A boat party might make the voyage and be back with relief within a month, provided that the sea was clear of ice and the boat survive the great seas.

It was not difficult to decide that South Georgia must be the objective, and I proceeded to plan ways and means.

The hazards of a boat journey across 800 miles of stormy sub-Antarctic ocean were obvious, but I calculated that at worst the venture would add nothing to the risks of the men left on the island.

There would be fewer mouths to feed during the winter and the boat would not require to take more than one month's provisions for six men, for if we did not make South Georgia in that time we were sure to go under.

A consideration that had weight with me was that there was no chance at all of any search being made for us on Elephant Island.
The case required to be argued in some detail, since all hands knew that the perils of the proposed journey were extreme.