Ernest Henry Shackleton

I'd love to participate in the dicussion, c.i., but I know next to nothing about the great explorer. So, I'm just bookmarking this so I can listen in and learn.

Re: Ernest Henry Shakleton


How was the trip CI, nice to have you back.

The Museum of Science in Boston had an Omni theater presentation on Shakelton and their harrowing voyage to Antartica around the turn of the century. What those people endured (on the Endurance) and achieved, was nothing short of spectacular.

I remember watching the movie and thinking, it can't get any worse, it can't get any worse... but it did, over and over and over again, every challenge seemed more and more insurmountable. And yet, some survived. I don't remember the details because it's been a couple of years since I saw the film, but I do remember being deeply impressed by the story.

Hi rosborne, Glad to see your visit to this forum. The abreviated story of Shackleton is the fact that he saved all 22 of his men stranded on Elephant Island for over three months. He took five of his men on a 22 foot boat on a 800 mile trek to South Georgia in trecherous waters where they had to bail icy water out of the boat by whatever means they could including their cupped hands just before the boat was ready to sink. Frank Worsley, his navigator, with his sextent, was able to get them to South Georgia (like finding a needle in a haystack), but unfortunately, they landed on the wrong side of the island, and had to climb 1800m mountain with snow and ice to get to the other side to Stromness Harbor.

The trip was fantastic - but that's an understatement. We were able to do things on this one cruise while several who have done ten cruises to Antarctica never experienced. We did a Zodiak cruise at Elsehul, saw Stromness Harbor through my monocular, landed at Grytviken, and had my picture taken at Shackleton's grave, saw the museum, walked to his memorial, did a Zodiak cruise at Gold Harbor, and cruised into Drygalsky Fjord (this was the very first time for the Captain of our ship after ten tries). We had Zodiak landings at Hope Harbor and Esperanza Camp on the Antarctic Peninsula, and cruised past Coronation and Elephant Island. We were supposed to have a Zodiak landing on Elephant Island, but the Captain felt it wasn't safe because of the high swells. Nobody on our ship was complaining. It was fantastic! Drake Passage was relatively calm, and we were able to see Cape Horn. On my first time around Cape Horn two years ago, it was fogged in.

Hi CI,

The whole trip sounds fantastic, and I vaguely remember the history of Shakelton and his men now that you say it.

What is the weather like in Antartica this time of year?

Are you going to post any of your pictures from the trip?

So where are the pictures? Have I missed them?

And if I haven't, what are you doing messing around?

Pictures now, stories later. :wink:

PDid, Have mercy, mister. I had to download over 1,000 photos, and I've not had a chance to review them yet! Patience is the key...

Shackleton's grave at Grytviken.

Hey, welcome back c i. I cannot imagine how that trip to South Georgia was made without the boat flat sinking from icing up. I saw the Discovery show but not the Omni production. Did you have to break any ice getting to port?

Doesnt it get maddening when your in the zone of 24 hr light? I went nuts up on Baffin

I think it's spelled "Shackleton". Not to be pedantic, of course.

There's a wonderful documentary about the voyage of the Endurance. I recommend it!

Here's a picture I took through my 10X optical zoom digital camera of Stromness Harbor where Shackleton and his two men ended up at the base. This will be the last picture for today.

D'art, Thanks, but you sure know how to increase my 'work' load! LOL bah humbug!

Well I'm not a fan of Shackleton. The 70 sled-dogs he had on his ship didn't make it out of Antarctica alive.

The only consolation is that the man who was ordered to kill them later went insane dreaming of them.

well yeah and Shackleton was born in County Kildare,, I hate him too. I don't think I will even consider going to antarctica. (let alone take a camera) as a matter of fact Hoft myself and some friends had planned on going to see another friend in Germany this spring but now I realize that Hitler was once there I am cancelling our trip.

Dys - if there's any truth to global warming, we can give Antarctica a couple of years. Time enough to build a Club Med.

LOL about Hitler - I'm so fed up with all the breastbeating about camps that if I hear any more of that aggravation I'll go out and buy a Prince Harry outfit.

so you think I can safely cancel my trip to germany this spring and replace it with a furture trip to antarctica? If I do that will it be ok if I take pics and post them for whatever friends I might have on a2k?

C.i., wecome home!! The descriptions are wonderful. It does sound like the adventure of a lifetime. We are looking forward to more pics after you have a chance to catch your breath.

Sour grapes aside, the trip is fantastic, something only a dedicated traveler would do and a great way for all of us to learn more about Antarctica and Shakelton.

Who are these people; this HofT and dys? Camps, Hitler, Germany, global warming, and eating dogs?

Speaking for Dys, he seldom let's a post pass that is self-centered, pure sour grapes and is irrelevant to the thread.

Where are the pics? Come on, you've had plenty of time since the last few threads...