Elephant Island, April 24 1916
Dearest Emily,
If you ever read this letter, you probably know that we have perished at sea. Unworthy, I have always loved you; but only with Endurance I could ever show my worthiness to you.
Seeing the ship being eaten by ice and spend months of Antarctic night I have accepted, but to set out in our tiny vessel across the stormy sea is just folly, but it is the only way to convince my men that any hope is left.
Tomorrow we will be at the mercy of wind, sea and our carpenter’s adze.
Forever Yours,
Ernest
This is one of my favorite pictures ever so I have done some tweaking to the letter which is an imaginary letter sent from Ernest Shackleton before he set out on his desperate mission for South Georgia to be saved from being ice-locked.
Indirectly I have a connection to the story. My father was a professor in geography and one of his predecessors on the same possession was Otto Nordenskjöld who made a similar expedition and met a similar destiny. Actually Shackleton could benefit from that expedition because they could use the house that the Swedish expedition had used to survive the first winter. The difference was that Nordenskjöld was saved by a rescue expedition from Argentina. When I was a kid I once met the widow of Nordenskjöld and I still remember some of the stories she told.
Friday Fictioeers is currently on Reruns while Rochelle finalize the last book in her trilogy.
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August 14, 2016
Björn Rudbergs writings 
It’s always dangerous to fictionalise real people and events, but I think this works, because of the contrast between the very simple personal universal emotions and the immensity of the journey
I remember researching this a bit.. Some sources say that Shackleton was driven by a necessity to prove himself worthy
Some interesting background to a very sad tale there, Bjorn. Well done.
But it was a happy ending.. Shackleton survived after a heroic boat, and a traverse of South Georgia
Dear Björn,
After that poignant letter, it’s nice to know that Ernest survived after all. Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Indeed… and the story was even better… from the last time I ran the story I remember that one of Doug’s ancestors was a surgeon on Endeavor…
Glad he survived. Good story Bjorn, as usual.
It’s one of the classic polar expeditions tales.
I am stepping outside, I may be some time.
What an interesting background. I love hearing where stories come from but even more so when they have an element of fact behind them.
I usually don’t have the time to do the research… but the boat together with that the picture was taken by Georgia (he left for South Georgia) made it click when I wrote it the first time.
I love the personal connection!
🙂
Excellent idea and well written.
Thank you… it was one of my favorite earlier entries
Either folly or courage were needed to make those journeys. The freezing cold is one of the most unpleasant unrelenting enemies someone can go against, and they weren’t that well equipped considering.
I like the letter it has an authentic ring to it, and the backstory enriches everything.
I do have some small experience from our own country… and my father went on a few Arctic expeditions….
Yes you get plenty cold weather up there ☺
The worst I went through was -40 in Kazakhstan and Mongolia with really bad clothing. Nothing on an arctic wind swept terrain I am sure, but horrible, so brutal.
Brr much worse than it ever gets here…
I imagined your winters had temperatures like that every year.
Not really… Stockholm is just a few degrees below freezing in January and February… we still very influenced by winds from the Atlantic
And in our darkest moments we remember that life is only as rich as those that we loved.
I love the background details too.
Yes, a fascinating story
I’m somewhat familiar with Shackleton’s expedition. The letter is quite touching. Are we ever worthy?
Great story, Bjorn. I especially enjoyed the afterward notes.
Actually it has been speculated that the driving force behind his need for expeditions was to prove himself worthy… to overcome a class barrier.
I totally thought this was going to be about Ernest Hemingway when I read the title. 🙂
The double meaning in your title is clever. Likewise, “Elephant Island” grabs my attention … one, because I have an enduring love for elephants, but two, because of the “elephant in the room” expression.
I’m torn between thinking this is an exquisite poetic-letter and being pissed at him, from Emily’s point of view. Of course, it’s in a man’s nature to want to explore and conquer everything, but it’s in a woman’s nature to want her man to sit beside her and just cuddle (where it’s safe).
Your gentle rhymes are so good: sea/unworthy, ice/night, sea/folly.
This is my favorite part: “Seeing the ship being eaten by ice”
I also think the use of “adze” at the end works very well.
I think some ladies back then preferred the status of a brave man than the poet right beside her… but I guess it might have been a difference.
I like everything about this post including your personal connection.
Thank you Tracey.. somehow I feel connected to the world of arctic expeditions… it seems that I have been very close to doing them myself.
Maybe it’s time before all the ice melts.
I’m sure it will always have an element of adventure
Not a fan of letters, but seeing as it’s you Bjorn, I’ll let you off…lol.
Ha.. I try my best to wary my style… letters has some advantages, but they are problematic too.
I had to look up adze 🙂 I love the construction as a letter. It seems to me to be a good format for a 100 worder.
I found the adze word when reading about Shackleton… loved the word.
Me too! Feels great on the tongue too!
This is very good. Specially the personal information you shared. Great piece.
Thank you.. sometimes there are reasons why we feel attracted to certain stories.
Great piece, I’m glad he survived though he held no such hopes, and I enjoyed your footnote.
Ahh yes I wonder what he felt.. sometimes it’s better to die having hope than die waiting…
Great story, Bjorn. How interesting to actually meet the widow of Nordenskjold. Good writing. 🙂 — Suzanne
She had been widow for almost 50 years then
“…but only with Endurance I could ever show my worthiness to you.” it could be a translation thing, but i feel this should be “could i ever” instead of “i could ever.” a manifestation of hopelessness. well done.
Oh you might be right… it could be a case of “swenglish” here…
Wow! What an experience it must have been to speak to the widow. A moment in time, forever etched in memory. 🙂 Love this little letter.
Thank you… yes, though it was a different story there where so many similarities…
Goosebumps! The story of Endurance is compelling one for me too, and I was moved by your take on it.
It is one of the true classic stories of adventures… one has to wonder about how it felt.
What a great story. I love letter form, so extra points for that. And double bonus for added information and personal touch.
It is a story with all the classical elements… (and I’m sure he wrote a letter)
Great story, ans even better for your personal connection with it.
Bleak and depressing, like the weather there.
To endeavour and to endure, Shackleton’s was a great story.
Such a great story!! And well told in a letter.
Beautiful! Great you put it down. I love the story of Shackleton!
Love your title too!
This is my favourite form to learn about history. Great writing, Björn.
Lovely bit of history. And a historical tale of love. Nicely done! Also enjoyed your “afterword.”
Terrific work this week, Bjorn! Informative and entertaining. I like that your dad was a professor of geography. I have always enjoyed in Jules Verne stories the various places in the world mentioned in the plot lines since Verne was a geography expert. It always makes things sound authoritative for some reason.
Super job!
What a lovely letter, Bjorn. Such a strong voice with it too. The story of Ernest Shackleton and his team is extraordinary – why it’s not better known than Scott’s is beyond me. Shackleton was indomitable – every man on that expedition back alive too.
Lovely tone and feels like it could be him talking . Great stuff
I am always amazed at how well you write in what is not your first language.
Well told. What they went through, their courage and endurance have always astounded me.
I love this letter. The story of Shackleton and his men is one of excitement and bravery. Well done!
Enjoyed! I love reading ‘historical’ flash!
Fabulous historical connection.
Such a poignant letter. You’ve done a wonderful job, and your personal connection to the story is fascinating.
I’d say you were destined to write this story, Bjorn. Wow, what a connection! I like your approach with a letter. You got the tone and language just right it seems to me.
A sad tale! And I learned something here that I hadn’t known before. A nicely woven bit of history in your moving flash fiction!