Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage

The men adjust well to the frigid conditions on the ice floe after one week. Macklin notes in his diary, “It has been a lovely day, and it is hard to think we are in a frightfully precarious situation” (86). The sole element to which they are unable to reconcile themselves is the lack of food, which they discuss constantly, as they are surviving on cooked blubber. They continue to participate in the salvage operation, obtaining wood to be used as fuel and canvas for ground covers. Endlessly resourceful, they cut a hole through the deck and are rewarded with a plethora of supplies that floated up, including “walnuts, sugar, 3 ½ tons of flour, rice, barley, lentils […]” (87). 

On November 6, they experience their first blizzard on ice but are buoyed by the idea that the winds are driving them north, toward civilization. It is imperative that they decide by January what their plan will be. They are aware that if their ice floe were to stop moving, they would need to try to travel by foot to the nearest land, equipped with a small punt, in the event that they hit open water. Conversely, if the floe drifts in a direction that makes them unable to launch their boats, they will be stranded and forced to camp on the ice through the polar night.

Shackleton appears to have an intuitive knack for leadership. He feels responsible for making sure all the men return home alive and maintains that an amicable atmosphere among the crew is vital. An example of this is his inclusion of Frank Hurley, the photographer, in a high-level meeting pertaining to food stores. Hurley, a gifted photographer, “need[s] to be jollied along and made to feel important” (91). As a result, Shackleton compliments him often and shares a tent with him in order to prevent him from sowing dissension among the crew. Hudson, the navigator, and James, a physicist and academic ill-suited for the expedition, are also invited to share Shackleton’s tent for similar reasons. Similarly, Harry McNeish, the ship’s rather querulous carpenter, is assigned to share a tent with second-in-command Frank Wild.  

The Endurance reaches a level with the ice’s surface on November 16, preventing any further salvage of stores. The members of the crew who have traveled across the ice to the ship “fire[] a signal bomb as a salute in farewell” (93). Sensing that failure to act might result in the demise of the crew, Shackleton announces an escape plan. He will have a party of four men cross the 5,000-foot glaciers as part of a 150-mile route to Wilhelmina Bay, “a frequent summertime stopping place for whalers” (97). Shackleton is confident that the whalers will help them come back to rescue the remainder of the men.

Shackleton seeks to prevent a false sense of physical security on the part of the crew by developing an Emergency Stations Bill, which assigns each man to a particular task, should the crew have to break camp quickly. In order to maintain a sense of discipline, Shackleton creates a paramilitary atmosphere in the camp. “Each day in camp [begins] at 6:30 a.m.” (100), and breakfast is served at about 7:45 am. The menu includes seal steak, with occasional canned fish, porridge, and tea. 

Seal hunting takes up a fair amount of the crew’s time. Several members of the crew spend much of their time looking for seals. When a seal is sighted and killed, the crew waves a small flag signaling for other members to assist in bringing the carcass back to camp. In order to preserve ammunition, the seals are often killed by hand. The usual method is to stun the animal with a heavy blow and then cut the jugular vein. “Braining” the seal by pickaxe is an alternate method. The ship’s doctors dislike this method as it leaves the brains inedible; it is their feeling that the brains, which are thought to be high in vitamin content, should be consumed by the crew.  

Varied activities take place in the evening, including playing poker and “yarning,” or telling stories. Sex is rarely discussed, “simply because the topic [is] completely alien to the conditions of cold, wet and hunger” (102). When women are discussed, it is in a sentimental way and involves missing one’s wife, mother, or sweetheart. 

On November 21, Shackleton notices movement in the area of the bay where the Endurance is trapped. As he and the crew watch, the ship disappears completely beneath the polar ice.

The complete sinking of the Endurance represents the last concrete bond with civilization available to the crew. As Worsley writes, the ship “carried [them] so far and so well and then put forth the bravest fight that ever a ship had fought […]” (104). Nonetheless, the men carry on with a surprisingly optimistic outlook. The night after the Endurance sinks, Shackleton orders a special supper to console the men. The crew eats “fish paste and biscuits” to their great delight (107). Macklin notes in his diary that “this sort of life has its attractions […] [n]o worries, no trains, no letters to answer, no collars to wear” (107). The following day, in the same spirit of celebration, Macklin and Greenstreet decide to explore the area by climbing on a small ice floe and paddling it along with ski poles. Shackleton, who deplores unnecessary risks, happens by and gives them a disparaging look.



Shackleton is referred to by the men merely as “Boss,” and the men include officers, scientists, and sailors. While Shackleton is amicable and does not hold himself to be superior to the rest of the men, he is nonetheless the epitome of absolute authority. The generally high morale of the crew is, at least in part, a testimony to Shackleton’s innate genius for leadership. Morale, however, does start to diminish by late November, as the crew has no tasks to keep them occupied. Shackleton, who fears the demoralization of the crewmembers even more than the polar night, announces that the party will break camp and head off toward the west in hopes of finding help. Great debate ensues; some men are eager to leave, while others are sure that they should stay where they are in the hope that they will be found.

Shackleton decides that they will break camp in the very early morning hours of December 23 and that they will travel at night in order to find firmer ice. Christmas will be celebrated prior to leaving, and the crew are allowed to eat everything they wish for supper. This is a two-pronged decision: Shackleton wishes to preserve morale, but he also does not wish to waste food that they will be forced to leave behind once they move. The march is a grueling task for both the men and the dogs, as they have to pull heavy sleds and carts over the heavily rutted Arctic ice, with constant fear of falling through one of the “rotting, saturated” floes. Adding to the discomfort, the boots worn by the crewmembers continually fill with water as they march, causing each boot to weigh approximately seven pounds. 

At one point in the ordeal, the disgruntled carpenter, McNeish, advises Worsley that they should refuse to pull the sleds across the ice any further, citing a technicality. His argument is that there is technically no ship to serve upon as the Endurance has sunk; therefore, the contracts of crewmembers have been nullified. Shackleton is called to mediate and informs the crewmembers of what their duties are. Additionally, it is noted that McNeish cannot continue as a member of the party should he shirk his work. McNeish decides to continue to work.

The campsite for the second night proves to be problematic, as Shackleton notices the ice surrounding their floe is breaking up. He moves the men and their tents in the middle of the night. Pessimism is mounting, as the view from the mountain reveals what Shackleton had suspected: Shifting and deteriorating ice floes now prevent the crew from returning to their original camp.