The quiet week between Christmas and New Year, when so many of us are looking both backward and forward, often brings to mind voyages that began with optimism and collided with the unexpected. Few stories capture that spirit better than Sir Ernest Shackleton’s ship, Endurance, and the determined attempt to cross Antarctica during the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition.
It’s a story set against the frozen edge of the world, but it carries lessons every sailor can take into a new year.
A Bold Start: Shackleton’s Antarctic Expedition
In December 1914, Shackleton and his crew departed South Georgia aboard the three-masted barquentine Endurance, aiming for the Weddell Sea. Their mission was extraordinary: to complete the first overland crossing of Antarctica from coast to coast.
The timing is striking, sailing into the year with big plans and high hopes. It feels familiar: that heady mix of resolutions, ambitions, and charts laid out for the months ahead.
January 1915: Endurance Is Trapped in the Ice
By 18–19 January 1915, just weeks into the new year, Endurance became trapped (beset) in pack ice in the Weddell Sea. Pressure from the frozen ocean surrounded the ship until she could no longer move. From that moment, the expedition’s timeline, and its fate, belonged to the Antarctic.
(A reminder on seasons: while January is our deep winter in the northern hemisphere, it is high summer in Antarctica. Even in its warmest season, the Weddell Sea held fast. The Antarctic winter begins as our northern spring arrives.)
From then on, the ice dictated the movement.
Nine Months of Endurance: January to October 1915
Frozen in place for nine months, Endurance and her crew drifted through the Weddell Sea from January to late October 1915. Shackleton realised his mission had changed; crossing Antarctica would have to wait. The new goal was simply this: keep every man alive.
By 27 October 1915, the ice pressure had grown too strong. Shackleton gave the order to abandon ship as the hull succumbed. The name Endurance shifted from a vessel to a mindset.
On 21 November 1915, Endurance slipped beneath the ice and was lost.
The Survival Journey: After Endurance Sank
With the ship gone, Shackleton and his crew were stranded on the pack ice. They salvaged what they could and established makeshift camps while the ice floes moved beneath them.
Shackleton tried to move the men over the ice toward land, but the surface was uneven, breaking apart, and impossible to cross with their supplies. After a series of unsuccessful attempts to march, focus was shifted: use the ice itself to drift closer to safety.
They established “Patience Camp” on a large floe and waited, hoping the current and winds would carry them toward open water. By April 1916, the floe began breaking up, forcing them into the three lifeboats they had kept.
After a difficult five-day journey through the Weddell Sea, the crew reached Elephant Island in mid-April 1916. It was the first time they had stood on land in nearly 500 days, but it was uninhabited and far off normal shipping routes. Shackleton realised that waiting for rescue was not an option.
On 24 April 1916, Shackleton chose five men and set off in the strongest lifeboat, the James Caird, to reach a whaling station on South Georgia, more than 800 miles away.
After 17 days at sea, they reached South Georgia, but on the opposite side of the island to the whaling stations. Shackleton, plus two crew, then crossed the island’s mountains on foot to reach help at the Stromness whaling station 26 miles away.
Rescue attempts were delayed by ice and conditions, but on 30 August 1916, Shackleton finally returned to Elephant Island. Every man on the expedition was rescued. No one was lost.
Why This Story Still Matters
The expedition didn’t achieve its original goal, and the ship was lost. But Shackleton’s leadership and adaptability meant everyone survived. It’s a practical example of perseverance, and a reminder for the New Year that:
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Plans can change.
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Priorities can shift.
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Progress isn’t always straightforward.
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Adapting is part of moving forward.
As we head into January, Shackleton’s story feels like a useful mindset:
Pause. Reassess. Adapt. Keep going.
Sailing Community
The new year is a great time to look ahead, to new plans, new trips, and maybe even new crewmates. If you’re thinking about getting out on the water more in 2026, or hoping to meet people who understand the pull of the tide, Lovesail is a good place to start. Whether you’re looking for crew, friendship, or something more, you’ll find thousands of sailors from around the world ready to share the journey.
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