The Endurance: Shackleton's Vessel For Antarctic Exploration

Ernest Shackleton's ship, the Endurance, is famous for never reaching the edge of Antarctica. Instead, it became trapped in the ice of the Weddell Sea and was crushed, sinking hundreds of miles from land. The ship was originally built for tourist cruises in the Arctic but was purchased by Shackleton for his Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition of 1914-1917. The expedition was struck by disaster when the Endurance became trapped in pack ice and sank in the Weddell Sea on 21 November 1915. The crew escaped by camping on the sea ice and eventually made their way to Elephant Island. Shackleton and five companions then undertook a remarkable journey in a small boat, the James Caird, to seek help at a whaling station on South Georgia. Despite the enormous challenges they faced, all 28 members of the Endurance crew survived their ordeal.

The ship was originally named Polaris

The ship that accompanied Sir Ernest Shackleton on his Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition of 1914 was originally named Polaris. The vessel was designed and built in Sandefjord, Norway, in 1911, by a renowned shipbuilder, and was initially utilized for Arctic expeditions. The name Polaris reflected her intended purpose, as it is the Latin word for 'north star', a beacon and navigational aid for polar explorers and sailors.

Measuring 144 feet in length, the ship was a sturdy, coal-powered, barquentine-rigged vessel. She was purchased by Shackleton for his ambitious expedition, which aimed to cross the Antarctic continent via the South Pole. The ship was renamed *Endurance* after the Shackleton family motto, 'Fortitudine vincimus'—'By endurance we conquer'. Shackleton believed that the new name would bring his team luck and inspire them during the challenging journey ahead.

Shackleton had a strong personal connection to the ship. He was known to have a deep respect for the sea and the ships that sailed it, often referring to them with female pronouns. He is quoted as saying, "The ship is alive and kicking ... responsive as a sensitive horse." This sentiment reveals Shackleton's affinity for the vessel that carried him and his crew through their extraordinary adventure.

The name *Endurance* proved to be fitting, as the ship and her crew endured incredibly harsh conditions during the expedition. After becoming trapped and eventually crushed by pack ice in the Weddell Sea, the crew was forced to abandon ship and camp on the floating ice. Despite the loss of their vessel, the crew's resilience and endurance, as embodied by the ship's name, saw them through their subsequent survival journey and ensured their eventual rescue.

The story of Shackleton's expedition and the role of the *Endurance* have become legendary. The ship's original name, Polaris, may have been forgotten by many, but it serves as a reminder of the vessel's Arctic heritage and the important role she played in the early days of polar exploration. The *Endurance* has secured her place in history, inspiring future generations with her tale of resilience, courage, and endurance in the face of overwhelming odds.

It was renamed Endurance, after Shackleton's family motto

The ship that was to be renamed Endurance was initially built for tourist cruises in the Arctic. It was built in partnership between Lars Christensen, a Norwegian ship owner, and the Belgian Adrien de Gerlache, leader of the Belgian Antarctic expedition in 1897-99. The ship was called the Polaris.

In January 1914, Shackleton bought the ship for £14,000, and it was rechristened Endurance after the Shackleton family motto, Fortitudine Vincimus, which means "By endurance we conquer". The ship was originally projected to be ready by mid-May, but completion was delayed for a month.

Shackleton had wanted to name his previous expedition ship Endurance, but had not been able to do so. That ship remained the Nimrod, and the latest ship bore the name taken from the Shackleton family motto.

The Endurance sailed for Antarctica from Plymouth at noon on the 8th of August 1914. Shackleton was not on board as he still had matters to attend to at home. Instead, he left from Liverpool on a mail boat, the Urugayo, around the 26th of September to join the Endurance in Buenos Aires, from where she departed with him on board on the 26th of October.

The ship was crushed by pack ice and sank

The crew removed their last belongings from the ship and set up camp on the ice. Twenty-five days later, the wreck convulsed and disappeared beneath the ice. The crew had salvaged as many provisions as they could, sacrificing anything that added weight or consumed resources, including bibles, books, clothing, tools, and keepsakes. They had also been forced to shoot some of the younger dogs, as well as the ship's cat, Mrs. Chippy.

The initial plan was to march across the ice toward land, but this was abandoned after the men managed just seven and a half miles in seven days. Instead, they camped once more on the floe and waited for conditions to improve. Slowly, the ice drifted north, and on April 7, 1916, the snow-capped peaks of Clarence and Elephant Islands came into view. Two days later, the floe split beneath them, and they launched the boats, finally free of the ice.

Now they faced a new challenge: the open ocean. The freezing spray and frigid water battered the boats, and the men battled the elements and seasickness. After six days at sea, Clarence and Elephant Islands appeared on the horizon, just 30 miles away. The men were exhausted, and some were crippled by seasickness and dysentery. Frank Wild, Shackleton's second-in-command, wrote that "at least half the party were insane."

On April 15, they reached Elephant Island and clambered ashore. Marooned on the island, Shackleton knew their chances of being found were slim. So, after nine days of recuperation and preparation, he, Worsley, and four others set out in one of the lifeboats, the James Caird, to seek help from a whaling station on South Georgia, more than 800 miles away.

They battled monstrous swells and angry winds for 16 days, bailing water out of the boat and beating ice off the sails. Even as they approached their goal, the elements hurled their worst at them. But they made it ashore, and Shackleton, Worsley, and Tom Crean then set off to cross the island on foot, climbing over mountains and sliding down glaciers. After 36 hours of desperate hiking, they staggered into the whaling station at Stromness.

Finally, on August 30, 1916, the saga of the Endurance and its crew came to an end. A ship sent by Shackleton, the Yelcho, reached Elephant Island, and all 22 men who had remained on the island were rescued. Twenty months after setting out for the Antarctic, every member of the Endurance crew was alive and safe.

Shackleton and his crew survived for 497 days

The name of Shackleton's boat was the Endurance.

During their time on the ice, the crew salvaged provisions and got rid of anything that added weight or consumed resources. They also had to shoot some of the younger dogs and the ship's cat, Mrs Chippy. They attempted to march across the ice towards land but only managed to cover seven and a half miles in seven days.

On 7 April 1916, the crew spotted Clarence and Elephant Islands. Two days later, their ice floe broke, and they launched their boats. They battled the open ocean for six days before reaching Elephant Island.

Shackleton and five others then embarked on a 17-day voyage to South Georgia in a 22.5-foot ship's boat, the James Caird, to seek help. They faced monstrous swells, angry winds, and icy conditions. After reaching South Georgia, Shackleton, Worsley, and Crean crossed the island on foot. They finally reached the whaling station at Stromness and organised a rescue mission for the remaining crew on Elephant Island.

The wreck of the Endurance was discovered in 2022

The ship was located in a designated historic site and monument under the Antarctic Treaty System, and so no artefacts were brought to the surface. However, the submersibles were able to capture extensive footage of the wreck, which was remarkably intact. The timbers were still together, and the name "Endurance" was clearly visible on the stern. The ship's masts were down, and the rigging was tangled, but the hull was coherent, with some damage evident at the bow, presumably where the ship hit the seabed.

The discovery of the Endurance was a significant moment in polar history, as the ship holds a revered place due to the remarkable survival story of its crew, led by Sir Ernest Shackleton. The ship was originally built in Norway and launched in 1912 under the name Polaris. It was later bought by Shackleton, rechristened Endurance, and used for the 1914-1917 Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition. In 1915, the ship became trapped in pack ice and sank in the Weddell Sea off Antarctica, forcing Shackleton and his crew to make a daring escape in small boats and on foot. Despite the challenges, all crew members survived and were eventually rescued in 1916.

Frequently asked questions