What Happened To The Nautilus?

Summary

In 1931, explorer Sir Hubert Wilkins embarked on a daring Arctic expedition in a modified submarine, the Nautilus, to reach the North Pole. Despite numerous setbacks, mechanical failures, and harsh conditions, Wilkins pushed forward, determined to succeed. His mission, funded by media magnate William Randolph Hearst, aimed to uncover Arctic mysteries and make headlines by meeting the airship Graf Zeppelin at the Pole. However, technical issues, a deteriorating crew, and the unforgiving Arctic environment led to the mission's ultimate failure, overshadowing Wilkins' legacy as an explorer.

Takeaways

• 🌐 In August 1931, Sir Hubert Wilkins embarked on an ambitious expedition to reach the North Pole using a modified submarine, the Nautilus.
• ❄️ The Arctic was largely unexplored and extremely challenging for explorers, with many losing their lives due to harsh conditions.
• 🚀 The first undisputed discovery of the North Pole was in 1926, and it was reached from the air, not from the surface.
• 🛠 The Nautilus was a World War One-era submarine retrofitted with innovative features to navigate under the ice, including ice drills and sledge runners.
• 💸 Wilkins secured funding for the expedition by partnering with newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst, who turned the scientific pursuit into a media event.
• 📡 The Nautilus was equipped with the latest scientific instruments to gather data and uncover the Arctic's mysteries.
• 🛑 The submarine faced numerous mechanical issues and crew morale problems, including engine failures and sewage flooding.
• 🏔 Despite setbacks, the Nautilus reached 82 degrees north, a record for a vessel traveling under its own power in the Arctic.
• 🔧 The ice drills, a key feature for surfacing, were found to be ineffective, and the crew struggled to make progress.
• 🌀 Wilkins faced a dilemma: return home to financial ruin or continue the dangerous expedition, risking the crew's lives.
• 🏧 The expedition ended without reaching the North Pole, and Wilkins was left financially and socially ruined, with his legacy largely forgotten.

Q & A

What was the main goal of the expedition led by Sir Hubert Wilkins?

The main goal of the expedition was to reach the North Pole and uncover the Arctic's mysteries using a submarine, which was a new kind of exploration machine.

Why did Sir Hubert Wilkins believe a submarine was the best way to reach the North Pole?

Wilkins believed a submarine would be the ultimate way to reach the North Pole because it could navigate under the ice and access areas that were otherwise unreachable by traditional surface vessels or land methods.

What was unique about the submarine used in the expedition?

The submarine, named Nautilus, was a heavily modified World War One-era attack sub. It was reinforced with heavy steel plates and concrete, equipped with sledge runners, a hydraulic impact absorber, and drills capable of boring through ice.

How did Sir Hubert Wilkins fund the expedition?

Wilkins funded the expedition by using his own savings, raising money through lectures and writing a book, and securing significant backing from newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst in exchange for exclusive publishing rights.

What was the Graf Zeppelin's role in the expedition?

The Graf Zeppelin was to fly overhead as Wilkins emerged from the ice at the North Pole, creating a media event of conquering the pole from above and below.

What were some of the challenges faced by the crew during the journey?

The crew faced cramped conditions, frigid temperatures, seasickness, mechanical failures, and a lack of privacy and comfort aboard the submarine.

Why did the ice drills fail during the testing phase?

The ice drills failed during testing because they would only go so far before jamming, indicating a design flaw or operational issue that could not be resolved in time for the expedition.

What happened to the Nautilus after the expedition?

After the crew returned from the Arctic, the Nautilus was deemed too worn and damaged to be worth saving and was deliberately sunk off the coast of Norway.

What was the ultimate fate of Sir Hubert Wilkins after the expedition?

Wilkins was left financially ruined and largely forgotten by history after the expedition. He passed away at the age of seventy, and his ashes were scattered at the North Pole by the crew of the U.S.S. Skate.

How does the script describe the later success of the USS Nautilus?

The script mentions that the nuclear-powered USS Nautilus, sharing the same name, successfully traversed the Arctic underneath the ice in 1958, returning home to huge fanfare.

What is Nebula and how is it related to the script?

Nebula is a streaming platform mentioned at the end of the script, where the story of the Nautilus expedition and other fascinating stories are featured. It is related to the script as it is the platform where more in-depth content about the topic can be found.

Outlines

00:00

🌐 Arctic Exploration by Submarine

In August 1931, Sir Hubert Wilkins embarked on an ambitious expedition to explore the Arctic using a modified World War One-era submarine named Nautilus. The goal was to reach the North Pole and uncover the mysteries beneath the Arctic ice. Wilkins faced challenges in funding and had to turn his scientific expedition into a media event to secure backing from newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst. The Nautilus was retrofitted with special equipment to navigate and study the Arctic, including ice drills and a pressurized diving chamber.

05:00

🛠 Preparing for the Journey and Early Challenges

As the expedition was about to begin, Wilkins expressed optimism to reporters about the journey ahead, despite harboring private concerns about the submarine's untested and potentially dangerous features. The Nautilus suffered from mechanical issues, including malfunctioning ice drills, which led to delays and crew demoralization. Despite these setbacks, Wilkins was determined to proceed with the expedition, facing a grueling Atlantic crossing and the discomfort of cramped, unsanitary conditions on board.

10:03

❄️ The Struggle to Reach the Arctic

The Nautilus reached unprecedented latitudes under the ice, but the crew faced harsh conditions without heat or insulation. Wilkins was under immense pressure to continue towards the Pole despite the crew's desire to return home. A critical failure of the diving rudder led to suspicions of sabotage, and Hearst, while publicly urging Wilkins to return, privately pressured him to continue. Wilkins made a desperate attempt to force the submarine under the ice, but the ice drills failed to work, leading to the eventual decision to end the Arctic trip.

15:07

🚀 The Legacy and Future of Arctic Exploration

Wilkins's attempt to reach the North Pole by submarine, though unsuccessful, laid the groundwork for future explorations. Decades later, the USS Nautilus achieved a polar crossing, and Wilkins's contributions to polar understanding were significant despite his final expedition leaving him financially ruined. The narrative shifts to a future Soviet project involving orbital satellites capable of illuminating large areas of the planet, hinting at a continuation of the story on Nebula, a platform offering exclusive content on various topics including history, science, and news.

🌟 Nebula: A Platform for Creator-Owned Content

Nebula is introduced as a streaming platform owned by creators, offering exclusive content not available elsewhere. It features videos on iconic machines and unrealized concepts, with new categories and a news section. The platform is funded directly by creators and offers various subscription options, including lifetime memberships. A special promotion is mentioned for Mustard viewers, offering a 40% discount on an annual subscription.

Keywords

💡Arctic

The Arctic refers to the region around the Earth's North Pole, characterized by a cold climate and vast ice coverage. In the video, the Arctic is central to the narrative of explorers attempting to uncover its mysteries and reach the North Pole. The script mentions the Arctic's unexplored territories and the challenges faced by explorers, like frigid temperatures and sea ice.

💡Submarine

A submarine is a watercraft capable of operating independently underwater. In the video, the submarine is depicted as a new kind of exploration machine, designed to reach the North Pole and explore beneath the Arctic ice. The Nautilus, a modified WWI-era attack sub, is highlighted as the vessel chosen for this daring expedition.

💡Sir Hubert Wilkins

Sir Hubert Wilkins was a real-life explorer, inventor, and author. In the video, he is portrayed as the leader of the expedition to reach the North Pole using a submarine. His determination to find a better way to explore the Arctic and his efforts to secure funding from media mogul William Randolph Hearst are central to the story.

💡North Pole

The North Pole is the northernmost point on Earth, located in the Arctic Ocean. The video script discusses the historical attempts to reach the North Pole and the significance of Wilkins' expedition in achieving this goal. The North Pole is the ultimate destination for the explorers in the narrative.

💡Graf Zeppelin

The Graf Zeppelin was a large German commercial airship. In the script, it is mentioned as part of a plan to create a media event where it would fly overhead as Wilkins' submarine emerges from the ice, symbolizing the conquest of the North Pole from both above and below.

💡Simon Lake

Simon Lake was a naval architect and inventor. In the video, he is responsible for modifying the Nautilus submarine with innovative features to withstand the harsh Arctic conditions. His modifications, such as reinforced bow and ice drills, are critical to the expedition's survival and success.

💡Exploration

Exploration refers to the act of traveling in search of new information or experiences. The video's theme revolves around the exploration of the Arctic, with the crew enduring harsh conditions to uncover the region's mysteries. The script emphasizes the historical context of exploration and the evolution from ships to submarines.

💡Media Sensation

A media sensation is an event or story that attracts significant public interest and media coverage. In the video, Wilkins' expedition is turned into a media sensation by William Randolph Hearst to secure funding, illustrating the commercialization of exploration and the role of media in such endeavors.

💡Iceberg

An iceberg is a large piece of freshwater ice that has broken off from a glacier or an ice shelf and is floating freely in open water. The script describes the dangers of colliding with sea ice, which is a significant hazard for the submarine as it navigates under the Arctic.

💡Sledge Runners

Sledge runners are the bottom parts of a sledge or sled, designed to slide over snow or ice. In the video, the Nautilus is fitted with sledge runners to glide along the bottom of the ice, showcasing the innovative adaptations made to the submarine for Arctic exploration.

💡Sabotage

Sabotage refers to the deliberate action of damaging or destroying equipment or a structure. In the script, there is a suspicion of sabotage when the submarine's diving rudder goes missing, which could have been an attempt by the crew to end the perilous expedition.

Highlights

In August 1931, a submarine embarks on a daring mission to explore the Arctic's mysteries.

Explorers face frigid temperatures and cramped conditions in their pursuit of the North Pole.

The history of Arctic exploration is marked by tragedy and the loss of many explorers.

The first undisputed discovery of the North Pole was made from the air in 1926.

Sir Hubert Wilkins plans to reach the North Pole using a submarine, a novel approach at the time.

The North Pole is uniquely challenging due to its location in the Arctic Ocean.

Wilkins collaborates with naval architect Simon Lake to modify the Nautilus submarine for the expedition.

The Nautilus is fitted with innovative equipment to navigate and study the Arctic.

Wilkins secures funding for the expedition by partnering with newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst.

The Graf Zeppelin airship is to meet the Nautilus at the North Pole for a media spectacle.

The Nautilus suffers from mechanical issues and crew morale problems before even reaching the Arctic.

Wilkins faces the dilemma of whether to continue the expedition despite the risks and setbacks.

The Nautilus reaches 82 degrees north, a record for a vessel under its own power.

Wilkins is pressured to continue the expedition despite the crew's desire to turn back.

The Nautilus's ice drills fail during a critical test, highlighting the technological challenges.

Wilkins ultimately decides to end the Arctic trip, acknowledging the impossibility of completing the mission.

The Nautilus is later scuttled off the coast of Norway, marking the end of Wilkins's ambitious expedition.

The legacy of Wilkins's expedition is overshadowed by the later success of the USS Nautilus in 1958.

The story of Wilkins's Arctic expedition is a testament to the spirit of exploration and the challenges of early polar conquest.

Transcripts

In August 1931, a submarine approaches  the edge of the known world.

It’s about to enter a massive frozen unknown. A part  of the world remains largely unexplored.

On board are a group of daring  explorers determined to uncover the Arctic’s great mysteries.

Setting out to not only reach the top of the world,  

but to discover what lies hidden beneath it. In a new kind of exploration machine.  

Enduring cramped conditions and frigid  temperatures, they’ll push ahead for thousands  

of kilometers under the ice. But as days turn to weeks, the expedition will go horribly wrong.

For centuries, explorers tried repeatedly to reach  the top of the world. At first, they used ships,  

battling frigid temperatures and treacherous  sea ice. Their vessels often became trapped,  

stranding crews with little hope of rescue.  Later, explorers tried with dog sleds or even  

on foot, often ending tragically. Over the  centuries hundreds of explorers perished.  

So challenging was the Arctic,  that the first undisputed discovery  

of the North Pole wasn’t until 1926. And it was only from the air, in a modified  

airship that never even touched the ground. So, when accomplished explorer Sir Hubert Wilkins  

planned to set foot on the North Pole, he was  convinced there was a better way to do it.  

The North Pole doesn’t lie on a continental  land mass like the South Pole. Instead,  

it’s located in the middle of the Arctic Ocean  amid waters almost always covered in ice.  

Wilkins was convinced that a submarine  would be the ultimate way to reach the  

North Pole. And fitted with the latest  scientific equipment, it could help  

solve the Arctic's greatest mysteries.

Wilkins would set off in the summer.

First,  sailing across the Atlantic, then all the way  up to the Arctic Circle. From there, his  

expedition would head West, spanning over three  thousand kilometers. Over six weeks, he'd zigzag  

underneath the ice, emerging from the deep through  any openings, before finally ending in Alaska.  

To fund the expedition, Wilkins put up his  own savings and raised money from wherever  

he could. He lectured day and night, and even  wrote a book outlining his ambitions plans.  

But it still wasn't enough. He’d need serious  backing. And one sure way to get it… was to turn  

his scientific pursuit into a media sensation. A voyage under the sea ice was the kind of thing  

that would sell out newspapers. So  Wilkins made a deal with newspaper  

magnate William Randolph Hearst. A man  with a flare for sensationalism.

Hearst would get exclusive publishing rights,  and Wilkins would get his funding.

And to create even more buzz, Hearst  orchestrated for Wilkins to meet up at  

the pole with a second expedition. The massive  airship Graf Zeppelin would fly overhead just  

as Wilkins emerged from the ice. Captivating  the public with headlines of the pole being  

conquered from above and below. If he could pull off the stunt,  

Hearst offered Wilkins a one hundred  and fifty thousand dollar prize.

All that was left, was to find a submarine.

Wilkins planned to reach the North Pole in the  Nautilus. A retired World War One-era attack  

sub that had been heavily modified by renowned  naval architect Simon Lake. And it would have to  

do what no submarine had ever done before. The voyage would be fraught with danger,  

including the risk of a collision with the sea  ice. So Lake reinforced the Nautilus’s bow with  

heavy steel plates and concrete, and added a  hydraulic impact absorber to soften the blow.  

But the ice above could also prove deadly. So  Lake fitted the topside with sledge runners,  

which would allow it to slide along the  bottom of the ice, much like a toboggan.  

A hydraulic retractable guide arm would also  keep a safe distance from hazards above.  

The Nautilus could be confined under  the ice for days at a time. But it  

would eventually need to surface to take  on air and recharge its batteries. A lack  

of openings in the ice could doom the crew. So Lake innovated a series of drills capable  

of boring through the ice. Allowing  the Nautilus’s crew to drill through  

up to twenty feet to reach the surface. In place of the original torpedo tubes,  

Lake added a pressurized diving chamber,  where the crew could lower instruments  

to the ocean floor, or conduct dives. In all, Simon Lake made dozens of modifications.  

Originally built for World War One, the Nautilus  would now have to battle mother nature.  

On March 16, 1931, as the expedition prepared  to set off, Wilkins put on a brave face for  

reporters. “The men are just having things  on board now for the final inspection before  

leaving the dockyard. We expect in about  six or eight months to have made the trip  

two thousand miles under the ice. Starting from  Spitsbergen somewhere about the first of July”.  

But deep down, Wilkins was worried.  He feared many of the sub’s novel  

features were unnecessary. Even dangerous. He had reservations about the sledge runners,  

the ice drills, and the shock absorber Which he  worried would actually lodge itself into the ice,  

trapping the Nautilus beneath the surface. Wilkins insisted on installing a photosensitive  

electrical cell to measure the thickness  of the ice above so he’d know where to  

surface. But Simon Lake denied the request. The Nautilus was Lake’s submarine. He’s the one  

who leased it from the U.S. Navy, and he had  the final word on any modifications. Wilkins  

merely sub-chartered it for the expedition. There was little he could do, but accept the  

submarine as it was. But the wonder gadgets  would cause headaches before the expedition  

even began. Repeatedly forcing the sub back into  port for repairs. It was one thing to invent  

novel features. Trying to retrofit them onto  a tired old sub, created all kinds of issues.  

Confirming Wilkins’s worst fears, the ice  drills didn't even work during testing,  

and a separate engineering firm was  called in to try to figure it all out.  

The weeks turned into months, and Wilkins  was beginning to feel the pressure.  

If the Nautilus was to meet the Graf Zeppelin at  the North pole, time was of the essence. Otherwise  

Wilkins would lose out on Hearst’s prize money. By June, Wilkins had had enough. Mechanical  

issues be damned, it was time to get going.

The journey across the Atlantic was grueling.  

The tiny sub was easily tossed around by fierce  North Atlantic storms.The crew were also beginning  

to learn just how uncomfortable the Nautilus was. The submarine was cramped and claustrophobic to  

begin with. Now loaded up for the expedition,  there was even less space. For twenty men  

there was just a single toilet out in the  open between two roaring diesel engines.  

The crew would have to spend their entire day  standing. Because there wasn't anywhere to sit.

Only a handful of bunks shared  amongst the men provided any relief.  

Wilkins sent Hearst daily radio updates  documenting harrowing journey.  

“This morning an extra heavy wave swept the deck  and carried away the screen before the bridge”  

Nearly everyone aboard was seasick. And  when the Nautilus’s bilge pump failed,  

sewage, oil, and vomit began to swill around  the crew's feet. But as the tiny sub battled  

the fierce Atlantic, things only got worse. “The fourth cylinder of our starboard engine is  

badly cracked.” Forced to shut down one of its two  engines, the Nautilus could only limp forward.  

On June 13th, a week into the journey, the  Nautilus stopped sending radio updates.  

And for several days, no one had any idea  about the fate of the sub and its crew.  

On June 15, the Battleship Wyoming found  the Nautilus drifting aimlessly about  

a thousand kilometers northeast of the  Azores, both engines had failed and the  

batteries were dead. Wilkins would now face  the humiliation of having his sub towed the  

rest of the way across the Atlantic. Worse still, four crew members quit,  

and the Nautilus once again needed major  repairs. It would take weeks for replacement  

parts to arrive from the United States. It meant, there was no longer enough time  

to catch up with the Graf Zeppelin.  And In a stunning blow, Wilkins could  

no longer claim Hearst’s prize money. The media also turned against him, running  

headlines that openly mocked his expedition. Wilkins was under mounting pressure. His  

submarine didn't work. His crew was demoralized  and winter was fast approaching. At this point,  

just about anyone else would have thrown in  the towel. But this was Sir Hubert Wilkins.  

Even months behind schedule,  Wilkins pressed ahead. On July 28th,  

the expedition finally left for the North Pole. The Nautilus was still riddled with problems,  

but the crew had gotten used to making  repairs on the go, and any major issues  

were fixed during scheduled stops. By August 15th, the Nautilus had reached  

the last inhabited land before the Arctic.  And Wilkins was finally sending out upbeat  

progress reports. And on the 19th, the  Nautilus reached the first ice flows.  

To celebrate, the men were given a  break from the cramped conditions,

and began collecting scientific data. Back home,  Hearst relayed fascinating new discoveries, like  

a warmer layer of water deep below the surface,  thought to be vital for predicting weather.  

After traveling a week in the ice, the Nautilus  reached 82 degrees north. Further than any  

vessel had ever made it under its own power. It looked like Wilkins would actually do it,  

he would travel a thousand  kilometers under the ice.

But as the world read about Wilkins's  achievements, onboard the Nautilus  

things were not as they seemed. Wilkins had  once again, merely put on a brave face.  

In reality, the crew were exhausted and freezing.  The Nautilus had no heat or insulation. Nothing  

but bare metal separated them from the frigid  arctic waters. The crew were constantly sickened  

with food poisoning and dosed with lead from  the soldering in the submarine’s pipes.

Attempting the Pole this late in the season would  be extremely dangerous, and without exception,  

everyone wanted to turn around and head home. Everyone, except Wilkins

On August 22nd he gave the order to dive  beneath the ice. But the Nautilus refused.  

The diving rudder, the mechanism  that controls vertical motion

underwater, just wouldn't respond. Wilkins sent a diver to investigate  

and he soon returned with a stunning discovery.  The rudder had simply disappeared. Maybe it had  

fallen off and somehow no one noticed? Or maybe  as Wilkins suspected, the crew had sabotaged the  

sub in an attempt to end the expedition. By this point, even Hearst was publicly  

urging Wilkins to return home. But again, things weren't what they  

seemed. In a private message, the Hearst  corporation pressured Wilkins to continue  

to the Pole …reminding him of their agreement. And that left Wilkins with an impossible decision.  

Return home to certain failure and financial  ruin, or press on and risk the lives of the crew.  

On August 31st Wilkins ordered the  ballast tanks flooded and trim set  

two degrees down. He would force the Nautilus  to submerge by ramming under the ice.  

The sound of the sledge runners scraping  against the ice reverberated right through  

the superstructure, as if the  Nautilus was being torn apart.  

It’s as though Wilkins had  lost his mind. He couldn't  

possibly reach the pole in the crippled sub. But faced with an endless string of setbacks,  

Wilkins seemed determined to prove a point. They pushed on for several kilometers before  

Wilkins ordered a test of the ice drills. For hours the crew tried in vain to bore  

through just a few feet of ice. Each time,  Simon Lake's patented drill would only go  

so far before jamming. It was hopeless. On September 6th, Wilkins finally sent  

out the radio transmission that by  now, everyone was hoping for.  

“Our Arctic trip is over…”

Wilkins had taken the Nautilus where 

no submarine had ever gone before. But it would be  another three decades before anyone successfully  

traversed the arctic underneath the ice. Sharing the same name the nuclear-powered  

USS Nautilus could stay submerged for weeks at a  time. It made its first Polar crossing in 1958,  

returning home to huge fanfare. By that point  Wilkins’s attempt had long been forgotten.  

The original Nautilus now lies sunk on the  ocean floor off the coast of Norway. After  

the crew returned from the Arctic, the sub  was deemed too worn and damaged to be worth  

saving. And it was deliberately sunk. Prior to the nautilus expedition, Wilkins  

was considered among the greatest explorers of the  20th century. Having made immense contributions to  

our understanding of the North and South Poles. But his final expedition left him financially  

ruined and largely forgotten by history. After passing away at the age of seventy,  

Wilkins's final wishes were fulfilled,  when the crew of the U.S.S. Skate scattered  

his ashes at the North Pole.  

In the dying days of the U.S.S.R., 

the Soviets begin working on a mysterious  project straight out of science fiction.  

They’re preparing to launch the  first in a series of artificial suns.  

Massive orbital satellites with the power to turn  night into day. Illuminating large areas of the  

planet to generate power, light up entire  cities, and grow plants in the far north.  

“They will transform perpetual night into  daylight. There could eventually be a whole  

network of those cosmic spotlights. You’re  talking about something which is several  

miles across. It’s the last vestige of the  old Soviet dream of industrializing space.”  

This is the little known story  of one of the most bizarre and  

fascinating space projects in history. And you can learn more about it in my  

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