During the week Jonathan Shackleton emailed us to let us know he was safe and sound and still had the Kildare Flag with him on his journey. We wish him God’s speed and a safe passage.
I have just returned from Antarctica, and between trips I mean’t to send you this photograph of myself having landed at Point Wild on Elephant Island, with the Kildare flag, on 26th December 2015. It is rare that one has this opportunity to land here so maybe the Kildare flag brought me good luck and I was very proud to be able to bring it there.
Shackleton and his men landed on Elephant Island on 15th April 1916 at Cape Valentine and moved 7 miles down a very inhospitable coast to Point Wild on 17th April. From there Shackleton and 5 others (including two other men from Ireland, Tom Crean and Tim McCarthy) left for South Georgia on 24th April in a 21 foot boat, reaching there on May 10th after a journey of 800 miles. The remaining 22 men “camped” at Point Wild under two up-turned boats until they were rescued on 30th August (in the middle of the Antarctic winter on the 4th arrempt). The site of their camp is behind me. Also behind me is a bust of the Chilean Captain Pardo who brought the “Yelcho from Punta Arenas to rescue the men. They then returned to Punta Arenas to a huge reception. I have just visited Punta Arenas on my way to and from Antarctica – they are quite rightly very proud of their role in the rescue. When in Antarctica I was invited to visit a Chilean base where the Base Commander very proudly showed me another bust of Captain Pardo.
Best wishes,
Jonathan.
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