The Quest Chronicle blog and its origins
In early 2021, it was suggested that I set up a blog to document the “100-years-ago” story of the Shackleton-Rowett Expedition as an unfolding diary. The blog launched in March 2021 and ran though the year up to January 4 2022, the eve of the centenary of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s death at South Georgia. By this time, I had decided that the story should be presented in a book and so transferred efforts to that cause – resulting in The Quest Chronicle being published in September 2022. This part of our website contains just some of the posts from the original blog.
Blog posts are listed below in reverse chronological order.
Jan Chojecki
-
1-7 October, 1921
Saturday 1 October, 1921 With a gale getting up, Quest lays up with the engines stopped, but they are soon restarted to better ride the storm. Lysaght writes in his diary: “The seas were now mountainous and the biggest I had ever seen in either large or small vessels. The ship was riding them like…
-
25-30 September 1921
Sunday 25 September, 1921 1.00 am: RMS Aquitania transmits to shore “Exploration ship Quest just astern of Aquitania.” Shackleton wirelesses from Quest “All Well” 8.00 am: A telegram from Ernest Shackleton is transmitted from Quest to John Quiller Rowett via Land’s End: “All well. Cheerioh. Send you affectionate wishes. Goodbye old man. Ernest” Shackleton also…
-
Plymouth, 24 September, 1921
Saturday 24 September, 1921 As well as Gerald Lysaght joining as temporary helmsman as planned, Tom McLeod persuades Shackleton to let him remain with the expedition. The final addition to the Quest’s crew is Query, an Alsatian puppy that has been presented to Shackleton as a mascot. Last minute items of equipment are loaded, including…