ERNEST SHACKLETON’S Ship, the Nimrod

Ernest Shackleton, 1874-1922,
British explorer

Purchased by Ernest Shackleton in 1907, the Nimrod was 41-year-old sealer that Shackleton had re-rigged for the British Antarctic Expedition (1907-09). ““I must confess I was disappointed when I first examined the little ship.….She was in poor condition and needed to be caulked and have her lower masts entirely replaced…”

Although Shackleton and his crew never reached the South Pole during the expedition, the “plucky old ship” proved more than worthy of the voyage, helping Shackleton’s team to push further south than any previous expedition. Upon its return, the Nimrod was put on public exhibit, later sold to pay off Shackleton’s debts, and eventually lost during World War I.