A remarkable expedition is set to commence on Thursday, aimed at capturing the first-ever footage of the legendary shipwrecks belonging to polar explorers Sir Ernest Shackleton and Captain Robert Falcon Scott. The Royal Canadian Geographical Society (RCGS) will lead a mission to the depths of the Labrador Sea and the waters off Greenland, utilising the advanced submersible Alvin, renowned for its prior exploration of the Titanic wreck. This ambitious project is the culmination of two years of meticulous planning in collaboration with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and a diverse international team.
A New Chapter in Underwater Exploration
John Geiger, CEO of the RCGS, will join the team as they embark on this groundbreaking journey. As one of the first individuals to witness these historical wrecks, Geiger expressed his enthusiasm for what he described as the most extensive and intricate expedition the society has ever undertaken. “It’ll be a real adventure,” he remarked. Shackleton, who passed away during his final Antarctic voyage in 1922, is intimately connected to the wreck of his last ship, Quest, which sank off the coast of Labrador in 1962. The discovery of Quest was a significant milestone achieved by the RCGS in 2024.
Geiger acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding the state of Quest, which was stripped of many original features during its conversion to a sealing vessel. Nonetheless, he hopes to uncover artefacts such as the original nameplate and Shackleton’s wheel, as well as seal pelts left behind when the ship was abandoned. “Nobody has ever looked at Quest with their own eyes. I think it’ll be a very, very emotional moment to actually look at that ship and experience it directly, not looking at a screen, but looking through a portal,” Geiger added.
The Enduring Legacy of Terra Nova
The expedition will not solely focus on Quest; they will also investigate the wreck of Scott’s final ship, Terra Nova. This vessel, a wooden sail and steam-powered ship, was pivotal during Scott’s ill-fated journey to the South Pole in January 1912. Although he and his team reached the pole, they were tragically beaten to it by Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen. Scott and his crew perished during their return, becoming icons of polar exploration.
Terra Nova had a varied history following its Antarctic exploits, including service as a sealing ship and later being chartered during the Second World War to transport supplies to Greenland. Its wreck was discovered by the Schmidt Ocean Institute in 2012, revealing remnants of its structure covered in marine life, including the ship’s wheel and mast. Geiger reflected, “We’re dealing with the early age of Antarctic exploration from 1900 to about 1922… this age that we’re living now is really a golden age of underwater exploration, and certainly with respect to shipwrecks.”
Advanced Technology to Illuminate the Past
Accompanying the submersible Alvin, a remote-controlled underwater vehicle will be deployed to gather additional footage of the shipwrecks. David Mearns, a seasoned shipwreck explorer and co-chief scientist of the expedition, highlighted the aim of producing high-resolution three-dimensional images of the wrecks, allowing for an unprecedented level of detail. “It’s an exact true-scale replica of the shipwreck that you can manipulate, you can move around, you can rotate it, you can zoom in,” he explained. The technology will enable researchers to explore the ships’ interiors through open portholes and doors, offering a unique glimpse into their storied pasts.
Mearns noted that Quest lies at a greater depth than Terra Nova, which sits at 170 metres below sea level. “We will come to portions of the ship where we know Shackleton stood. We will come to places on Terra Nova where we know that Scott stood, Scott slept,” he stated. The expedition will employ photogrammetric technology from Voyis Imaging, based in Waterloo, Ontario, to ensure accurate and detailed captures of both wrecks.
Why it Matters
This expedition represents a significant moment in the ongoing quest to understand and honour the legacies of Shackleton and Scott. By utilising cutting-edge technology to explore these historic shipwrecks, the RCGS aims not only to document their conditions but also to foster a deeper appreciation for the perilous adventures undertaken by these pioneers of polar exploration. As the expedition unfolds, it promises to enrich our knowledge of the early 20th-century era of exploration and the enduring human spirit in the face of adversity.
