History

Exploration of the Ross Sea

The story of Antarctic exploration in the the Ross Sea region is one of courage, scientific discovery, and human endurance. It begins with the groundbreaking expedition of James Clark Ross and continues through the heroic-era to modern times.

The Ross Sea is named after James Clark Ross, who led an expedition between 1839 and 1843 that explored the region and made significant discoveries in Antarctica.

Using two warships, HMS Erebus and HMS Terror, the expedition confirmed the existence of the Antarctic continent and advanced understanding of its magnetic properties. Key achievements included the discovery of the Ross Ice Shelf (then called the “Great Ice Barrier”), Mount Erebus, Mount Terror, and the Transantarctic Mountains. The expedition charted significant portions of the Antarctic coastline, including Victoria Land, and made valuable contributions to glaciology, magnetism, zoology, and botany.

The expedition also stands as a testament to human courage and exploration, paving the way for future Antarctic endeavours. In 1912,  Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen, a key figure in the heroic-era of Antarctic exploration, wrote of the Ross expedition:

“Few people of the present day are capable of rightly appreciating this heroic deed, this brilliant proof of human courage and energy. With two ponderous craft – regular “tubs” according to our ideas – these men sailed right into the heart of the pack [ice], which all previous explorers had regarded as certain death … These men were heroes – heroes in the highest sense of the word.”