Brief

Bottles and other artifacts on a shelf in a cabin on Terror’s lower deck

Plates and other artifacts on shelves next to a mess table where a A bunk, drawers group of lower ranking and shelf in a crew members would cabin on Terror’s have taken their meals lower deck

Unlike the research seasons of 2016 and 2017 when water clarity was poor unprecedented look inside and 2018 when ice interfered with the expedition, this year’s dive conditions and remarkable water quality permitted wreck of HMS Terror Parks Canada underwater archaeologists to make 48 dives down to Terror and clearly observe the ship’s hull. By Joseph Frey For the first time they were able arks Canada recently released Captain ’s desk that could to observe that the ship’s propeller never-before-seen images and shed further light on what happened to was in its operating position. This is video footage of HMS Terror Franklin’s expedition. “When we look at significant, as it suggests—with other that summarized the 2019 field Crozier’s desk we see that all the drawers clues—that Terror was likely re-manned Pseason on the site. The season focused are closed and we see a drift of protective after it was initially abandoned in on the 3D structural mapping of HMS sedimentation over the desk, and that all and was in operating Terror and the exploration of the interior suggests a very high level of preservation trim when it unexpectedly sank. “The of the wreck using a remotely operated for the contents of those drawers. wrecking was not particularly violent vehicle (ROV). Over the course of “We can speculate on the sort of as it settled almost vertically on the seven dives, the ROV was able to enter things that we might find inside and seafloor," said Ryan. 20 compartments and cabins and take the potential for written materials With plans to bring Parks Canada’s clear photographs of over 90% of the to survive with water temperatures dive support barge to site next lower deck. The footage is stunning, hovering around zero degrees Celsius year we may only be one research season showing details such as shelving lined and the general state of darkness due to away from recovering documentation with intact bottles, glasses, bowls, and the ice cover for much of the year this that finally fills in the details of Franklin’s plates in what is believed to be the tends to slow down the aerobic processes ill-fated expedition and one of the world’s officers' pantry. Another dive captured of degradation. So with the sediment most enduring polar expedition mysteries. footage of the common sailors' living covering and the closed drawers we As a member of the 2014 Parks area, clearly providing a glimpse into hope there is a sufficient anaerobic Canada-led Expedition that discovered the ’s social hierarchy of the environment that delicate materials such Sir ’s flagship HMS Erebus, mid-Victorian era. as textiles and paper might survive. I remember thinking at the time, “Now Through a satellite link, DIVER was “Written materials on the ship that we’ve located Erebus, the odds are able to speak with Ryan Harris, who could shed all kinds of light on what that Franklin’s other ship, Terror, will was aboard the Parks Canada’s research transpired, with a chronology of events For more on Parks be found crushed and scattered on the vessel RV David Thompson at the Terror of the late stages of the expedition, Canada and their seafloor off the west coast of King site. Ryan is a Parks Canada underwater perhaps shedding light on where the two work with the wrecks William Island.” So two years later archaeologist and the project director for ships parted company and how they got of HMS Terror and when Terror was discovered, it came as the HMS Erebus and Terror project. to their final locations from the point HMS Erebus, visit: a surprise to hear that the ship was intact Ryan began by talking about what where they were abandoned north west www.pc.gc.ca and off the south coast of King William tantalizing discoveries could be found in of in 1848.” Island, and—ironically—in . Archaeology Underwater Team Canada, Parks courtesy: Photo

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