Shackleton wuxuu ku dhashay Kilkea, County Kildare, Ireland, qoyskiisa oo Anglo-Irish ahna waxay u guureen Sydenham oo ku taal duleedka koonfurta London markuu toban jirka ahaa. Shackleton waayo aragnimadiisii ugu horreysay ee gobollada barafka waxay ahayd sarkaalkii saddexaad ee Captain Robert Falcon Scott ee "Discovery" safarkii 1901-1904, kaas oo laga soo diray gurigiisa sababo caafimaad awgood, ka dib markii isaga iyo saaxiibbadiis Scott iyo Edward Adrian Wilson ay dejiyeen rikoor cusub oo koonfureed iyagoo u socdaalaya 82 ° S.
Safarkii "Nimrod" ee 1907-1909, isaga iyo seddexda wehel waxay aasaaseen rikoor cusub oo ugu fog koonfurta koonfurta 88 ° S, oo kaliya 97 mayl juquraafi ah (112 mayl sharci ama 180 kiiloomitir) laga bilaabo Koonfurta Koonfurta, horumarka ugu weyn ee geeska taariikhda sahaminta. Sidoo kale, xubnaha kooxdiisu waxay fuuleen buurta Erebus, oo ah buurta ugu firfircoon Antarctic. Shackleton waxa uu ku guulaystay guulahaas oo uu ku guulaystay Boqor Edward VII markii uu ku soo laabtay dalkiisa.