Canadian expedition captures detailed images of Terra Nova shipwreck

A joint mission by the Royal Canadian Geographical Society and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution has produced high‑resolution photographs and three‑dimensional digital models of the historic Antarctic vessels Terra Nova and Quest. Using the DSV Alvin submersible and remotely operated vehicles, researchers mapped the wrecks lying on the Labrador Sea floor about 18 km off southern Greenland at depths of 170‑390 metres.

The Terra Nova, which carried Robert Falcon Scott’s 1910 South‑Pole expedition and sank in 1943 while ferrying supplies for the U.S. military, was documented with its ornate bow, double helm and other structural features. The Quest, Ernest Shackleton’s final ship, was also surveyed. The team employed high‑tech imaging from the Canadian company Voyis (Kraken Robotics) to create detailed 3D models for public exploration.

Society chief executive John Geiger said, “There aren’t large artifacts of their lives left… It’s a very special feeling,” and added, “I think there’s something really inspirational about people who try to understand the unknown.” The project aims to preserve the ships’ legacy, inspire new generations of explorers, and study the marine life that now inhabits the wrecks.