Shackleton’s ‘Endurance’ Ship Found: National Geographic Teams with History Hit for Documentary by Naman Ramachandran
If ever there was a perfect Christmas day gift that FELT like Christmas morning to me in March then today just hit it out of the PARK! It started off very sleepily this morning when I opened up IG with my coffee in hand and it opened to an archeologist I’ve been following; his handle is @ginocaspari; give him a follow! The first thing I saw was a reel titled “Shackleton’s Endurance just found!!!”
My whole entire insides gave a jump as the ship appeared like a ghost thru the waters; at 3008 meters deep I can’t imagine how excited everyone was to find her! This ship looks impeccable after 107 years at the bottom of the Weddell Sea, off the coast of Antarctica. Because of how cold the water is at that depth it has preserved her beautifully; not much survives there that would be used to dismantle her. Time and the cold have definitely been on her side.
I have been a huge fan and slightly obsessed with Shackleton and his crew of the ‘Endurance’ since learning about them as a teenager. Their story of survival is one for the record books I assure you. Three long arduous years in the antarctic, so many things went sideways, and yet Shackleton lost not one man. No life was lost in that cold desert – that is an incredible feat!
If you didn’t know all ships are considered female.
The lithography is from an English artist by the name of Michael Bond. This litho is one of my prized pieces of art work I acquired; it hangs in our foyer. Everyday, multiple times a day, I pass by this ship. The first time I saw it at the Belleville Art Fair and it stopped me dead in my tracks! I just stood there and gawked at it for over a minute like a weirdo!
I grabbed the print and had SO many questions. Michael was just as surprised as I was, but for many different reasons. He was surprised that someone my age even knew anything about the ‘Endurance’ and could recognize her on sight. He regaled me with a couple of stories about Shackleton and I lapped them up like a lost dog.
Come to find out that Ernest Shackleton was a neighbor of Michael’s parents! He had a flat just down the way from them and he said that he remembered Shackleton as a good man. I was having a definite Seven Degrees of Kevin Bacon moment for sure. I bought the print right then and there and it’s been hanging in our foyer ever since.
I also have a whole entire small library dedicated to Shackleton, his crew and his ‘Endurance.’ Granted most, but not all, of the books are stored side by side for easy reference; some are more spread out throughout the stacks. I am a librarians worst nightmare in a lot of ways and my grandmother is probably rolling over in her grave right about now as I divulge the fact that nothing is in order. (Our grandmother was a librarian.)
Try as I might it makes more sense to just put them up and then look for the ones I’m needing to get to later. A lot of the books in my Shackleton library were gifted to me anyway. So part of my library are my original collection vs. the collection that was received. I know it doesn’t make much of a difference to other people, but to me…it just makes sense.
Arctic and antarctic expeditions are a big part of my library. Whaling history and maritime history of any kind are also available as well. Anything to do with expeditions in the cold brutal deserts of the North or South and you’ve got my undivided attention.
I’m weird. I get it. I know and I understand.
Going back to the documentary from the link above. When it comes out I’ll be all over that too. If you are interested in watching an older movie about Shackleton and his expedition Kenneth Branagh played Shackleton in the movie by the same title. ‘Shackleton’ came out in 2002. I own it and it does the job to explain what happened and why. If you like movies, and would like to know more, I’d say give it a go.
In the mean time you’ll find me nose deep in all the articles that are being put out by the news media to get all the tiny morsels of information I can about how they found her, if there are plans to resurrect her (doubtful, but a woman can dream) and what they plan to do next. I’m popping my popcorn now! I’ll keep you posted if I see anything else that needs to be shared.
Everyday Sisters 