Physics@Work - - Shackleton's Boat Journey

Continuing our series of "Physics@Work" for Science Teachers-Join us for

An illustrated talk byJohn O'Reilly, on Shackleton's 800 mile journey in a 20 foot boat in May 1916, and a tour of the Maritime Museum.

You will have the opportunity to hold a sextant and see how it may be used to navigate. Frank Worsely used a sextant to critical effect on the four ocassions the sun feintly appeared on this 17 day journey from Elephant island. The difficulty of doing this in a small boat pitched by the Antartic waves is hard to imagine. Even one degree of error could have cost the lives of the six crew including Ernest Shackleton and Tom Crean.
The Museum has many fascinating exhibits including the Bailey Optic - - a fully functioning lighthouse beam.