HURLEY’S PHOTOGRAPHS OF SHACKLETON’S EXPEDITION
South Georgia This panoramic image of South Georgia, overlooking Grytviken whaling station in East Cumberland Bay, is comprised of two separate large format plates printed and layered side by side. Mt. Paget, South Georgia’s highest peak rises in the background (9625 ft/ 2934 meters). After the epic 17 day open boat journey from Elephant Island, the crew in the James Caird landed on South Georgia’s desolate southern shore. To reach one of the whaling stations on the north shore, Shackleton, Crean and Worsley mad a 36 hour, 25 mile forced march across the ragged, glaciated spine of the island. They reached Strammens on May 20, 1916 and made arrangements for the rescue of their comrades. The Endurance can be seen at anchor far below, near Grytviken whaling Station. Grytviken, the whaling long since abandoned, is now a home to Tim and Pauline Carr who manage the South Georgia Museum, a favourite destination for Antarctic visitors and adventurers. Worsley (white), Greenstreet and Hurley, dragged the Australian’s heavy whole plate camera to the summit of Duce Pell. To gain the last vertical ground before the summit they had to cut steps in the ice and haul the camera up by a rope. |
