One of the most remarkable demonstrations of endurance in the face of impossible odds took place early in the 20th century. This exciting story takes begins in December, 1914 when Sir Ernest Shackleton formed the Trans-Antarctic Expedition, it's goal; to make the first crossing of the continent. This was Shackleton's third trip to the unknown continent. He made one unsuccessful attempt to reach the Pole in 1901 with the famous Robert Scott, and another in 1911. He was within 100 miles of the Pole when ill health and low supplies forced him to turn back. The race to the Pole was eventually won by Amundson of Norway in 1911.
Shackleton then set on perhaps his even more ambitious goal: crossing the Antarctic continent - on foot. Setting sail with 28 men aboard the "Endurance" from the island of South Georgia, Shackleton headed south into the Weddell Sea and straight into pack ice. The "Endurance" picked, dodged, and occasionally rammed it's way south. Shackleton's luck turned bad however and the "Endurance" became stuck fast in the pack ice. Unable to do anything but wait, the Ship drifted with the ice for ten months while the ice closed in closer and tighter. Finally the pressure was too much for the "Endurance's" wooden hull and she was crushed and sank in November, 1915. Fortunately, they had plenty of time to prepare for their ship's loss. The men unloaded supplies and three small boats. Then the sat and waited for the ice to break up. Five months later - 15 months after the "Endurance" first became trapped - the stranglehold the ice had on them began to loosen. On 9 April, 1916, the men took to the boats and headed for Elephant Island, near the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. Arriving safely, the expedition pondered their next move. With the World in the grip of the Great War, no one knew, or much cared about Shackleton's expedition, so they would have to rescue themselves. In the end, Shackleton and five others set sail in the "James Caird," a 22' long boat and attempted to reach South Georgia Island, over 800 miles away.
Against all odds - and surviving gales, ice and a hurricane - Shackleton and his men reached South Georgia Island 16 days later.
Then it got tough...
From their landing site on the west coast, Shackleton and two of the five men trekked 25 miles over glaciers and mountains in 36 hours to reach a Norwegian whaling station on the east coast of the island. The whalers immediately organized a ship and sailed to the west end of South Georgia, rescuing the 3 men there. But the Southern winter began to move in. It took Shackleton four attempts with four different ships to hack his way through the ice and reach the 22 men he left behind on Elephant Island. It was 30 August, 1916; more than nine months after the "Endurance" had been sunk - and not one life lost.
