The Endurance

1. The Endurance By: Matthew Buza

2. Expedition • The impact and importance of the polar journeys • Science as the focus • The Journey • Problems that arose • The great journey back

3. Meaning to such madness • 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.

4. Science the fruit of life • Biology, main focus was marine life, plankton, seals, whales • Including water temperature, salinity • Meteorology, weather patterns and the low latitudes • Mixing of hot and cold air masses cause dramatic storms, and terrible seas • 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

5. Pre-history • 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. • “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.

6. Now what? • 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.

7. The Beginning of the End • 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.

8. Into the Winter • 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.

9. Start to run • 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.

10. The Greatest Journey of all Time • 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.

11. At Sea • 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.

12. South Georgia’s • 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.

13. Those left behind • 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… • “Are you all well?” • Within an hour they were all sailing north. They survived Elephant Island for 105 days.