The Ship Beneath the Ice

The Discovery of Shackleton’s Endurance

By: Mensun Bound

Narrated by: Mensun Bound - preface, Charles Armstrong

Length: 11 hrs and 57 mins

Publisher's summary

"As thrilling as any tale from the heroic age of exploration. ... Bound’s account is a triumph. The storytelling is piano-wire taut, the writing saturated with polar moodiness."―Sunday Times

The extraordinary story of how the Endurance, Ernest Shackleton's legendary lost ship, was found in the most hostile sea on Earth, told by the expedition's Director of Exploration.

On November 21, 1914, after sailing more than ten thousand miles from Norway to the Antarctic Ocean, the Endurance finally succumbed to the surrounding ice. Ernest Shackleton and his crew had navigated the 144-foot, three-masted wooden vessel to Antarctica to become the first to cross the barren continent, but early season pack ice trapped them in place offshore. They watched in silence as the ship’s stern rose twenty feet in the air and disappeared into the frigid sea, then spent six harrowing months marooned on the ice in its wake. Seal meat was their only sustenance as Shackleton’s expedition to push the limits of human strength took a new form: one of survival against the odds.

As this legendary story entered the annals of polar exploration, it inspired a new global race to find the wrecked Endurance, by all accounts “the world’s most unreachable shipwreck.” Several missions failed, thwarted, as Shackleton was, by the unpredictable Weddell Sea. Finally, a century to the day after Shackleton’s death, renowned marine archeologist Mensun Bound and an elite team of explorers discovered the lost shipwreck. Nearly ten thousand feet below the ice lay a remarkably preserved Endurance, its name still emblazoned on the ship’s stern.

The Ship Beneath the Ice chronicles two dramatic expeditions to what Shackleton called “the most hostile sea on Earth.” Bound experienced failure and despair in his attempts to locate the wreck, and, like Shackleton before him, very nearly found his vessel frozen in ice.

This inspiring modern-day adventure narrative captures the intrepid spirit that joins two mariners across the centuries—both of whom accomplished the impossible.

Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2023 Mensun Bound (P)2023 HarperCollins Publishers

Whopping good listen

Detailed and engaging telling of the two searches for Shackleton’s ship, interwoven with descriptions of a spectacular polar world.

If you follow Shackleton's exploration

Excellent narration, epic story, a must listen to follow up if you have read the book Endurance

Captivating Story

An incredible story of history intertwined with discovery. Truly a captivating story thoughtfully narrated. You felt as if you were on board the dive expedition.

Great book

The accent of who reads this book is a little hard to get used to, but loved the book, story and content.

Fascinating, draws you in. An homage to history and exploration

Beautifully captures the experience of the search for the Endurance, while honoring the history of the expedition. The author shares the heartbreak and joy of "failure" and achievement. Beautiful narration as well.

Exploration At Its Finest

What a fantastic read! I enjoyed the adventure of looking for the Endurance.

Mensun Bound takes the reader on a fabulous journey, looking for the wreck of the Endurance, and tracking Shackleton's adventure at the same time. There are ups and downs, as the first expedition hits several snags, leaving the crew dejected and upset over the lack of finding anything concrete. But the next try might yield better results, giving the team what they are looking for.

This book crosses between Shackleton and Bound, giving glimpses of the first journey, which was fraught with danger and unexpected hardships.

Loved this one immensely!

Simply interesting and well-told

Some expedition stories take more effort to follow but this is such a pleasant narration. The story has a nice pace with ebbs and flows of the ice.

I've read Shackleton's 'South' and Lansing's 'Endurance', so I do have some insight to the back story. Parts of that history are woven somewhat with today's effort and technology that tie yesterday and now together.

I enjoyed the little aspect of time travel with the story as well.

Incredible accomplishment, excellent read

I am in awe of Shackleton and have read extensively on him and his survival and heroism. This story keeps it going with the modern search for the Endurance. The ship’s name says it all. In my lifetime the Titanic and the Endurance have been found… what else is there? Excellent read.

Compelling

Really good. I had read another book about Shackleton's expedition, but this added more info and insight and I really enjoyed it.

A tale of perseverance

I’m a huge fan of Sir Ernest Shackleton. For me, he showed the ultimate leadership in the ill faded expedition of the endurance. Over 100 years on, the search to find the wreck of the endurance was a huge challenge for the spirit and the modern technology that we possess. This is a fascinating book that discusses the endurance expedition, but also all that went into discovering the wreckage at the foot of the Wendell sea near Antarctica. It’s a fascinating book.