We are never going to stop being fascinated with the Titanic. Want proof? There are three different documentaries about the famous ship (and shipwreck) on SBS alone right now.
While is exactly what it says on the tin (and be super quick, it leaves SBS On Demand on 13 October), mapping out the series of errors and accidents that led to the ship’s sinking on April 15, 1912, investigates the possibility that an underreported fire in one of the ship’s massive coal bunkers may’ve sounded the death knell.
However, for me the most interesting of the bunch is Back to the Titanic, which follows the most recent expedition to dive and photograph the wreck – the first such expedition in almost 15 years.
Deep dives
The wreck of the Titanic is located some 600 km off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada. Source: SBS
Indeed, in a very real way, the story of the Titanic is still unfolding. It doesn’t lie still in its grave; sitting under 3.8 kilometres of water some 600 kilometres off Newfoundland, the broken ship is subject to both immense pressure and strong currents of up to two knots. Add to that rust, decay and the aggregation of deep-sea life, and it becomes clear that the Titanic is a dynamic environment, slowly but constantly changing. Thus, we need to revisit it from time to time.
For this mission, that means a crew aboard the exploratory vessel DSSV Pressure Drop acting as support for five solo dives in the DSV Limiting Factor by Victor Vescovo – the first solo dives ever of the wreck. This is also the first time the Titanic is filmed in 4K – take that, James Cameron. The custom camera rig is also used to create incredibly detailed 3D models of the ship.
The heart of the ocean
The dives are well supported in the extremely precarious conditions. Source: SBS
Guggenheim’s descendant, Sindbad Rumney-Guggenheim, is on hand to see if his illustrious ancestor’s old rooms are in any way intact. As a civilian, Rumney-Guggenheim acts as a sort of audience surrogate at times; although he has a familial connection to the Titanic, he’s seeing it and reacting to it much as we would, and his sense of wonder is palpable.
Watch with awe
Victor Vescovo is on a solo dive mission in ‘Back to the Titanic’. Source: SBS
Add to that the inherent danger of the undertaking. Everyone involved in the expedition is a complete professional and the equipment being deployed is absolutely cutting-edge. Nonetheless, any diving carries with it a degree of risk, and going to this depth in less than optimal weather to catalogue a wreck in an unknown condition is closer in nature to a moon mission than a recreational dip. This is extremely hazardous duty.
And yet, when the encrusted bow of the Titanic looms out of the silty deep in the glow of Pressure Drop’s spotlights, it’s a genuinely awe-inspiring moment, chilling and enthralling in equal measure. Back to the Titanic is a thoroughly engrossing account of the latest Titanic expedition, but it won’t be the last.
Back to the Titanic is now streaming at SBS On Demand:
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