Discovery of Franklin’s HMS Erebus
Last updated: March 21, 2020 at 13:48 pm
[ 2014 ] On September 7, Parks Canada archeologists from the 2014 Victoria Strait Expedition discover the wreck of one of the ships from the ill-fated Franklin Expedition, which was lost in 1846. Three weeks later, the ship is identified as HMS Erebus following a meticulous review of data and artifacts observed on the Arctic seabed. The remains of Sir John Franklin’s ship are found in the eastern stretches of the Queen Maud Gulf off the western coast of the Adelaide Peninsula using Inuit traditional knowledge and modern technology. The underwater archaeologists conduct seven dives to the shipwreck during two days of on-site investigation, taking diagnostic measurements, high-resolution photography, and high-definition video. The ship’s bell is identified during the very first dive on the site, and then recovered on the last dive.
Parks Canada
Please note that comments are moderated: (1) Stay on topic (2) Be respectful (3) Refrain from vulgarity and abusive language (4) Do not make personal complaints about a person’s character, business, work or associations (5) Do not publish materials that violate copyright. OFFENDING COMMENTS WILL BE DELETED.
Have you discovered a mistake? Discrepancies are frequently found with names, dates and places while researching historical data. If you find errors or if you would like to suggest historical events for consideration in the next update, please contact us so that we may make corrections or additions. Thank you.
In order to ensure your browsing experience is as enjoyable as possible, banners are kept to an absolute minimum, which means that advertising revenues alone cannot sustain this 100% FREE publication. Researching and updating the Diving Almanac requires a lot of time and dedication. If you believe the diving community needs a central body of information to record, validate and make available our shared history and accomplishments, please show your support by making a contribution to the Diving Almanac via PayPal (Porbeagle Press). Thank you!
Divers rescue 12 boys and coach from flooded Thai cave
By Jeffrey Gallant
[2018] On July 2, cave divers Rick Stanton and John Volanthen locate all 12 members of a youth football team and their coach [...]
Read More
The SPID is designed and built
By Jeffrey Gallant
[ 1964 ] Edward A. Link designs and builds a two-man undersea habitat called the SPID (Submersible, Portable Inflatable Dwelling). Two commercial [...]
Read More
Two divers die in Johnson Sea Link
By Jeffrey Gallant
[1973] Edwin Clayton Link and Albert Dennison Stover died from carbon dioxide poisoning after the submersible was entangled for over 24 hours at a depth [...]
Read More
Commeinhes develops open-circuit scuba
By Jeffrey Gallant
[ 1937 ] The first model of a two-cylinder open-circuit breathing apparatus with demand regulator is developed by Georges Commeinhes for [...]
Read More
Priest publishes The Art of Breathing Underwater
By Jeffrey Gallant
[ 1681 ] French priest Abbé Jean de Hautefeuille publishes L’art de respirer sous l’eau (The Art of Breathing Underwater) in which he explains why it is not [...]
Read More
Refit of Cousteau’s Calypso restarts
By Jeffrey Gallant
[ 2016 ] Jacques-Yves Cousteau’s famed oceanographic vessel Calypso is moved to Turkey for a full refit, including new engines; Calypso's sad saga began [...]
Read More
Discovery of HMS Erebus
By Jeffrey Gallant
[ 2014 ] On September 7, Parks Canada archeologists from the 2014 Victoria Strait Expedition discover the wreck of one of the ships from the ill-fated [...]
Read More
Record habitat dive in Romania
By Jeffrey Gallant
[ 1994 ] Romanian aquanauts Liviu Miron and Constantin Mihaï set the European record for the longest uninterrupted stay in an underwater habitat by [...]
Read More
The bathyscaphe Trieste is designed
By Jeffrey Gallant
[ 1950 ] Dr. Auguste Piccard and his son Jacques design the bathyscaphe Trieste, which is launched in 1953. The bathyscaphe consists of [...]
Read More
Archaeologists find HMS Terror
By Jeffrey Gallant
[ 2016 ] On September 18, 2016, Parks Canada confirms that the wreck discovered by the Arctic Research Foundation is HMS Terror. The archaeological [...]
Read More
Leonardo Da Vinci designs a diving suit
By Jeffrey Gallant
[ CIRCA 1500 ] Leonardo Da Vinci designs a diving suit and flexible snorkel system for breathing at depth. The snorkel is made of cane tubes [...]
Read More
First dives for treasure
By Jeffrey Gallant
[ 480 BCE ] Herodotus tells of Cyana (a.k.a. Hydna of Scione) and her father Scyllias, a pair of divers who recovered sunken treasure for the Persian King Xerxes. When Xerxes [...]
Read More
Divers in the Trojan War
By Jeffrey Gallant
[ 1194 BCE ] Homer writes of divers attacking ships during the Trojan War in the Iliad. Whether there is any historical reality behind the Trojan War remains an open question. Many [...]
Read More
William Bourne designs a wooden submarine
By Jeffrey Gallant
[ 1578 ] William Bourne, an English mathematician draws the first plans for an underwater boat powered by oars. The wooden submarine covered [...]
Read More
Edmond Halley improves the diving bell
By Jeffrey Gallant
[ 1690 ] English astronomer Edmond Halley—of Halley’s Comet fame—improves the diving bell. Additional air is available in weighted barrels [...]
Read More
Artifacts recovered from Antikythera
By Jeffrey Gallant
[ 2015 ] Archaeologists excavating the Antikythera shipwreck recover more than 50 items including a bronze armrest, remains of a bone [...]
Read More
Anthony’s Key Resort is founded on Roatan
By Jeffrey Gallant
[1968] Julio Galindo Sr. and his wife, Cheryl Galindo, welcome their first guests on the island of Roatán, Honduras. Anthony’s Key Resort has since become [...]
Read More
Renowned explorers in the High Arctic
By Jeffrey Gallant
[ 2015 ] A team of renowned explorers mounts the Elysium – Artists for the Arctic expedition to the High Arctic to produce a feature documentary, a book [...]
Read More
Jeffrey Gallant is the Editor-in-Chief and Records Keeper of the Diving Almanac. He is also a contributing editor of DIVER Magazine, and the scientific director of the Greenland Shark and Elasmobranch Education and Research Group (GEERG). Jeffrey started diving in 1982.
