Alfred Lansing
"Then, at just after ten-thirty, Vincent spotted a clump of seaweed, and a few minutes later a cormorant was sighted overhead. Hope flared anew."
page 244
Throughout the voyage, Shackleton and his crew lived in constant fear of missing South Georgia, which would result in their deaths on the open Atlantic. Suddenly, with the sighting of seaweed, those fears were dismissed as seaweed serves as a signal that land is near.
This scene is similar to the story of Noah from the Bible. Noah, in order to escape a flood sent by God, survived on a boat for around two months. Eventually, when the rains stopped, Noah sent birds to search for a sign of land. After some unsuccessful trips, a dove brought to Noah an olive branch. This olive branch served as a sign that there was land and salvation. In both cases, people trapped on a boat were assured by plant life that land and salvation were near.
Sure enough, the crew spotted South Georgia a little later. However, several attempts at landing saw the crew turned back by both wind and tide. However, their efforts paid off and they were able to land. Their survival was now ensure, but what would become of the group they left behind on Elephant Island?
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