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Timeline of Sir Ernest Shackleton's Endurance Expedition

1914 Aug. 1 Endurance departs London. Oct. 26 After stopping for supplies, the Endurance departs Buenos Aires. Nov. 5 Endurance arrives at the whaling station of Grytviken, South Georgia Island, the last outpost of civilization encountered en route to Antarctica. Dec. 5 Endurance departs Grytviken. Dec. 7 Endurance first encounters pack ice. 1915 Jan. 18 Endurance becomes beset in pack ice and, immobilized, begins drifting in the ice. Feb. 21 Endurance drifts to its furthest south point, 76°58' S. Oct. 27 Shackleton gives the orders to abandon the ship, which is severely damaged by the ice. Oct. 28 Shackleton orders each of the 27 men to dump all but two pounds of personal possessions. Exceptions are made for Frank Hurley's photographs and Leonard Hussey's banjo. Nov. 1 Shackleton establishes a camp on an ice floe, dubbed "Ocean Camp." Nov. 8 Hurley dives into the flooded ship to recover the precious glass plates. With Shackleton, he chooses 120 to keep. They then smash the remaining 400 or so, so Hurley isn't tempted to risk his life to return for them later. Nov. 21 Endurance sinks at 68°38.5' S, 52°28' W. Dec. 29 After a failed attempt to march across the ice to the safety of land, Shackleton establishes "Patience Camp," hoping that they will drift north, on an ice floe, to safety. 1916 April 9 Shackleton orders the lifeboats—the Dudley Docker, the Stancomb Wills and the James Caird—to be launched. The boats are named for the expedition's main patrons. April 16 The three boats land on Elephant Island, a remote uninhabited island far from shipping lanes. This is the first time that the men have stood on solid ground in 497 days. April 24 Shackleton decides to sail the James Caird to South Georgia, where a whaling station is located, to get help. He brings Captain Frank Worsley, second officer Tom Crean, carpenter Chippy McNeish, and seamen Tim McCarthy and John Vincent. May 10 The James Caird arrives on the uninhabited south coast of South Georgia. May 19 Shackleton, Worsley, and Crean begin their trek across the island's unexplored and largely unknown interior to get help at a whaling station on the north coast. May 20 Shackleton and his men arrive at Stromness whaling station. Worsley sails to the south coast to pick up the three men left behind. May 23 Shackleton borrows a ship, Southern Sky, and sails for Elephant Island to rescue his men. The pack ice prevents passage, and the ship returns. Two subsequent rescue attempts, aboard the Instituto Pesca No. 1 in June and the Emma in July, are also stopped by pack ice. Aug. 25 Shackleton departs on the Yelcho. Aug. 30 Shackleton rescues the 22 men on Elephant Island.