FORTUNA FAVOURS THE BRAVE
Endurance athlete James Norbury attempts to retrace Shackleton’s footsteps across South Georgia
Thirteen days into his South Georgia expedition, endurance athlete James Norbury has battled through some of the most unforgiving terrain on Earth - unclimbed peaks, glaciated terrain and ferocious whiteouts - in an attempt to complete The Shackleton Traverse: the same route first attempted by Sir Ernest Shackleton during his 1916 rescue mission.
In one of the most remarkable survival stories ever told, Shackleton, Worsley and Crean crossed South Georgia’s mountainous interior on foot, having sailed 800 miles in an open 22.5ft lifeboat, the James Caird, to reach help for the 22 stranded crew of the Endurance left behind on Elephant Island.
More than a century later, Norbury set out to honour that journey; tell that story; and test himself against the same elements equipped with Shackleton’s latest innovation in expedition-grade apparel: the Fortuna Ski Suit.
Departing the Falkland Islands aboard a small vessel, Firebird, a modified Bluewater Oyster Yacht, Norbury sailed through waters strewn with icebergs, crossing the Antarctic convergence to reach King Haakon Bay, Shackleton’s original landing point. From there, he clipped into his touring skis, harnessed a 40kg pulk carrying food, shelter and survival equipment and began his ascent into the island’s frozen interior.
Facing temperatures down to -15°C and winds reaching 60mph, Norbury’s route mirrored Shackleton’s original passage towards Stromness - a line that weaves through glaciers and high passes to the whaling station where Shackleton finally found salvation for his crew.
Norbury’s journey forms part of Fortuna Favours the Brave, Shackleton’s launch campaign for the new Fortuna Ski Suit - a system that bridges expedition performance and alpine versatility. Developed directly from Shackleton's polar-proven CHALLENGER Expedition Pulk Suit, the Fortuna brings technical innovation from the world’s harshest environments to the mountains and backcountry.
Throughout the crossing, Norbury is documenting his progress through film, drone footage and daily field reports - offering rare insight into the raw beauty of South Georgia, a place where Shackleton’s legend endures and biodiversity continues to flourish.
Don't miss a moment of the adventure, follow James Norbury’s expedition in real time via @jamesnorbury_ and @shackletonofficial.
Sign up for priority access to the Fortuna Ski Suit here.
