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Karluk: a Great Untold Story of Arctic Exploration
The extraordinary account of Stefansson's Arctic Expedition of 1913-18 and the incredible survival of the crew members of Karluk, its leading ship.
166 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1976
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
September 23, 2018
Non-fiction written by the meteorologist and magnetologist of the ill-fated 1913 Canadian arctic expedition led initially by Viljhalmar Stefansson. It covers much more ground than solely what happened to cause this expedition to go horribly wrong. It is a fascinating story of a journey that was doomed from the start due to lack of planning and questionable leadership. It is a tale of resolve, courage, and endurance in the face of the extremes of arctic winter. Some survived against the odds. Others did not.
McKinlay calls attention to Stefansson’s abandonment of the Karluk’s crew, ostensibly to find food. He did not return, but showed up years later having discovered several islands, for which he was publicly lauded. This did not sit well with McKinlay. He wanted to set the record straight and recognize the heroism of Captain Robert Bartlett whom he credits with saving the lives of the remaining company. This book was published in 1976, when McKinlay was 88, relying on his journals, the journals of other participants, and interviews.
McKinlay’s account is straight-forward, tightly focused, compelling, and well-written. His account forms a harrowing tale of the struggle for survival, the constant hunt for food to stave off starvation, dealing with the elements, battling a puzzling disease, and figuring out how to get along with each other. It became increasingly difficult to fight isolation and loneliness. Working together became a challenge and led to tragedies.
I tend to devour these types of memoirs. It is astounding to me what these early explorers were able to accomplish, especially considering the equipment and clothing of the era, not to mention the lack of ability to easily communicate with the rest of the world. Recommended to those interested in the history of exploration or memoirs of survival in extreme conditions.
Memorable Quotes:
“So there we were, on 11 January 1914, perched on an ice floe in the Arctic Ocean, twenty-two men, one woman, two children, sixteen dogs and a cat.” (A cat – who knew cats were such intrepid arctic explorers? This is the second arctic-related book I’ve read recently that features a cat.)
“At night-time the condensation froze, and we slept in a miniature ice palace, crystals sparkling in the light, gleaming icicles hanging from the deck above, some several inches long.” (Expressively written for a scientist!)
McKinlay calls attention to Stefansson’s abandonment of the Karluk’s crew, ostensibly to find food. He did not return, but showed up years later having discovered several islands, for which he was publicly lauded. This did not sit well with McKinlay. He wanted to set the record straight and recognize the heroism of Captain Robert Bartlett whom he credits with saving the lives of the remaining company. This book was published in 1976, when McKinlay was 88, relying on his journals, the journals of other participants, and interviews.
McKinlay’s account is straight-forward, tightly focused, compelling, and well-written. His account forms a harrowing tale of the struggle for survival, the constant hunt for food to stave off starvation, dealing with the elements, battling a puzzling disease, and figuring out how to get along with each other. It became increasingly difficult to fight isolation and loneliness. Working together became a challenge and led to tragedies.
I tend to devour these types of memoirs. It is astounding to me what these early explorers were able to accomplish, especially considering the equipment and clothing of the era, not to mention the lack of ability to easily communicate with the rest of the world. Recommended to those interested in the history of exploration or memoirs of survival in extreme conditions.
Memorable Quotes:
“So there we were, on 11 January 1914, perched on an ice floe in the Arctic Ocean, twenty-two men, one woman, two children, sixteen dogs and a cat.” (A cat – who knew cats were such intrepid arctic explorers? This is the second arctic-related book I’ve read recently that features a cat.)
“At night-time the condensation froze, and we slept in a miniature ice palace, crystals sparkling in the light, gleaming icicles hanging from the deck above, some several inches long.” (Expressively written for a scientist!)
January 1, 2015
Having just read "Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage" by Alfred Lansing, this story was a complete contrast, and not just the South/North bit. Stefansson and Shackleton were opposite as well, and the crew - ! It would make a long list. However! McKinlay is a treasure, as was Captain Bartlett, and by golly, I wanted them to survive!
And the things they endured! I know one thing for sure - I am not cut out for the life of an explorer.
"We had a coal-burning stove set on the deck between the remaining bunks and this made us reasonably comfortable. But the Captain was anxious to have our stove fitted up in one of the houses on the floe, ready for emergency. In its place we had the engineers carry the piping from the saloon stove through out cabin, but when the really cold weather set in, snow drifted into the piping on the deck above and was trapped at the right-angle bend, keeping the floor of our cabin perpetually under water. Then, when the cabin door was opened a blast of cold air rushed in, causing condensation which made the walls damp. At night-time the condensation froze, and we slept in a miniature ice palace, crystals sparkling in the light, gleaming icicles hanging from the deck above, some several inches long. All along the outer side of my bunk was a sheet of ice which melted when I got into bed, so that during the night the upper part of my blanket was sodden while the bottom half was like a small ice floe. We invited Captain Bartlett to have a look one night and we got our coal stove back."
This is the sort of reading that makes me pull the covers up higher and snuggle in good before I turn the page - and yes, I do feel a little guilt, but it's comfortable guilt.
(For those of you who intend to read this book - there's a beautiful description on page 57 - too long to type in here, don't miss it.)
I liked this book a lot - not as much as "Shackleton" but that was a truly exceptional story in every way. I'd recommend reading this one first, then the other, just for fun.
McKinley makes an astounding statement near the end - he gets back in time from this disaster to join up for WW1 -
"Not all the horrors of the Western Front, not the rubble of Arras, no the hell of Ypres, nor all the mud of Flanders leading to Passchendale, could blot out the memories of of that year in the Arctic. The loyalty, the comradeship, the esprit de corps of my fellow officers and of the men it was my privilege to command, enabled us to survive the horrors of the the war, and I realized this was what had been entirely missing up North; it was the lack of real comradeship that had left the scars, not the physical rigours and hazards of the ice pack, nor the deprivations on Wrangel Island."
Yeah.
He goes from that to the Western Front. Some people get all the luck.
And the things they endured! I know one thing for sure - I am not cut out for the life of an explorer.
"We had a coal-burning stove set on the deck between the remaining bunks and this made us reasonably comfortable. But the Captain was anxious to have our stove fitted up in one of the houses on the floe, ready for emergency. In its place we had the engineers carry the piping from the saloon stove through out cabin, but when the really cold weather set in, snow drifted into the piping on the deck above and was trapped at the right-angle bend, keeping the floor of our cabin perpetually under water. Then, when the cabin door was opened a blast of cold air rushed in, causing condensation which made the walls damp. At night-time the condensation froze, and we slept in a miniature ice palace, crystals sparkling in the light, gleaming icicles hanging from the deck above, some several inches long. All along the outer side of my bunk was a sheet of ice which melted when I got into bed, so that during the night the upper part of my blanket was sodden while the bottom half was like a small ice floe. We invited Captain Bartlett to have a look one night and we got our coal stove back."
This is the sort of reading that makes me pull the covers up higher and snuggle in good before I turn the page - and yes, I do feel a little guilt, but it's comfortable guilt.
(For those of you who intend to read this book - there's a beautiful description on page 57 - too long to type in here, don't miss it.)
I liked this book a lot - not as much as "Shackleton" but that was a truly exceptional story in every way. I'd recommend reading this one first, then the other, just for fun.
McKinley makes an astounding statement near the end - he gets back in time from this disaster to join up for WW1 -
"Not all the horrors of the Western Front, not the rubble of Arras, no the hell of Ypres, nor all the mud of Flanders leading to Passchendale, could blot out the memories of of that year in the Arctic. The loyalty, the comradeship, the esprit de corps of my fellow officers and of the men it was my privilege to command, enabled us to survive the horrors of the the war, and I realized this was what had been entirely missing up North; it was the lack of real comradeship that had left the scars, not the physical rigours and hazards of the ice pack, nor the deprivations on Wrangel Island."
Yeah.
He goes from that to the Western Front. Some people get all the luck.
August 11, 2010
Great, almost unbelievable story of survival in Alaska. As somebody who sails these Alaska waters regularly on the Alaska Ferry Tustumena, a descendent of the Karluk, I can vouch for the determination (and luck) these folks displayed in getting across Shelikof Strait in a leaky rowboat in February to seek rescue of the passengers at the wreck site.
November 7, 2024
Gonna start refining my survival skills because I believe I might need them in about 15 years or so.
April 6, 2020
Excellent memoir. Written sixty years after the expedition, but based on his diaries.
April 6, 2026
Brief thoughts originally published 6 April 2026 at Falling Letters.
I picked this one up at a bookshop in Victoria that sadly no longer exists. Some years back I wrote a reading list about the Karluk disaster. McKinlay’s personal account of his time on the Karluk was the last book I had to read on the subject, which may account for why I put it off for so long!
McKinlay was a 25 year old schoolteacher when he was tapped to join the expedition as a scientist with just a few days notice. In all other accounts of the Karluk disaster, he’s presented as one of the most competent expedition members, well-liked by Captain Bartlett. To be fair, McKinlay and Bartlett’s own writing influence all other accounts. Still, it was satisfying to read another account of the disaster from the perspective of one of its ‘heroes’, I would say.
McKinlay’s account was first published in the 1970s, well-removed from the actual disaster of 1913. This allows him to be somewhat less circumspect than Bartlett was in his 1916 account. I am fairly certain this is the only other first-hand account of the Karluk disaster available for public reading, so it is well-worth checking out even if you think it may be overtly biased. (McKinlay does display great admiration for Bartlett, but I think that is well-founded.) What I wouldn’t give to read Hadley’s journals, or the perspective of any other crew (as opposed to scientific) member! But I will appreciate that we have this at least.
McKinlay’s personality shines through in his writing. HIs observances and experiences make this a fresh read even if you’re already familiar with other accounts of the Karluk.
💭 The Bottom Line: A must read for Karluk afficiandos. Certainly interesting as well for those interesed in first-hand accounts of late-stage Arctic exploration and shipwrecks.
I picked this one up at a bookshop in Victoria that sadly no longer exists. Some years back I wrote a reading list about the Karluk disaster. McKinlay’s personal account of his time on the Karluk was the last book I had to read on the subject, which may account for why I put it off for so long!
McKinlay was a 25 year old schoolteacher when he was tapped to join the expedition as a scientist with just a few days notice. In all other accounts of the Karluk disaster, he’s presented as one of the most competent expedition members, well-liked by Captain Bartlett. To be fair, McKinlay and Bartlett’s own writing influence all other accounts. Still, it was satisfying to read another account of the disaster from the perspective of one of its ‘heroes’, I would say.
McKinlay’s account was first published in the 1970s, well-removed from the actual disaster of 1913. This allows him to be somewhat less circumspect than Bartlett was in his 1916 account. I am fairly certain this is the only other first-hand account of the Karluk disaster available for public reading, so it is well-worth checking out even if you think it may be overtly biased. (McKinlay does display great admiration for Bartlett, but I think that is well-founded.) What I wouldn’t give to read Hadley’s journals, or the perspective of any other crew (as opposed to scientific) member! But I will appreciate that we have this at least.
McKinlay’s personality shines through in his writing. HIs observances and experiences make this a fresh read even if you’re already familiar with other accounts of the Karluk.
“I stood there cursing and yellling at the snarling mob, and then I realized that the Skipper was rolling on the ice, helpless with laughter. ‘Oh boy’, he said, ‘I thought I knew all the swear words, but you have sure taught me some new ones.’ I had to laugh, too, because never before in my life had I used a swear word, not even a mild ‘damn’. Schoolmaster McKinaly was certainly getting his education!” (pg. 82)
💭 The Bottom Line: A must read for Karluk afficiandos. Certainly interesting as well for those interesed in first-hand accounts of late-stage Arctic exploration and shipwrecks.
April 7, 2009
Very engaging first-hand experiences of a man who was on the famously disastrous Steffanson expedition that ended in the Karluk being abandoned with its crew by Steffanson, and what happened to the crew. Couldn't put it down. The author is not only a pretty good writer, but a fine and courageous man, and he "tells it like it was" with a minimum of rancor--mostly just thoughtful analysis of what went so terribly wrong. One of the better survival adventures I've read.
July 1, 2023
I couldn’t even imagine myself staying alive in what they went through. I am very glad I read this book. Very devastating but amazing to read about. I read this slowly to help myself really put myself almost there but obviously not. My heart goes out to the lives lost.
December 19, 2018
This book is so well done, using source materials and the whip sharp mind of a man in his 80s, and I was there! Loved it! Bravo!
December 2, 2024
Remarkable story (and feat of memory, considering McKinlay published this more than fifty years after the disastrous expedition of the Karluk). Originally meant to sail eastward around the northern coast of Canada, the ill-prepared Karluk gets caught in the sea ice and dragged far west over the coast of Siberia. McKinlay recounts the harrowing year before getting rescued by Captain Bartlett, who had left the ship months prior to seek help.
While not all survived, many did thanks to the ingenuity of the native family aboard the ship along with intense resiliency among the bulk of the crew. The ice ridges they face, and the hundreds of miles they trekked over ocean ice, is difficult to fathom.
Like Shackleton's Endurance this expedition was late enough that photographs exist of the conditions they dealt with, of which perhaps 20 are included here.
Lastly--McKinlay got back from this journey only to get immediately thrust into WWI as a lieutenant on the front lines. Rough way to spend your 20s.
While not all survived, many did thanks to the ingenuity of the native family aboard the ship along with intense resiliency among the bulk of the crew. The ice ridges they face, and the hundreds of miles they trekked over ocean ice, is difficult to fathom.
Like Shackleton's Endurance this expedition was late enough that photographs exist of the conditions they dealt with, of which perhaps 20 are included here.
Lastly--McKinlay got back from this journey only to get immediately thrust into WWI as a lieutenant on the front lines. Rough way to spend your 20s.
February 2, 2022
A schoolteacher in early 20’s caught up in the frenzy of the times, McKinlay would never have imagined what he was signing up for when he boarded the Karluk, in search of fame and adventure.
A poorly led and provisioned expedition breaking up completely in the Arctic winter, the grit and perseverance which makes man man alone is starkly on display here, as a small group of men survive the harshest of lands to live to tell the tale.
As always, life trumps fiction..
A poorly led and provisioned expedition breaking up completely in the Arctic winter, the grit and perseverance which makes man man alone is starkly on display here, as a small group of men survive the harshest of lands to live to tell the tale.
As always, life trumps fiction..
December 1, 2025
This book gripped me as tightly as the Karluk was gripped in ice. Shame on Vilhjalmur Stefansson for abandoning these people at the first opportunity. McKinlay wrote this book in old age, but I am glad he waited and had time to research. I do wish he had included some kind of epilogue to sum up what happened to each of the survivors.
Anyone interested in the Karluk expedition should read this book. It is fascinating and horrifying in equal measure.
Anyone interested in the Karluk expedition should read this book. It is fascinating and horrifying in equal measure.
December 21, 2021
I love the adventures of the late 18th early 19th century explorers. These brave, adventurous men go to uninhabitable locations as they explore our earth. They were the rock stars of the time. They were feted and celebrated, those that survived, that is. This is one of those books that modern work teams should read for how teams degenerate under adverse conditions and setbacks.
October 13, 2020
Super interesting .
June 16, 2021
A lot more Interesting than I thought! 3.8 stars.
November 16, 2021
Well wrotten, exciting, horrifying,
Read
July 13, 2022read a long time ago
February 5, 2024
Great narrative of a true story. Of men against the elements. Hopeful to hopeless and back again! Fascinating read. A tribute to explorers, all volunteers.
August 9, 2016
This is a very well written and engaging account of the Karluk expedition. Being interested in Newfoundland history, I had read Captain Bob Bartlett's account of the expedition. McKinlay's account, written many decades after the events, fill in a gap about what happened to the expedition members on Wrangell Island after Bartlett left to get help. McKinlay is highly laudatory about Bartlett and very critical about the conduct of expedition leader Villhjalmur Steffanson, who he accuses, rightly in my opinion, of abandoning the Karluk crew to die. The account of the men on Wrangell Island is the highlight of the book, but McKinlay's skill at writing makes the entire volume, short though it is, a very interesting read.
November 11, 2012
Very exiting and suspenseful story. Its about a English math and science professor named William L. McKinlay who gets invited to take part on a Artic voyage aboard the Karluk. It is a English boat stationed in Alaska whose mission is to discover new land in the Artic Circle. The ship crashes and they have to abandon ship. They fight bitter cold, frostbite, starvation and an unknown disease. I highly recommend this book to people who like adventure/action stories with lots of detail about pretty much everything. It keeps you on the edge of your seat and rarely ever gets boring. I very highly recommend this book
March 25, 2015
This book is The last voyage of the Karluk. It's by William Laird McKinlay.The Last Voyage of the Karluk is a nonfictional book. It is about how the author went on this terribly unlucky trip into the Article. Many on the Karluk didn't survive. They deaths were mostly from getting lost, malnutrition, and being shot. I rated this book a four out of 5 stars because it is a great book but since I'm not very interested in nonfiction, I got a little bored.
June 22, 2020
Kiehtovasti kirjoitettu ensikäden kuvaus epäonnistuneesta tutkimusretkestä ja sitä seuranneesta eloonjäämistaistelusta. Opettaja William McKinlayn kertomus on mielenkiintoista ja raadollista luettavaa, ja samalla hyvin yksityiskohtainen selonteko siitä miten tutkimusretki pohjoisille napa-alueille järjestettiin (tai järjestettiin huonosti) 1900-luvun alussa.
November 6, 2010
Wow! I did not know anything about this thing before. I think this is an amazing story. Very impressive!
Want to Read
November 21, 2010LP NA --
January 15, 2011
The Arctic exploration trip that didn't really explore much. They had a bad leader
August 18, 2012
Outstanding first hand account.
May 22, 2018
A fascinating true story about an ill-fated Arctic voyage. Told in the first-person from the perspective of a survivor, and sixty years later, it is well-written and very engaging.
August 17, 2018
Grimly compelling.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews