An underwater exploration expedition conducted nearly 400 meters below the surface of the Labrador Sea has unveiled the initial visuals of Quest, the vessel that carried renowned Antarctic adventurer Sir Ernest Shackleton on his last journey. The Royal Canadian Geographical Society (RCGS) deployed a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to capture images of the ship’s wreckage where it sank near Labrador’s coast in 1962.
CBC News had exclusive access to the expedition aboard the research vessel Atlantis when the first pictures were disclosed, revealing the stern of the exploration vessel entangled in fishing gear. The images displayed that a substantial part of Quest is ensnared in old fishing equipment, with the wreck situated in the Hawke Channel, a fishing-restricted area since 2002.
David Mearns, co-chief scientist of the expedition and an experienced shipwreck investigator who has discovered 29 wrecks, expressed concern about the potential damage caused by the fishing nets to the wreck. The RCGS first located the Quest wreck two years ago using side-scan sonar technology.
The expedition, the society’s most extensive to date with costs in the millions, partnered with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution from Massachusetts, utilizing their vessel and submersible to explore two shipwrecks in the Labrador Sea. John Geiger, RCGS CEO and expedition leader, descended in the submersible Alvin during its inaugural dive to the wreck.
Quest was originally acquired by Shackleton for Arctic exploration, but after the Canadian government declined support, he redirected the expedition to Antarctica. Shackleton passed away from a heart attack aboard the vessel in January 1922 near South Georgia. The ship later served as a minesweeper during World War II and was employed by a Norwegian firm for seal hunting before sinking in 1962 due to ice pressure off Labrador’s southern coast.
Although the wreck’s name and registration number are not visible, research director Antoine Normandin asserts that distinctive features confirm it as Quest, including two unique portholes below the bridge corresponding to historical photographs. Despite disappointment over the damage caused by trawl fishing, researchers are pleased that essential historical sections of the wreck remain intact.
A vital aspect of the mission involves generating a 3D digital model of the wreck through imaging technology. Fishing nets obstructing the starboard side of the ship present challenges in capturing imagery of the vessel’s underside. Discovered in 2024, the RCGS expedition aims to provide insights into the surviving elements, alterations, and the potential revelations from the wreck and the 300-meter debris field surrounding it.
Following the exploration of Quest, the expedition will proceed to investigate another wreck, Terra Nova, located at the southern tip of Greenland. Terra Nova, originally owned by the Bowring Company in St. John’s, was utilized by Robert Falcon Scott during his tragic 1912 South Pole expedition.
The expedition anticipates answering questions about the wreck’s condition, changes, and the insights it can offer, as the team continues its underwater exploratory journey.
