National Antarctic Expedition, 1901-1904. Vol. IV

1908

Expedition Reports Q115 N26 1901

London: British Museum

On the 6th August, 1901 Discovery, the first purpose-built research and exploration vessel since Edmond Halley’s Paramore (c. 1700), left the Isle of Wight bound for Antarctica. At the helm was Robert Falcon Scott and amongst the crew was one Ernest Shackleton. The expedition’s objectives were geographic exploration, magnetic surveys and research into the meteorology, oceanography and biota of the region. While on the ice, the food and clothing of the expedition proved insufficient with each team member suffering frostbite and some even scurvy. Despite the fact that Scott was not scientifically trained, he made sure ‘the modest scientific programme was completed’ (Bryan, 2011). This specimen of demosponge, Craniella sagitta, would have been dredged from the ocean floor.