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Ernest Shackleton - Biography

Ernest Henry Shackleton, whose name became a symbol of courage and determination in the world of polar exploration, was born on February 15, 1874 in Killerney, Ireland. This great explorer became a legend of the Antarctic, making a number of brave expeditions and saving his crew in the most difficult conditions. Let's take a look at the biography of Shackleton and learn about his incredible achievements.

Ernest Shackleton grew up in Ireland and developed an interest in maritime adventure from his childhood. At 16, he left school and began his career as a sailor, working on merchant ships. His pursuit of adventure and exploration led him to decide to become a researcher.

Shackleton took part in several expeditions to the South Pole and Antarctica. He first took part in Robert Scott's 1901-1904 expedition and made the first record of the existence of East Island, which was key to future exploration.

However, Shackleton's real feat was his own expedition, the Nimrod (1907-1909), during which he approached the South Pole a record distance at that time. The expedition also discovered the peak of the Transantarctic Mountains, later named after him - Mount Shackleton.

Shackleton dreamed of reaching the South Pole, but his expedition could not carry it out. However, he set a new southern record, reaching 88 ° 23 'south latitude, just 180 kilometers from the pole. The return from this expedition was one of the most famous and stunning feats in the history of polar exploration.

Ernest Shackleton's most celebrated achievement came on his next expedition, the "Endurance" (1914-1917). On this expedition, his ship, the Endurance, was locked in ice, and the team was forced to spend a long time in the Arctic cold. They were forced to abandon the vessel and tried to reach the nearest island by lifeboats.