News

“I learned early in life that self-growth occurs when you immerse yourself into the surrounding world, embracing new experiences and new situations,” said Annie Aggens, North Shore Country Day class of 1988. Annie is now the Director of Wilmette-based PolarExplorers. She joined the company in 1998 and helps create and lead exceptional and unique adventures for the intrepid traveler. 

Annie was recently featured in Daily North Shore, along with PolarExplorers Founder Rich Sweitzer reflecting on the recent discovery of Endurance, the ship used by Sir Ernest Shackleton and his crew of 27, that sank in the Weddell Sea in 1915. “Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage,” by Alfred Lansing, was one of Annie’s favorite books growing up.

Back in 2015, Annie and Rich led a group to South Georgia Island, where Shackleton and his rescued crew walked—after navigating about 800 miles on a narrow lifeboat—and were finally rescued.

On March 9, 2022, Endurance was discovered 107 years after sinking, two miles below the surface of the Weddell Sea. Annie and a PolarExplorers team will return to South Georgia Island for an expedition starting on October 18, ending on November 7, 2022.