The epic adventure of Sir Ernest Shackleton and his ship Endurance should certainly be well known to those interested in history.
The Endurance icebound, photographed at night. Photographer: Frank Hurley, Source: Royal Geographical Society.
That the crew of the Endurance survived—every one—after having their ship sunk, camping on ice floes until the Antarctic summer arrived, and sailing out into the stormy South Atlantic on two small boat voyages to reach their rescue is amazing enough and an enduring tribute to the bravery, skill, and—fittingly—endurance of Shackleton and his crew. Even more unbelievable is that Frank Hurley, the expedition photographer, kept a complete record of their travails, and never allowed his developed plates to be left behind, even when it meant carrying the plates instead of extra food.
The Royal Geographical Society has mounted an exhibition highlighting new digital scans of the glass photographic plates taken by the Endurance’s photographer. “Enduring Eye: The Antarctic Legacy of Sir Ernest Shakleton and Frank Hurley” opened in London on 21 November 2015, 100 years to the day after the Endurance was finally crushed by Antarctic pack ice and sunk.
For those of us unable to visit London, the Royal Geographical Society has created a very nice on-line version of the exhibition on its website as well.
Dear Airship Flamel,
Have you read Endurance by Alfred Lansing? It is the jaw-dropping account of this very expedition. We read the book back in April for my library’s Literati Book Club, which I wrote a post here (http://wp.me/p2fcCT-Lh). After reading Lansing’s version of the story and listening to the biographer of Frank Hurley in person, I so would love to have attended any number of events at the Shackleton 100, including this London exhibition you mention. Absolutely incredible!
–Sincerely,
Doyenne
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I haven’t read that one, so I’ll have to look for it. I’ve read the similarly titled “The Endurance” by Caroline Alexander which is very photo-heavy. I also just found at my local library book sale, “South” by Ernest Shackleton himself.
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