My Science School

               Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton was an Irish born polar explorer who led three British expeditions to the Antarctic.

               In 1901, Shackleton joined his first expedition to the Antarctic. Unfortunately, he was sent home early due to bad health, after he, and his companions Scott and Edward Adrian Wilson set a new southern record by marching to latitude 82°S.

               In 1914, he set off on his own expedition to Antarctica. Shackleton was in a race with Roald Amundsen to reach the South Pole. The race ended in December 1911, with Roald Amundsen’s conquest.

               Shackleton later planned a voyage to the South Pole, and while returning, he wanted to pick a different route to the Ross Sea, and thus, become the first person to cross the Atlantic Ocean.

               To this end, he made preparations for what became the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition. On 1st August 1914, Shackleton departed London on the ship ‘Endurance’ for his voyage to the South Pole. There were unimaginable hurdles throughout the voyage, which Shackleton overcame with his will power, and leadership quality.