Amazing 19th Century Ice Ejection During Northwest Passage Sail

In summary, the British Navy tried to sail ships through the Northwest Passage but were often stuck in pack ice. They were able to survive by stockpiling coal and by being well prepared. Shackleton distinguished himself by losing his ship but nevertheless preserving all of his men.
  • #1
Hornbein
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In the 19th century the British Navy tried to sail ships through the Northwest Passage. The main obstacle was that the wind would drive pack ice against the northern shore of Canada. No ship could withstand a large berg.

The ships usually got stuck in the ice for years, leaving plenty of time for exploration. Once they found a chunk of ice eight feet tall and forty feet in circumference, five hundred feet from the shore. A buildup of ice pressure must have caused it to splinter off and fly all that distance.
 
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So the ships were stuck in ice for years? Were there any survivors in that brutal cold?
 
  • #3
osilmag said:
So the ships were stuck in ice for years? Were there any survivors in that brutal cold?
I highly recommend the book "Endurance" about Ernest Shackleton's Antarctic expedition. An amazing real story, well written.
 
  • #4
osilmag said:
So the ships were stuck in ice for years? Were there any survivors in that brutal cold?
The were well prepared for that with plenty of coal. You can carry a lot in a ship, even in those days. There was trouble with condensation dripping everywhere, but all and all it was OK as long as you didn't have to hike out.

Shackleton distinguished himself by losing his ship but nevertheless preserving all of his men, even though they could not hike out of ocean-bound Antarctica. They made a desperate voyage to a whaling station in small boats through the world's roughest ocean. On the way they encountered a rogue wave. The boats had been covered with wood so they survived, but they say Shackleton was never the same after that.

This record for huge wave survival was smashed in an Alaskan fjord when a yacht survived a five hundred foot wave caused by a massive landslide.
 
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  • #5
Hornbein said:
The ships usually got stuck in the ice for years, leaving plenty of time for exploration.
But it did not go well for all searches for the Northwest Passage. In 1845 two British ships set sail the HMS Erebus and the HMS Terror to find the Northwest Passage. They were led by John Franklin an experienced explorer of the Arctic. They were never seen again. They become trapped in ice near King William Island just north of the Arctic Circle. They attempted to walk south. A search initiated in 1850 found evidence of this attempt and a few graves but not of Franklin. Some Inuits apparently know of this attempt and gave the approximate location of the ships that had sunk. These were recently discovered.

The reason for the failure of the men to survive is believed to have several causes including botulism, lead poisoning from poorly made food tins as well as pneumonia and tuberculosis. In one of the search explorations in 1854, Inuit hunters told of cannibalism. Cannibalism was verified recently from blade cuts on bones.

There was a TV documentary on this some time ago (2006?). I see that there are now quite a few videos currently available..
 
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The NW passage was not successfully navigated until Roald Amundsen's 1903-05 voyage. He stayed for two winters at what is today Gjoa Haven and learned the arctic survival skills from the Inuit that later enabled him to reach the South Pole
 
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Hornbein said:
On the way they encountered a rogue wave. The boats had been covered with wood so they survived, but they say Shackleton was never the same after that.
Who says that?

Hornbein said:
This record for huge wave survival was smashed in an Alaskan fjord when a yacht survived a five hundred foot wave caused by a massive landslide.
I assume you are talking about the 1958 Lituya Bay megatsunami. There was damage to trees over 1700 feet in the narrow inlet where it started but the wave rapidly diminished in height as the bay widened and by the time it reached the three fishing boats (not yachts; one of the three survived) anchored near the mouth of the bay it was much less than 500 feet (eywitness accounts imply between 50-150 feet).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lituya_Bay is a good start point for information.
 
  • #8
Hornbein said:
In the 19th century the British Navy tried to sail ships through the Northwest Passage. The main obstacle was that the wind would drive pack ice against the northern shore of Canada. No ship could withstand a large berg.

The ships usually got stuck in the ice for years, leaving plenty of time for exploration. Once they found a chunk of ice eight feet tall and forty feet in circumference, five hundred feet from the shore. A buildup of ice pressure must have caused it to splinter off and fly all that distance.
I reread the book and discovered I was mistaken. The distance was five hundred yards.
 

1. What is the Northwest Passage?

The Northwest Passage is a sea route through the Arctic Ocean, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It was a highly sought after route for explorers during the 19th century as it provided a faster trade route between Europe and Asia.

2. What is "ice ejection" during a Northwest Passage sail?

Ice ejection refers to the process of breaking through thick layers of ice in order to navigate through the Northwest Passage. Ships would often use special tools and techniques, such as ice saws and ice plows, to break through the ice and create a passage for the ship to sail through.

3. Why was the 19th century considered a significant time for ice ejection during Northwest Passage sails?

The 19th century was considered a significant time for ice ejection during Northwest Passage sails because it was a period of intense exploration and competition between nations to find a viable trade route through the Arctic. Many expeditions were launched during this time, and ice ejection techniques were constantly being improved upon in order to successfully navigate through the treacherous Arctic waters.

4. What were some challenges faced by sailors during Northwest Passage sails in the 19th century?

Sailors faced numerous challenges during Northwest Passage sails in the 19th century, including extreme cold temperatures, treacherous ice conditions, and the risk of getting stuck in the ice for extended periods of time. These challenges often led to dangerous situations, such as ships getting crushed by ice or sailors suffering from frostbite and other cold-related illnesses.

5. How did the success of Northwest Passage sails impact global trade during the 19th century?

The success of Northwest Passage sails had a significant impact on global trade during the 19th century. It provided a faster and more direct route for ships to travel between Europe and Asia, reducing travel time and costs. This led to an increase in trade and economic growth, as well as the establishment of new trade routes and markets in the Arctic region.

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