As I stand before the breathtaking image of the Endurance, I can’t help but feel a profound sense of awe and reverence. The tale of Ernest Shackleton and his crew, their unwavering spirit of exploration, and their indomitable will to survive against all odds, has always resonated deeply within me.
“Not all shipwrecked treasure glitters. Some’s frozen where nobody dares to look.”
With a sparkle in his gaze, marine archaeologist Mensun Bound reminisces about his thrilling profession that took him diving through waters ranging from the Mediterranean to the South China Sea. His journey was filled with sun, scuba, and the allure of hidden treasures. Often referred to as the ‘Indiana Jones’ of the deep sea.
2022 saw Bound undertaking his most significant expedition thus far – a mission aimed at finding the remnants of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s legendary ship, Endurance. On the icebreaker S.A. Agulhas II, he journeyed towards Antarctica’s Weddell Sea with the ambition of discovering the three-masted vessel that had been trapped in pack ice since 1915. Accompanying him on this venture was filmmaker Dan Snow, who was there to record the process. A missed discovery would not only be financially costly but also a source of embarrassment.
Currently, National Geographic Documentary Films is sharing the tale of Shackleton’s extraordinary survival journey and Mensun’s subsequent search expedition a century apart, in a heart-stopping underwater thriller. The movie “Endurance” is helmed by director Natalie Hewit, alongside Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin who have previously worked on films such as “Free Solo” and “The Rescue”. The film will make its debut at the London Film Festival this coming Saturday, October 12. In the UK, it will hit cinemas on October 14. For U.S. viewers, the movie can be streamed later this fall on Disney+ worldwide.
In 1914, Ernest Shackleton embarked on a journey to cross Antarctica from one coast to another. As an explorer of British and Irish heritage, he was just 100 miles away from the mainland when his ship, the Endurance, became ensnared in ice. Before they could even start, the Imperial Trans Antarctic Expedition came to a halt. Shackleton himself would later remark, “Whatever the ice grabs, it holds forever.
According to Bound, speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, “the vessel that represented our only chance for survival and rescue crumpled like an accordion, and now we’re stranded, all of us, in the harshest environment on Earth.
John Shears, the operations director of the search expedition, praises Shackleton as a modern hero due to his unwavering determination even after losing the ship Endurance. Despite the odds stacked against him – ice-bound seas, treacherous waves, debilitating diarrhea, and clothing that froze to their skin – Shackleton’s indomitable spirit, bravery, and inspiring leadership ensured the survival of every crew member. It is his selfless willingness to risk his own life that truly defines him as a hero.
Bound comments that it might seem odd for explorers to focus on filmmaking amidst their pressing tasks,” he says, “but Frank Hurley’s photographic plates and 35-millimeter films provide a vivid record of the madness that ensued during the expedition.
Dan Snow remarks in the movie that Shackleton was far ahead of what today’s young people understand as truth. He adds that unless an event is filmed, it didn’t occur. Consequently, the ship Endurance embarked on its journey equipped with the most advanced filming technology available at the time. The crew could be seen playing with sled dogs and kicking a football across the ice. The scenes of Endurance’s masts collapsing, the ship sinking, and other raw moments were all recorded in stunning detail. It is remarkable that any footage survived at all, given the circumstances, which is a tribute to Hurley’s bravery. According to Snow, if Hurley hadn’t braved the freezing waters to dive and salvage the valuable film reels submerged under six feet of slushy ice as Endurance began sinking, this film would never have been made.
Shackleton was “eager to share his tale far and wide. He thrived on public attention,” asserts Snow. To maintain his prominence, “he felt compelled to return to the most inhospitable region on Earth.
National Geographic’s show “Endurance” highlights Frank Hurley’s breathtaking footage captured between 1914-1915, which has been carefully preserved, restored by the British Film Institute, and colorized for the first time. The gripping tale of the daring escape from the ice is based on the crew’s writings and recordings, vividly recreated using AI technology to give voice to their original accounts.
The narrative of “Endurance” interweaves Shackleton’s original expedition with the search for his lost ship in 2022, both facing the harsh and unforgiving ice landscapes. Shackleton and his team battled for survival while the 2022 team faced their own breaking points. When the Agulhas II became trapped in ice, the researchers believed that the search was over. However, a side-scan sonar reading that seemed to indicate the location of the Endurance was found to be a mere illusion. Initial celebrations turned into tears of disappointment. Bound felt as though he could hear Shackleton laughing heartily at their mistake.
By March 5, 2022, as a winter reminiscent of the chilling scenes in “Game of Thrones” drew near, around 80% of a 120-square-mile expanse of ocean floor remained unexplored without any significant findings. The final area to investigate was the southernmost part of the search area. Shears expressed his concerns, stating, “I was extremely concerned that we might never locate the wreck.” Time was running out as we had only three more days before the Antarctic winter would set in. At any moment, the weather could deteriorate, temperatures plummet, and the sea could freeze over, ending our search.
As the remnants of the crew’s faith dwindled, Robbie McGunnigle, a drone pilot and technician, voices in the movie, “Today is the day.” The Saab Sabertooth drone floats towards oblivion. “If it’s not today,” he continues with a touch of sarcasm, “it’ll be tomorrow.” Meanwhile, Bound and Shears, their nerves frayed, had taken a walk to a distant iceberg. They were abruptly summoned back to the bridge. It wasn’t until they returned that Bound laid eyes on the sight he had long yearned for: Shackleton’s Endurance, still magnificent, perfectly preserved in the icy depths of the Weddell Sea at a staggering 9,869 feet below the ice.
For over a decade, Bound has been captivated by the Endurance. On-screen, he meticulously studies a high-resolution 3D scan of the wreckage, obtained by the Sabertooth drone. This is the most detailed image of a wooden shipwreck that the world has ever laid eyes on. Bound was surprised to find the ship’s wheel still intact and ready for gripping, as well as the flare gun, which Shackleton used to salute the beginning of the ship’s descent into the depths, still lying casually on the deck, as if the events occurred just yesterday.
The crew’s dinner plates were set, an unused boot was spotted, and the word “Endurance” was etched in brass on the back. He commented, “The conservation is absurd! You could still lean against the railings at the front and look through the portholes into the dark cabin where Shackleton used to sleep.
As I delve into this uncharted digital realm, every move reveals another layer of enigma, making it not just a privilege, but a responsibility to untangle its secrets, much like Shackleton’s conviction. Just as the world was once filled with mysteries waiting to be explored – unexplored depths of the ocean, unclimbed mountains, and the distant dream of reaching the moon – this game ignites that same spirit of exploration within us. It’s not just about winning or achieving the prize; it’s about venturing beyond the known boundaries, and that adventurous spirit is what burns inside each gamer.
A seasoned marine explorer, who believed nothing could surprise him anymore, finds himself speechless. “It makes me ponder,” Bound murmurs softly, “isn’t it possible that we all could use a touch more of Shackleton’s resilience in the present times?
Read More
Sorry. No data so far.
2024-10-08 15:55