The Age of Adventure

Sir Henry's main love was the sea and he had owned a boat since his teens. He spent three summers in Norway, yachting and salmon fishing. In 1873 he sailed to Spitzbergen, collecting tusks, bones and birds. Later in 1882 he sailed to rescue Leigh Smith, an explorer friend who was marooned in Nova Zembla (Novaya Zemlya) off the north coast of Siberia and while there, studied currents and ice drift in the Kara and Barents Seas. He also sailed to Greenland in search of whales.

Sir Henry's route to the Arctic

This map shows Sir Henry's route to the Arctic.

Copyright Ordnance Survey Ireland

Sir Henry's route to the Arctic
Copyright Ordnance Survey Ireland

Sir Henry's route to the Arctic

This map shows Sir Henry's route to the Arctic.

Copyright Ordnance Survey Ireland

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Constance's father travelled in Northern polar regions. Ireland's most famous explorer, Sir Ernest Shackelton tried to reach the South Pole. He was accompanied by the famous Kerryman, Tom Creen.