Franklin Expedition

[Stoker]

I'm actually on a RCN ship right now well north of 60 and we're showing the flag in places I never thought I would ever see in my career. This in my opinion very important work as we start to assert ourselves more in the Arctic. When I get back i'll post some pictures of where we were.

 

[Fishbone Jones]

Can we just stick to the discovery and let all the politics fall out in the other political threads?

The Harper basher(s) never miss an opportunity to take an offside swipe. Well, this isn't the thread for it.

 

[jollyjacktar]

Yes, back to the regularly scheduled program. 

I listened to Adrian Gell, who is the great great grandson of Frankin, being interviewed on CBC radio this morning.  Franklin's decedents are understandably very excited at this discovery and hope that more will be gleaned on the fate of his ships and crew.  I would expect that there are many others with personal connections to this saga that are all galvanised with these events.  It must be electric, the feelings of excitement and expectation of more to come. 

For others, the discovery also marks a new beginning of a more personal nature in the efforts to unravel the sad saga of what happened to British naval hero Sir John Franklin and his crew of 128 men as they tried to find the long-sought Northwest Passage. 

"This has completely opened up again a new chapter in the mystery and hopefully now we will find out a lot more," said Adrian Gell, a great-great-great-grandson of Franklin.  "I think it's a fantastic job that this current expedition has done in completing the find," he said in an interview Tuesday from his home northwest of London, England.

Gell was "over the moon" with word one of the ships — either HMS Erebus or HMS Terror —  had been found, something he learned only when a photographer from the Daily Telegraph arrived at his garden gate.
"This discovery will hopefully open the doors where a huge amount [of] information can be gleaned and it will hopefully then reveal exactly where [the ships] went, what happened to Franklin and his crew, how much further they got, etc., etc. — the whole list of things one can think about."

The Franklin family would be "absolutely fascinated" to find out what happened to their famous relative, Gell said.  "I think if a member of your family goes missing under extraordinary circumstances and incredibly brave circumstances … it's always great for the family to have some sort of closure on it."

Right now, though, what would excite him most, he says, is if searchers would "identify which of the two ships this is that they've found and then, secondly, to locate the second of the two ships."

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/franklin-ship-discovery-just-the-beginning-1.2760930

 

[daftandbarmy]

I would guess that they have mapped a lot of the bottom of various parts of the arctic waterway systems during this search.

Hmmmm..... I wonder how that information be of use to us in the future?

 

[chrisf]

Personally, I was surprised that he didn't ferry over to the coast guard ship every night.

While much more comfortable than a navy ship, accommodations on board the Laurier aren't exactly stately... the main deck crew cabins all have bunk beds at least, so much more room for activities...

With a crew of 17, and scientists on board, wouldn't have any room for anyone else, max POB is 26.

They barely managed to cram Michelle jean and entourage onto the George R pearkes, with a bare bones crew.

 

[jollyjacktar]

I'd have no problem making room for MJ, she turned into my favorite GG.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

While much more comfortable than a navy ship, accommodations on board the Laurier aren't exactly stately... the main deck crew cabins all have bunk beds at least, so much more room for activities...

With a crew of 17, and scientists on board, wouldn't have any room for anyone else, max POB is 26.

They barely managed to cram Michelle jean and entourage onto the George R pearkes, with a bare bones crew.

I will disagree, coming from an R class Cutter to the Pearkes was like going to cruise liner. Each cabin had 2 bunks, settee, porthole, sink and shared a head with the next cabin. It was huge. You could actually squeeze another set of bunks into each cabin and as I recall we went to the Arctic with 45 people crew and scientists.

 

[Stoker]

I will disagree, coming from an R class Cutter to the Pearkes was like going to cruise liner. Each cabin had 2 bunks, settee, porthole, sink and shared a head with the next cabin. It was huge. You could actually squeeze another set of bunks into each cabin and as I recall we went to the Arctic with 45 people crew and scientists.

I was on the Henry Larson the other day just after we fueled with them and they have a really nice ship. Lots of room, comfortable berths, nice bar. Hopefully the AOPS will as comfortable as the Larson.

 

[chrisf]

The Larsen is pretty much the most comfortable ship in the fleet.

The 1100s a pretty nice too, but it doesn't change the max persons on board

 

[chrisf]

I'd have no problem making room for MJ, she turned into my favorite GG.

She really did exceed everyones initial expectations by leaps and bounds didn't she?

The pics of her eating raw seal blubber was the day I was impressed.

Back on topic, I sincerely hope this doesn't mean we're done the search, there's another one up there to find yet.

 

[jollyjacktar]

Back on topic, I sincerely hope this doesn't mean we're done the search, there's another one up there to find yet.

No, I'll bet this will just fuel the desire for the search.  Unless of course there's a major change of government that's not too keen for it.

 

[jollyjacktar]

It is believed and hoped that HMS Terror has  been located 90 km south of where she was believed lost.  Well done, BZ!!

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/hms-terror-found-1.3758400