Shackleton Death or Glory - Rough Seas

From Discovery

Six men, one tiny wooden boat, and the most dangerous feat of survival in the history of exploration.
Can they repeat the extraordinary achievements of Sir Ernest Shackleton, sail 800 nautical miles of the roughest ocean on earth, with no engine, 100 year old clothes, no GPS, and then climb a deadly mountain range?

Advert for the original expedition

In 1914, Ernest Shackleton led an expedition to cross Antarctica on foot for the first time.

But disaster struck before reaching the continent.

His boat was crushed in sea ice and Shackleton and his 27 men were marooned.

They took refuge on nearby Elephant Island, but facing slow death from starvation and exposure, Shackleton and five hand-picked crew, fought through hurricane force winds and the unmerciless stormy seas in a 22 foot wooden lifeboat, to reach the only possible help  1,500 km away on the Stromness Whaling station in South Georgia.

Against all the odds Shackleton and his men survived 16 days at sea and made the crossing.

But the gruelling mission didn't end there; they then they had to scale  an unchartered mountain range to reach their destination, where Shackleton successfully raised the alarm, rescue all his men and return home a hero.

The intrepid crew of Shackleton Epic land the Alexandra Shackleton

at Peggoty Bluff, South Georgia.

Picture: Jo Stewart / Shackleton Epic 

This incredible feat of leadership and endurance has elevated Shackleton to legendary status in the world of exploration, with his epic adventure having never been repeated - until now.

World leading explorer Tim Jarvis and a crew of five men, will attempt to follow Shackleton's  incredible journey in Shackleton: Death or Glory.

Using exactly the same equipment and clothing as used a century before, Tim and his crew will take themselves beyond the point of no return to find out how Shackleton pulled off such an incredible feat in such atrocious conditions.

Links :

• GeoGarage blog : Ernest Shackleton voyage to be retraced by modern-day Antarctic explorers
• Shackleton's Antarctic adventure movie