Trapped in Antarctica: Shackleton and the Endurance
Table of Contents A NEW DREAM TRAPPED IN ICE RESCUE MORE ABOUT ERNEST SHACKLETON GLOSSARY TO LEARN MORE INDEX 4 8 16 22 23 24 24 Red text identifies historical quotes
A NEW DREAM It is 1912 British explorer Ernest Shackleton has just learned that Roald Amundsen a Norwegian explorer has achieved a goal that Shackleton has had for many years I can’t believe it My dream Amundsen beat me to it Just a few months earlier Amundsen became the first person to reach the South Pole of Antarctica Shackleton is disappointed His own two attempts to reach the South Pole ended in failure But that does not stop him from planning an even more daring expedition transantarctic mountains South Georgia Island Elephant Sea Weddell antarctica south pole I’ll be the first to cross Antarctica The Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition would take Shackleton across the coldest place on Earth In Antarctica temperatures dip below 100 degrees Fahrenheit and polar winds swirl up to 200 miles per hour To achieve his goal Shackleton needs a hearty crew Mr Wild you were with me on my last venture south I could use you as my second-in-command Sir you know I’d trust you with my life 4
He also needs a strong ship He looks for one that can sail through ice-filled seas What’s her name I’ll call it Endurance Mr Worsley after my family motto By endurance we conquer New Zealand explorer Frank Worsley will serve as captain of the Endurance Australian photographer Frank Hurley also joins Shackleton’s crew to document the expedition The Endurance leaves England on August 8 1914 with Shackleton and a crew of 27 men After sailing for several months the ship arrives at South Georgia Island on November 5 The local whalers will know about ice conditions around Antarctica 5
