Trans-Antarctic Expedition Time Line

A Rumbolo Family Web Site Production

THE EXPEDITION TIMELINE

Note: The photographs on this page where taken by Frank Hurley, the expedition photographer. These pictures, taken under extremely difficult conditions with glass negatives provide a remarkable record of the Endurance expedition.

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January 1 Sir Ernest Shackleton announces the “Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition.”

June The Endurance arrives at Millwall Dock, London. Sir James Caird give Shackleton 24,000 pounds toward the cost of the expedition.

August 4 World War I breaks out. Shackleton offers the services of the Endurance and his crew to the Admiralty. The First Lord of the Admiralty, Winston Churchill, gives word that he should proceed.

August 8 The Endurance sails from Plymouth, England for South America.

October 26 Freshly painted and well stocked, the Endurance sets sail from Buenos Aires, Argentina, to South Georgia Island.

December 5 The Endurance sails from South Georgia through the Weddell Sea, bound for Vahsel Bay, Antarctica.

December 7 The ship enters pack ice, but continues to proceed toward the continent.

Endurance Entering the Pack Ice

Endurance Trapped in the Ice

endurance broken by the ice

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January 19 One day’s sail from the continent, the Endurance becomes trapped in pack ice.

February 22 Ice floes carry the beset Endurance to the 77th parallel (the farthest south the expedition will travel).

April-October Shifting blocks of ice pressure shake and the Endurance, sometimes causing her to roll almost 30 degrees off vertical.

October 24 Pressure ridges in the ice floes wrench and twist the ship’s sternpost, causing dangerous leaks.

October 27 Shackleton orders the crew to abandon ship and they establish “Ocean Camp.”
Early November Frank Hurley, the expedition photographer, returns to the wrecked Endurance and retrieves his negatives from four feet of icy, slushy water.

November 21 The Endurance sinks.

December 23-29 The crew hauls the three lifeboats (James Caird, Dudley Docker, and Stancomb Wills) westward over the ice, but the men are able to go only a short distance.

Attempting to drag the boats - an exercise eventually abandoned - the party would wait for the ice to breakup before taking to the boats

Hurley and Shackleton - Patience Camp - this was a difficult time, beset by hard weather, cold and hunger

Click the button to view a map of the track taken by the endurance

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January Shackleton and his men abandon “Ocean Camp” and establish “Patience Camp.”

January 26 “Patience Camp” drifts north of the Antarctic Circle.

April 9-15 A lead opens in the ice and Shackleton launches the lifeboats in an attempt to reach Elephant Island.

April 15 All 28 men arrived at Elephant Island, the first dry land they have touched in 16 months.

April 15-23 Men prepare the James Caird for a voyage to South Georgia. Island and set up camp for the 22 who will stay behind.

Hut on Elephant Island constructed from over-turned boats Stancomb Wills and Dudley Docker

Launching the James Caird from Elephant Island

April 24-May 10 Shackleton, Worsley, Crean, McNish, McCarthy, and Vincent set sail in the James Caird for South Georgia Island, 800 miles away. The James Caird is a 22 foot whaleboat, crudely decked to give some protection from the elements.

May 10 The six men land safely at Cape Rosa, South Georgia Island
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May 11-18 Shackleton and his band set camp and plan their route over the mountains to whaling stations on the other side of the island.

May 19-20 Shackleton, Worsley, and Cream cross snowfields, glacier, and mountains, covering 22 miles of uncharted terrain in 36 hours without proper climbing equipment, clothing or food.

May 20 The three arrive in Stromness Station. Worsley leads a rescue party for the men left in King Haakon Bay. Shackleton makes plans to rescue the crew marooned on Elephant Island.

May 23-30 Dense pack ice thwarts Shackleton’s first rescue attempt.
June 10 Shackleton’s second rescue attempt, aboard the Uruguayan trawler Instituto de Pesca No. 1, fails to penetrate the ice.

July 12 Shackleton’s third rescue attempt—aboard the schooner Emma—fails.

August 25 With help from the Chilean government, Shackleton sets sail on the trawler Yelcho for his fourth attempt.

August 30 The Yelco penetrates the pack ice and rescues the 22 crew members left on Elephant Island.

September 3 Shackleton and crew arrive at Punta Arenas, Chile. All 28 men have survived the 22-month odyssey.

this photograph has been reported as showing the rescue of the elephant island party, however, as Caroline Alexander points out in her book the endurance: Shackleton's legendary journey it is actually a retouched photo of the james caird departing on the trip to south Georgia - frank hurly altered the negative removing the Stancomb wills from the picture - presumably this was done to provide a fitting "end" picture for his lectures later on.

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this site is a tribute to the heroism of sir Ernest Shackleton and the men of the endurance
All photographs by Frank Hurley, expedition photographer onboard the Endurance
No misuse of copyrighted materials is intended