“Men wanted: for hazardous journey. Small wages, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness, constant danger, safe return doubtful. Honor and recognition in case of success.”
Yes, that’s the famous (and probably apocryphal) newspaper ad that polar explorer Ernest Shackleton supposedly placed in advance of his fateful Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition. But it could just as well describe the next few months of your life, should you decide to put LEGO’s upcoming reproduction of Shackleton’s famous ship on your Christmas list.
Photo: LEGO
The 3011-piece LEGO model of Endurance will set you back 270€ ($285) and is created for LEGO heads 18 and up.
The set includes a LEGO stand, so the ship doesn’t list to one side, but our recommendation is to freeze your Endurance in a block of ice for maximum historical authenticity.
You’ll have to raid your kid’s bucket of LEGO cowboys, astronauts, and knights to crew the ship. Heroic Age of Polar Exploration sailors not included. Nor is, unfortunately, Endurance’s ill-fated ship’s cat, Mrs. Chippy.
Photo: LEGO
Lifeboat bonus
However, LEGO is throwing in a bonus to sweeten your hefty buy. A “Shackleton’s Lifeboat” set, which will be sold separately in the future, is included with the LEGO Endurance for a limited time. This bonus set comes with The Boss himself, bescarfed and wearing a determined expression, as well as a strangely cheerful Frank Hurley. A camera, tripod, sextant, shovel, oars, and other accessories are also included with the lifeboat.
The bonus ‘Shackleton’s Lifeboat’ set, included with purchase of ‘The Endurance’ set. What’s Hurley so happy about? Photo: LEGO
The LEGO Endurance will be available for purchase on LEGO’s website on November 29.
The set comes out at a moment of increased interest in the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition (although, let’s be honest, for some of us, Shackleton and Endurance live rent-free in our heads all the time.) The wreck of Endurance was discovered in astonishingly good condition in March 2022. Earlier this month, a documentary directed by Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin, and Natalie Hewit dropped on streaming services.
