Discovery of HMS Erebus
Seeking the unknown, braving the hardness of the North — the ill-fated Franklin Expedition has become an enigmatic part of Canadian national identity. Many have sought to unravel the mystery of what really happened to Sir John Franklin and his crew. Now, 169 years after they set forth, an exciting discovery, the ship Erebus has been found.
On February 3, 2015 experts Marc-André Bernier and Adrian Schimnowski shared their experiences of the hunt for Franklin. The lecture explored recent discoveries and artifacts, underwater archaeology and what comes next in piecing together the real story of the Franklin Expedition.
Transcript
Public Lecture Series
Discovery of HMS Erebus: Mysteries of the Franklin Voyage Revealed in Canada’s Arctic
1845: The Franklin Expedition
Lying at the root of Canadian national identity, the ill-fated Franklin Expedition, shrouded in mystery, has inspired novelists, songwriters, and painters alike.
The only certainty was that captain Sir John Franklin set out with two ships to seek the North West Passage.
Neither he nor his men were seen alive again.
During the three decades of searches following the disappearance of the ships, with the help of Inuit, relics were found.
Among them, a note from crew members describing a trap of sea ice, deaths, and the goal of trying to head south on foot.
Hushed rumors of cannibalism surfaced, but the ultimate fate of the 129 sailors remained unknown.
Recent re-examination of the few remains of the expedition discovered in the 19th century still sought to answer the oldest question: where did the two ships go?
Now, 169 years after Franklin set forth, we know the final resting place of one ship.
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