Sir Ernest Shackleton’s Endurance was wrecked off Antarctica in 1907.
Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust stated that the wooden ship was discovered at a depth 9,868 feet (3.008 meters)
Amazing footage shows the wreck has been remarkable preserved. The ship’s wheel is still visible and the name “Endurance” can still be clearly seen on its stern.
The Endurance22 Expedition had set off from Cape Town, South Africa in February this year, a month after the 100th anniversary of Sir Ernest’s death on a mission to locate it.
Endurance was located approximately 4 miles from the original position recorded by Frank Worsley as captain of the ship, but in the area that the expedition team had defined before it left Cape Town.
Sir Ernest Shackleton, his crew, and their attempt to cross Antarctica’s first continent in 1915 set out. However, Endurance, a ship carrying 28 people, failed to land on the Antarctica.
Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust Photo of Endurance wreck, Sir Ernest Shackleton’s ship. The photo was taken from the stern.
The ship’s wheel, taffrail and the aft deck of Endurance’s wreck, Sir Ernest Shackleton’s ship, were found 100 years later.
Endurance’s standard bow was located at 9,868 feet (3,0008m) deep in the Weddell sea, just outside the area of search defined by the expedition before it left Cape Town.
Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust, photo showing photos, video, and laser images of Endurance in the control room aboard S.A.Agulhas 2 during the expedition
The Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition of 1914-1917 used Endurance as one of its two ships. Their goal was to cross Antarctica’s first land bridge. Aiming to land at Vahsel Bay, the vessel became stuck in pack ice in the Weddell Sea on January 18, 1915 — where she and her crew would remain until the ship was crushed and ultimately sank on November 21, 1915
Photo of Sir Ernest Shackleton aboard the ‘Quest. 100 years after Shackleton’s death, Endurance was found in the Weddell Sea approximately four miles south of the position originally recorded by Captain Worsley
Endurance was one of two ships used by the Imperial Trans-Antarctic expedition of 1914–1917, which hoped to make the first land crossing of the Antarctic. Photograph of Endurance in pack ice, taken just weeks before her sinking in October 1915.
The Endurance, a 144-foot long schooner barque with three masts that could carry 28 men and was built to withstand harsh conditions in the Polar Seas. Pictured is the Endurance stuck in pack ice and listing heavily to port
In full sail, Endurance on the ice sideview Imperial Trans Antarctic Expedition. The Antarctic Treaty now recognizes the Endurance wreck as an historic monument and protected historical site.
The expedition team operated from S.A. Agulhas II (South African polar research vessel and logistics vessel), assisted by non-intrusive underwater robots.
The wreck is protected as a Historic Site and Monument under the Antarctic Treaty, ensuring that whilst the wreck is being surveyed and filmed it will not be touched or disturbed in any way, according to the Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust.
According to the expedition director of exploration, footage from Endurance revealed that it was intact and one of the most beautiful wooden wrecks he had ever seen.
‘We are overwhelmed by our good fortune in having located and captured images of Endurance,’ said Mensun Bound, maritime archaeologist and director of the exploration.
The ship is well-preserved and proud of her seabed. Endurance can be seen arcing across the Stern, just below the taffrail.
“This is a landmark in polar history.”
Bound paid tribute also to Captain Frank Worsley of the Endurance’s navigational skills, who was ‘invaluable in our quest to find the wreck’.
The expedition leader Dr John Shears said that his team was part of ‘polar history’ and had completed what he described as ‘the most difficult shipwreck hunt in the world.
‘In addition, we have undertaken important scientific research in a part of the world that directly affects the global climate and environment,’ Dr Shears said.
Dr Adrian Glover, a deep-sea biologist at the Natural History Museum, not involved with the expedition, led a 2013 research paper predicting very good wood preservation for Endurance, based on experimental work.
The ship was found approximately four miles south of the position originally recorded by Captain Worsley. Pictured is the the South African polar research and logistics vessel, S.A. Agulhas II
Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust photo of South African polar research vessel and logistics vessel S.A. Agulhas II on an expedition to locate the wreck of Endurance.
Bird’s eye view shot, taken by drone, of the South African polar research and logistics vessel, S.A. Agulhas II, on the expedition surrounded by ice
Photo issued by Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust of (left to right) John Shears, expedition leader; Mensun Bound, director of exploration; Nico Vincent, expedition sub-sea manager; J.C. Caillens, off-shore manager, holding the first scan of the Endurance wreckage alongside photos from Frank Hurley, the Australian adventurer and official photographer on Sir Ernest Shackleton’s Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition
Aiming to land at Vahsel Bay, the vessel became stuck in pack ice on the Weddell Sea on January 18, 1915 — where she and her crew would remain for many months. In late October, however, a drop in temperature from 42°F to -14°F saw the ice pack begin to steadily crush the Endurance — which finally sank on November 21, 1915. Pictured by Frank Wild, a British explorer and sailor who assessed the Endurance wreckage after it was crushed under a dense pack of ice.
Endurance was one of two ships used by the Imperial Trans-Antarctic expedition of 1914–1917, whose goal was to make the first land crossing of the Antarctica. Pictured are 20 members from the expedition that was blighted, as seen in the mid-1916s after the Endurance lost.
The Antarctic circumpolar current — an ocean current that flows clockwise from west to east around Antarctica — has essentially acted as barrier to the larvae of deep-water species that could have eaten away at the ship’s wood.
MailOnline was informed by Dr Glover that the preservation of Endurance was quite extraordinary, although not completely unexpected.
‘Tiny “shipworms” — small bivalve molluscs — that normally eat wood in well oxygenated oceans are absent from Antarctica, just as they are absent from the Baltic and Black Seas, other remarkable wooden shipwreck “vaults”.
The new discoveries are significant not only from an historical perspective, but also for understanding how life evolved and changed in Antarctica. It’s a great day for Antarctic archaeology and science.’
National Geographic has requested that the Expedition Team film a long-form observational documentary on their expedition. It will air in late 2014 on Disney+.
Endurance was one of two ships used by the Imperial Trans-Antarctic expedition of 1914-1917, which hoped to make the first land crossing of the Antarctic.
Carrying an expedition crew of 28 men, the 144-foot-long Endurance was a three-masted schooner barque sturdily built for operations in polar waters.
Aiming to land at Antarctica’s Vahsel Bay, the vessel instead became stuck in pack ice on the Weddell Sea on January 18, 1915 — where she and her crew would remain for many months.
In late October, however, a drop in temperature from 42°F to -14°F saw the ice pack begin to steadily crush the Endurance.
Endurance did not reach land, and was trapped by dense pack ice. The 28 crew members eventually abandoned ship. On November 21st 1915, Endurance was finally lost to the sea.
The party spent months in tents on the ice floes as they drifted northwards. Finally, they took to lifeboats to get to Elephant Island, which is uninhabited and inhospitable.
The men mostly stayed at Elephant Island, while Shackleton, five other people, and the crew, made an incredible 800-mile (1300 km) open boat journey in the James Caird lifeboat to South Georgia. This is an island located in the south Atlantic Ocean.
Shackleton was joined by two others who crossed the mountainous island towards the Stromness whaling station.
On board the steam tug Yelcho — on loan to him from the Chilean Navy — Shackleton was able to return to rescue the rest of his crew on August 30, 1916.
View from the side of South African polar research and logistics vessel, S.A. Agulhas II, on the expedition to find the wreck of Endurance
100 after Shackleton’s death, Endurance was found at a depth of 3008 metres in the Weddell Sea, within the search area defined by the expedition team before its departure from Cape Town, and approximately four miles south of the position originally recorded by Captain Worsley
It was Sir Ernest Shackleton’s ambition to achieve the first land crossing of Antarctica from the Weddell Sea via the South Pole to the Ross Sea. Pictured, expedition team on board S.A. Agulhas II
Endurance was one of two ships used by the Imperial Trans-Antarctic expedition of 1914–1917, which hoped to make the first land crossing of the Antarctic. Photographed: The expedition team at S.A. Agulhas II
Photographed here is Dan Snow, historian and South African logistics and research vessel S.A. Agulhas I. Endurance22’s objectives were to find, survey, and film the wreck
S.A.Agulhas II (pictured), is an South African icebreaking, polar supply and research vessel owned by Department of Environmental Affairs
Menson Bound is the director of Exploration for Endurance22 Expedition (left). John Shears is the expedition leader. They were on Weddell sea ice in Antarctica, with S.A. Agulhas II.
Shortly following the Endurance22 expedition setting off in February, SA Agulhas II became stuck in ice at same spot where Endurance sank over a century ago.
The SA Agulhas II became stuck after the mercury dipped to -18°F (-10°C) at the same spot in the Weddell Sea where Shackleton’s vessel was thought to be last seen in 1915.
The Times’ Dan Snow said that Dan Snow had told The Times, “Clever people did mention to me along the way, “How do you know you’re not going get iced-in like Shackleton?”
“Don’t be worried about it,” I said. All the technology is available to us. We are now “iced in.”
Crewmembers were able, thanks to technical advances like mechanical cranes, engines power, and an aviation fuel case, to liberate the vessel.
From left to right: John Shears (expedition leader); Mensun Bound (director of exploration); Nico Vincent (expedition sub-sea manger), looking at Endurance images in the control area
Menson Bound (left), director of exploration for Endurance22 expedition, and John Shears (right), expedition leader on the seaice
The February expedition to Endurance22 was set off. In the exact same spot Endurance lost its life over 100 years ago, SA Agulhas II became entangled in ice after it arrived. Crew members were able to rescue the vessel thanks to modern technology such as mechanical cranes and engine power.
Sir Ernest Shackleton: Famed British Antarctic adventurer
Sir Ernest Shackleton’s 1908 Antarctic Expedition
Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton was a British Antarctic explorer who led three expeditions to the frozen continent.
He was at heart of the historic period that would later be called the ‘Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration.
Born in Ireland, Shackleton moved to London with his family when he was 10 and first experienced polar climates as an officer on Captain Robert Falcon Scott’s Discovery expedition of 1901–1904.
After experiencing poor health at work, he was sent home from the expedition early. New studies suggest he had beriberi.
During the Nimrod expedition of 1907–1909, Shackleton and his companions created a new recorded of farthest south latitude at 88 degrees south.
Disaster struck his next expedition, the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition, 1914–1917, when the ship, the Endurance, became trapped in pack ice.
The crew managed to flee by using lifeboats that reached nearby islands and traveled through the turbulent waters for 830-miles.
He returned to the Antarctic for one final time in 1921 with the Shackleton–Rowett Expedition, but died of a heart attack on January 5, 1922, while his ship was moored in South Georgia.
Although Shackleton is most well-known for his explorations, his legacy also includes a lot of scientific research.
His expeditions helped produce comprehensive scientific and geographical surveys — among which were the first surveys of Antarctica’s interior and the effective location of the Magnetic South Pole.
Camilla Nichol (CEO of UK Antarctic Heritage Trust) stated, “Shackleton was an emblematic figure in Antarctic history with the greatest legacy of courage und endeavour,”
“But, we often overlook the contributions his expeditions made towards science.
“Antarctica is an important barometer of climate change, at the core of climate science.
“We keep Shackleton’s legacy alive to inspire the next generation pioneering scientists, explorers and researchers.”