Sir Earnest Shackleton's Survival Analysis
Throughout history and even today, men and women are attracted to the activity of exploring Antarctica, despite this continent having one of the harshest environments in the world.
Severe winds and temperatures of down to -41 degrees Celsius have been reported on recent expeditions (Shackleton Solo, 2015). In 2015, Henry Worsley commenced a Trans-Antarctic expedition to commemorate the life of Sir Earnest Shackleton and aimed to follow in Shackleton’s planned expedition route which the Endurance crew failed to complete from 1914-1916 (Shackleton Solo, 2015). Worsley aimed to complete this expedition solo and unsupported (Endeavour Fund, 2016). However, on the 24th of January, after being rescued on Day 71 of his expedition, Worsley passed …show more content…
Worsley’s planned expedition route was very similar to the planned route of Shackleton’s team and began from Berkner Island in the Weddell Sea, continued through to the South Pole and then straight out to the Ross Ice Shelf where he would complete his Trans-Antarctic crossing (Shackleton Solo, 2015). Worsley wore skis and man hauled his 143kg sledge for 913 miles over a period of 71 days, before his health prevented him from completing the expedition (Endeavor Fund, 2016; Shackleton Solo, 2015). Throughout Worsley’s expedition he encountered rough terrain with deep valleys to descend and steep ridges to ascend, all with his sledge being pulled along behind him (Shackleton Solo, 2015). In comparison, Shackleton’s men had three boats to man haul on foot between 28 crew members (Butler, 2000), meaning the load was shared between the men. After abounding the Endurance, the crew man hauled the survival boats for three sequential days before having a rest from this activity as they drifted on the ice floes for the next five months which included a few short periods of man hauling lasting only one day at a time (Shackleton, 2000). The men on Shackleton’s expedition do not travel very far inland as they were travelling on ice floes near the coast (Butler, 2000) and never encountered the harsh terrain that Worsley did. Shackleton’s men
Severe winds and temperatures of down to -41 degrees Celsius have been reported on recent expeditions (Shackleton Solo, 2015). In 2015, Henry Worsley commenced a Trans-Antarctic expedition to commemorate the life of Sir Earnest Shackleton and aimed to follow in Shackleton’s planned expedition route which the Endurance crew failed to complete from 1914-1916 (Shackleton Solo, 2015). Worsley aimed to complete this expedition solo and unsupported (Endeavour Fund, 2016). However, on the 24th of January, after being rescued on Day 71 of his expedition, Worsley passed …show more content…
Worsley’s planned expedition route was very similar to the planned route of Shackleton’s team and began from Berkner Island in the Weddell Sea, continued through to the South Pole and then straight out to the Ross Ice Shelf where he would complete his Trans-Antarctic crossing (Shackleton Solo, 2015). Worsley wore skis and man hauled his 143kg sledge for 913 miles over a period of 71 days, before his health prevented him from completing the expedition (Endeavor Fund, 2016; Shackleton Solo, 2015). Throughout Worsley’s expedition he encountered rough terrain with deep valleys to descend and steep ridges to ascend, all with his sledge being pulled along behind him (Shackleton Solo, 2015). In comparison, Shackleton’s men had three boats to man haul on foot between 28 crew members (Butler, 2000), meaning the load was shared between the men. After abounding the Endurance, the crew man hauled the survival boats for three sequential days before having a rest from this activity as they drifted on the ice floes for the next five months which included a few short periods of man hauling lasting only one day at a time (Shackleton, 2000). The men on Shackleton’s expedition do not travel very far inland as they were travelling on ice floes near the coast (Butler, 2000) and never encountered the harsh terrain that Worsley did. Shackleton’s men