Ernest Shackleton
Pictures of the Endurance Expedition

Page 2 - Dump Camp, Ocean Camp and Patience Camp on the sea-ice, escape by boat to Elephant Island, Shackleton's boat journey to South Georgia, Life on Elephant Island, attempted and eventually successful rescue of all the Endurance crew.
Pictures page 1



Ice pressure ridges, Shackleton EnduranceTwo of the crew amongst ice ridges that had been pushed up by the pressure from the pack


Establishing camp
Early days of establishing a floating camp on the ice


Encampment

Encampment, the observation platform in the background was to help look for breaks opening in the pack ice and also to scout for seals or penguins that could be taken as food


Dump Camp, the morning after the disaster to the ship
15th December 1915, Ocean Camp


Shackleton and Wild - Ocean Camp

Ocean Camp, Weddell Sea - The castaways adrift on the sea ice, Sir Ernest Shackleton and Frank Wild are standing together at the left of the picture.


TentsThe tents at the camp were intended for use in crossing the continent of Antarctica which was the aim of the expedition before the Endurance was sunk


Dog team, scouting across sea ice

Dog teams scouting a way to the land across the rough sea ice, in the end progress was so slow as to be friutless


dog sled team and drivers
Part of a dog sled team and drivers


Dog teams

Teams of dogs, sleds and drivers take a break while scouting on the sea ice


Pressure ridgeClimbing up a pressure ridge, this was horizontal floating ice that was pushed up by some distant wind or storm exerting pressure on the ice


Frank Hurley Sir Ernest Shackleton Patience CampPatience Camp, Weddell Sea - Frank Hurley, left, and Sir Ernest Shackleton, right, in front of their small tent.


Sledge dogs of Endurance on the ice after the ship had been frozen in
Trying to make a way through the rough and broken ice


Shackleton EnduranceObservation platform built from wood salvaged from the crushed Endurance, used for spotting openings in the ice, seals and penguins and for taking sightings on the sun (as here) to determine position and drift.


Shackleton Endurance
23rd December 1915 - Setting out on an attempt to cross the pack ice and start to make toward land, safety and an emergency store of provisions. The attempt was abandonded after 6 days as progress was so slow and so physically exhausting.


Airing sleeping bags

Sleeping bags and clothes being aired on the boat during a break while attempting to haul to land


James Caird
Using salvaged wood to raise the gunwhales of the James Caird


On ice in loose pack

Finally the pack ice drifted far enough north to begin to break up and the men took to the boats on loose pack


Shackleton Endurance
At night the boats were drawn up on to an ice-raft and a blubber fire kindled to warm frozen bodies. overhead the Aurora Australis flamed and waned. Composite image of photograph by Hurley and drawing by George Marston.


Hauled onto a flow at night

The boats are hauled up on to a friendly floe to rest the party, and to prepare food. Men on an ice-floe among many thousands in the Weddell Sea, with heavy clouds. Composite photograph and detail of drawing by George Marston.


3 lifeboats making through the ice strewn seas
The boats tried to stay together as far as possible even though not all were able to keep the same speed, a mixtutre of ice floes and bergs made for dangerous sailing


Landing on Elephants Island
First landing on Elephant Island, the line of ice to the left is the high tide mark.


Elephant Island, a temporary respite
The three boats are pulled a little higher on the beach, the James Caird, the Dudley Docker and the Stancomb Wills, after the first landing on Elephant Island.


Shackleton and Wil at Elephant IslandShackleton and Frank Wild on arrival on Elephant Island


On Elephant Island, hot food and drink at last

After five days and nights in the boats, the men are eventually on solid land. At last they can have hot food and as much water as they want, they eat and drink and eat and drink for the rest of the day


The James Caird sets off from Elephant Island
The launching of the James Caird from Elephant Island. Shackleton and five others setting out to reach South Georgia 800 miles away across the stormiest seas in the world, this was to become one of the most incredible small boat journeys of all time.


Launching the James Caird

Launching the James Caird


Shackleton Endurance

Once afloat and just off shore, the James Caird was loaded with ballast and stores for the trip


Composite view of the "snuggery"
Those remaining on Elephant Island wave goodbye to the small party going for rescue


Composite view of the "snuggery"
The two upturned boats that formed the "Snuggery" or the "Sty". A view of the interior of the makeshift hut on Elephant Island. Composite of photograph and drawing by George Marston. Inside measurements: 18 feet by 9 feet by 5 feet at its highest point. Twenty-two men lived in this hut for four and a half months.


The James Caird sets off from Elephant Island
Home on Elephant Island was built of two upturned boats laid side by side, twenty two men lived like semi-frozen sardines within its cramped, dark interior.


The James Caird at sea
After an arduous journey but made much more quickly than anticipated, the boat is in sight of the goal, nearing South Georgia. Drawn from material supplied by the boat party  Photograph of drawing possibly by George Marston.


Arrival at King Haakon Bay
Arrival at King Haakon Bay, South Georgia


Cape Wild, Elephant Island

The glacier behind the hut at Cape Wild, Elephant Island


The James Caird sets off from Elephant Island
The men on Elephant Island after three months, still hoping for Shackleton to bring a rescue ship


Yelcho at Elephant Island

August 30th 1916, Shackleton sucessfully reaches Elephant Island with the steam tug "Yelcho" on his 4th attempt


Shackleton Endurance
A boat was lowered for the shore, ringing cheers greeted its approach, a terrible chapter in the men's lives was drawing to a close, rescue boat approaching Elephant Island.


Scene on Elephant Island after the releasing of the marooned men by the Chilean tug Yelcho

The men on Elephant Island just before embarking on the rescue boat


Yelcho
Boarding a row boat to take everyone from Elephant Island to the Yelcho


Yacht Emma
The schooner "Emma" used for a previous unsuccessful rescue attempt


Postcard of the Yelcho
A newspaper article reporting the rescue of Shackleton's men from Elephant Island, Shackleton, left and Luis A. Pardo, captain of the rescue vessel "Yelcho" at right


Yelcho
The "Yelcho" a steam tug lent to Shackleton by the Chilean government to rescue his men, prior to the actual rescue it had been used to tow the schooner "Emma" part way to Elephant Island on a failed rescue mission. The rescue took place at the fourth attempt.


Shackleton Punta Arenas

The rescued party arrive at Punta Arenas Chile, accompanied by local dignitaries

Elephant Island party in Punta ArenasElephant Island party in Punta Arenas


Pictures page 1

  Ernest Shackleton Books and Video

South - Ernest Shackleton and the Endurance Expedition
South - Ernest Shackleton and the Endurance Expedition (1919)
original footage - DVD


Shackleton - The Greatest Survival Story of All Time (3-Disc Collector's Edition)
Shackleton
dramatization
Kenneth Branagh (2002) - DVD
 

Shackleton's Antarctic Adventure (Large Format)
Shackleton's Antarctic Adventure (2001)
IMAX dramatization - DVD

The Endurance - Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition
The Endurance - Shackleton's Legendary Expedition (2000)
PBS NOVA, dramatization with original footage - DVD
Endurance, The Greatest Adventure Story Ever Told, book
Endurance : Shackleton's Incredible Voyage
Alfred Lansing (Preface) - Book


South with Endurance:
Frank Hurley - official photographer
Book


South: The Story of Shackleton's Last Expedition, 1914-17
South! Ernest Shackleton
Shackleton's own words
Book

 Shackleton's Way: Leadership Lessons from the Great Antarctic Explorer
Shackleton's Way: Leadership Lessons from the Great Antarctic Explorer
Book

Shackleton's Boat Journey: The narrative of Frank Worsley
Book


 

Shackleton
biography by Roland
Huntford
Book

 
The Quest for Frank Wild, biography by Angie Butler
Book


The Endurance : Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition
by Caroline Alexander
Book

Mrs. Chippy's Last Expedition:
The Remarkable Journal of Shackleton's Polar-Bound Cat
Book

 
Shackleton's Forgotten Men
Lennard Bickel
Book


 
Elephant Island and Beyond: The Life and Diaries of Thomas Orde Lees Book
 
Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World, The True Story of the Endurance Expedition
Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World -
Jennifer Armstrong
for ages 12 and up
Book