Point Wild       Lat. S 61⁰ 06’

                                    Lon. W 054⁰ 51’

HAPPY NEW YEAR !!

Point Wild, Elephant Island

"We had a curious sense of isolation at this time, for we knew that no living person would dream that we were stranded on Elephant Island.  They would imagine rather that we were in the south of the Weddell Sea.  Thus there was no hope of rescue.  We were in a world of our own, we had only ourselves to look to, and the world was completely cut off from us as though we had come from another planet."

F.A. Worsley

This is a key site in the Shackleton saga.  In April 1916 Sir Ernest Shackleton and 28 men from the sunken Endurance arrived in three open boats.  After a short period of rest, Shackleton and five men set out for South Georgia in one small boat (the 22-foot James Caird).  The remaining 22 men spent 132 days on Elephant Island living in shelter fashioned from their two lifeboats and sustaining themselves with seals and penguins.  The group had initially landed at Cape Valentine, but realized that this place was too exposed to tides and storms.  They then moved 7 miles West along the northern coast to a cape they named after Frank Wild, who was the officer in command of the Elephant Island group.

0700 - 0830     Early bird breakfast available in the Explorer Lounge.

0830 - 1000     Breakfast is served in the Dining Room.

1030       Freshly made bouillon will be available in the Explorer Lounge.

1100       Join Ian in the Magellan Lounge for Tales of the Weddell Sea.

1230 - 1400     Lunch is served in the Dining Room.

1400       Join us in the Magellan Lounge for a video; “Shackleton’s Boat Journey, The Story of the James Caird”.  This is the story of that amazing voyage, produced by the James Caird Society and Shackleton’s Alma Mater, Dulwich College.

1530       Briefing on Point Wild and tomorrows’ landings to be held in the Explorer Lounge.

1600       Tea time in the Explorer Lounge.

1700 appx;      Arrival time at Point Wild.  Zodiacs for the occupants of even numbered cabins depart for cruising.

1815 appx:      Zodiac cruise for occupants of the odd numbered cabins departs.

1930 appx:      All Zodiacs return to the Explorer.

2000 - 2130     Dinner is served in the Dining Room.

2130       Evening video:  Karen and Kennan Ward will host a wonderful video on “Denali”.

2230       Late night snacks available in the Explorer Lounge.