Polar Castaways: The Ross Sea Party of Sir Ernest Shackleton, 1914-17 (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9780773528253)

When Sir Ernest Shackleton's dreams of crossing Antarctica foundered with his ship Endurance in the ice of the Weddell Sea in October 1915, he could only wonder what had become of his support party on the other side of the continent. After almost ninety years Polar Castaways finally tells that story, filling one of the major gaps in the history of the heroic era' of polar exploration. The task of the Ross Sea component of the expedition was to lay the all-important depots in support of the traverse party to be led by Shackleton. preparation. Matters were made even worse when, in May 1915, their ship Aurora was carried away from its winter moorings, leaving ten men stranded and without proper equipment and supplies. At great personal hardship and cost they went on to lay the depots across the Ross Ice Shelf to Mount Hope. Three men died during this courageous and perilous endeavour. Aurora, refitted in New Zealand, eventually sailed south amidst considerable controversy to rescue the seven survivors.

Author: Richard McElrea, David Harrowfield
ISBN-10: 0773528253
ISBN-13: 9780773528253
Publisher: McGill-Queen's University Press
Language: English
Published: 08/17/2004
Pages: 320
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 1.77lbs
Size: 9.20h x 6.26w x 1.08d

Review Citation(s):
Univ PR Books for Public Libry 01/01/2005 pg. 85 - Strongly Recommended