NathanThe Longest Winter
Since they realized that they were undoubtedly marooned, the crew of the Endurance was grasping the reality of it all. As you can imagine, it was a big blow and was not something to be excited about at all. They were concerned because there was no way they could sail away from the unforgiving cold weather of the Southern Hemisphere. Their plan was falling apart.
Captain’s Order
Shackleton with his men boarding the Endurance grew even more uncertain of where this ice drift was going to eventually carry them. They made another shocking discovery. The ice was decompressing in such a way that the ship was under increasing threat of being crushed by the thick ice. Since he did not want any further issue, he gave his men a drastic order.
Setting Up Camp
The crew of Endurance had limited ways to escape. There was little Ernest Shackleton could do now so he instructed his men to set up tents to camp on because they would have to brave through the winter season anyway. They took the supplies off of the ship and built kennels or “dog-loos” for the 69 dogs. They transformed the inside of the ship to a winter-friendly interior too.
Expedition Run Adrift
They would need to spend time there for around 4 or 5 months. The only thing these men could do was hope for the best and keep praying. Since food was limited they needed to be very judicious as to how they consumed it. They would host games and do other activities in order to let the time pass quickly. Frank Hurley would photograph the crew still, the wait was unbearable.
Glacial Speed
The Endurance stood there emotionless on the coast of Antarctica for over 10 long months. The crew could no longer see any signs of land nearby as the ice had drifted away 1000 miles from where they initially got stuck. Then the concerned leader ordered for any lifeboats or lifesavers to be taken off of the ship in an attempt to save everyone in case the worst possible scenario happens. As of October 1915, their ship was completely crushed by the ice. But that was not all.
Shipwrecked In The Snow
The shipwreck was not completely shattered and was still floating. But how long could it stay this way? Though the crew tried their best to salvage anything they could, the cold water and icy winds soon forced them to get rid of any excess weight they did not need on the ship. But soon, the hull of the ship saw water entering slowly, so they would ultimately have to abandon their ship too…