Tag Archives: Titanic iceberg

Titanic

Friday Titanic News

 

Photograph of iceberg taken by chief steward of Prinz Adalbert on morning of 15 April 1912 near where Titanic sank. At the time he had not learned of the Titanic disaster. Smears of red paint along the base caught his attention. The photo and accompanying statement were sent to Titanic’s lawyers, which hung in their boardroom until the firm dissolved in 2002. Public Domain

‘Last dance vibe’: After 100 years, the International Ice Patrol is winding down N.L. iceberg flights
CBC (0n MSN), 23 May 23

A program founded over 100 years ago, spawned by the sinking of one the most famous vessels in history — the RMS Titanic — is quietly winding down. Over the next couple of years, staffed flight missions of the International Ice Patrol will become a thing of the past as satellites and drones become more advanced. “I think we’re towards the end of the era of the aviation mission and soon the satellites will be doing all of the work,” tactical commander Lt. Alex Hamel told CBC News during a recent flight.

Additional Resources:

About the International Ice Patrol.

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Wait What?! Expert Believes The Titanic Did Not Hit An Iceberg
The South African, 24 May 23

Titanic researcher Parks Stephenson told The Mirror: “I’ve got a growing amount of evidence that Titanic didn’t hit the iceberg along its side, as is shown in all the movies.,” he said. “She may actually have grounded on the submerged shelf of the ice. That was the first scenario put out by a London magazine in 1912. Maybe we haven’t heard the real story of Titanic yet,” he added.

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The only picture of the Marconi radio room onboard the Titanic. Harold Bride is seated at his station. Photo was taken by Father Francis Browne, SJ, while aboard Titanic.
Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons

Amateur Radio Heard SOS In Welsh Town 3,000 Miles Away
BBC, 22 May 23

When the Titanic hit an iceberg while crossing the Atlantic in 1912, its telegraphers desperately sent out distress calls hoping somebody, somewhere might hear them. But among the first to respond was an amateur radio operator some 3,000 miles (4,800km) away in south Wales. Self-taught Arthur Moore received the signal at his homemade station in Blackwood, Caerphilly county. He rushed to the local police station, but was met with incredulity. And while the radio enthusiast could do nothing to help those on board the Titanic, he went on to pioneer an early form of sonar technology which helped discover its resting place decades later.

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Wallace Hartley’s Violin

Treasures Of The Titanic: From The Violin Played By Musician Wallace Hartley As The Ship Sank To The Watch Frozen In Time, How Surviving Items Have Resurfaced In Auctions
Daily Mail, 19 May 23

They are the everyday objects that reveal the extent of the human tragedy when the Titanic sank in 1912 with the loss of 1,500 lives.The body of violinist Wallace Hartley, who continued to perform with his fellow band members as the ship slipped beneath the waves of the North Atlantic after hitting an iceberg, was found days after the tragedy with his violin strapped to his chest.

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First Ever Full-Sized Scans Of The Shipwreck Could Finally Shed Light On What Happened The Night The Liner Sank In 1912
Daily Mail, 17 May 23

More than a century after it sank, the first ever full-sized scans of the Titanic show the historic shipwreck in astonishing detail. Experts have taken thousands of digital images to create an incredible 3D reconstruction of the wreck, which now lies 350 nautical miles off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada. The images, published by the BBC, reveal the wreckage in greater detail than ever before, including stalactites of rust on the ship’s bow, the serial number on a propeller, and a hole over where the grand staircase once stood. They present Titanic almost as if it’s been retrieved from the water, although this will likely never happen as the wreck is so fragile that it would disintegrate under any movement. Experts hope studies of the scans could reveal more about the mysteries surrounding what happened on the fateful night in April 1912, such as the exact mechanics of how it struck the seafloor.

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Titanic Project Brings West Belfast Schools Together
BBC, 15 Mar 23

Two west Belfast primary schools from separate communities have completed a Titanic shared education project. The film about the doomed liner, made by pupils from St Joseph’s Primary School, Slate Street, and Blackmountain Primary, is to be shown at Belfast City Hall on Wednesday. The film called Who Sank the Titanic? looks at why the ship perished on its maiden voyage in April 1912. Rare footage of the shipwreck filmed in 1986 has recently been released.

 


Titanic

Titanic Iceberg Shape, Kosher Kitchen on Titanic, Greek Titanic, and Titanic Switch Theory Resurfaces

 

Photograph of iceberg taken by chief steward of Prinz Adalbert on morning of 15 April 1912 near where Titanic sank. At the time he had not learned of the Titanic disaster. Smears of red paint along the base caught his attention. The photo and accompanying statement were sent to Titanic’s lawyers, which hung in their boardroom until the firm dissolved in 2002. Public Domain

Scientists Reveal The Biggest Secret of the Titanic Iceberg
Curiosmos.com, 16 Jan 2023

The iceberg that sank the Titanic was believed to have had a very unusual, elliptical shape. With the help of computer modeling, researchers were able to figure out the origin of the iceberg. To do so, they used data obtained in 1912 and updated it with new information about wind and ocean currents. This allowed them to conclude that the iceberg was probably part of a small cluster of glaciers in southwest Greenland.

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Kosher ladle used by WSL for Kosher kitchen
WSL ladle for use only in the Kosher kitchen (lettering is on tip of ladle)
Source: The Purser’s Locker

 

 

The Titanic had a kosher kitchen. Who knew?
Jewish News, 19 Jan 2023

The photograph I saw was of eggshell white China plate settings on a white damask tablecloth, the plates wreathed in a black scroll design, at the top of the plate, interwoven into the design spelling “White Star Line,” and at the center of the plate three Hebrew letters were printed in black: kof, shin, raish, spelling “kosher.” Not only was kosher service provided for their Jewish passengers, but with such dignity and elegance. Somehow, I had just never given it any thought. In my mind, formal kosher service provided in the context of non-kosher social or travel situations, was an American phenomenon.

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The ‘Greek Titanic’: The Worst Naval Disaster in Modern Greek History
Greek Reporter, 19 Jan 2023

The sinking of the Greek passenger steamer Himara on January 19, 1947 near South Evia resulted in the loss of at least 383 people and has been written into history as the “Greek Titanic.” Previously named Hertha, the vessel was handed over to Greece from Germany after WWII as a form of war reparations. While sailing off south Evia Island in thick fog in the early hours of January 19th, the ship suddenly struck a rocky islet between the Evian towns of Stira and Agia Marina. Although the ship was only one nautical mile off Agia Marina and it took at least ninety minutes to sink, the freezing cold water and strong currents resulted in the deaths of 383 passengers and crew.

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RMS Olympic Arrives In New York on Maiden Voyage, 21 June 1911
Source: U.S. Library of Commerce/Wikimedia Commons
Public Domain

Old Conspiracy Theory Finds New Life on Tik Tok

Most who study Titanic, whether professional or amateur historians, encounter the various conspiracy theories surrounding its demise. From the supernatural to using the Illuminati, each conspiracy theory shares the same desire to find a different explanation about what happened. Luckily all the conspiracy theories agree a ship sank and agree an iceberg was the reason for it. There are some who opine perhaps it was sunk by torpedo. I personally believe Marvin the Martian caused it when he was testing out a new weapon, but I am alone in that opinion.

The Titanic Switch Theory is nothing new either. It has been around in one form or another since the sinking. It has been thoroughly debunked. Not only would it have been impossible to pull-off, but the wreck also shows no evidence it was the Olympic that went down. A person on Tik-Tok has decided it was time to dust off this old chestnut and breathe life into it. The disheartening thing is not that she did this, but that so many people believe it. She may not know that this has been completely debunked. I suspect by now she does as responses on news sites and social media indicate many are pointing this out.

A long time ago I took a class in critical thinking. The point of the class was to look how various well-known philosophers such as Aristotle, Plato, Socrates, St. Augustine, St Thomas Aquinas, and others constructed their arguments in ways that were logical. The class also taught what a badly constructed argument was and how to identify them. There is funny but apt joke called politician’s logic that illustrates this beautifully:

My dog has four legs
My cat has four legs
Therefore, my dog is a cat.

In this case, finding out the truth was not hard. Yet many were quick to accept this person’s assertions without bothering to check whether it was really true or not. It is a sad commentary that many people just accepted it as fact. The truth is really out there and not hard to find out.

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Woman’s Conspiracy Theory Claiming the Titanic Never Sank Is Blowing Minds (24 Jan 2023)
Daily Mirror, 24 Jan 2023


Titanic

Iceberg Story; Polish Titanic and a Chocolate Titanic

The Incredible Story of the Iceberg That Sank the Titanic (Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Aug 2022)

This course of events has become so widely known—told endlessly in films, books, museum exhibits, consumer products and looping TV specials—that it’s easy to forget the most astounding detail: how close it came to not happening. Icebergs had struck ships as long as there had been ships to strike, but the one that felled the largest passenger liner ever built was nearly gone. After three years adrift, the icy mass likely had one week to live, two at most. It was getting smaller while wading into warmer water. As icebergs melt from the bottom. They grow top?heavy and flip, followed by more erosion and more flipping, until eventually, when they’ve been reduced to the size of a basketball, they’re constantly flipping until nothing is left.

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The Polish Titanic: TFN Explores The Sinking Of The MS Pi?sudsk (The First News, 16 Aug 2022)

During the interwar years, it was regarded as Poland’s floating embassy, carrying passengers to New York in state-of-the-art luxury. After the outbreak of World War II, it was fitted out to serve as a transport ship but sank during its first military voyage. It was the largest Polish vessel to be lost during the war. Subsequently nicknamed ‘the Polish Titanic’, the ocean liner MS Pi?sudski now rests intact just off the coast of northeast England only 30 metres under the water. Though the wreck has been well-researched by divers, the circumstances of its sinking in the first weeks of WWII remain one of the greatest naval mysteries of the war.

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Video: These Iceberg Hunters Are On A Mission To Make Sure There’s Never Another Titanic (CBC, 16 Aug 2022)

After the Titanic struck an iceberg and sank in 1912, the group was formed to monitor the movement of icebergs in the North Atlantic and keep mariners safe. More than 110 years later, the team continues to plot ice from the air and advise seafarers about any threat. The U.S. Coast Guard, which runs the operation, allowed CBC cameras aboard in May to watch the team in action.

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The biggest chocolate Titanic in the world has docked in Torre del Mar on the Costa del Sol (Sur in English, 16 Aug 2022)

That is where Romero and his company Choco-Expo, which was founded by his parents 20 years ago, are exhibiting a replica of the legendary British ship the Titanic, which is six metres long and made with 500 kilos of chocolate, and several famous London and New York buildings. In total, 1,500 kilos of pure chocolate – white, dark and milk – have been used for this display, as well as nuts and other ingredients for the emblematic buildings such as the Empire State Building and Chrysler Building in New York and Big Ben and St Paul’s Cathedral in London. “They took over 20,000 hours of work and are completely hand-crafted by me,” Romero told SUR.

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Titanic, Titanic Miscellaneous

Sunday Titanic Musings

Photo:Public Domain
Photo:Public Domain

The Iceberg Comes For You
Some months back there was a news report about a new study on icebergs. It revealed that 1912 was an exceptional year for icebergs with higher than average numbers of them about in the North Atlantic. That study has now been formalized in a paper titled The Titanic Year of 1912: Was It Exceptional? by Gary Bigg in Significance magazine. But the story is not just about 1912 but also a warning that iceberg risk is about to increase, so they are still a great threat to ships. No further comment except to say I hope tax dollars were not used in this study.

Tattoo Titanic
Tattoos are popular these days. You see lots of men and women adorning various parts of their bodies with them. Some are small and others cover entire backs and fronts. And in areas no tattoos ought to be. So it come as no surprise that some have decided to adorn with Titanic-themed tattoos. Turns out a lot of people like them that there was a recent convention in Belfast. From pictures I saw, these are serious Titanic tattoos. And once you get them, they are practically for life since they are difficult to remove (it can be done but from what I have heard it can be expensive and painful.)

When Music Goes Bad
Most people who hear My Heart Will Go On usually like it but occasionally someone gets the needle stuck in their head. Not only does the music play but causes attachments to form. Perhaps ones that are completely wrong. Like Ashley Formby, age 27, in the U.K. He is or was an aspiring singer and his teacher, Helen Sedgwick (age 27), taught him that song. And then it went bad reports the Mail Online. He messaged her stating he wanted to be more than a music student. He followed up with flowers, emails, and gifts. She apparently shunned his advances but to no avail. She got a harassment notice (the U.K. version I assume of a restraining order) but he still continued to attempt contacting her via emails. So it finally ended in his arrest for violating the harassment order and the contacts ceased. And a judge now has made the restraining order indefinite.

Visiting The Apple Store
My iPhone decided recently that I ought not hear calls anymore. I could listen to them via the speaker (or talk) but that was a nuisance. My first clue was getting a call and thinking there was dead air. It frustrated a relative of mine thinking I was pranking them! I followed all the recommend procedures suggested by Apple and others to no avail. So I had to head to an Apple Store and let a tech figure it out. I went to the Apple Store in Burlingame, California. In retrospect, another place probably would have been better. Downtown Burlingame on historic Burlingame Avenue is always an experience but midday when it is warm and sunny means lots of people are about. It is a day the Beach Boys would sing about. Lots of pretty girls, young mothers with strollers, parents with kids are about. The store itself was pleasantly cool but when I entered it was like being in a noisy restaurant. Now the staff was very pleasant and I was on time for my appointment. And the guy that assisted me did a great job. Thankfully my iPhone is still under warranty (and with AppleCare+). The receiver was shot so they gave me a new phone. Could not have been nicer and easier to deal with. I asked him though if it was always this noisy at lunch time. He smiled and said yes. I said my voice was going hoarse from having to talk louder than normal. He laughed and understood exactly what I said. But heading back home I could hear The Beach Boys singing a song about sunny days and happy people strolling down the street near a beach. Burlingame is not near a beach but it can be as close as your imagination.


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Titanic

Titanic Iceberg Photo To Be Auctioned In December

RR Auction will be auctioning the photo and other Titanic memorabilia at a live auction on 16 December.Titanic Iceberg Photograph

Included in the many live auction lots along with will be an original Titanic deck chair — one of only seven complete deck chairs known to exist — and an amazing and extremely rare vintage photo of the “blueberg” iceberg just two days before it struck and sank the Titanic. Amazing and extremely rare original 9.75 x 8 photo of a uniquely-shaped ‘blueberg’ photographed by the captain of the Leyland Line steamer S. S. Etonian two days before Titanic collided with it. The photo shows a massive iceberg with a very distinctive elliptical shape, and is captioned in black ink by the captain, “Copyright. Blueberg taken by Captain W. F. Wood S. S. Etonian on 12/4/12 in Lat 41° 50 W Long 49° 50 N.”

Pre auction bidding begins on 8 Dec with the live auction on 16 Dec. The auction will take place at Crowne-Plaza Hotel in Nashua, NH. Further details are at RR Auction.

Source: Art Daily,The Iceberg That Sunk Titanic To Be Featured At RR Auction Live Event In December,28 Nov 2012


Titanic Miscellaneous

Icebergs As Floating Water Dispensers

 

Wikimedia Commons (Wiegee)
Wikimedia Commons (Wiegee)

Using icebergs to bring fresh water where it is scarce is an old idea. What makes them impractical is the massive engine power needed to tow an iceberg and preventing it from melting while in transport. A recent article at LiveScience.com indicates a solution is possible. It would require a heavy-duty tugboat to drag an iceberg weighing 7 million tons from Greenland to the Canary Islands. The trip would take 140 days.

To prevent seawater erosion, a floating textile skirt is being designed by French engineer Georges Mougin. A real world trial may take place in 2012 or 2013. The operation has to take into account a lot of variables like unpredictable weather (common in the North Atlantic) and rough seas. And the possibility of iceberg fracture has to be considered. And just as important is the cost to do this. Will it be worth the money to harvest icebergs and tow them to you for their fresh water? Mougin has to prove it will be cost effective. And that is the problem. Right now the costs would be astronomical for just one iceberg.

Source:
LiveScience.com, Icebergs Floated as Solution for World’s Water Woes, 16 Aug 2011