The Endurance_ Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition - Caroline Alexander [13]
The upper deck after a light snow fall
“It is wonderful how the dogs prefer to sleep on the snow covered deck rather than in their kennels.” ( Lees, diary)
January 12 dawned with mist and snow, but was otherwise a good day. Clark bagged interesting specimens in his dredge nets and towards evening a flock of young emperor penguins was passed on a nearby floe. The Endurance, now under steam, broke from the pack ice into open water and reached the bay that marked the farthest south of William Bruce's Scotia expedition in 1903. Shallow soundings of about 150 fathoms indicated the proximity of land. Lees, busy amid the stores, triumphantly rooted out “a case of marmalade and one or two other things that Sir Ernest especially wanted.”
January 6, 1915; Exercising the dogs
“During the day the dogs were taken for a run on the large floe to which we were anchored. The exercise did them a great deal of good—it being the first they have had for nearly a month.” ( Hurley, diary)
Crean with pups
“Opposite the pigs are 5 puppies & their mother, the ‘interesting event' having taken place three days ago, but so far Tom Crean, who has cared for her like a hospital orderly is the only one who has seen the little creatures, though we all hear their shrill little squeaks. They will soon be fun.” ( Lees, diary)
On January 13, after skirting heavy pack around the barrier all night, the Endurance was again drifting within the floes, which showed no sign of opening up. For two hours she searched for an opening, then banked her fires and lay to. The following day, January 14, the ship was still held fast. The weather was magnificent, however, the best since leaving South Georgia, with the temperature at 25° Fahrenheit. Hurley, ever on the lookout for photogenic scenes, described the surroundings thus:
The bergs & floes were reflected in the deep blue water, while the heavy pres sure ice, gleaming in the sunshine with its deep blue shadows, was one of the finest sights I have seen in the South. The ice was more like serracs than pack ice, for it was so tossed, broken & crushed. Great pressure ridges thrown up 15 to 20 feet in height bear evidence of the terrific force & pressure of the ice in these latitudes.
From the crow's nest high above the ship, Lees noted that tremendous pressure pack could be seen in every direction.
Yet, in the evening, a rising breeze began to work upon the pack, and before
Laying to, 14 January, 1915
“Tied up all day to the floe ice.… The day was magnificent. The finest day since leaving South Georgia & in fact the second sunny one we have had.” (Hurley, diary)
14 January, 1915
“This ice was more like serracs than pack ice for it was so tossed, broken & crushed. Great pressure ridges thrown up 15 to 20 feet in height bear evidence of the terrific force & pressure of the ice in these latitudes.” ( Hurley, diary)
14 January, 74° 10′S 27° 10′W
The lay-to in the floe ice allowed the crew to take excursions on the ice.
Pack ice, January 20, 1915
Taken the day the Endurance was finally held by the ice. “We have only 85 miles to go but the wind is still from NE & keeping the ice hard against the barrier.” (McNish, diary)
Endurance beset, full sail
On the night of January 24, a lead of open water appeared ahead of the ship. “Today at 9 a.m. we hoisted all sail & got up full steam and continued to drive the engines full speed ahead until noon in the hopes of reaching the open water but all to no avail.” ( Lees, diary) midnight a lane of open water had appeared at the foot of the barrier. In the early morning of January 15, the Endurance continued under hazy skies. An unusually large number of