Shackleton Epic voyage reconstruction expedition

For anyone interested, I'll post a link to a very good book about Shackletons journey. I've read it a few times during hot summers. It'll cool you down with no need for A/C. Why anyone would want to recreate this nightmare is beyond me.

http://www.amazon.com/Endurance-Sha...TF8&qid=1357009980&sr=1-1&keywords=shackleton

 

They cant say they werent told

AUSTRALIS HIT BY GALE FORCE WINDS AND CONFUSED SEAS
Monday 7 January, 2013 at 1300hrs (Australian EDT): (GMT/UTC: 7 Jan 2013 at 0200hrs)

A 2.5 day passage has turned into a 4 day ‘rough ride’ for the crew of Shackleton Epic on board the support vessel Australis. The yacht is currently being battered by 56knot winds out of the south and making slow progress towards King George Island in the confused sea state with wave height reaching over 25’.

Speaking via satellite phone, expedition leader Tim Jarvis said that the crossing had been a ‘baptism of fire’ for the expedition crew, the support team and film crew. “It’s very, very rough at the moment and a lot of the team have succumbed to sea sickness,” Tim said.

The Shackleton Epic expedition crew are now resting up on board while the film crew have been braving the elements on deck to capture footage of the rough, tumultuous seas.

“It’s also really very cold…about minus 3 degrees celcius, but of course it feels much colder with the wind chill factor. We’ve all been up on the bridge discussing how our little boat (Alexandra Shackleton) will cope with these conditions,” Tim said.

“We had a good crossing of the Drake Passage with a following wind but then were then hit with a strong southerly and very messy seas…it’s a bit of a s***fight out here.”

Indeed, the wind conditions are currently so strong that Australis will not be able to make landfall at either Frei Base or Arctowski but will wait it out in the bay near Frei. While a few on board like Seb Coulthard don’t suffer from seasickness, others are not faring so well with Paul Larsen awarding the “golden pillow award” for the crossing to mountaineer Baz Gray.

“Jo (Stewart) fell out of her top bunk just a short while ago and is a bit shaken up and combined with the sea sickness there’s no way we’ll get a new blog out of her today,” he said.

http://shackletonepic.com/rough-ride-south/

 

They are struggling on a yacht .... Poor guys won't like the boat ride.

 

You were right. This is turning out to be a ******* on ice event. Hitching a ride in a support yacht?????????? They should be toughing it out in the small whale boat pumping bilges, manning the helm, celestial navigation (toss that GPS).

These mortals don't understand what it means to be true sailors. Unless their eyes are on the horizon and sniffing fresh air/salt spray they're sure to get sea sick LOL.

Shackleton is rolling over in his grave.

 

theatre

 

I said earlier this was probably some BS expedition with NG or DC cameras involved because only someone with half a brain and lake sailing experience would think to take on the southern ocean in such a ridiculous set up - Shackleton was there because he was simply trying to survive.

Next we will have some nutters driving a 10000 tonne ship into an iceberg in north alantic winter to repeat the Titanic disaster and open boat rescue for a TV series

Better yet why not fill a plane with volunter passengers and fly it into the ground or a bldg with cameras on board - make great TV

 

It's TV. Is it any different than "man vs. wild"? Are reenactments ever reality?

 

Those reality man v wild are hilarious. Last night I watched an episode of the Brit ex military out doors survial expert spyder eater. The 'expert' was to demonstration how (we) mug amateurs should descend an approx 80' waterfall in Alaska but he badly under estimated:
1. effects of freezing cold water
2. effects of freezing cold water on slippery vertical rock wall
3. effects and power of freezing cold waterfall on slippery vertical rock wall

The man was an idiot even attempting it, he struggled and was lucky to not to have fallen....the stupid part was no bush walker, hunter, camper, dad and the boys weekend away, run away bride, I'm looking for my lost dog person, would ever attempt such a descent, we would find another (smart) route.

 

Did you watch it though? That's the goal of TV.
Man, Woman, Wild is another one.
Survivorman another, more realistic and less audience-grabbing-stunts. They all can call in a rescue if needed, so are the decisions ever the same when filming an enactment as they would be in a real survival situation?

 

I did watch this one only because I was cooking dinner and nothing better on otherwise I give these shows the flick.
The moment I saw the waterfall and what Mr Survivalist was going to do I watched - and only because my time spent in highlands of PNG taught me just how dangerous all waterfalls are.

Just the other day a young Brit fell 80m at a N.Qld waterfalls in a national park & died - too close to edge on slippery rocks.

 

i hope they dont start a cooking programme on the support boat

 

quote, effin hilarious


Next we will have some nutters driving a 10000 tonne ship into an iceberg in north alantic winter to repeat the Titanic disaster and open boat rescue for a TV series

 

I have to admit I've watched a bunch of them.
Zambia, Patagonia, Guatemala, Panama, Malaysia, Belize, The Yuokon, Siberia, and Iceland all kept me watching. I clicked the channel when he climbed inside a hide in Ireland and from some of the eats.

 

Gee...i recently watched a.... Swimming with the sharks...TV show.

It was better than gator wrestling or snake charming

Family Waterfall swimming is also becoming popular,

http://

http://

 

Back to Shackleton, sorry to change the subject from advertising.



How many leaders could keep their team together long enough to make such a voyage? Regardless of the size of the vessel, or would the size really make a difference?