#rss discovery

[movingnortharchive]

Exploring the Discovery | Dundee, Scotland, March 2024

📸: Olympus Trip AF MD + Kodak Ultramax

[scotianostra]

21st March 1901 saw the launch in Dundee of the Royal Research Ship Discovery, the ship that would help Captain Scott make his name as an Antarctic explorer.

Designed for Antarctic research, she was launched as a Royal Research Ship (RRS) in 1901. Discovery was the first ship of its kind to be constructed specifically for scientific research. She was also the last wooden, three masted ship to be built in this country and is the only one that survives.

The basics of the ship were built on the same principles as the whaling ships - hundreds of them worked out of Dundee in the 19th and early 20th century.

The Discovery’s first captain was the famous explorer ‘Scott of the Antarctic’. Captain Robert Falcon Scott, was appointed in 1901. He was Born in Devon, England, basically a shy man who also had great courage and strength. It was said that Captain Scott was responsible for the errors that turned his expedition into a disaster. However, research in the past few years has discovered that it was some of the men under Captain Scott’s command, who disobeyed his orders that led to tragedy.

Another famous explorer joined Captain Scott on RRS Discovery’s first voyage and that was Sir Ernest Shackleton. He would later sail in another famous ship the 'Endurance’ in 1914-16.

Since 1996 Discovery has been berthed at Dundee, and is a major tourist attraction to the city, the ship however is said to be one of the most haunted in the world and paranormal teams regularly set up all sorts of equipment on the ship

One of the main spirits said to roam the ship is that of Charles Bonner. While Discovery was leaving New Zealand, the young seaman fell from the crows nest, on the mainmast, landing head first onto the deck, crushing his skull. Quite a few independent psychics have picked up on the seaman and feel that he is still a strong presence on the ship. His spirit is said to be most powerful on the deck at the place where he fell to his death. It’s also been reported that people have sensed and seen the spirit of Shackleton roaming around the ship and it may be his spirit that has been observed in one of the cabins. Psychic mediums have also picked up this presence on numerous occasions. Other apparitions include the spirit of a little boy and shadow figures are seen roaming the ship in various areas.

Electricity seems to attract the spirits on the Discovery. In the cabin that belonged to Ernest Shackleton, light bulbs constantly blow despite the area being checked by electricians. In addition when the 'Ghost Club’ investigated the ship, light bulbs in Captain Scott’s cabin were found to be dislodged from their fittings.

The Ghost Club investigators experienced strange movements of a rope. This was a very heavy ship’s rope that couldn’t be moved simply by walking past, so why it began swaying remains a mystery. In addition investigators felt the chairs or benches that they were sitting on being moved by an unseen force.

There are also frequently the sound of footsteps roaming around the ship. These have been heard by people and also caught on recording equipment. Investigators have yet to find out who is making the footsteps - could it be Charles Bonner or Ernest Shackleton?

There is also one interesting account of a visitor to the ship who had spent some time talking with a sailor, but no one else could see the person she was speaking to. Similar events have happened with other visitors to the ship, where they have seen a spirit that looked solid and stopped to talk to him only to realise later that the person was not anyone alive connected to the ship.

The Discovery also has poltergeist activity. TV’s Most Haunted investigation team had numerous objects thrown at them including a toggle from a duffel coat, a dice and a wooden pulley from a ships rope.

You can watch the investigations here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMZHax7nmxM

[callumogden]

Weekend at the new V&A Museum in Dundee.

The building itself is pretty interesting - lots of odd angles. I expected them to make more of a thing of the panorama over the river but instead you only get occasional glimpses, unless you go out on the terraces. Then again I suppose they didn't want people to be constantly blinded by the sun.

Either way I really like the interior wood panels and the exterior overhangs.

[scotianostra]

Took a wee trip up to Dundee yesterday, The RSS Discovery and the V & A.