For the first time, high-resolution images have revealed the SS Terra Nova polar shipwreck in remarkable detail, more than a century after the vessel became part of one of the most well-known tragedies in Antarctic history.
Researchers captured new footage of the wreck, now resting 560 feet (170 meters) beneath the surface off the coast of Greenland, where the wooden structure has become a thriving habitat for marine life.
The British ship SS Terra Nova, once central to Captain Robert Falcon Scott's ill-fated expedition to the South Pole, was rediscovered in 2012 by the Schmidt Ocean Institute. Until now, only limited views of the wreck were available.
A recent mission finally allowed researchers to capture extensive underwater video of the site, showcasing preserved features such as the ship's wheel, mast, and winch.
Leighton Rolley, REV Ocean science systems manager, described the experience as powerful. He noted that the ship's wheel, still intact amid debris, stood out as a haunting symbol of the vessel's legacy.
Reflecting on the wreck's condition and history, Rolley said it was humbling to imagine those who once navigated the ship through polar ice. To him, the wreck has now become part of the ocean, with fish and corals transforming it into a living reef.
The SS Terra Nova was considered one of the finest polar vessels of its time. Built with a hull nearly 3 feet (1 meter) thick in some sections, the 187-foot (57-meter) wooden ship was designed to break through heavy sea ice.
It served in polar waters for six decades. After its historic Antarctic voyage, the vessel continued in service until it sank in 1943 while transporting supplies to U.S. military bases during World War II.
In 1910, the ship departed for Antarctica carrying Scott and his team. Alongside scientific research, their mission was to be the first to reach the South Pole. Scott, accompanied by Edward Wilson, Henry Bowers, Lawrence Oates, and Edgar Evans, reached the pole in January 1912.
They found that Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen had beaten them there, leaving behind a black flag -- now preserved at the Scott Polar Research Institute in Cambridge.
David Waterhouse, curator at the institute, said the moment of discovery must have been devastating for the British team. The group began their return but encountered severe weather. Evans died after a fall.
Oates, suffering from frostbite and exhaustion, left the tent voluntarily to avoid slowing the others. His final words, recorded in Scott's journal, are among the most remembered in polar history.
Scott, Wilson, and Bowers continued but perished in their tent during a blizzard. Their final camp was discovered just 11 miles (18 kilometers) from a supply depot that could have saved them.
In January 1913, the SS Terra Nova returned to Antarctica to retrieve the remaining members of the expedition. Expecting to reunite with Scott's team, the crew instead learned of the tragic outcome.
The ship's log noted the cause of death as exposure and lack of resources. From there, the ship sailed to New Zealand, where the fate of the expedition was made public.
Waterhouse emphasized that the new footage presents a renewed opportunity to share Scott's story, one marked by courage, loss, and human endurance. He believes the expedition still resonates deeply, especially because the men came heartbreakingly close to success.