The Canadian Arctic Expedition, led by egotistic polar explorer Vilhjalmur Stefansson,  has insufficient winter clothing; is outfitted with a ship that can barely stay afloat; and is crewed in part by felons, bums, and at least one full-fledged heroin addict. 

Shortly into their journey, the Karluk becomes frozen in the ice and floats listlessly through the Arctic Ocean. When Stefansson grasps an opportunity to escape to the coast, the men aboard the Karluk are abandoned and left for dead. The story that follows is one of unabashed selfishness on one end of the spectrum, unparalleled heroism on the other, and plenty of hilarity all throughout.

From Canadian-Arctic Wreckspedition…

That night James Murray, the oceanographer, used a sextant to determine that they were about twenty miles north of the coast.

Stefansson called Captain Bartlett to his cabin.

“Bartlett, you’re pretty good at being in charge of stuff,” Stefansson said.

“Well…”

“If I were to go on a uhhh, hunting trip some time soon—say, in about fifteen minutes—you could handle the ship on your own?”

“How long would you be gone?”

“Uhh, a few days, maybe forever—if we could take down a caribou it would—”

“I’m sorry, what was that?”

“I said if we can take down a caribou—”

“No, the bit about you leaving forever.”

“Did I say forever? I don’t know why I said that. Definitely just going to be gone a few days—a couple of months, tops.”