Hi, my name is Richard, and I first learned about Ernest Shackleton when I read his book “South,” which recounts the story of the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition in Shackleton's own words. It was a clear milestone in my personal exploration career. When I was young, I used to crawl through neighborhood caves, lighting the way with matches. Inspired by Shackleton's relentless curiosity, I kept pursuing bigger dreams, eventually visiting both poles, diving to the deepest ocean depths, and even flying into space to live aboard the International Space Station for two weeks. Most recently I was elected to be the 45th President of the Explorers Club, where Ernest Shackleton became an honorary member in 2012.
The story of Ernest Shackleton’s Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition has inspired generations of would-be explorers. Their bold plan was to attempt the first full crossing of Antarctica on foot. Their specially-built ship had a double-thick hull and was one of the strongest wooden ships ever built. The ship and crew set out from England in August of 1914, yet, due to an unexpectedly early and cold onset of winter, the ship was trapped in the ice flows of the Weddell Sea in January 1915.
