Escape From the Ice

More than 100 years ago, Ernest Shackleton had a dream. He wanted to be the first explorer to cross the frozen land of Antarctica. 

But first he had to get there. That meant sailing across the dangerous, icy sea. 

Shackleton had a ship named the Endurance and a crew of 28 men. Endurance means sticking with something, even when it gets hard. Shackleton had no idea how hard things were going to get.

A long time ago, Ernest Shackleton had a dream. He wanted to be the first person to cross Antarctica.

First he had to get there. It was dangerous. He had to sail across the icy sea. 

Shackleton had a crew of 28 men. He had a ship that was called the Endurance. Endurance means sticking with something when it gets hard. Shackleton had no idea how hard it would get.

More than 100 years ago, Ernest Shackleton had a dream—he wanted to be the first explorer to cross the frozen land of Antarctica.

But first he had to get there and that meant sailing across the dangerous, icy sea.

Shackleton had a ship named the Endurance and a crew of 28 men. Endurance means sticking with something, even when it gets hard. Shackleton had no idea how hard things were going to get.

The ship sailed for four months. As it got close to Antarctica, there was a problem. The sea was filled with ice floes. Those are big pieces of floating ice. They looked like giant pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.

Shackleton sailed between the pieces. But soon the ship was trapped! The ice pressed against the ship. It could not move. 

Shackleton decided to wait until the ice loosened. Almost a year went by with everyone stuck in that ship. To pass time, the crew played chess. They sang songs. They gave each other silly haircuts.

But the ice didn’t loosen. It pressed harder against the ship until one day—crack! The wood was breaking. Cold water poured in. 

Shackleton and his men grabbed food, sleeping bags, and three small lifeboats. They pulled everything onto the ice. 

This was a time before cell phones. No one could call for help. There were no other people for hundreds of miles. Could Shackleton save his crew?

The ship sailed for four months. It was close to Antarctica but there was a problem. The sea was filled with big pieces of floating ice. They are called ice floes. They looked like giant puzzle pieces.

Shackleton sailed between the ice. But soon the ship was trapped! It could not move.

Shackleton decided to wait. He thought the ice would move. Almost a year passed. Everyone was stuck in the ship. They played chess and sang songs. They gave each other silly haircuts.

The ice didn’t loosen. It pressed harder against the ship. One day, they heard a crack! The ship was breaking. Cold water poured in.

They grabbed food and sleeping bags. They had three small lifeboats. They pulled everything onto the ice.

No one could call for help because there were no other people close by. Could the crew be saved?

The ship sailed for four months and as it got close to Antarctica, there was a problem. The sea was filled with ice floes, big pieces of floating ice. They looked like giant pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.

Shackleton sailed between the pieces but soon the ship was trapped! The ice pressed against the ship, trapping it.

Shackleton decided to wait until the ice loosened. Almost a year went by with everyone stuck in that ship. To pass time, the crew played chess and sang songs. They even gave each other silly haircuts.

But the ice didn’t loosen. It pressed harder against the ship until one day—crack! The wood was breaking and cold water poured in.

Shackleton and his men grabbed food, sleeping bags, and three small lifeboats. They pulled everything onto the ice. 

This was a time before cell phones. No one could call for help and there were no other people for hundreds of miles. Could Shackleton save his crew?

Shackleton chose five men to row with him to another island. Fishermen lived there. The rest of the crew would wait for him to come back with help. Shackleton told them, “I will make it or die trying.”

Huge waves crashed over the tiny boat. The men could hardly see. But they continued. 

Shackleton chose five men. They would row together to another island. Fishermen lived there. The rest of the crew would wait for him. He could bring help. Shackleton told them, “I will make it or die trying.”

Huge waves crashed over the tiny boat. The men could hardly see but they kept going.

Shackleton chose five men to row with him to another island where fishermen lived. The rest of the crew would wait for him to come back with help. Shackleton told them, “I will make it or die trying.”

Huge waves crashed over the tiny boat. The men could hardly see but they continued. 

Finally, they got to the fishermen. Now Shackleton could borrow a big boat and rescue the rest of the crew.  

As he made his way back to the little island, he was worried. His men had been waiting for months. They were in the frigid cold with almost no food. Had they survived?

When he finally got close, he saw the men gathered on the beach. He shouted, “Are all well?”

The men cheered, “All well, boss!” 

Every single one of them had survived. 

It had been more than two years since they had all left for Antarctica. They had survived a shipwreck, months living on the icy sea, and cold and hunger. But Shackleton had said he would rescue them. And he did. 

Shackleton lost his ship, the Endurance. He never crossed Antarctica. But he saved his entire crew. And that is one of the greatest stories of survival.

Finally, they got to the island. They asked the fishermen to borrow a big boat. Shackleton went to rescue the rest of the crew.

He was worried because his men had been waiting for months. They were in the frigid cold. They had no food. Had they survived?

When he got close, he saw the men on the beach. He shouted, “Are all well?”

The men cheered, “All well!”

Everyone had survived.

It had been more than two years since they had all left for Antarctica. They had survived a shipwreck. They had survived months living on the icy sea. They had survived cold and hunger. But Shackleton had said he would rescue them and he did.

Shackleton lost his ship, the Endurance. He never got to Antarctica but he saved his entire crew! 

Finally, they got to the fishermen. Now Shackleton could borrow a big boat and rescue the rest of the crew.

As he made his way back to the little island, he was worried—his men had been waiting for months. They were in the frigid cold with almost no food. Had they survived?

When he finally got close, he saw the men gathered on the beach. He shouted, “Are all well?”

The men cheered, “All well, boss!”

Every single one of them had survived.

It had been more than two years since they had all left for Antarctica. They had survived a shipwreck, months living on the icy sea, and cold and hunger. But Shackleton had said he would rescue them and he did.

Shackleton lost his ship, the Endurance. He never crossed Antarctica but he saved his entire crew. It is one of the greatest stories of survival. 

He used small submarines called submersibles. They went deep underwater. They sent back photos and videos.

He used small submarines called submersibles. They went deep underwater. They sent back photos and videos.

He used small submarines called submersibles. They went deep underwater. They sent back photos and videos.