How did Shackleton survive?
Disaster struck when his ship, the Endurance, was crushed by ice. He and his crew drifted on sheets of ice for months until they reached Elephant Island. Shackleton eventually rescued his crew, all of whom survived the ordeal. He later died while setting out on another Antarctic expedition.
What was Shackleton personality?
Shackleton was a cautious leader and a man who would never ask his men to do anything he would not do himself. He was also good at improvisation, a man not afraid to throw away the rulebook or abandon plans if they were not working. He was a man for a tight spot.
Did Ernest Shackleton make it to the South Pole?
In 1907, Ernest Shackleton embarked on an expedition to the South Pole aboard his ship Nimrod. He was almost successful, falling just 97 miles short.
What was Shackleton’s ship called?
the Endurance
Did ships get stuck in ice?
Ships had been stuck in the ice many times at both poles. Although some were crushed or drifted for months or years, many others made it out. The ship was well-appointed with food and diversions, and by all accounts the members of the expedition kept themselves amused as they waited for the ship to be set free.
How did old ships break ice?
Sailing ships in the polar waters Bands of iron were wrapped around the outside. Sometimes metal sheeting was placed at the bows, at the stern, and along the keel. Such strengthening was designed to help the ship push through ice and also to protect the ship in case it was “nipped” by the ice.
Why did the endurance get stuck?
On 18 January 1915 they hit thick ice, and Shackleton decided to wait for a gap to emerge before continuing onwards. However, water froze around the ship overnight, trapping it in the pack ice.
Where was the endurance stuck in the ice?
Weddell Sea Base
What happened Antarctica 1915?
Endurance became beset in the ice of the Weddell Sea before reaching Vahsel Bay, and drifted northward, held in the pack ice, throughout the Antarctic winter of 1915. Eventually the ship was crushed and sunk, stranding its 28-man complement on the ice.
What did Scott take to the Antarctic?
Though Scott had wooden sleds, the outward journey as far as the Polar Plateau involved a mixture of transport: motorized sledges, as well as ponies and dogs for hauling loads. In fact, Scott’s expedition wasn’t unsupported. (See pictures of more modern Antarctic expeditions.)