"Mysteries at the Museum" Race to the Antarctic: Special

1 00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:12,074 Support us and become VIP member to remove all ads from www.OpenSubtitles.org 2 00:00:14,481 --> 00:00:17,117 [ Helicopter blades whirring ] 3 00:00:17,217 --> 00:00:19,219 I'm going back in time to an era 4 00:00:19,319 --> 00:00:22,122 when world exploration was fueled by competition 5 00:00:22,222 --> 00:00:24,424 and the thirst for glory, 6 00:00:24,524 --> 00:00:27,627 when dying could stand in the way of success 7 00:00:27,727 --> 00:00:30,163 and perseverance is king. 8 00:00:30,263 --> 00:00:32,499 My mission? To understand 9 00:00:32,599 --> 00:00:34,834 a man who is hailed as one of the greatest 10 00:00:34,934 --> 00:00:37,037 polar explorers in history. 11 00:00:37,137 --> 00:00:39,506 His name is Sir Ernest Shackleton. 12 00:00:39,606 --> 00:00:42,409 Shackleton wanted to be the first person 13 00:00:42,509 --> 00:00:46,279 to travel across the entire ice-bound continent of Antarctica. 14 00:00:46,379 --> 00:00:49,215 Very steep gradient--wow. 15 00:00:49,315 --> 00:00:53,153 It was one of the most dangerous expeditions ever attempted. 16 00:00:53,253 --> 00:00:55,588 That is deadly! 17 00:00:55,689 --> 00:00:57,824 My heart is going a million miles an hour right now. 18 00:00:57,924 --> 00:00:59,492 Oh, my God. 19 00:00:59,592 --> 00:01:01,828 But when his ship became trapped in ice, 20 00:01:01,928 --> 00:01:05,031 his mission transformed from a feat of polar exploration 21 00:01:05,131 --> 00:01:08,401 to history's greatest story of survival. 22 00:01:08,501 --> 00:01:12,539 To me, everything about this seems impossible. 23 00:01:17,310 --> 00:01:19,045 I'm Don Wildman. 24 00:01:19,145 --> 00:01:21,247 I've explored the world's greatest mysteries, 25 00:01:21,348 --> 00:01:24,417 examined rare artifacts and epic monuments. 26 00:01:24,517 --> 00:01:26,219 That is unbelievable. 27 00:01:26,319 --> 00:01:28,388 Now, I'm digging deeper into some of the most 28 00:01:28,488 --> 00:01:31,157 perplexing and famous cases in history. 29 00:01:31,257 --> 00:01:34,027 My goal? To get closer to the truth. 30 00:01:34,127 --> 00:01:36,062 Let's burn this place down. Let's burn it down. 31 00:01:36,162 --> 00:01:39,733 On this special episode of "Mysteries at the Museum"... 32 00:01:39,833 --> 00:01:43,036 Race to the Antarctic. 33 00:01:45,972 --> 00:01:48,141 Of all the explorers of the 20th century, 34 00:01:48,241 --> 00:01:51,811 Sir Ernest Shackleton stands out as one of the world's most famous. 35 00:01:54,414 --> 00:01:57,417 When he and his men set sail from Britain in 1914, 36 00:01:57,517 --> 00:01:59,953 they had no idea what they would encounter. 37 00:02:00,053 --> 00:02:02,555 Their goal was to reach Antarctica, 38 00:02:02,655 --> 00:02:04,924 but Mother Nature had made other plans. 39 00:02:05,025 --> 00:02:07,627 What began as an epic adventure 40 00:02:07,727 --> 00:02:10,330 quickly brought Shackleton and his 27 crewmen 41 00:02:10,430 --> 00:02:13,099 face to face with almost certain death. 42 00:02:13,199 --> 00:02:15,835 So why would Shackleton 43 00:02:15,935 --> 00:02:18,905 even attempt to conquer the Antarctic? 44 00:02:19,005 --> 00:02:20,940 What was the prize? 45 00:02:21,041 --> 00:02:23,810 To find out, I'm starting where the journey began, 46 00:02:23,910 --> 00:02:26,446 right here in England. 47 00:02:33,887 --> 00:02:37,090 First stop is ground zero for polar exploration-- 48 00:02:37,190 --> 00:02:39,793 the Scott Polar Research Institute. 49 00:02:46,499 --> 00:02:49,602 Their collection features ship models, 50 00:02:49,703 --> 00:02:53,707 clothes, and artifacts from Shackleton's past expeditions. 51 00:02:59,045 --> 00:03:02,048 By the turn of the 20th century, the age of polar exploration 52 00:03:02,148 --> 00:03:04,584 was in full swing. 53 00:03:04,684 --> 00:03:07,687 The race to reach the furthest corners of the globe was on. 54 00:03:07,787 --> 00:03:09,889 By 1909, 55 00:03:09,989 --> 00:03:13,093 Frederick Cook and Robert Peary had both led expeditions 56 00:03:13,193 --> 00:03:15,295 to the North Pole. 57 00:03:15,395 --> 00:03:17,831 So the attention of the world's greatest explorers, 58 00:03:17,931 --> 00:03:21,668 men like Roald Amundsen, Robert Falcon Scott, 59 00:03:21,768 --> 00:03:25,038 and Ernest Shackleton, turned to the last unconquered 60 00:03:25,138 --> 00:03:27,907 place on Earth-- the South Pole. 61 00:03:28,008 --> 00:03:31,778 Whoever reached the South Pole first would go down in history. 62 00:03:31,878 --> 00:03:34,614 In 1912, 63 00:03:34,714 --> 00:03:38,051 after two failed attempts, Shackleton was planning 64 00:03:38,151 --> 00:03:40,487 his third expedition to the South Pole 65 00:03:40,587 --> 00:03:43,189 when the devastating word arrived that he had 66 00:03:43,289 --> 00:03:46,726 already been beaten there by fellow explorer, Amundsen. 67 00:03:52,866 --> 00:03:55,468 But Shackleton wasn't going 68 00:03:55,568 --> 00:03:57,904 to give up on his lust for glory. 69 00:03:58,004 --> 00:04:00,240 He set his sights on a new goal. 70 00:04:00,340 --> 00:04:02,709 Although explorers had visited different sections 71 00:04:02,809 --> 00:04:04,911 of Antarctica, no one had ever 72 00:04:05,011 --> 00:04:07,714 trekked across the entire continent. 73 00:04:07,814 --> 00:04:10,483 The idea was bold and dangerous. 74 00:04:10,583 --> 00:04:13,420 Shackleton named the adventure "The Imperial 75 00:04:13,520 --> 00:04:16,489 Trans-Antarctic Expedition." 76 00:04:16,589 --> 00:04:20,293 So who was Sir Ernest Shackleton? 77 00:04:20,393 --> 00:04:24,364 What drove him to risk his life and the lives of others? 78 00:04:24,464 --> 00:04:27,133 Why did he want to be first? 79 00:04:27,233 --> 00:04:29,936 To find out, I'm here at the institute archives 80 00:04:30,036 --> 00:04:33,139 to meet with a woman who knows the Shackleton legend 81 00:04:33,239 --> 00:04:35,308 better than anyone... 82 00:04:35,408 --> 00:04:37,477 his granddaughter. 83 00:04:45,685 --> 00:04:48,154 Alexandra--hello, Don. Nice to meet you. 84 00:04:48,254 --> 00:04:50,223 Oh, it's lovely to see you. It is an honor to meet you. 85 00:04:50,323 --> 00:04:52,926 WILDMAN: Alexandra's father was Shackleton's son. 86 00:04:53,026 --> 00:04:56,329 Although she never met her famous grandfather, 87 00:04:56,429 --> 00:04:59,132 she works tirelessly to preserve his legacy. 88 00:04:59,232 --> 00:05:01,468 Today, she's sharing 89 00:05:01,568 --> 00:05:03,737 some of his most cherished items with me, 90 00:05:03,837 --> 00:05:06,539 including his own personal journal and an original 91 00:05:06,639 --> 00:05:08,908 brochure from the expedition. 92 00:05:09,009 --> 00:05:10,977 Oh, look at that. 93 00:05:11,077 --> 00:05:14,481 This was an enormous undertaking 94 00:05:14,581 --> 00:05:17,484 just to organize, nevermind to accomplish. 95 00:05:17,584 --> 00:05:19,519 It was very ambitious. 96 00:05:19,619 --> 00:05:22,155 I mean, after Ernie Shackleton failed to get to the Pole, 97 00:05:22,255 --> 00:05:24,557 he regarded this as the last great adventure, 98 00:05:24,657 --> 00:05:26,659 to cross the Antarctic. 99 00:05:26,760 --> 00:05:28,928 WILDMAN: While some explorers were independently wealthy, 100 00:05:29,029 --> 00:05:31,598 Shackleton was not, so he raised his money 101 00:05:31,698 --> 00:05:33,767 from rich donors who wanted to be associated 102 00:05:33,867 --> 00:05:36,136 with a history-making feat. 103 00:05:36,236 --> 00:05:38,471 It took almost four years to put together 104 00:05:38,571 --> 00:05:41,207 the 80,000 pounds needed for the trip. 105 00:05:41,307 --> 00:05:43,476 That's about $10 million today. 106 00:05:43,576 --> 00:05:46,579 Why the Antarctic? Because the Antarctic 107 00:05:46,680 --> 00:05:49,015 was unknown, beautiful, romantic, exciting, 108 00:05:49,115 --> 00:05:52,352 offered better possibilities for adventure and discovery 109 00:05:52,452 --> 00:05:54,654 than probably any other part of the world. 110 00:05:54,754 --> 00:05:57,791 And the point of the expedition is that no one had ever 111 00:05:57,891 --> 00:06:00,593 crossed the continent. No one had done it before. 112 00:06:00,694 --> 00:06:03,863 WILDMAN: Unlike earlier explorers, who stood to make 113 00:06:03,963 --> 00:06:06,800 money from discovering new trade routes, 114 00:06:06,900 --> 00:06:10,904 polar adventurers were driven by competition and glory. 115 00:06:14,307 --> 00:06:17,377 So he buys a ship called the Polaris , Yes. 116 00:06:17,477 --> 00:06:20,380 renames it the Endurance . Where did that name come from? SHACKLETON: Renames her. 117 00:06:20,480 --> 00:06:22,649 It's called Endurance 'cause it's a Shackleton family motto, 118 00:06:22,749 --> 00:06:25,485 "By endurance we conquer." By endurance we conquer. 119 00:06:25,585 --> 00:06:28,988 WILDMAN: One of ten children born into a middle class family, 120 00:06:29,089 --> 00:06:32,025 Shackleton joined the merchant navy at the age of 16 121 00:06:32,125 --> 00:06:34,828 and soon acquired a taste for adventure. 122 00:06:34,928 --> 00:06:37,464 His first experience in Antarctica 123 00:06:37,564 --> 00:06:40,033 was in 1901 as part of a failed attempt 124 00:06:40,133 --> 00:06:41,968 to trek to the South Pole. 125 00:06:42,068 --> 00:06:44,971 There, he fell ill with scurvy, snow blindness, 126 00:06:45,071 --> 00:06:48,108 and frostbite and only just made it back alive, 127 00:06:48,208 --> 00:06:50,810 but despite the defeat, the trip cemented 128 00:06:50,910 --> 00:06:53,947 his desire to unlock the secrets of the frozen continent. 129 00:06:58,385 --> 00:07:00,954 By the time he came to assemble the crew 130 00:07:01,054 --> 00:07:03,723 for the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition, 131 00:07:03,823 --> 00:07:05,892 his qualities as a leader 132 00:07:05,992 --> 00:07:08,695 were well established. 133 00:07:08,795 --> 00:07:11,664 Shackleton was not a typical leader of those times. 134 00:07:11,765 --> 00:07:14,334 He took great trouble to get to know his men. 135 00:07:14,434 --> 00:07:17,704 He was, um... very, very practical. 136 00:07:17,804 --> 00:07:19,773 He would do any odd job on an expedition, 137 00:07:19,873 --> 00:07:22,008 however menial, which was quite unusual 138 00:07:22,108 --> 00:07:24,277 for 100 years ago, but he was also a very 139 00:07:24,377 --> 00:07:27,313 romantic man who wrote poetry and love literature. 140 00:07:27,414 --> 00:07:29,649 WILDMAN: Very disciplined person? SHACKLETON: Very disciplined. 141 00:07:29,749 --> 00:07:32,085 Also, very pragmatic. Mm. 142 00:07:32,185 --> 00:07:34,487 He didn't look back-- that was one of his most important qualities. 143 00:07:34,587 --> 00:07:37,524 WILDMAN: Crewing up for the dangerous adventure 144 00:07:37,624 --> 00:07:39,526 proved easier than he thought. 145 00:07:39,626 --> 00:07:42,696 More than 5,000 people applied, each sharing 146 00:07:42,796 --> 00:07:45,565 in Shackleton's desire to be part of a momentous, 147 00:07:45,665 --> 00:07:47,600 history-making journey. 148 00:07:47,701 --> 00:07:50,303 He once listed the qualities he required of a polar explorer, 149 00:07:50,403 --> 00:07:52,772 and the first one was optimism. 150 00:07:52,872 --> 00:07:54,441 WILDMAN: With his pick of the litter, 151 00:07:54,541 --> 00:07:56,609 Shackleton was able to select the best of the best 152 00:07:56,710 --> 00:07:59,446 and put together a robust and skilled crew. 153 00:07:59,546 --> 00:08:02,615 Of the 27 men on board, there were not only 154 00:08:02,716 --> 00:08:05,251 professional seamen but scientists, 155 00:08:05,352 --> 00:08:08,254 engineers, surgeons, and even a photographer 156 00:08:08,355 --> 00:08:11,391 and an artist--in fact, with help from one of 157 00:08:11,491 --> 00:08:13,693 the wealthy donors, the expedition was outfitted 158 00:08:13,793 --> 00:08:16,096 with both still and motion cameras, 159 00:08:16,196 --> 00:08:19,499 and the incredible footage still exists today. 160 00:08:23,336 --> 00:08:25,472 The Endurance was loaded with dried food 161 00:08:25,572 --> 00:08:28,475 and drinking water and more than 60 sled dogs 162 00:08:28,575 --> 00:08:30,977 to drag them across the continent. 163 00:08:31,077 --> 00:08:33,813 On August 1, 1914, 164 00:08:33,913 --> 00:08:36,349 Shackleton bid farewell to his family, 165 00:08:36,449 --> 00:08:38,952 and the ship set sail for Antarctica. 166 00:08:39,052 --> 00:08:42,455 Shackleton was confident he would succeed. 167 00:08:49,596 --> 00:08:51,498 Five months later, as the Endurance 168 00:08:51,598 --> 00:08:54,100 made its way through the ice-packed Southern Ocean, 169 00:08:54,200 --> 00:08:56,736 they had their first 170 00:08:56,836 --> 00:08:59,606 spotting of the continent. 171 00:08:59,706 --> 00:09:02,442 The expedition was going well. 172 00:09:02,542 --> 00:09:05,145 [ Distant shouting ] 173 00:09:05,245 --> 00:09:06,813 But in mid-January, 174 00:09:06,913 --> 00:09:09,149 all that changed. 175 00:09:09,249 --> 00:09:12,018 One hundred miles from the coast of Antarctica, 176 00:09:12,118 --> 00:09:15,221 they found themselves gridlocked in ice. 177 00:09:15,321 --> 00:09:18,792 The majestic vessel could no longer move. 178 00:09:18,892 --> 00:09:22,295 So describe for me exactly what happens when the Endurance 179 00:09:22,395 --> 00:09:24,130 first gets, uh, stranded. 180 00:09:24,230 --> 00:09:27,400 Well, they tried to pull her out of it. 181 00:09:27,500 --> 00:09:30,603 They heaved her and then took ropes 182 00:09:30,704 --> 00:09:32,405 and made a path through the ice, 183 00:09:32,505 --> 00:09:34,507 but it was hopeless-- the ice was too heavy. 184 00:09:34,607 --> 00:09:36,810 WILDMAN: January 18, 1915. 185 00:09:36,910 --> 00:09:39,379 Shackleton and his men were stranded in the middle 186 00:09:39,479 --> 00:09:42,649 of the Weddell Sea, inside the Antarctic Circle. 187 00:09:42,749 --> 00:09:45,552 So Ernest Shackleton decides they have to abandon 188 00:09:45,652 --> 00:09:48,688 the ship and live on the ice. Yes, beside her. 189 00:09:56,429 --> 00:09:58,898 WILDMAN: The men unloaded their supplies of food 190 00:09:58,998 --> 00:10:01,234 and fresh water from the ship and set up camp 191 00:10:01,334 --> 00:10:03,336 on the ice. 192 00:10:03,436 --> 00:10:05,638 The plan was to wait for the weather to warm up 193 00:10:05,739 --> 00:10:08,641 so the ice would melt and allow them to sail on. 194 00:10:08,742 --> 00:10:12,312 SHACKLETON: But Ernest Shackleton was very aware 195 00:10:12,412 --> 00:10:14,681 that people living in difficult and dangerous circumstances 196 00:10:14,781 --> 00:10:17,951 on the ice, routine was the key. 197 00:10:18,051 --> 00:10:20,620 Breakfast was at nine, the jobs are shared out. 198 00:10:20,720 --> 00:10:24,724 There were football matches, there were amateur theatricals. 199 00:10:24,824 --> 00:10:27,394 There were dog races, birthdays were celebrated Mmhm. 200 00:10:27,494 --> 00:10:29,396 to keep everyone busy. 201 00:10:29,496 --> 00:10:31,631 And he was beloved by his men. Yes. 202 00:10:31,731 --> 00:10:34,234 WILDMAN: Nicknamed "The Boss," 203 00:10:34,334 --> 00:10:37,737 Shackleton was dedicated to his crew's wellbeing. 204 00:10:37,837 --> 00:10:39,572 How did they eat-- what were they eating? 205 00:10:39,673 --> 00:10:41,675 Well, there was a cook-- he would make bread, 206 00:10:41,775 --> 00:10:44,544 biscuits, stew--originally beef, but then it would be 207 00:10:44,644 --> 00:10:47,013 penguin stew, whatever he could do. 208 00:10:47,113 --> 00:10:49,983 WILDMAN: Every morning, Shackleton would parse out 209 00:10:50,083 --> 00:10:53,086 the rations to all 27 men, making hot milk 210 00:10:53,186 --> 00:10:55,588 and hand-delivering it to the tents. 211 00:10:55,689 --> 00:10:58,758 Still, conditions were brutal, 212 00:10:58,858 --> 00:11:02,328 and living on a slab of ice in the middle of the ocean 213 00:11:02,429 --> 00:11:05,131 was incredibly dangerous. 214 00:11:05,231 --> 00:11:07,901 As the sea surged beneath, 215 00:11:08,001 --> 00:11:11,871 the ice constantly shifted and cracked open unexpectedly. 216 00:11:11,971 --> 00:11:15,241 The men had to be vigilant so as not to end up 217 00:11:15,342 --> 00:11:17,911 in the frigid water. 218 00:11:18,011 --> 00:11:20,580 Did he have regrets about this, having put himself 219 00:11:20,680 --> 00:11:22,849 and his men in this situation? I don't think so. 220 00:11:22,949 --> 00:11:25,752 Nobody had to come. They were all volunteers. Mmhm. Right. 221 00:11:29,923 --> 00:11:32,459 WILDMAN: As days and weeks ticked by, they tried to free 222 00:11:32,559 --> 00:11:35,628 their ship from the ice, but to no avail. 223 00:11:35,729 --> 00:11:39,466 On November 21st, eleven months 224 00:11:39,566 --> 00:11:42,335 after becoming trapped, the unthinkable happened. 225 00:11:46,039 --> 00:11:48,875 The shifting ice crushed the Endurance . 226 00:11:48,975 --> 00:11:51,911 The men watched as the masts crumbled under the strain, 227 00:11:52,012 --> 00:11:55,315 and their beloved ship sank to the bottom of the ocean. 228 00:11:55,415 --> 00:11:58,284 Shackleton recorded the moment in this very diary. 229 00:11:58,385 --> 00:12:01,588 "She went today, I was standing, ran up to the front. 230 00:12:01,688 --> 00:12:04,657 At 5pm, she went down by the head." 231 00:12:10,797 --> 00:12:12,732 They abandon the ship. Yes. 232 00:12:12,832 --> 00:12:15,402 And, in essence, abandon the expedition, 233 00:12:15,502 --> 00:12:17,804 and it turns into a... Fight for survival. 234 00:12:17,904 --> 00:12:20,340 ...a fight for survival. That's amazing. 235 00:12:20,440 --> 00:12:23,877 Their ship was gone, and with the expedition 236 00:12:23,977 --> 00:12:27,180 not due back in England for another two years, 237 00:12:27,280 --> 00:12:30,717 no one back home would have any idea they were in trouble. 238 00:12:30,817 --> 00:12:34,054 There would be no one coming to their rescue. 239 00:12:34,154 --> 00:12:37,957 How could they survive such a cold and desolate place? 240 00:12:38,058 --> 00:12:41,594 What were Shackleton and his men going to do now? 241 00:12:47,067 --> 00:12:49,102 WILDMAN: Polar explorer, Sir Ernest Shackleton, 242 00:12:49,202 --> 00:12:52,605 and his 27 men were stranded near the Antarctic continent 243 00:12:52,706 --> 00:12:55,208 after their ship was crushed by ice and sank 244 00:12:55,308 --> 00:12:57,711 to the bottom of the sea. 245 00:12:57,811 --> 00:13:01,081 For a year, they lived on the unstable ice floe 246 00:13:01,181 --> 00:13:03,750 as the water surged beneath them, 247 00:13:03,850 --> 00:13:06,386 their supplies and food running out. 248 00:13:06,486 --> 00:13:08,955 Death was drawing near. 249 00:13:09,055 --> 00:13:11,791 What started as a rough adventure had become 250 00:13:11,891 --> 00:13:14,327 a daily fight for survival. 251 00:13:14,427 --> 00:13:16,529 As the men burned through their supplies, 252 00:13:16,629 --> 00:13:19,399 battled the elements, and struggled to stay sane, 253 00:13:19,499 --> 00:13:21,501 Shackleton made a decision. 254 00:13:21,601 --> 00:13:25,038 The only way to survive was to leave the ice in search of land, 255 00:13:25,138 --> 00:13:28,708 but how in the world would they do that with a sunken ship? 256 00:13:34,147 --> 00:13:37,050 Before the Endurance sank, Shackleton had the foresight 257 00:13:37,150 --> 00:13:40,220 to retrieve three small lifeboats from the vessel. 258 00:13:42,856 --> 00:13:46,226 One of them, the James Caird , is on display here 259 00:13:46,326 --> 00:13:48,895 at Shackleton's former school in London. 260 00:13:48,995 --> 00:13:50,797 Oh, hey, look at that. 261 00:13:50,897 --> 00:13:52,999 Pretty. 262 00:13:56,136 --> 00:13:58,405 These three tiny boats were their only hope 263 00:13:58,505 --> 00:14:00,640 of returning to civilization. 264 00:14:04,511 --> 00:14:07,113 But before they could even attempt to reach solid land, 265 00:14:07,213 --> 00:14:09,916 the boats would have to be transported more than 266 00:14:10,016 --> 00:14:13,053 ten miles across the ice to the open sea. 267 00:14:15,922 --> 00:14:17,957 The men loaded the boats onto sledge runners, 268 00:14:18,058 --> 00:14:20,493 and along with a team of dogs, dragged them the vast 269 00:14:20,593 --> 00:14:23,029 distance to the water's edge. 270 00:14:23,129 --> 00:14:25,198 They had to be alert-- at any moment, 271 00:14:25,298 --> 00:14:27,634 the shifting ice beneath them could crack, 272 00:14:27,734 --> 00:14:30,337 and they'd be swallowed up by the bitter, cold sea. 273 00:14:30,437 --> 00:14:33,640 It was a miracle they had survived this long, 274 00:14:33,740 --> 00:14:37,610 but finally, they reached open water. 275 00:14:37,711 --> 00:14:40,480 But not everything or everyone 276 00:14:40,580 --> 00:14:43,149 could fit into these tiny boats. 277 00:14:43,249 --> 00:14:46,486 Shackleton had to make a difficult decision. 278 00:14:46,586 --> 00:14:48,955 In order to save his entire crew of men, 279 00:14:49,055 --> 00:14:52,459 he'd have to sacrifice the team of dogs and use the meat 280 00:14:52,559 --> 00:14:55,695 for sustenance on the near impossible journey to come. 281 00:14:55,795 --> 00:14:59,632 With the boats packed, Shackleton set his sights 282 00:14:59,733 --> 00:15:03,770 on the closest piece of land approximately 100 miles away, 283 00:15:03,870 --> 00:15:07,407 a bleak outcrop of rock known as Elephant Island. 284 00:15:07,507 --> 00:15:10,543 And led by the James Caird, they set out 285 00:15:10,643 --> 00:15:13,413 in search of land-- what was it like 286 00:15:13,513 --> 00:15:16,850 for Shackleton and his men to sail in boats this size? 287 00:15:24,758 --> 00:15:27,160 There's one person I know who can give me some answers. 288 00:15:27,260 --> 00:15:30,563 I'm up here in the coastal highlands of Scotland 289 00:15:30,663 --> 00:15:32,599 to meet with Seb Coulthard. 290 00:15:32,699 --> 00:15:35,268 Seb's a sailor, engineer, and adventurer with a unique 291 00:15:35,368 --> 00:15:37,570 insight into the Shackleton story. 292 00:15:37,671 --> 00:15:39,539 He knows a few things about the lifeboats 293 00:15:39,639 --> 00:15:41,307 and the men who sail those. 294 00:15:44,577 --> 00:15:46,813 He's actually retraced Shackleton's journey 295 00:15:46,913 --> 00:15:48,982 in the waters surrounding Antarctica, 296 00:15:49,082 --> 00:15:51,951 and he's built an exact replica of Shackleton's famous 297 00:15:52,052 --> 00:15:54,254 lifeboat, the James Caird . 298 00:15:54,354 --> 00:15:57,624 How you doing? Very well, thank you. 299 00:15:57,724 --> 00:15:59,726 How are you? Don, nice to meet you. 300 00:16:01,728 --> 00:16:04,197 Ah, it is an honor and a privilege to be aboard this. 301 00:16:04,297 --> 00:16:07,200 Ha ha, it's a pleasure to have you on board. WILDMAN: Let's go sailin'. 302 00:16:07,300 --> 00:16:09,669 COULTHARD: Hand over hand, please. 303 00:16:09,769 --> 00:16:12,706 Watch your head, yard going up. 304 00:16:12,806 --> 00:16:15,675 I mean, this is all very basic rigging, isn't it? It is. 305 00:16:15,775 --> 00:16:18,178 Oh, keep going. That's it. Yeah. 306 00:16:22,349 --> 00:16:24,651 WILDMAN: Tell me how exact is this boat? 307 00:16:24,751 --> 00:16:28,088 This is the most accurate replica, uh, 308 00:16:28,188 --> 00:16:30,090 sea-worthy replica in the world. 309 00:16:30,190 --> 00:16:32,726 You know, these fittings, they were all made 310 00:16:32,826 --> 00:16:34,861 by the same company that produced the original fittings 311 00:16:34,961 --> 00:16:36,996 for the original boat. That's so cool! 312 00:16:37,097 --> 00:16:39,566 And I imagine underneath, same story, right? 313 00:16:39,666 --> 00:16:42,235 Everything down below is as authentic as we can get it. 314 00:16:47,440 --> 00:16:49,943 Every single item here has a story behind it, 315 00:16:50,043 --> 00:16:51,611 a function, at least, yeah? Yeah. 316 00:16:51,711 --> 00:16:53,613 Every piece was brought on board the boat 317 00:16:53,713 --> 00:16:57,217 for a very practical reason. Yeah. 318 00:16:59,586 --> 00:17:01,554 So they would be sleeping right on these-- 319 00:17:01,654 --> 00:17:03,656 this bed of rocks. Yeah. 320 00:17:03,757 --> 00:17:07,594 In what? Um, they used reindeer-skin sleeping bags. 321 00:17:07,694 --> 00:17:09,863 Okay. 322 00:17:09,963 --> 00:17:12,265 COULTHARD: Theirs were rotting. WILDMAN: Right. 323 00:17:12,365 --> 00:17:14,300 COULTHARD: They were festering-- the hide was literally 324 00:17:14,401 --> 00:17:17,604 dissolving, so you can imagine the smell. WILDMAN: Yeah, awful. 325 00:17:17,704 --> 00:17:19,873 WILDMAN: As the men sailed towards Elephant Island, 326 00:17:19,973 --> 00:17:22,308 the rough seas pummeled their boats. 327 00:17:22,409 --> 00:17:24,310 Everything was wet-- they were wet. 328 00:17:24,411 --> 00:17:27,781 Every wave would come in and just submerge people down here. 329 00:17:30,784 --> 00:17:32,986 I think the best way to describe it-- it was horrific. 330 00:17:38,958 --> 00:17:40,860 WILDMAN: But the wild waters were just the beginning 331 00:17:40,960 --> 00:17:43,196 of their problems-- once darkness fell, 332 00:17:43,296 --> 00:17:45,732 it was almost impossible for the three boats 333 00:17:45,832 --> 00:17:48,234 to stay in contact with each other. 334 00:17:48,335 --> 00:17:50,136 COULTHARD: Their biggest fear was the dark, WILDMAN: Hm. 335 00:17:50,236 --> 00:17:52,105 because you can't see the icebergs coming. 336 00:17:52,205 --> 00:17:54,007 WILDMAN: So Shackleton instructed the men 337 00:17:54,107 --> 00:17:55,742 to pull the boats out of the water 338 00:17:55,842 --> 00:17:58,845 and camp on an ice floe for the night. 339 00:17:58,945 --> 00:18:01,414 On top of all the other challenges, 340 00:18:01,514 --> 00:18:04,818 the freezing cold temperatures were a deadly threat. 341 00:18:04,918 --> 00:18:08,621 It could be a hundred degrees below zero Fahrenheit. 342 00:18:08,722 --> 00:18:11,391 Yeah, easily. What does that even feel like? 343 00:18:11,491 --> 00:18:14,127 It's horrifically painful. How did they stay warm? 344 00:18:14,227 --> 00:18:18,031 They had to wear a very complex layer system of clothing. Mmhm. 345 00:18:18,131 --> 00:18:20,700 Which, to be honest, is very comparable 346 00:18:20,800 --> 00:18:23,103 to the, sort of, layering system that we use today. 347 00:18:23,203 --> 00:18:26,673 WILDMAN: So you got four layers, is that right? 348 00:18:26,773 --> 00:18:29,843 You got the... Four layers, so there's your underwear. 349 00:18:29,943 --> 00:18:32,645 That's your Jaeger wool underwear. 350 00:18:32,746 --> 00:18:35,782 This is the mid layer, which goes on top. Yeah. 351 00:18:35,882 --> 00:18:38,051 Then you have your insulating layer, 352 00:18:38,151 --> 00:18:41,254 that's your woolly jumper. There you go. 353 00:18:41,354 --> 00:18:45,258 And then you have the Gabardine cotton blouse. Ah. Ah. 354 00:18:45,358 --> 00:18:47,360 WILDMAN: The cotton outer layer was oiled 355 00:18:47,460 --> 00:18:49,462 but not waterproof. 356 00:18:55,135 --> 00:18:58,071 The footwear, believe it or not, they didn't have enough leather 357 00:18:58,171 --> 00:19:00,073 boots to go around for everybody, 358 00:19:00,173 --> 00:19:04,277 so they used reindeer hide as reindeer hide socks 359 00:19:04,377 --> 00:19:06,613 and just pulled them on, and they were latched on 360 00:19:06,713 --> 00:19:09,916 around their ankles. Every part of their body had to be covered, 361 00:19:10,016 --> 00:19:12,552 or it would've gotten frostbite. Yeah. 362 00:19:12,652 --> 00:19:15,355 Every part, hands, head, 363 00:19:15,455 --> 00:19:17,123 face, had to be covered. 364 00:19:17,223 --> 00:19:20,727 Too much exposure to the cold will lead to hypothermia 365 00:19:20,827 --> 00:19:23,763 Sure. and frostbite and eventually death. 366 00:19:28,735 --> 00:19:30,637 WILDMAN: Being on this replica gives me a real 367 00:19:30,737 --> 00:19:33,139 appreciation for what Shackleton and his men were up against 368 00:19:33,239 --> 00:19:36,076 in their hundred-mile passage to Elephant Island. 369 00:19:36,176 --> 00:19:39,512 COULTHARD: The Southern Ocean doesn't differentiate 370 00:19:39,612 --> 00:19:42,382 between a professional sailor or somebody who's 371 00:19:42,482 --> 00:19:44,384 just taken up sailing. Sure. 372 00:19:44,484 --> 00:19:45,985 It will kill you if you're not careful. 373 00:19:46,086 --> 00:19:48,755 WILDMAN: It's one of the most unpredictable bodies of water in the world. 374 00:19:48,855 --> 00:19:51,358 There are huge swells, 375 00:19:51,458 --> 00:19:54,194 strong currents, and powerful tides, 376 00:19:54,294 --> 00:19:56,796 and that's not all-- if the crashing waves 377 00:19:56,896 --> 00:19:59,332 and subzero temperatures didn't kill them, 378 00:19:59,432 --> 00:20:02,102 something even more fearsome might. 379 00:20:02,202 --> 00:20:05,005 Sure enough, as they made their way across the sea, 380 00:20:05,105 --> 00:20:08,508 a pod of killer whales swam dangerously close to them, 381 00:20:08,608 --> 00:20:11,678 and the wake threatened to capsize the three boats. 382 00:20:11,778 --> 00:20:15,482 To me, everything about this seems impossible. 383 00:20:19,786 --> 00:20:23,857 Finally, overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds, 384 00:20:23,957 --> 00:20:27,927 Shackleton and his men and all three boats reach land. 385 00:20:28,028 --> 00:20:31,197 On April 16, 1916, 386 00:20:31,297 --> 00:20:34,000 after seven grueling days of sailing, 387 00:20:34,100 --> 00:20:36,803 the haggard group finally made it to Elephant Island. 388 00:20:36,903 --> 00:20:39,506 It was the first time they'd set foot 389 00:20:39,606 --> 00:20:42,642 on physical land in nearly 500 days. 390 00:20:42,742 --> 00:20:44,944 Shackleton and his men made camp, 391 00:20:45,045 --> 00:20:47,614 but without anyone else knowing where they were, 392 00:20:47,714 --> 00:20:50,050 how are they gonna be rescued, 393 00:20:50,150 --> 00:20:53,186 and how long could they actually survive here? 394 00:21:01,961 --> 00:21:03,997 WILDMAN: In 1914, polar explorer, 395 00:21:04,097 --> 00:21:05,965 Sir Ernest Shackleton, and his crew 396 00:21:06,066 --> 00:21:08,134 set out to conquer Antarctica. 397 00:21:08,234 --> 00:21:10,737 But what started 398 00:21:10,837 --> 00:21:13,640 as a landmark expedition turned into an impossible 399 00:21:13,740 --> 00:21:15,742 quest for survival. 400 00:21:17,777 --> 00:21:20,380 After living from 15 months on the shifting ice 401 00:21:20,480 --> 00:21:23,116 and sailing for seven harrowing days, 402 00:21:23,216 --> 00:21:26,453 Shackleton and his 27 men successfully made it 403 00:21:26,553 --> 00:21:30,190 to the shores of Elephant Island and set up camp. 404 00:21:30,290 --> 00:21:32,625 To simulate their experience, 405 00:21:32,726 --> 00:21:34,894 I'm in Jungfrau, Switzerland. 406 00:21:34,994 --> 00:21:37,030 This place has 407 00:21:37,130 --> 00:21:39,899 a very similar terrain to islands in that region, 408 00:21:40,000 --> 00:21:41,901 including Elephant Island. 409 00:21:42,002 --> 00:21:44,371 I mean, being here gives me a real sense of what-- 410 00:21:44,471 --> 00:21:47,140 these harsh conditions the men were up against. 411 00:21:49,242 --> 00:21:51,678 I'm with adventurer and Shackleton expert, Seb Coulthard, 412 00:21:51,778 --> 00:21:54,547 and we're racing against time and battling the elements 413 00:21:54,647 --> 00:21:56,516 setting up for the night. 414 00:21:56,616 --> 00:21:58,852 That's a strong wind. It's what you're really dealing with here. 415 00:21:58,952 --> 00:22:00,353 Man, look at that strength of that wind. 416 00:22:00,453 --> 00:22:02,489 It's unbelievable when you're in these conditions. 417 00:22:02,589 --> 00:22:05,892 Elephant Island was uninhabited, 418 00:22:05,992 --> 00:22:08,628 and no one else knew where they were, 419 00:22:08,728 --> 00:22:12,465 so...should they just wait here and hope 420 00:22:12,565 --> 00:22:14,968 or come up with a new plan? 421 00:22:25,779 --> 00:22:28,281 These guys have been-- have been living on ice 422 00:22:28,381 --> 00:22:30,417 for a long time. 423 00:22:30,517 --> 00:22:33,253 Now they're on land-- are there other challenges to that? 424 00:22:33,353 --> 00:22:37,223 Yes, the main challenge was finding, um, 425 00:22:37,323 --> 00:22:40,326 a supply of food to supplement Yeah. 426 00:22:40,427 --> 00:22:43,596 The dried provisions that they had managed to save. 427 00:22:43,697 --> 00:22:45,699 The trouble is is that when winter comes, 428 00:22:45,799 --> 00:22:47,967 the animals retreat, you know, they go to the feeding grounds 429 00:22:48,068 --> 00:22:51,037 in the warmer areas, so they had to kill 430 00:22:51,137 --> 00:22:54,040 as many penguins and as many seals as they could. Right. 431 00:22:54,140 --> 00:22:57,577 Then you need fire to keep them warm and fed. Right. 432 00:22:57,677 --> 00:23:00,480 How do they make a fire? I mean, we've done this... 433 00:23:00,580 --> 00:23:03,516 They actually run out of the supply of wood. Right. 434 00:23:03,616 --> 00:23:06,553 So they began to burn the seal skin, the blubber, 435 00:23:06,653 --> 00:23:10,390 the penguin skins from the animals that they were eating. 436 00:23:10,490 --> 00:23:12,759 I mean, these were despairing conditions, 437 00:23:12,859 --> 00:23:14,427 dire circumstances. 438 00:23:14,527 --> 00:23:16,730 The men were in very poor physical condition 439 00:23:16,830 --> 00:23:19,399 at this point-- Shackleton felt 440 00:23:19,499 --> 00:23:22,635 he had to find some form of rescue. 441 00:23:22,736 --> 00:23:24,771 I mean...wow. 442 00:23:24,871 --> 00:23:28,108 The wind is really kicking up up here. [ Chuckles ] 443 00:23:28,208 --> 00:23:31,311 These lives, I mean, these guys' lives depended on Shackleton. 444 00:23:31,411 --> 00:23:33,380 He had that full responsibility. 445 00:23:33,480 --> 00:23:35,048 Yeah, and he felt it. 446 00:23:40,353 --> 00:23:42,655 WILDMAN: On Elephant Island, the men's food supplies 447 00:23:42,756 --> 00:23:45,125 were dwindling-- Shackleton realized that time 448 00:23:45,225 --> 00:23:47,160 was running out. 449 00:23:47,260 --> 00:23:49,295 If he didn't act quickly, he and his men 450 00:23:49,396 --> 00:23:52,799 would surely die-- Shackleton made a decision. 451 00:23:52,899 --> 00:23:56,002 He picked the five healthiest and strongest men 452 00:23:56,102 --> 00:23:58,571 and set off in the James Caird 453 00:23:58,672 --> 00:24:01,708 to South Georgia island, 800 miles away. 454 00:24:01,808 --> 00:24:05,578 There, they would find a whaling station 455 00:24:05,679 --> 00:24:07,881 and, more importantly, people. 456 00:24:07,981 --> 00:24:10,183 If they could make it, 457 00:24:10,283 --> 00:24:12,185 they had a chance to survive 458 00:24:12,285 --> 00:24:15,488 and save the 22 men they left behind. 459 00:24:15,588 --> 00:24:19,592 It would be the most difficult journey of their lives. 460 00:24:23,663 --> 00:24:25,665 Day after day, the men braved the elements 461 00:24:25,765 --> 00:24:28,134 as the violent sea threatened to capsize 462 00:24:28,234 --> 00:24:30,704 the small, wooden boat. 463 00:24:30,804 --> 00:24:33,640 On the twelfth day, it looked as though 464 00:24:33,740 --> 00:24:35,842 their journey was over. 465 00:24:39,479 --> 00:24:41,748 Shackleton was at the helm, and he can see 466 00:24:41,848 --> 00:24:44,084 this white line, and he thinks it's the horizon. 467 00:24:44,184 --> 00:24:45,518 It's not. 468 00:24:45,618 --> 00:24:48,755 It's the crest of an enormous wave starting to rise 469 00:24:48,855 --> 00:24:51,091 higher and higher and higher. WILDMAN: Ooh. 470 00:24:51,191 --> 00:24:52,926 COULTHARD: Almost 90 feet. Wow! 471 00:24:53,026 --> 00:24:54,594 And you can imagine the moment where he looks down 472 00:24:54,694 --> 00:24:56,763 at the skipper, and he looks him in the eye, and he goes, 473 00:24:56,863 --> 00:24:58,465 "Oh, my God, it's got us!" 474 00:25:01,468 --> 00:25:03,570 Everyone's freezing to death. It's frightening. 475 00:25:03,670 --> 00:25:06,439 Nobody knows precisely how is it that they manage to survive it. 476 00:25:12,445 --> 00:25:14,748 WILDMAN: Shackleton and his men survive the wave, 477 00:25:14,848 --> 00:25:17,150 but the James Caird did not fare as well. 478 00:25:17,250 --> 00:25:21,154 The boat was very badly damaged, and the planking 479 00:25:21,254 --> 00:25:23,189 began to open up, WILDMAN: Mmhm. 480 00:25:23,289 --> 00:25:26,126 uh, especially at the front of the boat where it met the wave head-on. 481 00:25:26,226 --> 00:25:28,595 And so they have to actually re--they had to 482 00:25:28,695 --> 00:25:30,263 repair the boat while they were sailing it. 483 00:25:30,363 --> 00:25:32,132 They tried, but it didn't work. Oh. 484 00:25:32,232 --> 00:25:34,267 They didn't have the materials necessary to fix it, 485 00:25:34,367 --> 00:25:36,269 um, so... 486 00:25:36,369 --> 00:25:38,571 They just keep on bailing. Keep on bailing. 487 00:25:38,672 --> 00:25:40,473 WILDMAN: Time was of the essence. 488 00:25:40,573 --> 00:25:42,976 If the boat filled with water, it would sink, 489 00:25:43,076 --> 00:25:45,679 and within minutes of being submerged, Shackleton 490 00:25:45,779 --> 00:25:47,681 and his men would die. 491 00:25:56,389 --> 00:25:58,825 WILDMAN: Polar explorer, Sir Ernest Shackleton, 492 00:25:58,925 --> 00:26:02,362 wanted to be the first person to cross the continent of Antarctica, 493 00:26:02,462 --> 00:26:05,999 but when his ship was crushed by ice and sank, 494 00:26:06,099 --> 00:26:09,669 his mission went from exploration to survival. 495 00:26:09,769 --> 00:26:14,474 Leaving 22 members of his crew on an uninhabited island, 496 00:26:14,574 --> 00:26:17,477 he and five others went in search of help. 497 00:26:17,577 --> 00:26:20,146 Their goal-- 498 00:26:20,246 --> 00:26:23,116 to sail 800 miles in a small lifeboat 499 00:26:23,216 --> 00:26:25,985 in some of the harshest conditions in the world 500 00:26:26,086 --> 00:26:29,656 to a whaling station on South Georgia Island. 501 00:26:31,458 --> 00:26:34,394 Their rescue mission was almost cut short by a rogue wave. 502 00:26:37,997 --> 00:26:40,066 The boat was damaged, but they were able 503 00:26:40,166 --> 00:26:42,168 to bail out enough water to continue. 504 00:26:42,268 --> 00:26:44,571 [ Dramatic music ] 505 00:26:46,573 --> 00:26:48,475 As the journey wore on, 506 00:26:48,575 --> 00:26:51,011 the men's health began to fail, and seasickness, 507 00:26:51,111 --> 00:26:54,214 frostbite, and hypothermia took hold. 508 00:26:54,314 --> 00:26:57,150 They were struggling to eat, struggling to drink, 509 00:26:57,250 --> 00:26:59,285 struggling to sleep. 510 00:26:59,386 --> 00:27:01,521 Can you even sleep on a boat like this? 511 00:27:01,621 --> 00:27:03,890 Not really, um... 512 00:27:03,990 --> 00:27:05,558 with the size of the waves they were experiencing, 513 00:27:05,658 --> 00:27:09,262 every time the trough of the waves heads towards the boat, 514 00:27:09,362 --> 00:27:11,464 it will smash onto the side of the boat, Wow. 515 00:27:11,564 --> 00:27:13,566 and down below, it's like a gunshot. 516 00:27:18,805 --> 00:27:20,740 WILDMAN: For Shackleton and his men to succeed, 517 00:27:20,840 --> 00:27:24,644 they would need sustenance, but even the simple act of eating 518 00:27:24,744 --> 00:27:27,280 was a monumental challenge. 519 00:27:27,380 --> 00:27:31,618 We're gonna use this little implement here. 520 00:27:31,718 --> 00:27:35,121 Clamp it between our feet. So this collaboration is how they did it. 521 00:27:35,221 --> 00:27:37,524 It has to be-- you can't cook on your own. 522 00:27:37,624 --> 00:27:39,459 You have to have another person. 523 00:27:39,559 --> 00:27:42,095 So what was on their menu? 524 00:27:42,195 --> 00:27:45,565 They were eating, um, a substance called hoosh. 525 00:27:45,665 --> 00:27:49,069 It's beef fat and lean beef 526 00:27:49,169 --> 00:27:50,970 that's been blended together, fifty-fifty, 527 00:27:51,071 --> 00:27:54,441 and they would have eaten three of these a day. 528 00:27:54,541 --> 00:27:57,077 At the time, there's water comin' in here, there's wind, 529 00:27:57,177 --> 00:27:59,813 there's all this sort of thing-- this is not some easy-going experience. 530 00:27:59,913 --> 00:28:03,750 No, imagine the waves crashing in, as well. Yeah. 531 00:28:03,850 --> 00:28:07,153 Because of the danger that this presents, 532 00:28:07,253 --> 00:28:10,623 this would've been a very, very tricky operation 533 00:28:10,724 --> 00:28:12,959 to carry out-- you imagine the clothing 534 00:28:13,059 --> 00:28:15,362 that they were wearing-- it was covered in blubber 535 00:28:15,462 --> 00:28:17,664 and oil, which made it water repellant. 536 00:28:17,764 --> 00:28:19,799 It also makes it flammable. 537 00:28:19,899 --> 00:28:21,601 God, that's just incredible. 538 00:28:21,701 --> 00:28:24,637 The fumes are almost seasickness-inducing. 539 00:28:24,738 --> 00:28:27,340 So, flame off. Okay, all right. 540 00:28:27,440 --> 00:28:29,009 Flame's off. 541 00:28:29,109 --> 00:28:30,710 So at this point, Shackleton would've shouted out, 542 00:28:30,810 --> 00:28:33,346 "Hoosh!" and gone straight in with his spoon. 543 00:28:33,446 --> 00:28:35,482 And we'd all eat from the same thing? Everybody. 544 00:28:35,582 --> 00:28:37,183 All right. 545 00:28:37,283 --> 00:28:39,586 I am dreading this, I have to say. 546 00:28:43,990 --> 00:28:46,860 It's not bad. The food is the key. 547 00:28:46,960 --> 00:28:49,662 Without--without the fuel to keep the body going, 548 00:28:49,763 --> 00:28:52,132 there would have been no rescue attempt. 549 00:28:56,403 --> 00:28:58,304 WILDMAN: Back on Elephant Island, the men were 550 00:28:58,405 --> 00:29:00,607 all becoming dangerously weak. 551 00:29:00,707 --> 00:29:02,409 Depression was prevalent. 552 00:29:02,509 --> 00:29:04,811 Many of them were ill and frostbitten. 553 00:29:04,911 --> 00:29:07,547 Still, they fought to survive. 554 00:29:07,647 --> 00:29:10,350 To stave off starvation, 555 00:29:10,450 --> 00:29:12,952 they hunted for penguins and seals. 556 00:29:13,053 --> 00:29:16,623 They used the two remaining lifeboats to block the wind, 557 00:29:16,723 --> 00:29:20,193 but there was no telling how long they will last. 558 00:29:24,731 --> 00:29:27,701 Against all odds, Shackleton once more 559 00:29:27,801 --> 00:29:30,003 does the seemingly impossible. 560 00:29:37,110 --> 00:29:39,679 Seventeen long days after leaving his men behind 561 00:29:39,779 --> 00:29:42,782 on Elephant Island, Shackleton and his team 562 00:29:42,882 --> 00:29:44,884 reach the shores of South Georgia. 563 00:29:48,254 --> 00:29:50,857 Hungry, thirsty, and soaked to the bone, 564 00:29:50,957 --> 00:29:54,194 their journey was still not over. 565 00:29:54,294 --> 00:29:56,196 The wind and currents had forced them 566 00:29:56,296 --> 00:29:58,531 to land on the western side of the island, 567 00:29:58,631 --> 00:30:01,701 opposite from where they needed to be, 568 00:30:01,801 --> 00:30:05,638 but their boat was so badly damaged, it would never 569 00:30:05,739 --> 00:30:08,308 make the trip around the island. 570 00:30:14,447 --> 00:30:16,850 They were 30 miles from the nearest whaling village 571 00:30:16,950 --> 00:30:19,386 and civilization-- the only way to get there 572 00:30:19,486 --> 00:30:22,288 was to trek over the mountains, but some of the men 573 00:30:22,389 --> 00:30:26,359 were in no condition to hike, suffering from frost nip 574 00:30:26,459 --> 00:30:29,562 and trench foot-- what would Shackleton do? 575 00:30:29,662 --> 00:30:32,599 Would he be able to save the men he was with? 576 00:30:32,699 --> 00:30:35,735 And what about the 22 others now stranded 577 00:30:35,835 --> 00:30:38,038 on Elephant Island? 578 00:30:45,912 --> 00:30:48,915 WILDMAN: Having lost his ship to the icy waters of the Antarctic, 579 00:30:49,015 --> 00:30:52,018 then living on an ice floe for 15 months, 580 00:30:52,118 --> 00:30:55,055 Sir Ernest Shackleton set out with a crew of five 581 00:30:55,155 --> 00:30:57,991 on an 800-mile, 17-day journey 582 00:30:58,091 --> 00:31:00,593 to South Georgia Island to rescue 583 00:31:00,694 --> 00:31:03,563 the 22 men they'd left behind. 584 00:31:03,663 --> 00:31:06,066 His navigator, Frank Worsley, and the four others 585 00:31:06,166 --> 00:31:09,069 barely survive the agonizing passage. 586 00:31:09,169 --> 00:31:11,438 While they had made it to shore, 587 00:31:11,538 --> 00:31:14,274 salvation was still a long way off. 588 00:31:21,014 --> 00:31:23,450 To reach the whaling villages based on the island, 589 00:31:23,550 --> 00:31:25,985 Shackleton and his men would have to hike 590 00:31:26,086 --> 00:31:28,521 snow-covered mountains, avoiding the steep, 591 00:31:28,621 --> 00:31:31,458 dangerous crevasses that would mean instant death 592 00:31:31,558 --> 00:31:33,593 if they were to slip and fall. 593 00:31:33,693 --> 00:31:36,463 Realizing that Worsley and a naval petty officer 594 00:31:36,563 --> 00:31:39,265 named Tom Crean were the only two fit 595 00:31:39,366 --> 00:31:42,469 for the excursion, he instructed the other three men 596 00:31:42,569 --> 00:31:45,372 to stay behind, vowing to return for them. 597 00:31:51,244 --> 00:31:53,146 On top of being an expert sailor, 598 00:31:53,246 --> 00:31:55,482 my partner, Seb Coulthard, is also a certified 599 00:31:55,582 --> 00:31:57,684 mountaineering guide. 600 00:31:57,784 --> 00:32:01,121 I'm astonished, I mean, this is extreme terrain. 601 00:32:01,221 --> 00:32:04,057 This is what it was like for them? Yes, absolutely. 602 00:32:04,157 --> 00:32:07,894 I would say this is very comparable to that mountain range. 603 00:32:07,994 --> 00:32:09,596 WILDMAN: Shackleton and his men had landed 604 00:32:09,696 --> 00:32:11,965 on the western side of the island. 605 00:32:12,065 --> 00:32:14,367 To reach the whaling station on the other side, 606 00:32:14,467 --> 00:32:16,736 they would have to cross a totally uncharted 607 00:32:16,836 --> 00:32:19,706 mountain range in freezing conditions. 608 00:32:19,806 --> 00:32:22,208 This is the part of the journey that most surprises me, 609 00:32:22,308 --> 00:32:24,310 because after all they've gone through, 610 00:32:24,411 --> 00:32:26,780 they have to do this. Yes. 611 00:32:26,880 --> 00:32:30,150 And get through it without nearly the gear that we have. 612 00:32:30,250 --> 00:32:32,786 What are you gonna put on me? Okay, so, uh, what we've got-- 613 00:32:32,886 --> 00:32:34,621 We've got rope, so you and I need to be 614 00:32:34,721 --> 00:32:36,122 roped up together. Yeah, okay. 615 00:32:36,222 --> 00:32:39,492 Uh, in case either I fall down a hole, or you go down a hole. Yeah. 616 00:32:39,592 --> 00:32:41,628 Spikes for your boots. 617 00:32:41,728 --> 00:32:44,330 Back then...all they did 618 00:32:44,431 --> 00:32:47,467 was, uh, they took wood screws 619 00:32:47,567 --> 00:32:50,236 out of the planking from the boat, 620 00:32:50,337 --> 00:32:52,839 and they put them through the bottom of the boots 621 00:32:52,939 --> 00:32:54,941 in order to have traction on the ice. 622 00:32:55,041 --> 00:32:57,811 That was their equivalent of crampons. 623 00:32:57,911 --> 00:33:00,647 Yeah, very crude, but believe it or not, it's very effective. 624 00:33:00,747 --> 00:33:03,516 So the inherent problem with South Georgia Island 625 00:33:03,616 --> 00:33:05,518 is glaciers. Yes. 626 00:33:05,618 --> 00:33:07,854 It's probably the most dangerous, um, 627 00:33:07,954 --> 00:33:11,091 feature of the landscape. Sure. 628 00:33:11,191 --> 00:33:13,460 The route they proposed to take, um, 629 00:33:13,560 --> 00:33:15,562 involved crossing, um, 630 00:33:15,662 --> 00:33:18,164 two of the main glaciers. 631 00:33:18,264 --> 00:33:20,166 Did they know those glaciers were there when they arrived there? 632 00:33:20,266 --> 00:33:23,436 No, there was no map for the interior of South Georgia. 633 00:33:23,536 --> 00:33:26,439 So when crossing a mountain with glaciers, 634 00:33:26,539 --> 00:33:28,508 I mean, what are the factors you're dealing with? 635 00:33:28,608 --> 00:33:30,510 It's almost like going through a minefield, isn't it? 636 00:33:30,610 --> 00:33:33,046 You could crash through a crevasse at any point. 637 00:33:33,146 --> 00:33:35,015 [ Makes whistling noise ] 638 00:33:35,115 --> 00:33:38,051 And these are men who are exhausted, I mean, 639 00:33:38,151 --> 00:33:41,121 they've been doing this for, what, two and a half weeks 640 00:33:41,221 --> 00:33:43,023 at this point. Yeah, physically, 641 00:33:43,123 --> 00:33:46,726 the demand of that is just, uh, 642 00:33:46,826 --> 00:33:49,195 it's unbelievable--it's very hard to comprehend, really. 643 00:33:49,295 --> 00:33:51,765 Let's see what we find. 644 00:33:51,865 --> 00:33:53,933 I'll be the guy on the rope behind you. 645 00:33:58,938 --> 00:34:01,775 WILDMAN: We have UV sunglasses to protect from snow blindness, 646 00:34:01,875 --> 00:34:05,812 but Shackleton and his men had no such luxury. 647 00:34:05,912 --> 00:34:09,683 The intense sunlight scorched their eyes. 648 00:34:09,783 --> 00:34:12,419 Incredible. 649 00:34:12,519 --> 00:34:14,788 It was certainly a-- a test of... 650 00:34:14,888 --> 00:34:16,890 their endurance. 651 00:34:16,990 --> 00:34:19,192 WILDMAN: After an hour of trudging through the elements, 652 00:34:19,292 --> 00:34:21,194 we came face-to-face with an obstacle 653 00:34:21,294 --> 00:34:23,263 that could spell disaster. 654 00:34:23,363 --> 00:34:26,733 COULTHARD: This is the biggest crevasse I've ever come across. 655 00:34:26,833 --> 00:34:29,235 WILDMAN: But I wanna get a closer look. 656 00:34:29,336 --> 00:34:31,338 We'll just keep going up in a straight line. 657 00:34:31,438 --> 00:34:33,406 I'll stop, rig up an anchor, 658 00:34:33,506 --> 00:34:35,408 and then you can go to the edge. 659 00:34:35,508 --> 00:34:36,710 Following you. All right. 660 00:34:36,810 --> 00:34:38,645 Just remember to test that edge, all right? Yep. 661 00:34:38,745 --> 00:34:42,382 Walk out, okay, I've got the rope. 662 00:34:42,482 --> 00:34:45,418 Test the snow. 663 00:34:45,518 --> 00:34:48,054 Yeah, test the edge. 664 00:34:48,154 --> 00:34:50,457 Ah, jeez... Whoa, whoa, whoa, right, right. 665 00:34:50,557 --> 00:34:52,959 You need to lay down. Lay down. 666 00:34:53,059 --> 00:34:56,329 Okay, and just... Feels solid. 667 00:34:56,429 --> 00:34:59,466 Okay, that's it, that's it. Oh, my God! 668 00:35:02,535 --> 00:35:06,339 Holy crap! [ Coulthard laughs ] 669 00:35:06,439 --> 00:35:09,409 That is unbelievable! Yeah? 670 00:35:09,509 --> 00:35:11,578 COULTHARD: They're called man eaters 671 00:35:11,678 --> 00:35:14,314 for a reason. That is terrifying! 672 00:35:14,414 --> 00:35:16,616 Oh, my Lord. 673 00:35:18,618 --> 00:35:20,320 This would be typical of something they were 674 00:35:20,420 --> 00:35:22,722 crossing, huh? Yeah, absolutely. 675 00:35:26,559 --> 00:35:28,294 How would they have navigated all of this? 676 00:35:28,395 --> 00:35:31,297 They just had a compass, and they set 677 00:35:31,398 --> 00:35:34,501 an east magnetic course knowing that in the distance, 678 00:35:34,601 --> 00:35:37,404 there was a whaling station. A terrifying experience 679 00:35:37,504 --> 00:35:39,439 for these guys. Frightening. 680 00:35:39,539 --> 00:35:41,808 Did they sleep? They did. 681 00:35:41,908 --> 00:35:44,778 But, uh, Shackleton cheated. 682 00:35:44,878 --> 00:35:48,114 Basically, when they reached a certain point 683 00:35:48,214 --> 00:35:51,084 on one of the ridges, they were so exhausted, 684 00:35:51,184 --> 00:35:53,887 they just collapsed, and they began to go 685 00:35:53,987 --> 00:35:56,690 into a hypothermic sleep, and Shackleton knew 686 00:35:56,790 --> 00:36:00,293 if they fall asleep in deep sleep, then... 687 00:36:00,393 --> 00:36:02,328 It was over. That was it, it was over. 688 00:36:02,429 --> 00:36:05,999 So he wakes them up and said, "Hey, you've had half an hour," 689 00:36:06,099 --> 00:36:09,569 and instead, they only had five minutes. Wow, little psychological trick. 690 00:36:09,669 --> 00:36:12,105 Yeah, he just picked them up and carried on. 691 00:36:12,205 --> 00:36:15,642 WILDMAN: The men struggle on for hours. 692 00:36:18,378 --> 00:36:20,080 Look at this-- we're socked in here. 693 00:36:20,180 --> 00:36:21,848 Look how fast the weather changed here. 694 00:36:21,948 --> 00:36:24,284 COULTHARD: Yeah, the weather in South Georgia Yeah. 695 00:36:24,384 --> 00:36:26,720 changes very, very, very quick. Mmhm. 696 00:36:26,820 --> 00:36:28,955 The wind can pick up from zero to 50 knots. 697 00:36:29,055 --> 00:36:31,624 Let's get out of here, because this weather's gonna 698 00:36:31,725 --> 00:36:34,627 catch up with us if we're not careful. [ Grunts ] 699 00:36:34,728 --> 00:36:37,197 WILDMAN: Shackleton and his two crewmembers climbed up 700 00:36:37,297 --> 00:36:40,200 the mountainside to the ridge only to confront 701 00:36:40,300 --> 00:36:42,202 yet another hurdle. 702 00:36:42,302 --> 00:36:45,205 Very steep gradient. WILDMAN: Wow! 703 00:36:45,305 --> 00:36:47,407 COULTHARD: Yeah, watch the edge. Don't get too close. 704 00:36:47,507 --> 00:36:49,642 So did Shackleton face this kind of obstacle? 705 00:36:49,743 --> 00:36:52,479 Yeah, the weather was closing in from behind, 706 00:36:52,579 --> 00:36:55,215 and they knew that if they stayed there, 707 00:36:55,315 --> 00:36:57,417 they were gonna freeze to death, so they had to descend 708 00:36:57,517 --> 00:37:00,286 quickly, and the only way to do that in their position, 709 00:37:00,387 --> 00:37:03,990 um, was a known mountaineering technique called a glacade. 710 00:37:04,090 --> 00:37:06,126 Uh, it's basically a bum slide. 711 00:37:06,226 --> 00:37:07,894 WILDMAN: So this is their only alternative. 712 00:37:07,994 --> 00:37:10,597 Otherwise, they stay on this ridge, and they die. Yep. 713 00:37:10,697 --> 00:37:13,600 It's incredible-- so Shackleton makes the call, 714 00:37:13,700 --> 00:37:16,703 we're going down that hill. Yeah, shove off. 715 00:37:16,803 --> 00:37:18,905 Yah! Ooooh! 716 00:37:22,976 --> 00:37:25,478 Rahhh. [ Grunting ] 717 00:37:28,014 --> 00:37:29,582 You okay? 718 00:37:29,683 --> 00:37:32,652 Yeah, I'm fine, but... you can feel the danger. 719 00:37:37,223 --> 00:37:39,492 WILDMAN: After hiking for nearly 30 miles 720 00:37:39,592 --> 00:37:43,063 and 36 hours, Shackleton and his men heard 721 00:37:43,163 --> 00:37:45,699 the sweetest sound imaginable-- 722 00:37:45,799 --> 00:37:48,802 the whistle blow from the whaling station. 723 00:37:48,902 --> 00:37:51,338 Their destination was a reality. 724 00:37:53,440 --> 00:37:55,408 On May 20, 1916, 725 00:37:55,508 --> 00:37:58,111 the men arrived at Stromness Whaling Station 726 00:37:58,211 --> 00:38:02,015 and told their unbelievable story. 727 00:38:02,115 --> 00:38:06,019 Shackleton, Worsley, and Crean were finally safe, 728 00:38:06,119 --> 00:38:08,888 but there were still the three men left behind 729 00:38:08,988 --> 00:38:11,057 on the other side of South Georgia, 730 00:38:11,157 --> 00:38:13,660 and what about the 22 back on Elephant Island? 731 00:38:13,760 --> 00:38:15,895 Could Shackleton save them, 732 00:38:15,995 --> 00:38:18,064 and were they still alive? 733 00:38:25,171 --> 00:38:27,540 Polar explorer, Sir Ernest Shackleton, 734 00:38:27,640 --> 00:38:30,276 had set out to cross the continent of Antarctica, 735 00:38:30,377 --> 00:38:32,812 but before he could reach his goal, his ship sank 736 00:38:32,912 --> 00:38:36,116 and turned his expedition into a fight for survival. 737 00:38:36,216 --> 00:38:39,019 Now, against all odds, 738 00:38:39,119 --> 00:38:41,454 after hiking for 36 hours, 739 00:38:41,554 --> 00:38:44,724 Shackleton and two of his men had made it safely 740 00:38:44,824 --> 00:38:46,960 back to civilization. 741 00:38:47,060 --> 00:38:49,929 But the celebration was short-lived. 742 00:38:50,030 --> 00:38:52,399 Shackleton's mission was not over. 743 00:38:52,499 --> 00:38:55,435 He had made a promise to the men he left behind, 744 00:38:55,535 --> 00:38:58,338 three on the other side of South Georgia, 745 00:38:58,438 --> 00:39:01,474 and 22 stranded on Elephant Island. 746 00:39:01,574 --> 00:39:04,978 There was no way of knowing if they were even alive. 747 00:39:05,078 --> 00:39:08,014 First, they picked up the three men, 748 00:39:08,114 --> 00:39:11,184 but getting to Elephant Island was far more difficult. 749 00:39:16,656 --> 00:39:18,558 The first attempt failed. 750 00:39:18,658 --> 00:39:20,827 So did the second. 751 00:39:20,927 --> 00:39:23,296 Both times, they ships were unable to crash 752 00:39:23,396 --> 00:39:26,032 through the ice pack and had to abort the rescue, 753 00:39:26,132 --> 00:39:29,636 but Shackleton wouldn't give up. 754 00:39:29,736 --> 00:39:33,440 On August 30, 1916, 755 00:39:33,540 --> 00:39:37,143 on a loaned out Chilean steamer, Shackleton arrived 756 00:39:37,243 --> 00:39:39,813 at the shores of Elephant Island. 757 00:39:39,913 --> 00:39:42,482 All of his men were still alive. 758 00:39:42,582 --> 00:39:46,319 For more than two years, the team from 759 00:39:46,419 --> 00:39:49,022 the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition 760 00:39:49,122 --> 00:39:52,592 had lived on the ice, sailed treacherous waters, 761 00:39:52,692 --> 00:39:55,695 and crossed uncharted mountains and glaciers. 762 00:40:03,003 --> 00:40:05,705 Miraculously, Shackleton and all 27 men 763 00:40:05,805 --> 00:40:08,241 returned home to England. 764 00:40:08,341 --> 00:40:10,744 They had survived certain death 765 00:40:10,844 --> 00:40:13,546 and lived to tell the tale. 766 00:40:13,646 --> 00:40:16,149 Shackleton had achieved the unimaginable, 767 00:40:16,249 --> 00:40:18,952 conquering the deadliest elements known to man 768 00:40:19,052 --> 00:40:22,288 and somehow ensuring the safe return of his entire crew. 769 00:40:22,389 --> 00:40:25,859 As tales of this incredible journey spread, 770 00:40:25,959 --> 00:40:29,229 Ernest Shackleton's name became associated with fearless 771 00:40:29,329 --> 00:40:32,432 and unwavering leadership, and with that, 772 00:40:32,532 --> 00:40:35,201 Shackleton cemented his place in history. 773 00:40:35,301 --> 00:40:38,004 His journey of survival 774 00:40:38,104 --> 00:40:40,507 became his greatest accomplishment, 775 00:40:40,607 --> 00:40:44,277 putting him in a category all of his own. 776 00:40:51,484 --> 00:40:54,621 In the glimmering twilight, a lone star hovers, 777 00:40:54,721 --> 00:40:57,157 gem-like above the bay. 778 00:40:57,257 --> 00:40:59,192 WILDMAN: These were the final words written 779 00:40:59,292 --> 00:41:01,828 by Ernest Shackleton in his diary while on 780 00:41:01,928 --> 00:41:04,698 what would be his last expedition to Antarctica. 781 00:41:04,798 --> 00:41:07,233 A few minutes later, 782 00:41:07,334 --> 00:41:09,436 he suffered a fatal heart attack. 783 00:41:09,536 --> 00:41:12,472 It was January 1922. 784 00:41:12,572 --> 00:41:14,908 He was 47 years old. 785 00:41:15,008 --> 00:41:18,244 His wife, Emily, felt that her husband was an explorer 786 00:41:18,345 --> 00:41:21,114 of the world and belonged where his heart and passion 787 00:41:21,214 --> 00:41:23,416 truly lived. 788 00:41:23,516 --> 00:41:26,553 At her request, he was buried 789 00:41:26,653 --> 00:41:28,888 on South Georgia Island. 790 00:41:35,562 --> 00:41:37,997 Even though Shackleton never fulfilled his quest, 791 00:41:38,098 --> 00:41:40,367 he was celebrated as a hero. 792 00:41:40,467 --> 00:41:42,969 His success was measured not by the failure 793 00:41:43,069 --> 00:41:46,239 of his original mission, but by the determined rescue 794 00:41:46,339 --> 00:41:49,042 of his crew-- today, he's considered 795 00:41:49,142 --> 00:41:51,344 one of the world's greatest leaders, 796 00:41:51,444 --> 00:41:53,980 a man who embodied his own family's motto-- 797 00:41:54,080 --> 00:41:56,316 "By endurance we conquer." 797 00:41:57,305 --> 00:42:57,864 Watch Online Movies and Series for FREE www.osdb.link/lm