Approaching the Weddell Sea
It was one of the most remarkable small boat journeys ever undertaken: Ernest Henry Shackleton and his five companions aboard the James B. Caird. His ship, the Endurance, was caught in the ice of the Weddell Sea; his plans for the first crossing of Antarctica were in ruins. Endurance drifted northward until it was crushed and it sank beneath the ice-covered sea. The twenty-eight men of Endurance drifted with the ice until they could take to the ship's lifeboats. Sixteen months after their feet last touched land, they reached Elephant Island.
There, Shackleton launched his audacious plan. He would take five others in one of the ship's boats, christened the James B. Caird, and attempt to cross the tempestuous Southern Ocean, in early winter, to reach the whaling stations on South Georgia Island. The other twenty-two would wait on Elephant Island, praying for the success of Shackleton's voyage. Somehow, he did it. All were rescued.
Today we brought our guests aboard the National Geographic Explorer to the very area where this historic journey unfolded. We considered how our experience compared to that of Shackleton’s, and found ourselves warm, well-fed & comfortable these many years later. Read further to see how we fared:
Two voyages, contrasted; or So You think you're tough?
| | National Geographic Explorer | James B. Caird |
| | Cave Cove, South Georgia to Elephant Island | Elephant Island to Cave Cove, South Georgia |
| Nautical Miles/ Time en route | 697, direct./ 49 hours. | 697 plus meanderings./ Seventeen days (= 408 hours). |
| Length | 112 meters (367 feet). | 6.7 meters (22 feet). |
| Beam | 16.5 meters (54 feet). | 2 meters (6.5 feet). |
| Previous duty | Norwegian coastal ferry. | Lifeboat on Endurance. |
| Navigation | GPS and multiple radars. | The Skipper: three sightings with his sextant and a lot of good luck. |
| Passengers | 140 | Ernest Shackleton, Frank Worsley, Tom Crean, Tim McCarthy, Harry McNeish. and John Vincent. |
| Staff and crew | 98 | The same six. |
| Stabilizers | Active, and they work. | Stones from Elephant Island for ballast. |
| Water/ Beverages | Made on board to exceed demand. / Espresso, latte, or cappuccino, decaf upon request. | Two casks, one of them contaminated with saltwater./ Occasional mugs of reconstituted powdered milk, served hot with reindeer hair. |
| Meals | Meat, fish, or vegetarian, garnished with fresh herbs. | Hoosh (pemmican boiled into a gruel), garnished with reindeer hair. |
| Sleeping accommodations | A soft bed and a down cover. | Wedged between the stones, with a rotten reindeer sleeping bag for cover. |
| Showers | Hot and on demand. | Cold sea spray and an occasional wave. |
| Laundry | Same-day service. | Sixteen months previous. |
| Entertainment on Board | PowerPoint presentations and videos. | Baling and chipping ice from the deck and rigging. |
| Massage Service | The lovely Sheila. | The heaving sea. |
| Albatross | For the life list. | For the stewpot. |
| At Cave Cove | Zodiac cruise, boots optional. | Mandatory wet landing. |
| Next Activity | On to the Weddell Sea. | Walk across South Georgia. |
