Ernest Shackleton - Time Line
Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition, 1914/1917 - Endurance

 

Sir Ernest Shackleton, Endurance Expedition Time Line

August 1st 1914 - The Endurance sets sail from London.

November 5th 1914 - Arrival at Grytviken whaling station, South Georgia.

December 5th 1914 - Set sail for Antarctica, last contact with the outside world for 18 months, last contact with land for 497 days.

December 7th 1914 - First encounter with pack-ice.

January 18th 1915 - Endurance becomes beset, frozen into heavy pack ice a day's sail from the intended landfall.

February 22nd 1915 - Furthest south position reached at 77°S 35°W, the ice now starts to drift north carrying the Endurance with it.

August 1st 1915 - Ice surrounding the ship starts to break and push over itself, dogs brought on board.

September 1st 1915 - Ice pressure begins to act upon the ship.

October 27th 1915 - The Endurance is badly damaged by the pressure of ice acting upon her and leaking, Shackleton orders her to be abandoned, stores and equipment are taken onto the sea-ice and a camp established.

November 1st 1915 - After an attempt to march with boats and sleds, "Ocean Camp"  is established a mile and a half from the Endurance.

November 21st 1915 - The broken and splintered Endurance sinks below the ice into the Weddell Sea.

December 22nd 1915 - Kept as Christmas Day, all remaining luxuries were eaten, the last really good meal for 8 months.

December 23rd 1915 - Ocean Camp is abandoned to try to move westwards to Paulet Island and a substantial food depot. Crew and dogs drag sleds and three lifeboats across the sea-ice.

December 29th 1915 - Very broken-up un-negotiable ice is met, a new camp is established "Patience Camp" , they were to live on the floe for nearly three and a half months.

April 9th 1916 - Ice floes breaking up and open water meant It was time to take to the boats and head towards the South Shetland Islands.

April 15th 1916 - Landfall at Elephant Island, the first time in 497 days.

April 24th 1916 - Shackleton and 5 others set off in the James Caird for South Georgia.

May 10th 1916 - James Caird arrives at King Haakon Bay, South Georgia.

May 19th 1916 - Shackleton, Crean and Worsley set out to cross South Georgia to reach the Stromness whaling station.

May 20th 1916 - Arrival at Stromness whaling station.

May 23rd 1916 - 1st rescue attempt, Shackleton sets out on the Southern Sky, a whaling boat to reach Elephant Island, is turned back by sea-ice and heads north arrives at the Falkland Islands on the 31st of May.

June 10th 1916 - 2nd rescue attempt on a trawler, Instituto de Pesca No. 1 loaned and provisioned by the Uruguayan government, again turned back by ice.

July 12th 1916 - 3rd rescue attempt by the schooner Emma, chartered and provisioned by donations raised at Punta Arenas, Chile also turned back by ice.

August 25th 1916 - 4th rescue attempt by the steam tug Yelcho loaned by the Chilean government successfully retrieves all of those on Elephant Island on August the 30th.

September 3rd 1916 - Yelcho reaches Punta Arenas with all 28 men of the Endurance expedition.