The constant setbacks and difficulties seemed to take their toll on Shackleton both physically and mentally. Members of the expedition noted their concerns for him in their diaries. On 17 December 1921 in Rio, Macklin the doctor was called for as Shackleton “felt a slight faintness”. On 2 January Quest passed her first iceberg, Shackleton wrote in his diary, “Ah me: the years that have gone since in the pride of young manhood I first went forth to the fight. I grow old and tired but must always lead on.”
For seven of the crew who had sailed on Endurance, Quest‘s landfall was the first they had seen of South Georgia, its magnificent scenery and whaling stations, since they had left for the Weddell Sea eight years earlier. On the evening of Quest’s arrival in Grytviken, Shackleton was full of jokes and announced as they retired that they would celebrate Christmas the next day. Christmas Day had been spent riding a furious storm and they had only eaten bully-beef sandwiches. Tomorrow they could enjoy the tinned ham, turkey and plum puddings donated by Mr and Mrs Rowett.