An expedition funded by the Royal Canadian Geographic Society (RCGS) has successfully located and digitally documented the shipwrecks of two legendary polar exploration vessels: Ernest Shackleton's 'Quest' and Robert Falcon Scott's 'Terra Nova.' Researchers descended over 1,000 feet into the Labrador Sea to reach the wreck of the 'Quest,' the ship on which Shackleton died in 1922. Scientists from the RCGS were the first people in over 60 years to lay eyes on the wreck.
This expedition, which began in early July and was supported by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) on the research vessel 'Atlantis,' marks a significant advancement in the preservation and study of historical maritime sites. Using state-of-the-art underwater imaging technology, the team created the first full-sized 'digital twins' of the two ships. These detailed 3D models capture the wrecks as they exist today, before inevitable degradation.
Shackleton's 'Quest' was discovered in 2024. The ship was chartered by Shackleton for an Antarctic expedition in 1922, but he died of a heart attack aboard before the journey could fully commence. The vessel was later sold and spent four decades in Arctic waters before sinking in 1962. The submersible craft Alvin, also the first crewed vessel to reach the Titanic, was used for the dives.
John Geiger, expedition leader and RCGS CEO, described the experience of seeing the 'Quest' as 'moving,' noting the significance of viewing a vessel that Shackleton himself stood on a century prior. However, the expedition also revealed the impact of time and the ocean, with large fishing nets causing considerable damage to the 'Quest.' "The nets are a sad story, limiting our ability to look at the wreck," Geiger stated, adding, "I think we have to take responsibility for what we are doing to our oceans."
Following the discovery of the 'Quest,' the team headed north to locate the wreck of the 'Terra Nova,' the ship that carried Scott on his final, ill-fated expedition to the South Pole. Scott and his party reached the South Pole in January 1912, only to find they had been beaten by Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen. Scott and his remaining companions perished during the return journey. The 'Terra Nova' sank in 1943 after years of service in the Newfoundland seal fishery.
Dwight Coleman, Co-Chief Scientist from WHOI, highlighted the importance of the 3D modeling technology. "This type of 3D modelling has only existed in ocean science for the last couple of years and it’s giving us entirely new ways to explore these historic wrecks and make them real for the public," Coleman said. These two ships are considered hallmarks of the 'Heroic Age' of polar exploration, a period characterized by daring voyages and immense personal risk.
Ernest Shackleton, an Anglo-Irish explorer, is renowned for his leadership during the 1914 Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition, where his ship 'Endurance' was trapped and crushed by ice, yet he managed to save his entire crew. Robert Falcon Scott, a British Royal Navy officer, is remembered for his two Antarctic expeditions, including the one that led to his death in 1912. Both explorers and their voyages represent a critical chapter in polar history and scientific endeavor.