Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage

The sky is clean and the moon shining by 2:00 am, and Shackleton announces that it is time to depart. All the men shake hands, and the party departs without ceremony, with Shackleton leading the way. The chart of the island shows only the coastline of South Georgia; the interior of the map is blank. The three men cover mountainous terrain for several hours before it’s realized that they have reached a perpendicular glacier and there is no shoreline beneath it. They are forced to retrace their steps up impossible terrain, with Shackleton cutting steps in the cliffs with the axe. Three hours later, the men achieve the summit only to realize that the only way down would drop them directly into the sea; once again, they are forced to retrace their steps. The daylight is fading, and the descent is going slowly. Battling fog and below zero-degree temperatures, the men attempt a hurried reversal; if not, they risk freezing to death. When it becomes apparent that this is impossible, Shackleton puts forth a radical idea: Instead of climbing, they will slide. The trio wraps their arms around each other and begins a screaming descent down the mountain. They realize that “what had been a terrifying prospect […] had turned into a breathtaking triumph” (339). After veering off course one more time, they are able to see the perimeters of Stromness, their destination.

Shackleton hears what sounds like a steam whistle at 6:30 am, the time when whalers are traditionally awakened. His companions are unsure but become convinced when the whistle blows again at 7:00 am. Three hours later, they reach the bottom of the mountain. The three, filthy, long-haired, blubber-encrusted men approach the village by dropping into a stream and forging through it to the station.

The station supervisor at Stromness had heard of Shackleton but had never met him. Along with his colleagues, he believes that the entire crew of the Endurance had been lost. He is curious when the trio approaches him and asks to see a former factory manager, who has departed, and then requests Thoralf Sorlle. The supervisor answers his door and examines the three strange men prior to asking, “Who the hell are you?” (346). Shackleton steps forward and quietly replies, “My name is Shackleton” (346). Later, some will claim that Sorlle then turns away and weeps.

A successful crossing of South Georgia is accomplished in 1955 by another British survey team composed of expert climbers using modern equipment. The leader of the expedition, Carse, never overcomes his sense of wonder regarding the Shackleton crossing.

Back in Shackleton’s day, the whalers on South Georgia extended every courtesy to the Endurance party. Veteran skippers vied for the opportunity to shake the men’s hands. Copious quantities of food were prepared, but Shackleton could think only of the rescue of the crew on Elephant Island. Three separate rescue attempts were made over the course of the next three months, and all were thwarted by the pack ice surrounding Elephant Island. Shackleton’s anxiety rose with each one, and success was achieved only with a tug borrowed from the Chilean government. On August 30, Shackleton returned to Elephant Island to rescue the remaining men.