Our final stop was at the old trading post shown in the photo and led to one of life’s surprising but interesting coincidences. This trading post whilst preserved is no longer accessible by road and no longer occupied but it was once owned by the Aunt of one of the Norwegians (Unfortunately I have been unable to identify the name) who accompanied Shackleton to the Antarctic on his fateful expedition with the Endurance
Somehow the Aunt managed to acquire the makeshift cabin that the carpenter McNish constructed aboard the tiny open boat – the James Caird – to provide at least some shelter for Shackleton’s dangerous and heroic voyage from Elephant Island, where he left the majority of his crew, whilst he a three others set out to find help in South Georgia, hundreds of miles further to the northwest.
This cabin structure has recently been lovingly restored by local boat builders and returned to the museum at Grytviken in South Georgia where Shackleton and many of his team are buried.
So what is the coincidence? Well some of you will know that in November 2011 I spent 3 weeks in the Antarctic and not only had the privilege of standing on Elephant Island near the beach – now washed away – where Shackleton’s men waited over 3 months to be rescued – and one of only hundreds who have been able to land at Wild Point because of the dangerous seas and currents (See photo – the statue in the background is to the Captain of the Yelcro, a Chilean ship that eventually recused Shackleton’s men from Wild Point, Elephant Island).
I have also seen the replica of the James Caird (See photo) in the Grytviken Museum that will by now of course be on display with the restored cabin. The original of the James Caird proper is in a Liverpool museum.
So yet again one of life’s surprises and coincidences to conclude a splendid Sea Eagle Safari.
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