Sir Ernest Shackleton left South Georgia on August 1st ,1914 hoping to be the first person to cross the Antarctic continent. December 5th was the last day that the crew would touch land for 497 days. On January 10th, the first sighting of the Antarctic continent was made. On January 18, the Endurance got stuck in the ice. On February 2nd, the ship drifted to the 77th parallel, the farthest the ship would reach. On October 27, at 5:00pm Shackleton gave orders to abandon the Endurance. and on November 21st, Shackleton and his crew watched the Endurance sink. The crew endured horrendous hardship. The weather was freezing and supplies low. They even resorted to eating their dogs. They pushed on until reaching Elephant Island in April, where Shackleton and five others launched one of the remaining lifeboats, the James Caird, hoping to reach South Georgia and rescue. They reached South Georgia after 17 days of stormy seas. They walked across glaciers to the Stromness whaling station where they received aid. They left three days later for Elephant Island, arriving there on August 30, 1916--two years after their departure. All were rescued, an incredible feat considering the terrible conditions.