For almost 170 years, expeditions have scoured the Canadian Arctic in an attempt to learn the fate of the Franklin Expedition. In September 2014, a multilateral partnership led by Canada resulted in the finding of one of the two lost Franklin vessels, HMS Erebus, igniting world-wide attention for this significant discovery.
This April, Canada is again collaborating on complementary research projects in Canada’s Arctic. From a temporary camp on the frozen surface of Queen Maud Gulf, Parks Canada’s Underwater Archaeologists and members of the Royal Canadian Navy Fleet Diving Unit (Atlantic) are conducting dives below the Arctic ice to research the wreck of HMS Erebus. This expedition is being conducted jointly with Parks Canada and the Department of National Defence, benefitting from Joint Task Force (North)’s (JTFN) arctic expertise during Operation NUNALIVUT.
As part of this initiative, Parks Canada publicly shared their exploration of HMS Erebus with a first-ever live dive, broadcast via webcast at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM). This guided, virtual tour of the wreck was presented by Parks Canada Underwater Archaeologists from the High Arctic to Mr. Farley’s grade 7 geography students from University of Toronto Schools, as they participated in an interactive event at the ROM. The students spent the day learning about underwater archaeology and the techniques used to conduct this work, with a focus on this April’s under ice dive mission and the history of the Franklin Expedition. They handled tools and equipment, saw related artefacts, and viewed original ship plans as well as side-scan sonar imagery of the wreck of HMS Erebus. The culmination of their day was a surprise visit from the divers, live from under the ice, as they gave them an exclusive tour of the wreck.
In December 2014, Parks Canada and the ROM announced a partnering arrangement to create the Franklin Outreach Project. This innovative project aims to share the story of the Franklin Expedition and all of the unfolding discoveries with Canadians over the next three years. Parks Canada and the ROM will leverage each other’s expertise, resources and partner networks to share the story of the Franklin discovery as it unfolds with Canadians across the country via the Franklin Outreach Project – a multi-platform initiative that includes engaging exhibits and interactive, public programmes and a speaker’s series.
Since 2008, Canada has conducted six major searches for the lost Franklin Expedition ships, working closely with public, private and academic partners. Plans for a 2015 expedition are currently underway and will build on the success to date and the multi-lateral partnership that has steadily grown.
In 1992, the Wrecks of HMS Erebus and HMS Terror were designated as a National Historic Site of Canada. These wrecks are part of an incredible story in the history of the exploration of Canada’s North; a story that remains alive in the minds of Canadians today.
