Dateline: Friday 2nd August 2024 Home: Some Final Thoughts on an Amazing Adventure

I have been pondering for a few days now how to sum up this cruise when, whilst continuing to read Erebus The Story of a Ship, Michael Palin, Penguin 2018, I came across the following extract that I share with you now:

'Her Majesty's ship Erebus, at sea, June 8^th, 1845, Ten p.m.

"You appeared very anxious that I should keep a journal for your especial perusal.  Now, I do keep a journal, such as it is, which will be given to the Admiralty; but, to please you, I shall note down from time to time such things as may strike me, either in the form of a letter, or in any other form that may at the time suit my fancy."

"We (Michael Palin) can only be thankful that Fitzjames wrote so attractively and so diligently, by his own account regularly staying up until two in the morning to record his thoughts and observation, before going on watch at five."'

The context for this extract is that James Fitzjames (The second in command of the Erebus) had promised Elizabeth, the Wife of his closest friend and foster-father William Coningham that he would keep an account of the voyage for her.

I think this expresses rather well what I have set out to achieve with this Blog.  I hope you have enjoyed following my adventure as much as I have in writing this 'journal' about my voyage in search of polar bears and the last resting place of the Erebus.  I know for certain that she crossed the Davis Strait on her way north but didn't encounter a freak wave!

 

 

 

Dateline: Thursday 2nd August 2024 Home: A Final Word on the Quest to Find the Last Resting Place of the Erebus

As I mentioned in earlier posts about Monumental and Lady Franklin Islands the fatal last voyage of HMS Erebus and her sister ship HMS Terror featured strongly in the last few days of this voyage even meriting a short lecture as part of one of the last daily Recap reviews.  I asked the Expedition Team Leader early in the cruise if we were likely to be close to the recently discovered wreck of the Erebus, and please keep in mind that I haven't as yet completed Michael Palin's book.  The answer was a negative.  The wreck is some 200 miles further North off Ellesmere Island.

I was recommended to read a book by Andrew Lambert which gives a definitive account of Sir John Franklin's last voyage to discover the Northwest Passage and in particular the many bungled attempts to rescue him and his crew.  You will recall that his wife Lady Franklin had raised funds for a number of rescue attempts all of which failed.