ice floe. But the situation grew more dire as food dwindled and extreme hunger set in. Eventually, the men were forced to shoot and eat their sled dogs.

By April 1916, the floe under their camp was becoming unstable. One day, the ice split beneath their feet. Shackleton ordered the crew into their three lifeboats, and they set out for the open ocean.

The men spent six long days battling a violent sea, bailing water out of the boats as waves crashed over them. Finally, on April 15, 1916, they arrived at the uninhabited Elephant Island. For the first time in 497 days, they stood on land.

Getting to safety would not be easy. “They were castaways in one of the most savage regions of the world, drifting they knew not where, without hope of rescue,” wrote historian Alfred Lansing.

In December, Shackleton and his men moved to a sturdier ice floe. But the situation grew more dire as food dwindled. Extreme hunger set in. Eventually, the men were forced to shoot and eat their sled dogs.

By April 1916, the floe under their camp was becoming unstable. One day, the ice split beneath their feet. Shackleton ordered the crew into their three lifeboats. They set out for the open ocean.

The men spent six long days battling a violent sea. They had to bail water out of the boats as waves crashed over them. Finally, on April 15, 1916, they arrived at the uninhabited Elephant Island. For the first time in 497 days, they stood on land.

Worried that his crew would not survive a second polar winter, Shackleton was determined to get another ship. On April 24, he and five other men took the strongest of the three lifeboats, the James Caird, and set out for a whaling station on South Georgia Island—more than 800 miles away.

It was another harrowing passage. “We felt our boat lifted and flung forward like a cork,” Shackleton wrote about one incident. Their clothes were continually soaked through, their skin threatened with frostbite.

Shackleton was worried that his crew would not survive a second polar winter. He was determined to get another ship. On April 24, he and five other men set off in the strongest of the three lifeboats, the James Caird. They headed for a whaling station on South Georgia Island. It was more than 800 miles away.

It was another harrowing passage. “We felt our boat lifted and flung forward like a cork,” Shackleton wrote about one incident. The men’s clothes were continually soaked through. Their skin was threatened with frostbite.

They reached South Georgia Island in 16 days. But ice and bad weather delayed their return. Finally, on August 30, 1916, Shackleton arrived at Elephant Island with a ship big enough to rescue the rest of his men. They had all survived! 

“I have done it,” Shackleton wrote to his wife, Emily. “Not a life lost and we have been through Hell.” 

They reached South Georgia Island in 16 days. But ice and bad weather delayed their return. Finally, on August 30, 1916, Shackleton arrived at Elephant Island with a ship big enough to rescue the rest of his men. They had all survived!

“I have done it,” Shackleton wrote to his wife, Emily. “Not a life lost and we have been through Hell.”

Shackleton died less than six years later, in January 1922, as he was embarking on a fourth Antarctic trip. A century later, two autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs)—small robotic submarines—spotted the Endurance on the seafloor. 

Tim Jacob was part of the expedition, known as Endurance22. He watched from the surface as the AUVs began to transmit images.

“It looked to me like the ship had sunk the day before,” Jacob says. “It’s sitting very upright and beautiful on the bottom of the Weddell Sea. I was just completely glued to the screen.”

Shackleton died less than six years later, in January 1922, as he was beginning a fourth Antarctic trip. A century later, two autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs)—small robotic submarines—spotted the Endurance on the seafloor.

Tim Jacob was part of the expedition, known as Endurance22. He watched from the surface as the AUVs began to send back images.

“It looked to me like the ship had sunk the day before,” Jacob says. “It’s sitting very upright and beautiful on the bottom of the Weddell Sea. I was just completely glued to the screen.”

What will become of the Endurance? Under the international Antarctic Treaty, the wreck is considered a historical monument and must not be disturbed. But experts and students will be able to study scans of the ship. A documentary is also planned. 

Like the ship itself, the spirit of Shackleton and his crew endures, Jacob says. 

“The goal of that expedition was to do something that had never been done before; it was to expand humans’ understanding of their world and learn more about this region that is still very shrouded in mystery,” he explains. “And I, on a daily basis, felt a connection to that mission even 107 years later.” 

—additional reporting by Alex Winnick

What will become of the Endurance? Under the international Antarctic Treaty, the wreck is considered a historical monument and must not be disturbed. But experts and students will be able to study scans of the ship. A documentary is also planned.

Like the ship itself, the spirit of Shackleton and his crew endures, Jacob says.

“The goal of that expedition was to do something that had never been done before; it was to expand humans’ understanding of their world and learn more about this region that is still very shrouded in mystery,” he explains. “And I, on a daily basis, felt a connection to that mission even 107 years later.”

—additional reporting by Alex Winnick