Quest (ship)
Encyclopedia
The Quest, a low-powered, schooner-rigged steamship that sailed from 1917 until sinking in 1962, is best known as the polar exploration vessel of the Shackleton-Rowett Expedition
of 1921-1922. It was aboard this vessel that Sir Ernest Shackleton
died on 5 January 1922 while the vessel was in harbour in South Georgia. Prior to and after the Shackleton-Rowett Expedition, the Quest operated in commercial service as a seal-hunting vessel or sealer
. The Quest was also the primary expedition vessel of the British Arctic Air Route Expedition
to the east coast of the island of Greenland
in 1930-1931.
The Quest was 111 feet (33.8 m) in length, had a beam of 24 feet (7.3 m), and drew 12 feet (3.7 m). The vessel has been variously rated at 209 and 214 gross tons
, possibly due to the 1924 refit described below.
The Quest was originally built in Risør
, Norway in 1917 as the wooden-hulled sealer Foca I or Foca II. It was the polar expedition vessel of the Shackleton-Rowett Expedition of 1921-1922. The vessel was renamed Quest by Lady Emily Shackleton, wife of expedition leader Ernest Shackleton. At the expense of expedition financier John Quiller Rowett
, the Quest was refitted for the expedition with modifications overseen by sailing master Frank Worsley
, including re-regging and the addition of a deckhouse
. Shackleton was a member of the Royal Yacht Squadron
, and so for this voyage the Quest bore the RYS suffix and flew the White Ensign
.
Sailing from London for the Southern Ocean
on 17 September 1921, the ship reached South Georgia on 4 January 1922 while preparing to enter Antarctic waters. The following night Shackleton, the commander of the expedition, died aboard the vessel while it was at anchor in Grytviken
. This ended all prospects of the expedition's carrying out its original program of exploring the Antarctic coastline of Enderby Land
. Led by Frank Wild
, the Quest carried out a desultory survey of the Weddell Sea
area before returning to the South Atlantic. The Quest touched the Tristan da Cunha
archipelago in early May, and at Inaccessible Island
, ornithologist Hubert Wilkins
took type specimens of the grosbeak bunting
.
The expedition returned to England in June 1922, having posted disappointing results that were attributed both to replacement commander Wild's alcoholism and deficiencies in the Quest's performance in polar sea ice. The weakly powered ship's engine
caused continuous difficulties, and the vessel's straight stem
made her unsuitable for use in icy seas.
Arctic airship crash. In 1930, the aging sealer, described as a "broad-beamed, tubby little ship, decks stacked with gear", served as the primary expedition vessel and transport for the explorers of the British Arctic Air Route Expedition from London to eastern Greenland in 1930.
the wooden-hulled vessel was pressed into service as a minesweeper
and light cargo vessel. The small ship returned to sealing duties in 1946. On 5 May 1962, while on a seal-hunting expedition, the Quest was holed by ice and sank off the north coast of Labrador
. The crew was saved.
Parts of the former deckhouse, including Shackleton's quarters in 1921-1922, survive and, as of February 2010, are under restoration in Sandefjord
. The South Georgia Heritage Trust (SGHT) Norway has announced plans to return Shackleton's final home to South Georgia; the cabin will be housed at the South Georgia Museum
in Grytviken. The projected date of transport and re-erection is 2011-2012.
An archival collection of 476 photographs from the Quest/Shackleton-Rowett Expedition is maintained by the State Library of New South Wales
in Sydney, Australia.
Shackleton-Rowett Expedition
The Shackleton–Rowett Expedition was Sir Ernest Shackleton's last Antarctic project, and the final episode in the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration. The venture, financed by businessman John Quiller Rowett, is sometimes referred to as the Quest Expedition after its ship Quest, a converted...
of 1921-1922. It was aboard this vessel that Sir Ernest Shackleton
Ernest Shackleton
Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton, CVO, OBE was a notable explorer from County Kildare, Ireland, who was one of the principal figures of the period known as the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration...
died on 5 January 1922 while the vessel was in harbour in South Georgia. Prior to and after the Shackleton-Rowett Expedition, the Quest operated in commercial service as a seal-hunting vessel or sealer
Seal hunting
Seal hunting, or sealing, is the personal or commercial hunting of seals. The hunt is currently practiced in five countries: Canada, where most of the world's seal hunting takes place, Namibia, the Danish region of Greenland, Norway and Russia...
. The Quest was also the primary expedition vessel of the British Arctic Air Route Expedition
British Arctic Air Route Expedition
The British Arctic Air Route Expedition was a privately-funded expedition to the east coast and interior of the island of Greenland. The expedition, led by Gino Watkins, aimed to draw improved maps and charts of poorly-understood sections of Greenland's coastline, and to gather climate data from...
to the east coast of the island of Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
in 1930-1931.
The Quest was 111 feet (33.8 m) in length, had a beam of 24 feet (7.3 m), and drew 12 feet (3.7 m). The vessel has been variously rated at 209 and 214 gross tons
Gross tonnage
Gross tonnage is a unitless index related to a ship's overall internal volume. Gross tonnage is different from gross register tonnage...
, possibly due to the 1924 refit described below.
Shackleton-Rowett Expedition
Risør
is a city and municipality in Aust-Agder county, Norway. The city belongs to the traditional region of Sørlandet. It is a popular tourist place. The surrounding area includes many small lakes and hills, and is known for its beautiful coastline as well....
, Norway in 1917 as the wooden-hulled sealer Foca I or Foca II. It was the polar expedition vessel of the Shackleton-Rowett Expedition of 1921-1922. The vessel was renamed Quest by Lady Emily Shackleton, wife of expedition leader Ernest Shackleton. At the expense of expedition financier John Quiller Rowett
John Quiller Rowett
John Quiller Rowett was a British businessman who made a fortune in the spirits industry. He had a desire, however, to do more than make money, and in the years after the First World War he was a notable contributor to public and charitable causes...
, the Quest was refitted for the expedition with modifications overseen by sailing master Frank Worsley
Frank Worsley
Frank Arthur Worsley DSO and Bar, OBE, RD was a New Zealand sailor and explorer.After serving in the Pacific, and especially in the New Zealand Post Office's South Pacific service he joined Ernest Shackleton's Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition of...
, including re-regging and the addition of a deckhouse
Cabin (ship)
A cabin or berthing is an enclosed space generally on a ship or an aircraft. A cabin which protrudes above the level of a ship's deck may be referred to as a "deckhouse."-Sailing ships:...
. Shackleton was a member of the Royal Yacht Squadron
Royal Yacht Squadron
The Royal Yacht Squadron is the most prestigious yacht club in the United Kingdom and arguably the world. Its clubhouse is located in Cowes Castle on the Isle of Wight in the United Kingdom...
, and so for this voyage the Quest bore the RYS suffix and flew the White Ensign
White Ensign
The White Ensign or St George's Ensign is an ensign flown on British Royal Navy ships and shore establishments. It consists of a red St George's Cross on a white field with the Union Flag in the upper canton....
.
Sailing from London for the Southern Ocean
Southern Ocean
The Southern Ocean comprises the southernmost waters of the World Ocean, generally taken to be south of 60°S latitude and encircling Antarctica. It is usually regarded as the fourth-largest of the five principal oceanic divisions...
on 17 September 1921, the ship reached South Georgia on 4 January 1922 while preparing to enter Antarctic waters. The following night Shackleton, the commander of the expedition, died aboard the vessel while it was at anchor in Grytviken
Grytviken
Grytviken is the principal settlement in the British territory of South Georgia in the South Atlantic. It was so named in 1902 by the Swedish surveyor Johan Gunnar Andersson who found old English try pots used to render seal oil at the site. It is the best harbour on the island, consisting of a...
. This ended all prospects of the expedition's carrying out its original program of exploring the Antarctic coastline of Enderby Land
Enderby Land
Enderby Land is a projecting land mass of Antarctica, extending from Shinnan Glacier at to William Scoresby Bay at .Enderby Land was discovered in February 1831 by John Biscoe in the whaling brig Tula, and named after the Enderby Brothers of London, owners of the Tula, who encouraged their...
. Led by Frank Wild
Frank Wild
Commander John Robert Francis Wild CBE, RNVR, FRGS , known as Frank Wild, was an explorer...
, the Quest carried out a desultory survey of the Weddell Sea
Weddell Sea
The Weddell Sea is part of the Southern Ocean and contains the Weddell Gyre. Its land boundaries are defined by the bay formed from the coasts of Coats Land and the Antarctic Peninsula. The easternmost point is Cape Norvegia at Princess Martha Coast, Queen Maud Land. To the east of Cape Norvegia is...
area before returning to the South Atlantic. The Quest touched the Tristan da Cunha
Tristan da Cunha
Tristan da Cunha is a remote volcanic group of islands in the south Atlantic Ocean and the main island of that group. It is the most remote inhabited archipelago in the world, lying from the nearest land, South Africa, and from South America...
archipelago in early May, and at Inaccessible Island
Inaccessible Island
Inaccessible Island is an extinct volcano, 14 km² in area, rising out of the South Atlantic Ocean 45 km southwest of Tristan da Cunha. Inaccessible Island is located at . It is part of the archipelago of Tristan da Cunha, which is part of the overseas territory of the United Kingdom,...
, ornithologist Hubert Wilkins
Hubert Wilkins
Sir Hubert Wilkins MC & Bar was an Australian polar explorer, ornithologist, pilot, soldier, geographer and photographer.-Early life:...
took type specimens of the grosbeak bunting
Grosbeak Bunting
The Wilkins's Finch , also known as Wilkins's Bunting or Grosbeak Bunting, is a species of bird in the Thraupidae family. It is restricted to Inaccessible Island and Nightingale Island of the Tristan da Cunha archipelago, part of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena in the South...
.
The expedition returned to England in June 1922, having posted disappointing results that were attributed both to replacement commander Wild's alcoholism and deficiencies in the Quest's performance in polar sea ice. The weakly powered ship's engine
Steam engine
A steam engine is a heat engine that performs mechanical work using steam as its working fluid.Steam engines are external combustion engines, where the working fluid is separate from the combustion products. Non-combustion heat sources such as solar power, nuclear power or geothermal energy may be...
caused continuous difficulties, and the vessel's straight stem
Stem (ship)
The stem is the very most forward part of a boat or ship's bow and is an extension of the keel itself and curves up to the wale of the boat. The stem is more often found on wooden boats or ships, but not exclusively...
made her unsuitable for use in icy seas.
British Arctic Air Route Expedition
The Quest was again refitted in Norway in 1924. During the refit, the sealer's Shackleton-Rowett deckhouse was salvaged for shore use. In 1928 the refitted vessel participated in the effort to rescue the survivors of the ItaliaAirship Italia
Airship Italia was a semi-rigid airship used by Italian engineer Umberto Nobile in his second series of flights around the North Pole.-Design and specifications:...
Arctic airship crash. In 1930, the aging sealer, described as a "broad-beamed, tubby little ship, decks stacked with gear", served as the primary expedition vessel and transport for the explorers of the British Arctic Air Route Expedition from London to eastern Greenland in 1930.
Current status
The Quest returned to service as a sealing vessel after 1930. In 1935 she was used by the British East Greenland Expedition. During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the wooden-hulled vessel was pressed into service as a minesweeper
Minesweeper (ship)
A minesweeper is a small naval warship designed to counter the threat posed by naval mines. Minesweepers generally detect then neutralize mines in advance of other naval operations.-History:...
and light cargo vessel. The small ship returned to sealing duties in 1946. On 5 May 1962, while on a seal-hunting expedition, the Quest was holed by ice and sank off the north coast of Labrador
Labrador
Labrador is the distinct, northerly region of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It comprises the mainland portion of the province, separated from the island of Newfoundland by the Strait of Belle Isle...
. The crew was saved.
Parts of the former deckhouse, including Shackleton's quarters in 1921-1922, survive and, as of February 2010, are under restoration in Sandefjord
Sandefjord
is a city and municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Sandefjord. The municipality of Sandefjord was established on 1 January 1838...
. The South Georgia Heritage Trust (SGHT) Norway has announced plans to return Shackleton's final home to South Georgia; the cabin will be housed at the South Georgia Museum
South Georgia Museum
The South Georgia Museum is situated in Grytviken, the administrative centre of the UK overseas territory of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands....
in Grytviken. The projected date of transport and re-erection is 2011-2012.
An archival collection of 476 photographs from the Quest/Shackleton-Rowett Expedition is maintained by the State Library of New South Wales
State Library of New South Wales
The State Library of New South Wales is a large public library owned by the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located in Macquarie Street, Sydney near Shakespeare Place...
in Sydney, Australia.