We all know the catastrophic tale of the Titanic…. this enduring story of tragedy, loss, terror and survival has been well documented in recent years, and it’s a tale that still captures the imagination of people the world over. The newly built and mighty ship Titanic was on its way from Southampton to New York in April 1912, carrying over 2,200 passengers. The ship hit an iceberg in the Atlantic Ocean and she sank within two hours. Tragically, over 1,500 passengers and crew were killed.

“RMS Titanic 3” by F.G.O. Stuart (1843-1923) on wiki commons

The wreck of the Titanic lay deep in the ocean for over 70 years. Despite frequent searches, no-one had been able to locate the wreckage. Until 1985, when a team led by American oceanographer Dr Robert Ballard and French diving engineer Jean-Louis Michel. The team discovered the wreckage on the 1st September 1985, so today we’re celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Titanic discovery. This momentous ocassion made headlines around the world because it was the last in a long line of Titanic discovery expeditions.

The wreckage of this legendary ship still remains deep in the icy waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Located about 370 miles off the coast of the Canadian island Newfoundland and at approximately 12,500 feet deep, the Titanic has been underwater now for over 100 years. There have been many schemes developed to raise her (including filling the wreck with thousands of ping-pong balls so she floats to the surface), but none have been successful.

Image Courtesy of NOAA/Institute for Exploration/University of Rhode Island Licensed under Public Domain via Wiki Commons

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Titanic discovery, here are some brilliant Titanic facts……

• The RMS Titanic was a whopping 882 feet long!
• It was built by Belfast shipyard Harland & Wolff
• The planned dimensions of the Titanic were so enormous that the shipyard had to be expanded and prepared for over 2 years before they could start building.
• Facilities on board included a swimming pool, gym, kennel for dogs, Turkish Baths and a squash court.
• The Titanic larder was stocked with 15,000 bottles of beer and 40,000 eggs.
• The wreck of the Titanic now lies at almost 2.5 miles underwater.
• When the Titanic sunk, it was believed that the wreckage would be perfectly preserved, due to the icy cold temperatures in the depths of the ocean (a bit like being stuck in a deep-freeze). However, this is not the case; The Titanic has deteriorated steadily since she sunk. Although parts of the ship are surprisingly intact.
• The wreckage is in two main parts – the bow (front section) is still intact but the stern (rear section) is little more than a wrecked twist of metal because it was smashed apart with the impact of hitting the ocean floor.
• As the great ship broke apart, bits of debris was scattered across the sea bed. From parts of the boat to personal items from the crew and passengers. Many precious items have been brought to the surface for interment at museums.
• Since the discovery of the Titanic, controversy has raged over who owns the wreck, and the items on board, as well as its accessibility to treasure hunters and diving tourists. It is now owned by American company RMS Titanic Inc who are the sole owners of the artefacts saved from the Titanic wreck.

“RMS Titanic Ad April 10, 1912” by The New York Times, April 10, 1912 Licensed under PD-US via Wikipedia