The Endurance
By: Matthew Buza
Expedition
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The impact and importance of
the polar journeys
Science as the focus
The Journey
Problems that arose
The great journey back
Meaning to such madness
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Basically a large sheet of ice
binding the islands and the main
body of land.
The continent has an immense
effect on the Earth’s weather
pattern, also it reflects great
amounts of heat back into the
atmosphere
Also it houses a large amount of
the Earth’s fresh water.
The importance of monitoring the
o-zone deterioration, along with
ice levels, monitoring the effects
on sea levels.
Also the wonderful variety
ecosystems that do exist, to fully
understand how life can survive
in such harsh environments.
Science the fruit of life
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Biology, main focus was marine life, plankton, seals, whales
– Including water temperature, salinity
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Meteorology, weather patterns and the low latitudes
– Mixing of hot and cold air masses cause dramatic storms, and terrible
seas
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Geologists, study the ice flows, and obtained bottom samples
when in the ice flows.
Physicists worked mainly on magnetic pole measurements, which
was tough due to the extreme environments. Very hard to get
accurate measurements, apparatus exposed was contaminated.
The scientific examination of the environments helps to expand
the economic development of the uninhabited lands
Pre-history
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Many attempts in the past to reach the
south pole but all failed. Two major
players who would be one of the first to
make it, Robert Scott, Roald Amundsen,
Ernest Shackelton.
1907-09 Shackleton treks to the south
pole with aid of ponies, but turns back 97
miles from the pole in order to save his
men
In June of ’11 Roald Amundsen set out in
his ship, Fram, bound for the North Pole.
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“Beg leave to inform you Fram proceeding
Antarctic. Amundsen”
This set up a race to the pole with Scott and
Amundsen
Robert Scott sets out from Ross island in
’11, unfortunately he used novice dog
drivers, and favored manhauling.
Amundsen was well trained in skiing and
dog-driving, covering 40 miles a day and
covering the 1400 mile trek in 10 days.
Scott arrives to the pole to see the
Norwegian flag planted there not only a
month before.
Now what?
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Shackleton was beat by both
Scott and Amundsen, but plans to
be the first to traverse the entire
continent.
The Aurora, which sailed to the
Ross Sea and laid supply depots
at intervals to the Pole.
Shackleton’s hopes were to sail
into the Wendell Sea, opposite of
where Scott and Amundsen had
set in, and cross the continent to
the Ross Sea.
The Endurance set out from the
Whaling Port in South Georgia
island. Making route through the
South Sandwich Islands.
The Beginning of the End
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The Endurance had set out on
December 6, and by early
January the Endurance had fallen
to the ice flows, and by the 19th
of January the Endurance was
frozen solid in the ice.
Once frozen in the ship flows with
the ice, and reached the 77th
parallel, which would be the
farthest the ship would reach.
Problems of coal usage, Killer
whale attacks, and the crushing
ice was a strain on the crew. Took
out frustration by playing games
of Soccer.
Into the Winter
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The ship continued to be frozen in the
ice, throughout the Antarctic winter
which begins in May 1, and lasts for 70
days.
The Men continued to entertain
themselves with ‘Arctic Derbies’ with 5
teams competing. Chocolate and
Cigarettes were the paid winnings.
October 23rd marked the beginning of
the end. The ship sustained
tremendous pressure, and the ship
began to leak. The Temperature was
8.5 F.
Shackleton ordered the ship emptied.
The men pitched tents 100 yards from
the ship. They were 346 miles from
the nearest point of possibly finding
any shelter or food.
Start to run
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A pressure ridge began to split the ice
beneath them which forced the men to
move camp a mile and a half from the
wreck, ‘Ocean Camp’.
On November 21st the Endurance
raised it stern and slipped beneath the
ice. The men were without a ship.
Shackleton chose to begin moving
westward towards Paulet Island.
Christmas was celebrated on the 22nd,
this would be their last good meal for
8 months.
They continued to march west, all the
while the ice beginning to break
beneath them. Many times forcing the
28 men into the two boats. On April 9th
they were forced into the boats for
good.
Shackleton thought they had made
good progress to the west but actually
they drifted East to Elephant Island.
The men touched land for the first
time in 16 months.
The Greatest Journey of all Time
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The men now marooned on Elephant Island with no hope of survival except for the
will of Shackleton.
Two Ships the Stancomb Wills, and the James Caird began to ready for the journey
ahead.
On April 24th The James Caird, supplied with ice for drinking water, a sextant,
aneroid, prismatic compass, anchor, some charts and a pair of binoculars, including
the 6 bravest men ever. They set out for St. George Island.
Leaving the majority of the crew behind, to fend for themselves and hope for a
rescue.
At Sea
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The James Caird was traveling at 3 mph between icebergs,
making 60-70 miles a day.
On the 9th day of the voyage they were besieged by endless
storms. Ice and water coming over-board freezing the sleeping
bags, and icing over the ores. They continued to sail and row
trusting their path.
Frostbite and blisters began to plague the men, with fingers
feeling the brunt of the weather.
They were hit by a wave that covered the boat and threatened to
capsize. The men baled the water out by hand, because the bilge
had frozen over.
On the fourteenth day of the voyage at sea, and traversing 800
miles in a small rescue boat, the men reached St. George Island.
South Georgia’s
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The men were now 17 miles from the Whaling Station, and the men
had the mountains and glaciers awaited them. A feat which had never
been accomplished.
The men scaled the 4500 ft mountains and glaciers. And walked down
into the Whaling Station.
Those left behind
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It took 4 tries to return back to
rescue the men. The Southern
Sky, Instituto De Pesca, Emma,
and finally the Yelcho.
It was approaching lunch time on
August 30th and the men spotted
the Yelcho. They set their clothes
afire to set a signal.
They were described as running
back and forth, shouting.
The Boat Approached the shore,
with Shackleton at the bow and
shouted to the crew…
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“Are you all well?”
Within an hour they were all
sailing north. They survived
Elephant Island for 105 days.