# XVI: The Aurora’s Drift explained — South!

> Chapter companion for South! by Ernest Shackleton.

## What happens

After Mackintosh leaves the Aurora, Stenhouse struggles to keep the ship safe near Tent Island and Cape Evans, facing constant threats from drifting ice and blizzards. The ship is eventually moored but later breaks free during a gale, drifting northward. Stenhouse and his crew endure months of ice drift, recording their position, the strain on the ship, and the psychological toll of isolation. They prepare emergency sledging plans and hope for news of Shackleton and the Endurance, while the Aurora remains trapped in the pack ice, drifting over 700 miles from Cape Evans.

## Themes in this chapter

### Isolation and Connection

The crew's sense of isolation is palpable, as they are cut off from Cape Evans, news of Shackleton, and the war; they long for communication and release.

### Endurance and Perseverance

Stenhouse and his men endure months of ice drift, blizzards, and uncertainty, maintaining hope and preparing for emergencies.

### Scientific Inquiry and Practicality

Stenhouse records soundings, current directions, and ice movements, noting the scientific value of the drift; the crew also builds a tractor and prepares sledging equipment.

## Character check-ins

### Lionel Stenhouse

Commands the Aurora after Mackintosh departs; keeps detailed log of the ship's drift and struggles to find secure winter quarters.

### Hooke

Dismantles and later re-erects wireless gear; attempts to contact Macquarie Island for relief.

### Ninnis

Works on constructing a new tractor during the drift.

### Cope

Leads the third sledging party, leaving the ship on January 31 and returning on February 2 before departing again.

### Spencer-Smith

Embarked from Hut Point to Cape Evans with other men and dogs.

### Richards

Embarked from Hut Point to Cape Evans with other men and dogs.

## Key lines

> The monotony and worry of our helpless position is deadly.

The endless waiting and anxiety of being stuck in the ice is overwhelming.

_Stenhouse expresses the psychological strain of the drift._

> It is good to get a good landmark for fixing positions again, and it is good to see that we are making northerly progress, however small.

Seeing Sturge Island provides a welcome reference point and confirms slow northward movement.

_Stenhouse finds reassurance in measurable progress despite the slow drift._

> The grating and grinding noise makes one feel the unimportance of man in circumstances like ours.

The sounds of moving ice remind the crew of their insignificance in the vast, hostile environment.

_Stenhouse reflects on the humbling power of nature._

> I should like to know. I believe the Ross Sea is rarely entirely ice-covered.

Stenhouse wonders about open water nearby, speculating that the Ross Sea is seldom completely frozen.

_A moment of scientific curiosity amid the drift._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/south_se/chapters/xvi-the-aurora-s-drift
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/south_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/south_se/chapters