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When he left South Georgia Island on December 5, 1914 in his bid to be the first to cross the Antarctic continent, Ernest Shackleton had no idea that the next bit of land he touched (save for remote Elephant Island) would be that very same South Georgia - a year and a half later and after having not so much as set foot on the Antarctic continent. The story of what happened in between, outlined below, constitutes one of the most stupendous polar survival sagas of all time. For more specifics on the expedition and its 28 members, see the dispatches and Meet Shackleton's team, respectively. 
August 1 Endurance departs London the same day Germany declares war on Russia August 4 Shackleton offers his ship and crew to British government for war effort August 8 After Shackleton receives one-word telegram from Admiralty ("Proceed"), Endurance departs Plymouth October 26 With final crew on board, Endurance leaves Buenos Aires, Argentina for South Georgia December 5 Departs Grytviken whaling station, South Georgia - last time crew would touch land for 497 days December 7 Enters the Antarctic pack ice December 30 Endurance crosses Antarctic Circle
January 10 First sighting of Antarctic continent (Coats Land) January 18 Endurance becomes beset in the pack ice February 22 Drifts to 77th parallel in Vahsel Bay, farthest south the ship will reach February 24 Shackleton orders halt to ship routine May 1 Sun vanishes for season, not to reappear for four months June 22 Crew celebrates Midwinter's Day with a feast August 27 Frank Hurley takes famous nighttime photos of Endurance September 2 Pressure ice makes the Endurance, according to Perce Blackborow, "literally [jump] into the air and [settle] on its beam." October 27 At 5 p.m., Shackleton gives order to abandon the Endurance November 1 After futile, three-day attempt to march over the ice, Shackleton has crew erect Ocean Camp November 21 With a single cry of "She's going, boys!" Shackleton and his crew watch Endurance sink December 23 Crew again begins march toward open water, averaging just a mile and a half a day December 29 Shackleton abandons march, sets up Patience Camp
January 21 Blizzard blows the camp north across Antarctic Circle February 29 In honor of Leap Year Day, crew enjoys three full meals March 30 On Shackleton's orders, the crew shoots the remaining dogs (originally numbering 69) and eats the younger ones March 31 The ice floe they are on splits in two, separating them from the three lifeboats, but they get them back April 7 Elephant Island appears on the horizon April 9 Crew goes to sea in the three lifeboats, the James Caird, the Dudley Docker, and the Stancomb Wills April 16 After seven grueling days at sea, lifeboats land safely on Elephant Island April 17 Shackleton moves camp seven miles to the west, to a spot that comes to be known as Cape Wild -- after Frank Wild, who found it
Shackleton announces that he will attempt to sail the 22-and-a-half-foot James Caird 800 miles to South Georgia April 24 Shackleton and five others depart for South Georgia in James Caird May 10 After 17 days in stormy seas, and with superior navigation by Frank Worsley, the James Caird miraculously arrives on the west coast of South Georgia May 19 Shackleton, Worsley, and Crean set off to cross South Georgia's glacier-clad peaks to east-coast whaling stations May 20 Having trekked without a break for 36 hours over glacier-clad mountains thousands of feet high, Shackleton, Worsley, and Crean arrive at Stromness whaling station May 23 Shackleton, Worsley, and Crean depart on the English-owned Southern Sky to rescue men on Elephant Island, but are stopped by ice 100 miles short of the island June 10 Uruguayan government loans the survey ship Instituto de Pesca No 1, which comes within sight of Elephant Island before pack ice turns it back July 12 Chartered by the British Association, the schooner Emma sets out from Punta Arenas, but gets to within 100 miles of Elephant Island before storms and ice force it to return
Chilean authorities loan the Yelcho, a small steamer, which sets sail with Shackleton, Worsley, and Crean for Elephant Island August 30 "I felt jolly near blubbing for a bit & could not speak for several minutes," Wild wrote about seeing Shackleton arrive with the Yelcho, which rescued the party on this day, 22 months after they'd set out from South Georgia. Chief source: The Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition, by Caroline Alexander (Knopf, 1998). Photos: Frank Hurley. Courtesy of The Macklin Collection.
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The James Caird shortly before her epic voyage to South Georgia.
With the Yelcho heaving into view on the
horizon, members of an ecstatic Elephant Island crew build a smoky fire (upper left) to
signal her.
