Shackleton’s Quest Expedition
If you have been following the world news this week, you will have likely seen an article or TV news segment about the expedition from which I just returned. One week ago, my team from the Royal Canadian Geographical Society located the wreck of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s last vessel, Quest. After six years of preparation, a team of 14 plus 8 crew set off for the Labrador Sea with a very tight plan to locate the lost vessel.
Sir Ernest Shackleton is an icon to most explorers. His leadership during the famed Endurance Expedition stands as a timeless lesson in resilience, optimism, and the power of teamwork. As his ship was trapped and eventually crushed by Antarctic ice, Shackleton faced what seemed like insurmountable odds. Yet, his steadfast optimism and unwavering commitment to his crew turned a potential tragedy into an extraordinary tale of survival.
One of Shackleton’s key leadership lessons is the importance of maintaining morale. Despite the dire circumstances, he kept team spirits high through routines, games, and a sense of normalcy. This relentless positivity kept despair at bay, fostering an environment where every man felt valued and hopeful.
Shackleton also demonstrated the vital quality of adaptability. His initial goal of crossing Antarctica turned into a fight for survival. He embraced this shift, redirecting his focus from polar exploration achievement to the safety of his crew, illustrating that authentic leadership requires flexibility in the face of changing realities. His empathy and understanding of his men’s needs were paramount. He knew when to push and when to comfort, creating a bond of trust and loyalty. His actions remind us that leadership is not just about command but about care, compassion, and the relentless pursuit of a common goal. Shackleton was born 150 years ago and survived the Endurance Expedition but eventually died aboard Quest in 1922.
We felt his presence while hunting for the ship some 80 km off Battle Harbour, Labrador. We faced countless challenges with equipment while the window for weather and finances was narrowing. We were mere hours from running out of time when shipwreck hunter David Mearns reminded me of an important lesson. Using good research, mathematics and a bit of AI, we had planned a search grid that we thought would cover all possible scenarios linked to the ship’s sinking. With the hours and money flitting away, we considered giving up. That was when David Mearns spoke up. “The only way you will not find this ship is if you leave now.” He had such confidence in our plan that he felt confident we would find success if we executed our plan. Along the way, small “interesting targets” had come into view on the sonar feed, but each time we considered circling back for a closer look, he advised against it. The targets were worth consideration, but we needed to stick to the plan and leave a more detailed search for later.
I was reminded of the old diving mantra, “Plan your dive and dive your plan.” If you have done a lot of work planning for success, then use endurance and resilience to lead you to success.
Read More Here at Canadian Geographic
Listen to Jill and Robert as they share the story of the Shackleton Quest Expedition
The 2024 Shackleton Quest Expedition team poses with the flag of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society on the deck of LeeWay Odyssey the morning after the find. Standing, left to right: Geir Kløver, Derek Lee, Jan Chojecki, John Geiger, Tore Topp, Katherine Smalley, Mark Pathy, Craig Bulger. Kneeling, left to right: Sarah Walsh, Martin Brooks, Antoine Normandin, David Mearns, Jill Heinerth, Alexandra Pope. (Photo: Jill Heinerth/Can Geo)
Robert’s Canadian Jukebox - Cowboy Junkies
When the day is done and you are sitting on your deck drinking wine and watching the sunset, Cowboy Junkies is the band you want to put on your old turntable, CD player or cassette deck. OK, maybe pop over to their Spotify Channel.
My introduction to Canada’s Cowboy Junkies was through their “Trinity Sessions” album - which ironically was recorded at the church at which Jill's mother was a pastor. The album was recorded using one ambient microphone in an incredibly great-sounding acoustic environment. Rolling Stone hailed it as one of the top 10 albums of 1988.
It is hard for me to pin down the band’s style or genre of music. Americana music was not a category until recently, but that’s how I’d describe their mix of country, folk, roots, and jazzy blues. I just call it “good.”
At its core Cowboy Junkies is a family band:
There are four band members, all siblings except Anton, who created and performed in two prior bands with Michael Timmins.
Margo Timmins (vocals)
Michael Timmins (guitar and chief songwriter)
Peter Timmins (drums)
Alan Anton (bass)
Since their second studio album the band has performed and recorded with multi-instrumentalist Jeff Bird, whose current role includes acoustic and electric mandolins, harmonica, percussion, and samples.
Join my quest to revive analog music formats by purchasing Cowboy Junkies music here.
It has been a pretty eventful week for us. The discovery of Shackleton’s ship Quest was only rivalled by our condo getting new carpet installed. We had no idea how much “stuff” we had stuffed into our 800 sq. ft. condo. So, bye for now as we reclaim our living space and recover the books, furniture and dive gear from the Jenga puzzles we created. Cheers, until next time…
Thanks for all your great feedback and comments Luca. You always make our day too! Cheers! - Jill
I listened to your podcast this morning. I had a good laugh and I learned a lot! It was awesome to listen to it on my drive home after an insanely heavy night shit!
I hope your painting and your new carpet looks great. I also hope someday, when Harvey gets his medal we get to see a photo! I hope he remains slicker than a whale shit on an ice flow or bowl, not sure!!😂🤣🤣🤣 I am glad he was able to help you guys! I can imagine the unbelievable excitement you all must have felt (minus poor Lewis, not sure of name spelling but the engineer guy in the middle of the code brown!)
Thank you for sharing! It made my day!