Ever dream of Antarctic sailing? Ever wonder how the Smithsonian came into being? How about the US Botanical Garden? Who really put the US on the map in the game of world exploration?
Sea of Glory by Nathaniel Philbrick is the account of the 1838-1842 US Exploration Expedition. Led by the controversial Lt. Charles Wilkes, the 5 vessel squadron left Norfolk with the mission to explore Antarctica, chart the Pacific Islands and chart the Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest. That was a tall order, and it was to be completed in
three years (Wilkes added the fourth year while still in the Pacific).
The names Lewis and Clark are permanently etched in the collective US consciousness, but Wilkes is mostly unknown. His achievements marred by controversy, scandel and court martial, Wilkes' personality was possibly his own worse enemy. However, he did establish that the Antarctic is a continent, and a rather large region bears his name. He did uncanny survey work of hundreds of Pacific Islands (some of his charts were still in use in WW II) and he did chart the mouth of the Columbia River. The tons of scientific specimens led to the founding of the Smithsonian Institution and the plants returned began what is now the US Botanical Garden.
Philbrick gives an unabashed account of this incredible story. Using personal letters from Wilkes and crew members as well as official logs and published accounts of the journey, Philbrick recreates not only the technical achievements but also the personal failures of what should have been recorded as one of history's most heralded feats of exploration.
Highly Recommended.
And yes, I'd LOVE to sail south to the continent. In good weather.
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