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diumenge, 22 de desembre de 2024

'Trapped in the Ice': Shackleton's Epic Trek

> An Epic…

> …Adventure

> Shackleton and the Conquest of the South Pole

dilluns, 19 de novembre de 2007

'Men wanted for hazardous journey. Small wages. Bitter cold. Long months of complete darkness. Constant danger. Safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in case of success.' Thus read an announcement placed by the Irish explorer Ernest Henry Shackleton (1874-1922), in search of men to join an expedition with the aim of crossing Antarctica on foot. The expedition was destined to become a great odyssey, an epic story of survival. Shackleton's expedition is remembered in the 'Trapped in the Ice. Shackleton's Legendary Expedition to Antarctica' exhibition, which runs until 24 February 2008 at the Museu Marítim de Barcelona.

Co-sponsored by the Fundació Caixa Catalunya and the American Museum of Natural History in New York, the exhibition includes 167 photographs taken by the talented Australian photographer Frank Hurley, engaged by Shackleton to document the expedition. Hurley masterfully captured beautiful, solitary glacial scenes and the trials and tribulations of the expedition members.

As well as this exceptional photographic material, the exhibition also provides visitors with information about the Antarctica, the coldest continent on Earth, which has become a symbol of international cooperation and environmental protection by means of the Antarctic Treaty (1959) and the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty (1991).

The exhibition is within the context of the International Polar Year 2007-2008, an international programme of scientific research focused on the Arctic and the Antarctic running from March 2007 to March 2009.

+ Webs relacionades dins Nosaltres.Cat: Excursionisme i alpinisme.
+ Antàrtida: aplec de vincles.
+ Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton: pàgina dedicada a aquest explorador irlandès.

An Epic…

+ The ship Endurance keeling over.

The expedition led by Shackleton set off for Antarctica in August 1914, a few days before the outbreak of the First World War. Twenty-eight intrepid men made up the crew of the ship Endurance, which, only 160km from the Antarctic Peninsular, became stuck in ice blocks in the Weddell Sea. After ten months adrift, on 27 October 1915, the crew was forced to abandon the Endurance, which was unable to withstand the pressure of the ice. They began a heroic struggle for survival.

…Adventure

+ After four months of unsuccessful attempts, the 22 men who remained on Elephant Island were rescued.

After first setting up camp on the ice, the men took to the sea aboard three lifeboats. After escaping no small number of dangers, they reached Elephant Island in April, 1916. From there, Shackleton decided to take five men with him and head for South Georgia Island (where there were whaling stations) in search of help. Miraculously, they reached their goal in 17 days, after covering almost 1,300km on a journey that including crossing mountains and glaciers on the island. After four months of unsuccessful attempts, the 22 men who remained on Elephant Island were rescued. All safe and sound.

Shackleton and the Conquest of the South Pole

+ Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton.

A man of great determination and gifted with a talent for leadership, Ernest Shackleton had taken part in two previous expeditions to Antarctica: Robert F. Scott's 1901 expedition, and another in 1908 led by Shackleton himself, which got to within 156km of the South Pole. On 14 December 1911, the Norwegian Roald Amundsen became the first person to reach the South Pole. Some thirty days later, the expedition led by Robert F. Scott set off for the South Pole, only to perish on their return journey.

MATERIALS

'Atrapats al gel'. La llegendària expedició a l'Antàrtida de Shackleton'
Format:Web
Presentació interactiva d'aquesta exposició, amb accés al material didàctic. Fundació Caixa Catalunya, entitat organitzadora.
'Atrapats al gel'. La llegendària expedició a l'Antàrtida de Shackleton'
Format:Web
Informació i activitats relacionades. Museu Marítim de Barcelona, seu de l'exposició.
Shackleton's Voyage of Endurance
Format:Web
Pàgina centrada en l'expedició capitanejada per Shackleton.
Shackleton's Antarctic Adventure
Format:Web
Pàgina d'aquest film documental estrenat el 2001.

QUE HO SABIES?

After his epic journey to the Stromness whaling station on South Georgia Island, Shackleton asked when the First World War had ended. Answer: 'The war has not ended. Millions have died. Europe is mad. The world is mad.'
Shackleton set off on yet another expedition to Antarctica with the intention of circumnavigating it, something he did not succeed in doing: he died on 5 January 1922, at the Grytviken whaling station (on South Georgia Island) following a heart attack.