How the Quest was found

Explore: A Canadian Geographic podcast

"Shackleton died on that ship. And he's the only one who died on that ship. Of all his expeditions under his direct command, nobody else died except him, on his own ship. And that's the ship that we found. And it tells that story about his leadership."

- David Mearns, world-renowned shipwreck hunter and search director for the RCGS Shackleton-Quest Expedition.

Welcome to the second part of our series on the RCGS Shackleton-Quest Expedition. Today, we're delving into the intriguing details of the successful hunt for Quest, the last ship of the legendary polar explorer Ernest Shackleton. The discovery of this shipwreck holds a significant place in maritime history.

In this episode, we get a bit more into the nitty-gritty of the hunt, talking to David Mearns, the expedition's search director, and his associate director, Antoine Normandin, who did the research and math that helped pinpoint Quest’s location in the vast Labrador Sea.

Few are as renowned or have had as much success in finding shipwrecks as Mearns. For decades, he’s been uncovering famous wrecks around the world, including the oldest wreck from the age of discovery and the world's deepest wreck. His work on Shackleton’s shipwrecks has been particularly notable, showcasing his expertise in the field.

We’ll hear David Mearns' exciting description of leading the deep-sea search for Quest in this episode. But first, we’re going to talk with Antoine Normandin. As well as finding his first ever shipwreck with Quest, Antoine is a geographer who sits on the board of governors for the RCGS and is director of transportation planning for the National Capital Commission in Ottawa.