Sir Ernest Shackleton
This captain heads a pioneering voyage to Antarctica in the early 1900's. The story of their voyage, Endurance, sees Shackleton against all odds. As a leader, he must simultaneously understand and navigate immense challenges while still guiding his crew who often succumb to fear and hopelessness. Indeed, the voyage ends up being a dangerous and deadly endeavor, and many of his crew dies. His own endurance is quite evident, because his tenacity leads him to a return mission, to the Drake Passage.
Dr. Alexander Macklin
This doctor was aboard the Endurance and helped deliver the journals of Sir Ernest Shackleton to the author of this non-fictional account of the failed Antarctica expedition. Their journey to Elephant Island involves numerous medical emergencies from the extreme climate, the unbearable cold which often inflicts crew members with life-threatening conditions like hypothermia and frostbite. The survivors escape only by miracles.
The crew
The crews of Endurance and the subsequent return voyage, the James Caird, are challenged by meteorological obstacles unparalleled in nature. Their journey to Antarctica takes them to the most uninviting climates of the world. They are constantly threatened by looming icebergs and land masses amid the ice. They are also challenged to survive the lengthy voyages with scarce supplies and freezing cold weather. Many, many die, and some only survive by a small margin.
