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Ernest Shackleton
last update: Jan 24, 2008 05:53 PM
15 February 1874 - 5 January 1922
Nationality: British
Place of Birth: Ireland
Grave: South Georgia
Biography
At the young age of 16, Shackleton joined the Mercantile Marine as a student. His love was the sea. Shackleton joined Scott on the Discovery expedition to Antarctica between 1901 and 1903 - this was his first expedition in the Antarctic waters. On 1 January 1908, he led the British Antarctic Expedition from Lyttleton to the Antarctic on the "Nimrod". In January 1908, they entered the Ross Ice Shelf, and used the Ross Island as a base. Using ponies instead of dogs, they transported goods over the ice. On 27 December 1908, they located the furthest south, and found a new mountain range of 800 km. Without their knowledge, they came as close as 97 miles from the South Pole. On 9 January 1909, they were running low on food supplies, so they decided to set sail home.
On 8 August 1914, Shackleton left for his voyage from Plymouth on the "Endurance". On 19 January 1915, after entering the Weddell Sea, the ship was iced in. Shackleton and his crew stayed onboard until 23 October 1915 - the Endurance was starting to get crushed by moving ice. On 21 November 1915, the ship finally sank. For almost 6 months, Shackleton and his crew had to survive and continue their expedition across packed ice. On 9 April 1916, it was possible for the team to sail in three small boats and reach Elephant Island in the South Shetlands on 2 April 1916. On 24 April 1916, Shackleton and five of his crew began their journey across the stormy waters to South Georgia in one boat. The main reason for this voyage was to get help from the whalers. After an exhausting journey of 500 miles, they set foot on land on 10 May 1916. Five days later, Shackleton and two of his crew approached the whaling station after a 17 mile journey, leaving three tired men behind at King Haakon Bay. Ten days after that, they reached Stromness. On 20 May 1916, a whaler saved the three men at King Haakon Bay, and on 30 August 1916, Shackleton saved his men on Elephant Island.
On 17 September 1921, Shackleton commenced his forth and final expedition on the "Quest", from St. Katharine's Dock. Their aim was to locate unknown sub-Antarctic Islands. The voyage down to South Georgia finally took its toll. On 5 January 1922, Shackleton passed away due to a heart attack. He was laid to rest on South Georgia.
