Discover the life of Ernest Shackleton, the fearless Antarctic adventurer. When Ernest Shackleton was young, he longed for a life of adventure. After a career in the Merchant Navy, he joined a landmark expedition to try to reach the South Pole for the first time in history. Although he had to go home early, he never gave up. His own expeditions set new records for the closest anyone had ever been to the South Pole, and he is remembered now as a courageous and inspirational leader.