On the Location of Shackleton's Vessel Endurance

Abstract

The location of the wreck of Shackleton's ship the Steam Yacht Endurance is recorded in the expedition log books as 68°39′30′′S 52°26′30′′W. The methods and assumptions that went into obtaining this fix are examined in detail by consulting the original log entries with a view to understanding the size of the errors and uncertainties it may be subject to and providing guidance to possible future searches. It is found that a dearth of navigational sights around the time of the sinking, the inevitable growth of uncertainties in the chronometer time since rating and other factors, introduce the possibility of errors in the position of several nautical miles in both latitude and longitude.