Ross was born in 1800 and joined the Royal Navy at the age of 11. Many of his earlier years at sea were spent in the Arctic. Between 1818 and 1836, he spent eight winters and 15 summers in the Arctic. The Earth spins around the geographic poles, which are found at 90 degrees North and South latitude. The Earth's magnetic poles, however, are not found exactly at that location.
Compasses point to the North Magnetic Pole.
He spent the autumn in Hobart, Tasmania, and continued his trip south in November of 1840. We began to see it from quite a long distance away. As the ship got close to it I felt as though we were standing next to a huge wall of ice. I stood on the metal walkway that surrounds the bridge in order to take my pictures. The advance came to a halt when Ross found a bay, which he named McMurdo Sound after the first lieutenant on his ship, Archibald McMurdo.