Dr. Robert D. Ballard, the discoverer of the wreck of the doomed passenger liner RMS Titanic is returning to the ship’s watery grave to determine how badly the ship has decomposed in the 20 years since it was discovered.
The ship’s remains have been battered by the natural forces of decay, bacteria that are consuming the iron hull of the ship, and frequent visits by human explorers who have landed on the ship and removed items from the wreck site. Already sections of the hull near the area where the ship’s passengers attempted to board the few lifeboats available are beginning to collapse. Dr. Ballard hopes that this latest expedition will be able to determine the causes of the wreck’s deterioration.
Also, the brilliant documentary Ghosts of the Abyss from the director of the hit movie Titanic James Cameron will soon be coming on DVD. While the firm won’t have it’s incredible IMAX 3D special effects, it is still an incredible documentary showing sections of the interior of the ship that have never been seen before. It is bizarre to see interior of one of the Titanic‘s luxurious staterooms to find a glittering brass bed with sheets and clothing still intact thanks to being in contact with the metal – knowing that dress has been in the deep sea for over 80 years and could have been worn by one of the ship’s legendary passengers.
Interesting investigation, I wish Dr. Ballard success in these endeavors. A missing link in the Titanic field is a museum in Belfast, where it was built. Hopefully when Stormont gets up and running again (whenever/if the SDLP agree to voluntary coalition or the DUP’s Corporate Assembly model shows signs of working) there will be plans to build such a museum. Belfast needs to remake itself over as a tourist city, and a Titanic Museum would help wonderfully in that regard.