A day by day (almost!) account of the Shackleton-Rowett (Quest) Expedition 1921-1922
Wednesday 12 October, 1921
Not long after leaving Lisbon, the knocking of the engines begins again. More bad weather. Almost everyone is suffering from seasickness.
Thursday 13 October, 1921
Still rough seas and Quest rolls so much that it is
Saturday 8 October, 1921
J C Bee Mason, in place of Sir Ernest Shackleton, gives a lecture describing the expedition to the Portuguese Boy Scouts Association.
In the evening a dinner is given in honour of Sir Ernest Shackleton by
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
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
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
Friday 23 September, 1921
Quest arrives at Plymouth and slowly crosses the Sound, pausing at Drake Island. She eventually ties up at the West Wharf of the Great Western Millbay Docks.
3.00 pm: Shackleton and John Rowett arrive at
Sunday 18 September, 1921
Off Gravesend during the night of 17/18 September, Quest drags her anchor and collides with a nearby Thames barge. Little damage is caused but it is decided to put in at the dockyard at Sheerness for
Saturday 17 September, 1921 – the day of departure
On the Quest, at St Katharine Docks, the Union Jack presented by The King and Queen is hoisted by Scouts Marr and Mooney, watched by John Quiller Rowett. At 12.30
Saturday 10 September, 1921
Donald Maxwell, artist, author and yachting correspondent writes in The Graphic “The organisers of the Shackleton-Rowett Expedition are to be congratulated on their splendid spirit and enterprise. ……..to misquote from an old and popular song….They’ve got
(Contrary to certain legend) Quest is well equipped with a wide range of the latest scientific equipment – particularly for meteorology, topographical and hydrographical surveying, biological specimen collection and geology. This in addition to modern navigational equipment and sounding gear,