Shipwrecks - Time Capsules of Human Civilization

INTRODUCTION : Turkey's Historic Shipwrecks - Cultivation of Human History

I must apologize to my faithful readers for not having a new post in over a week. I have spent the past ten days visiting the wonderful seas and straits surrounding one of the world's most historic waterways through the country of Turkey. I had planned on reporting my adventures LIVE on this weblog but unfortunately -  due to technical, logistical and security reasons - I was unable to access this web log. Despite this setback, I will be giving you the details on a truly wonderful trip back through human civilization via Turkey's waterway.

The mission of this trip was to explore the rich historical shipwreck history of the vessels that plied the waterways from the Black Sea to the Aegean Sea. The goal would be to select potential underwater projects to partner with government, conservatory and academic communities in pursuit of their nautical archaeology endeavors. Although I am a biological scientist, my background has been utilized in many archaeological finds to better explore and investigate the historical nature of shipwrecks. Over the course of this new and exclusive weblog series on Underwater Turkey, we will be reporting on shipwrecks that ranged in time from the legendary Noah's Flood through to the ANZAC battle for control of the Dardanelles. This is a very special series that I know you will enjoy!

Future Scientific Studies Involving the Biological Ecosystem of Titanic

The Titanic is proving to be a literal treasure-trove for scientific study of the deep ocean floor. Obviously, the difficulty of conducting scientific studies at this depth limits the number and types of comprehensive examination that can be performed on the wreck site of Titanic.

Because there are only five submersibles in the world that can visit the extreme depths of 12,600 feet, where Titanic resides, every visit to the ship have proven to be of tremendous value to the scientific community. Each dive to the Titanic has the potential to discover a new species of plant or animal life - and in most cases, many new life forms has been found and cataloged for further study. The area surrounding Titanic can now be referred to as a natural field laboratory for the study of deep ocean ecosystems. By further understanding this in-situ environment, we can provide the associated research that could aid in the preservation of the Titanic.

From Nautical Research Group’s studies on the bow of Titanic, there is clear evidence of natural deterioration processes that are compromising the structural integrity of the shipwreck. Almost all of these structural changes can be attributed to the interactions between the microbes and the exposed steel areas on Titanic. Other natural factors that are contributing to the collapse of Titanic are the settling pressure effects, as the ship is slowly becoming part of the ocean floor. Many of the unique physical structures on the bow are in danger of total collapse within the next decade or two. Other studies will include the analysis of the sea snow that is raining down on Titanic and its interactions with the microbes. Further comparator data will provide an enormous wealth of information that can provide the scientific community with extremely valuable knowledge. This knowledge can be used as a basis for monitoring the physical condition of Titanic throughout the twenty-first century.

Andrea Doria Presentation in Florida

For my Florida viewers, I will be back in the Sunshine State giving a high-quality digital video presentation on the life and times of the Italian luxury liner Andrea Doria. The presentation is supported by the Mote Marine Research Laboratories and sponsored by Mote Trustee Robert Williams and his wonderful wife Jill on Monday March 20th at their Sarasota Florida facility.

Further information can be found at their web site and the following link:
http://www.mote.org/index.php?src=events&srctype=profile&id=514&category=Events

A brief abstract of the presentation follows:

Andrea Doria: Dive to Adventure and Danger

The night was deep with fog, as the luxurious Italian steamship, Andrea Doria, one of the last of the truly elegant transatlantic ocean liners, was making for New York and safety. The Doria was completing a run from Genoa, and carrying 1706 passengers and crew. Ominously, out of the gloom and hazy mist, the Swedish-American liner Stockholm, appeared before the starboard side of the helpless Andrea Doria. Before evasive maneuvers could be fully undertaken, the Stockholm impaled its reinforced ice-breaking bow into the defenseless Doria. The impact on the 29,000-ton Italian liner mortally wounded her and she sank eleven hours later. The events that occurred following this disaster would become of epic proportions.

This program presents a multifaceted view of the Andrea Doria tracing her history from the initial planning stages to the most recent diving salvage expeditions in 260 feet of cold North Atlantic waters. Utilizing the latest multimedia digital technology, you will virtually board the Andrea Doria in its home port of Genoa, take a walking tour of all the elegant social and boarding accommodations, meet the officers of both the Doria and Stockholm, experience the collision of both ships near Nantucket Shoals, be rescued by a Doria lifeboat and brought aboard the Ile de France to safety. Furthermore, you will have the opportunity of experiencing a virtual dive to the Doria and viewing her watery remains.

Nantucket Lightship during the Heydays of the Queen Mary and Andrea Doria

The Nantucket Lightship station marked the southern extremity of the extensive shoals that make out south and east from Nantucket Island.  It served as a primary leading mark for both coast-wise and trans-Atlantic traffic.  It was located variously at distances from 20 to 50 miles from the nearest land throughout its history.  It was repositioned several times to provide a greater safety margin from shoal areas, and to conform to changed in the international traffic lanes.  Nantucket Shoals was one of the most exposed lightship stations in the world and it was the last of the U.S. lightship stations to be discontinued.

LV 112 / WAL 534 served as the Nantucket Lightship from 1945 - 1958 and was in place during the Andrea Doria-Stockholm collision. This vessel was overhauled in 1958 and was later deployed back as the Nantucket Lightship from 1960-1975. She was one of the longest standing lightships that the Nantucket Shoals ever had. She served 39 years as a lightship and is currently used as a museum that very recently was berthed in New York City. Although there were variations in the locations, they never deviated too much during its later years.

Titanic's Vibrant Underwater Community

Most people think that the deep ocean is a fairly desolate place; void of light and full of slightly anoxic waters. However, the wreck site of Titanic is a very vibrant area for unique sea life and activity. In several of my articles, I have talked about the microbes that are consuming the steel on Titanic. There have been over 20 distinct species of bacteria and two fungal species identified in the rusticles that cover all the exposed steel areas of Titanic. The teredo worms have consumed the ship's teak decking leaving only the caulk as a reminder of where the wood would of been placed.

Not all the sea life on the ship is microscopic. A fish that is a regular visitor to the Titanic site is the rat tail or the Coryphaenoides armatus.  The rat tail is the most common large species recorded at abyssal depths in the North Atlantic. A rare large species that occasionally visits Titanic is the dumbo octopus, also known as Grimpoteuthis. This octopus has large projections that make it look like the Disney character Dumbo and its large ears. Many photographs that you see on the bow section of Titanic will have miniature white lobsters hiding in the nooks of the steel. These white lobsters are called squat lobsters or Munidopsis; and can be the most common large species found on the wreck site. I have seen several varieties of shrimp on the wreck - some red and others that look like miniature candy-canes. Other sea life that look like sea growth or soft corals are called crinoids and hydroids that can be seen growing on several sections of wreckage - including the extreme bow railing.

There are many other varieties of life that can be found on Titanic and every voyage down to the site has the potential for discovery of a new underwater species. The ecosystem around Titanic is teeming with new and exotic life and this is a reason why many scientists are so fascinated with visiting the wreckage.

Looking for Andrea Doria Survivors

On July 22nd 2006, Nautical Research Group, in conjunction with the Andrea Doria International Historical Society, will be sponsoring a 50th Anniversary Survivors Reunion to be held at the United States Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point New York.  This event is a closed affair that is only opened to Andrea Doria survivors, family and their guests. I am looking for any Andrea Doria survivor that would like to be included on the invitation list so I am asking my global audience to please email me information regarding Andrea Doria survivors.  I am the original founder of these reunions that started in 1990 and these reunions have been regularly held since that time.

There were six ships that saved the passengers and crew of the Andrea Doria. These ships are:

Stockholm                      532 people saved      308 passengers         234 crew
Ile de France                 753 people saved      576 passengers         177 crew
Cape Ann                         129 people saved          91 passengers           38 crew
Pvt Willliam Thomas  158 people saved       112 passengers            46 crew
Edward H. Allen             77 people saved            0 passengers           77 crew
Robert E. Hopkins            1 person saved             1 passenger                0 crew
TOTAL                     1660 person saved  1088 passengers  572 crew

If you have you information about an Andrea Doria survivor, please email David Bright at [email protected] .