South

Shackleton, Ernest. South. 2016. 384p. ISBN 9780760350256

In the early 20th century, one of the few remaining frontiers was Antarctic, the vast landmass sitting on top of the South Pole. Many expeditions had been mounted, including Roald Amundsen's team being the first to reach the South Pole in December 1911. But no one had crossed the continent from one side to the other. Ernest Shackleton, a polar explorer, was appointed in 1914 to mount such an expedition. Setting sail from England in August 1914, a few days after the beginning of the First World War, Shackleton, who commanded the Endurance, a coal powered icebreaker, hoped to land in the Weddell Sea on the Atlantic side of Antarctica, then cross through the South Pole to Cape Evans, on the Pacific  side of Antarctica. This was his third expedition to Antarctica, and it would prove to be the most dangerous.

Everything that could go wrong did. The Endurance had expected smooth sailing deep inside the Weddell Sea, but early ice floats blocked the path, and despite several attempts to move south the ship soon found itself stuck in ice, unable to free itself. Hoping for rescue, the crew continued to conduct science experiments and collect samples, until it became clear no one was coming for them. As the ice slowly crushed the ship, a decision was made to abandon it and trek to land. When this proved impossible, the crew found itself stranded on an ice float. As the ice drifted north, they eventually escaped the now dangerously thin ice and made for Elephant island, where they erected a shelter but lacked food and warmth. 

Shackleton and three other crew members then departed in one of the lifeboats, hoping to strike South Georgia 800 miles away in open and choppy frigid waters. Miraculously, they reached land 16 harrowing days later, only to discover they were on the wrong side of the island, and now needed to trek through the unchartered mountains to reach the whaling station that was their ultimate destination. An additional 36 hours of dangerous climbing through glaciers and crevices sapped their remaining strength, until they reached the whaling stations called Stromness. 

Finally rescued, Shackleton and his men were not at the end of their labors, for the rest of the crew remained on Elephant Island. Shackleton mounted a rescue, but had to turn back due to lack of fuel. He returned with another ship, and finally rescued his remaining crew members 128 days after leaving them behind. Despite the odds, no one died, and all of them survived this incredible ordeal.

Told by Shackleton himself, this story remains one of extreme survival against the odds. Fans of survival stories will appreciate the grit and determination it took to survive and to rescue a stranded crew.