I’ve read all Michael Palin’s book. Always engaging and entertaining.
The audio version is particularly recommended as Palin reads it himself.
In September 2014, marine archaeologists discovered HMS Erebus, her snapped stern furred with algae, on the Arctic seabed. Palin starts there and works back. …
… September 1839, accompanied by HMS Terror, … four years on an Antarctic adventure, where the dashing James Clark Ross captained her to the Barrier, or the Ross ice shelf as it was then known. …
The two ships set the record for most southerly latitude reached under sail alone.
I actually enjoyed reading about the successful Antarctic voyages — 12 months avoiding icebergs — than the more infamous Northwest Passage attempt under captain Franklin.
… disappeared while on his last expedition, attempting to chart and navigate the Northwest Passage in the North American Arctic. The icebound ships were abandoned and the entire crew died of starvation, hypothermia, tuberculosis, lead poisoning, zinc deficiency and scurvy.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
The TV star’s vivid memoir of HMS Erebus and its epic polar expeditions is lively and diligent
I knew the story best from the lyrics of one of my favourite songs. “Northwest Passage” by Stan Rogers.
Palin refers to the classic in the last pages of the book.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Back in my University days we bought tickets for 