In 1922, Sir Ernest Shackleton set out to continue exploration of Antarctica. He died of a heart attack before reaching the continent. His death marked the end of what historians call the “heroic age” of Antarctic exploration, when pioneering adventurers faced great adversity. This week, researchers discovered the wreckage of his last ship.
They found the sunken Quest in the Labrador Sea between Canada and Greenland. Sonar scans used soundwaves to reveal the wreck. The steam-powered vessel lay 1,280 feet beneath the churning waters.
Shackleton was born in Ireland in 1874. He led his first expedition to Antarctica at 33 years old. He would take two more journeys to “The White Continent” before his death. His exploits made him one of history’s most famous Antarctic explorers. King Edward VII even knighted him in 1909.
Shackleton dreamed of becoming the first explorer to cross Antarctica via the South Pole. His heart gave out before he could achieve that goal. He died aboard Quest at the age of 47.
But if Shackleton was headed for Antarctica, why was Quest found way up north?
Quest lived on after Shackleton. First, it was used for Arctic research. After that, it became a seal-hunting vessel. Quest sank in 1962 after hitting ice in the frigid Labrador Sea.
Researchers say the shipwreck remains in remarkable condition. They won’t bring it to the surface. That would cost an enormous amount of money. But researchers will study and document the site. Later this summer, they hope to film the wreck with an underwater drone.
In 2022, researchers discovered another of Shackleton’s ships, Endurance, a century after Antarctic waters swallowed it.
Canadian John Geiger led the expedition to find the Quest. He heard rumors about other explorers wanting to search for the wreckage. He worried that rich hobbyists would make the discovery all about themselves. “I just had this picture in my mind of a few billionaires on yachts up in the Labrador Sea,” he says.
Instead, he believes his crew did things the right way. “It’s not about anyone’s ego,” he says. “It’s about telling great stories and celebrating some of the finest human attributes.”
The public considered Shackleton a hero for his adventures and his commitment to his crew’s survival. What do you think makes someone a hero?
