Submersible access to the Squash Court

[TimTurner]

One of the most interesting places on the wreck, I feel, is the Squash Court. Due to its placement and design, the court may have been very well protected from the flooding and may have been free from water for some time during the sinking.

There's a Light and Air shaft coming down dircetly into the squash court from above. I can imagine water from the forward well deck cascading down in a giant waterfall from above.

Now, on the diagrams and in pictures , it's very difficult to find a consistent and reliable depection. The Bruce Beveridge blueprints show the Light and Air shaft only going up to the 3rd Class open area on D deck, but it would be only sensible to believe that it would go all the way to the forward well deck on C.

Does anyone know about the upper opening of this Light and Air shaft. Was it flush with C deck, or did it have a trunk? Was it open or covered by a grating?

 

[TimTurner]

Also, regarding the title of this thread - it would in theory be possible to send a submersible drone down the shaft and into the squash court , provided there was no grate covering the opening, and the clearances were ok.

 

[John E. Smith]

I’m pretty sure someone could send a ROV down the entrance on D Deck that way, if it isn’t blocked by debris

 

[Mike Bull2019]

I can't for the life of me remember the source, but I know I've read somewhere that it's thought that the sqaush court is likely crushed, being near where the whole forecastle is badly bent down from bottom impact. Plus it would be a very low-yield site to reach- a totally empty space!

 

[Matthew Chapman]

I was under the impression that the Squash Court flooded much earlier than to have been cascaded from above. I think it was Alfred Nourney, Henry Blank and William Greenfield who ventured to F-deck early on and saw water flooding the court, "about an ankle deep" one said. They left the first lifeboat, so that would certainly indicate the squash court wasn't a dry pocket.

 

[Tim Gerard]

According to the book "A Night to Remember", water was entering the Squash Court very early in the sinking. It says "the sea now lapped against the foul line on the backboard" as Captain Smith and Thomas Andrews walked by during their inspection below, shortly after the collision.

 

[Ioannis Georgiou]

I was under the impression that the Squash Court flooded much earlier than to have been cascaded from above.

As already mentioned it is stated to have been "crushed" when the bow hit the bottom of the ocean.
If I remember right it was mentioned to be "crushed" during the 2005 Cameron expedition.

 

[Cam Houseman]

I found some pictures of the Squash Court's condition in 2005. Unfortunately, this is all, because JC's bot silted out and got pinned.



General area

Squash Court Roof

Squash Court Floor:

 

[Cam Houseman]

As already mentioned it is stated to have been "crushed" when the bow hit the bottom of the ocean.
If I remember right it was mentioned to be "crushed" during the 2005 Cameron expedition.

yes, it was accessible, but very bent, for example, probably to one deck instead of two, as it was right where the ship buckled. The pictures are above

 

[jrboi]

hello, quick question, from what I saw they got completely into the squash court or did they not. and will anyone go back to really asses the area? and what about the viewing area?

 

[Cam Houseman]

hello, quick question, from what I saw they got completely into the squash court or did they not. and will anyone go back to really asses the area? and what about the viewing area?

maybe, but it depends on the deterioration. This was back in 2005. Possibly, we could return, if the Well Deck isn't sagging. If someone would actually go inside the ship these days. For all we know, new access opportunities have opened up.

 

[Mike Bull2019]

hello, quick question, from what I saw they got completely into the squash court or did they not. and will anyone go back to really asses the area? and what about the viewing area?

The actual Squash Court itself is NOT accessible, and was NOT entered by Cameron- the pictures shown above are looking towards but not into the court just after the ROV came down the stairs from E deck, and they are misleadingly captioned. The court itself was determined to be 'squashed' and then immediately afterwards, falling rusticles pinned the ROV down and priorities shifted.

The 'found' pictures shown are actually screen grabs from this footage, so you can watch the whole sequnce yourself from about 1:50-

 

[Cam Houseman]

The actual Squash Court itself is NOT accessible, and was NOT entered by Cameron- the pictures shown above are looking towards but not into the court just after the ROV came down the stairs from E deck, and they are misleadingly captioned. The court itself was determined to be 'squashed' and then immediately afterwards, falling rusticles pinned the ROV down and priorities shifted.

The 'found' pictures shown are actually screen grabs from this footage, so you can watch the whole sequnce yourself from about 1:50-

I'm sorry, I didn't know!

How the hell was I supposed to know, considering I watched a version that was 240p, and repeated halfway through. And, there's no pictures of the Squash Court, so I was trying to make an educated guess

Sorry anyone I confused!

 

[Mike Bull2019]

That's fine, but perhaps then don't post as if you knew something that you didn't? (i.e, 'yes, it was accessible')

Also, in 'Exploring the Deep' (the book covering the Cameron expeditions in depth) it states that he was 'looking for' the door into the court when the ROV was pinned, further showing that he never actually got inside whatever remains of the space itself.

Exploring the Deep: The Titanic Expeditions: Amazon.co.uk: James Cameron: Books

 

[Cam Houseman]

That's fine, but perhaps then don't post as if you knew something that you didn't? (i.e, 'yes, it was accessible')

Also, in 'Exploring the Deep' (the book covering the Cameron expeditions in depth) it states that he was 'looking for' the door into the court when the ROV was pinned, further showing that he never actually got inside whatever remains of the space itself.

Exploring the Deep: The Titanic Expeditions: Amazon.co.uk: James Cameron: Books

thanks Mike!!