The Agulhas II is built as though it was designed by a Norse god of the sea ice. A tough hull for smashing through ice and resisting its terrific pressures. Powerful engines for churning through water as viscous as a slushy. Its mission: To locate Shackleton’s lost ship, the Endurance, which sank beneath the frigid seas in 1915.
It’s a repeat go-round for the Agulhas II, which was near where the Endurance sank in 2019 when it lost contact with its remote sub sent down to find the boat. Getting to the Endurance is incredibly difficult. It’s 10,000 feet deep with swirling currents above. If the sub can find it, scientists on board the Agulhas II can build a base on the ice and drill a hole for launching further recon efforts.
If found, the Endurance will be mapped and left alone as a monument.
You can read more about the efforts at the New York Times. Photo: public domain/picryl
