Endurance (Shackleton's ship)

Name: Endurance (Shackleton's ship)
Address: AQ

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Explorer Ernest Shackleton's ship for his Antarctic crossing expedition was trapped by sea ice in the Weddell Sea in 1915, crushed and sunk. All 28 men survived after more than a year on the ice and in small boats. In March 2022 an expedition found her 3,008 m down, so well preserved in the icy water that the name ENDURANCE can still be read on her stern.

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At a glance

Country: Antarctica
Kind: Shipwrecks

Quick answers

Where is Endurance (Shackleton's ship)?

Endurance (Shackleton's ship) is in Antarctica.

Endurance was a three-masted wooden ship used by explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton on his 1914 to 1917 expedition to cross Antarctica. She was built in Norway and launched in 1912 under the name Polaris.

In 1915 the ship was trapped in sea ice in the Weddell Sea and crushed, sinking on 21 November 1915. Every member of the crew survived and was rescued in 1916. In March 2022 the wreck was found more than 3,000 metres deep, in remarkably good condition. The story is remembered as one of the great survival tales of polar exploration, because Shackleton led all of his men to safety after losing the ship.

A ship built for ice

Endurance was about 44 metres long. Her hull was made of oak and Norwegian fir planks up to 30 inches (76 cm) thick, with extra-strong frames, to survive polar ice. She was first planned as a cruise yacht for Arctic tourists, with passenger cabins and even a darkroom.

Shackleton bought her in January 1914 for his expedition. It was her first voyage.

Lost and found

The ship became stuck in pack ice, and Shackleton's men camped on the floating ice before using lifeboats to reach Elephant Island. All survived.

The search team Endurance22 found the wreck on 5 March 2022 at a depth of 3,008 metres. It is described as being in a "brilliant state of preservation", with its name still visible on the stern. It is protected as a historic site under the Antarctic Treaty.