History Buffs – Shackleton’s Lost Ship Found

  • Jon Jordan
    Keymaster
    St. Paul, Mn
    Posts: 6047
    #2106238

    Remember studying the story in high school. Very interesting story if you have never read up on it.

    Pretty cool to see the video of the ship here:

    http://www.wsj.com/articles/endurance-ernest-shackletons-lost-ship-found-after-107-years-11646821921?mod=hp_featst_pos3

    Need to subscribe for story, but here is the AP version

    Scientists say they have found the sunken wreck of polar explorer Ernest Shackleton’s ship Endurance, more than a century after it was lost to the Antarctic ice.

    The Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust says the vessel lies 3,000 meters (10,000 feet) below the surface of the Weddell Sea, about 6.4 kilometers (four miles) south of the location recorded in 1915 by its captain, Frank Worsley.

    An expedition set off from South Africa last month to search for the ship, which was crushed by ice and sank in November 1915.

    Mensun Bound, director of exploration for the Endurance22 expedition, said footage revealed the ship to be in remarkably good condition.

    “This is by far the finest wooden shipwreck I have ever seen,” he said. “It is upright, well proud (clear) of the seabed, intact, and in a brilliant state of preservation. You can even see ‘Endurance’ arced across the stern, directly below the taffrail.”

    Shackleton’s 1914-16 attempt to become the first person to cross Antarctica via the South Pole failed — he never set foot on the continent. But his successful bid to reach help at a remote South Atlantic whaling station and rescue his men is considered a heroic feat of endurance. All the men survived and were rescued many months later.

    The expedition to find the ship comes 100 years after Shackleton’s death in 1922.

    British historian and broadcaster Dan Snow, who accompanied the expedition, tweeted that Endurance was found on Saturday, “100 years to the day since Shackleton was buried.”

    He said the wreck had been filmed, but wouldn’t be touched.

    “Nothing was touched on the wreck,” he said. “Nothing retrieved. It was surveyed using the latest tools and its position confirmed. It is protected by the Antarctic Treaty. Nor did we wish to tamper with it.”

    CaptainMusky
    Posts: 23377
    #2106250

    Interesting! They just found a shipwreck in lake Superior last week too right?

    Brian Klawitter
    Keymaster
    Minnesota/Wisconsin Mississippi River
    Posts: 59992
    #2106254

    Very well preserved!

    Snake ii’s
    Posts: 529
    #2106279

    How can we say it was lost when it was there the whole time?

    castle-rock-clown
    Posts: 2596
    #2106284

    How can we say it was lost when it was there the whole time?

    Who are you, my wife??? She says the same thing when I “loose” my keys…

    Netguy
    Minnetonka
    Posts: 3225
    #2106285

    I saw a show about this exploration. The following is what amazed me!!

    But his successful bid to reach help at a remote South Atlantic whaling station and rescue his men is considered a heroic feat of endurance. All the men survived and were rescued many months later.

    Jon Jordan
    Keymaster
    St. Paul, Mn
    Posts: 6047
    #2106286

    It’s a great story. If you google “pictures of shackleton’s ship” there are many photos of the ship abandoned there stuck in the ice.

    -J.

    Bearcat89
    North branch, mn
    Posts: 20815
    #2106298

    The survival story of the crew is just crazy. Floating on giant ice sheets for months. And all of them survived. Much tougher breeds back then

    Hot Runr Guy
    West Chicago, IL
    Posts: 1933
    #2106315

    It’s a great story. If you google “pictures of shackleton’s ship” there are many photos of the ship abandoned there stuck in the ice.

    -J.

    Considering what photography was like 100+ years ago, the fact that the images survived until they got rescued is amazing to me.

    HRG

    ThunderLund78
    Posts: 2690
    #2106362

    Incredible how well preserved it is, usually salt water wrecks deteriorate relatively quickly.

    1. castle-rock-clown, you need to tell your wife it’s illegal for wives to use dad jokes.

    2. If you like the Shackleton Story of against-all-odds survival and determination in the face of disaster in an unrelenting environment, may I suggest two books about two ill-fated US expeditions to the North Pole (or at that time “farthest north”). I had never heard of either of these expeditions until I read these books. Both have similar titles but are about two different expeditions:

    “Labyrinths of Ice” by Buddy Levy – Detailing the Greeley Expedition

    “In the Kingdom of Ice” by Hampton Sides – Detailing the journey of Capt. George DeLong and the USS Jeanette

    Not in my history text books; but in their time, these got the same attention in the national press as the Moon Landings.

    Don Meier
    Butternut Wisconsin
    Posts: 1689
    #2106374

    Cool story and pics , related note just watched Against the Ice on netflix. Based on a true story . Incredible story of survival on Greenland.

    Sylvanboat
    Posts: 1008
    #2106421

    The Endurance was wooden ship and well preserved. Hey all the wood on the Titanic, including materials like cloth etc, were all eaten by bottom organisms. Both were very deep in the ocean.

    nord
    Posts: 744
    #2106514

    I remember reading the book,”Shackleton’s Valiant Voyage”, as a fifth or six grader. Believe me, that was a long time ago. grin

    tim hurley
    Posts: 5851
    #2107050

    If you think you are tough look at Shackelton.
    If you think your hero is tough compare him/her to Shackelton.

    norge
    Posts: 198
    #2107062

    William Bakewell settled near me in Dukes, Michigan. He was the only American on the Endurance and led an incredibly adventurous life. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/22454219/william-lincoln-bakewell I drive by his Homestead whenever I go to Marquette from Chatham. Shackleton was a once in a lifetime leader no doubt! I have always paid close attention to polar travel. Put some miles on in the North with my sled dogs including a trip with Will Steger in 84/85 to test gear and travel techniques for his subsequent North Pole Expedition in 86.

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