Nimrod Expedition
Crean came back to regular duty at the naval base at Chatham, Kent, serving first in "Pembroke" in 1904 and later transferring to the torpedo school on "Vernon". Crean had caught Captain Scott's attention with his attitude and work ethic on the Discovery Expedition, and in 1906 Scott requested that Crean join him on "Victorious". Over the next few years, Crean followed Scott successively to "Albemarle", "Essex" and "Bulwark". By 1907, Scott was planning his second expedition to the Antarctic. Meanwhile, Ernest Shackleton's Nimrod Expedition, 1907–09, despite reaching a new furthest south record of 88°23'S, had failed to reach the South Pole. Scott was with Crean when the news of Shackleton's near miss became public; it is recorded that Scott observed to Crean: "I think we'd better have a shot next."