Ernest shackleton stands at the bow of the boat. The cold seawater sprang his face. But he doesn't care. He's counting the men on the beach. There's marston his sketchbook still in hand and frank hurley photographer and orde lees. Looks happy for once. And there's frank wild the man he left in charge waiting into the serve food. Clothes are in tatters. They all look so thin. Their beards had never been longer but they're alive. It took shackleton three months to get here three attempts with three different boats and each time. The ice stopped them but he refused to give up. Now he's on an ancient tugboat lent him by the government of chile in exchange. He had to promise not to take her through the ice a promise. He wasn't sure he could keep them. Fortunately this time a southernly gail had blown through and the ice had let them pass. He nudges frank horsley who seated beside him. I knew wild would take care of them. Good to see their filthy faces again. Isn't it as they get closer to. Shore shackleton calls out wild. Are you all well. We are all well boss. Several men call out. We are all well. never been. Better shackleton wipes away his tears. This is the fourth attempt. I've made to reach you. Bladders the men roar with laughter and grab at the cigarette shackleton throws to them. Wild is keen to show off the camp. But shackleton doesn't wanna wait a minute longer than necessary. The ice could sweep in again and the tugboat wouldn't stand a chance. Within an hour all onboard board and steaming north leaving elephant island behind forever on september third nineteen sixteen all twenty eight members of the endurance crew arrive safely in doubting us chile. The streets are filled decked out in flags celebrating their safe return relieved in a little dazed. The men are introduced to the governor and marched down. The street still dressed in their rags accompanied by tooting whistles and a naval band. It's a welcome. The men will never forget from there. The men returned to britain at different times. The world has changed dramatically. Will they've been gone. World war one started just when they departed england in nineteen fourteen and continued while the ice kept them walked away after surviving. The worst that nature could throw at them. Most of the men almost immediately sign up for the war effort because of captain frank. Wars leaves nautical experience. He's assigned capped into to various submarines he's given the distinguished service order by the british government for his service. He also writes four successful books about his endurance expedition. When the crew members of the endurance return home most of them are given the polar medal by the british government for notable explorers scientists and naval officers in nineteen nineteen photographer. Frank hurley releases photos and videos at the endurance expedition. Some of the most haunting images of antarctica and the struggles of the men. You leader goes on to become a war. Talk of her. In nineteen forty one is nominated for an academy award for cinematography. When frank wild returns home from the antarctic tisches himself russian and goes on to become the royal navy's transport officer in russia during the war receives the polar medal with four bars. One of only two people to receive that distinction a few years later a mountain range on elephant island is named after him. Shackleton himself serves for the british army in russia for short time when he returns he writes a book about the endurance ordeal called south and it becomes a bestseller dedicates it to my comrades who fell in the white warfare of the south and on the red fields of france and flanders by antarctica continued to call out to him. He knew he needed to return on september. Eighteenth nineteen twenty one. He sat out on a fourth expedition to explore the seas around antarctica. Border small boat called the quest eight of the men from the endurance. Join him including frank. Horsley and frank wild but shackleton doesn't live to see the expedition completed on january fourth while staring out at the ic bluewater autres shackleton has a heart attack is laid to rest on south georgia island in the heroic age of exploration. Shackleton was one of its greatest. He was an explorer and leader of men. Almost a hundred years later. His leadership skills are still studied and taught at colleges around the country including harvard. Sir raymond priestley who traveled to the continent on shackleton's nimrod expedition once wrote for scientific discovery. Give me scott for speed and efficiency of travel give me amundsen but when disaster strikes and all hope is gone. Get down on your and pray for. Shackleton shackleton also inspired future explorers who dared to dream big. Three of those men were henry. Worsley will gal and henry adams after their own successful expedition to the south pole and early two thousand nine to finish. What shackleton started gallon adams returned to england and help create a shackleton foundation to help disadvantage. You both return to work in the city and settled back into family life. Henry worsley tries to settle into. He works with the british army and spends more time with his wife and children but he can't stop dreaming about antarctica in november. Two thousand fifteen. He sets out alone on an unassisted crossing the continent. He travels nine hundred miles over seventy days and then on january twenty second nineteen sixteen. He wakes up in his tent too exhausted to move. He asks himself the question he asked many times. When recreating the nimrod expedition would shackleton do as much as it pains him. He realizes he needs to save himself and call off his expedition. Just as shackleton had done he radios for help with the following wines when my hero. Ernest shackleton walked ninety seven miles from the south pole on the morning of january ninth. Nine hundred ninety nine. He said he'd shot his bolt. Well today i have to inform you with some sadness that i to have shot my bolt many mountaineers battle away and failed to reach the summit. My summit was just out of reach. Henry's airlifted to chile arrives. He gets sick. Two days later he dies of peritonitis. He's fifty five years old. Henry's family buries his ashes on south georgia island next to the grave of his hero. Ernest shackleton if you like our show. Please give us a five star rating and review. Follow against the odds on apple podcasts. Amazon music the wondering app or wherever. You're listening right now. Join one plus in the wondering. Listen one week. Early and ad free. In the episode notes you'll find links links and offers from our sponsors. Please support them by supporting.