“Men wanted for hazardous journey. Low wages, bitter cold, long hours of complete darkness. Safe return doubtful. Honor and recognition in event of success.”
As the story goes, this quote was used in an advertisement by polar explorer Ernest Shackleton when recruiting men 110 years ago for his fateful voyage aboard the Endurance. Despite the daunting prospects, Shackleton recruited 27 men (including one stowaway) to join him on his quest to sail to the Antarctic continent and cross it by foot. When it was all said and done, heroism defined this journey. The castaways lived to tell the tale of being trapped in the ice and ultimately rescued after 1.5 years since sailing from England.
Fast forward to expedition cruises in Antarctica today, and Get Lost magazine has eloquently produced a beautiful movie aboard Quark Expeditions' Ultramarine, comparing Shackleton's voyage to modern luxury expeditions navigating the ice floes without concern. Every detail, from navigation to food preparation to guest excursions, is meticulously planned so that the adventurer in each of us can witness the same outdoor elements that the Endurance experienced—yet from the conveniences of warming closets, turned-down beds, and bubbly hot tubs on the deck.
The only true comparison of Antarctica that remains is the raw nature that unfolds before our eyes and the remarkable wildlife that continues to follow ancient instincts for survival. In Shackleton's time, explorers raced to outdo one another at the wild, wild ends of the Earth. As modern-day explorers, we can only use our imaginations. In appreciation of Shackleton and his thirst for exploration, we thank Get Lost, Quark Expeditions, and their team for poetically bringing us Antarctica then and now.
