TV at Sea What's On this Week

Shelley Dziedzic

Shelley Dziedzic

Member
Hope you caught Discovery Channel tonight. A salvage crew was trying to refloat a wrecked tanker stern which had beached itself. The program followed 130 days of deepdiver adventures as the men worked 50 feet down patching a colossal gash in the hull. I hope these guys get huge paychecks- the job is hazardous. It all ended badly after 2 attempts with pumps pushing 4 feet of water an hour out of the engine room, a beam crashed and punched a hole in a bulkhead which was repaired, then just as success was assured, the tide and weather turned and the wreck was abandonned. Discovery usually rebroadcasts on the weekend- this is one to catch.
 
Hi Shelley,

I didn't see this last night, but I'll try to catch it on the weekend. Thanks for sharing it!

Best regards,

Jason
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I'll have to take a look at it Shelley. You're right about salvage work being dangerous. It's touchy enough even when a ship is on the surface. When it's underwater, that's about as distressed as you can get!
 
History Unsolved comes on Wednesday at 9 p.m. on Discovery. Coming up is the surprising finding on why the USS MAINE exploded in Havana harbor. Previously thought as a result of sabotage,it would seem now to be the result of an accident. Maritime forensics-love it!
 
Fear not- it is on this coming Wednesday so nothing is missed yet! Apparently all this exciting news comes of examining the hull and plating which indicates how the metal was blown out, residues and patterns of explosion and all sorts of technical stuff which I hope they will explain in simple terms for me. When I think of the rallying cry "Remember the Maine" and how it got us firmly entrenched in that conflict, it is amazing to know it was all misunderstood entirely. Perhaps the crew did honestly believe it was sabotage at the time. Makes one wonder how many other events in world history have been purposely or accidently misconstued, or used for successful propaganda.
 
What a visual feast tonight on the Discovery Channel at 10 p.m. I had never seen this bit before. It concerned tests done in a 12 million gallon tank with a 5 foot bow section mock-up to study the motion of the final plunge. Expecting a corkscrew, after numerous repeats, the descent turned out to be more of a graceful glide, level off, and glide then a slide into the mud at 22 knots, with a slight twist to port which would explain the buckling there. The bow showed the inclination to keep itself keel down and level. Fascinating. Then the stern was carefully analyzed with the scenario explaining the utter demolition of this section as being one of trapped air pockets which compressed, then exploded, peeling back the poop deck like a sardine can lid. I was thrilled to hear Claes-Weterholm's theory which explained the quantity of cork bits floating on the sea as seen by the survivors- apparently it had something to do with the vast refrigeration chambers which were above the trapped air which, when it exploded, decimated everything in the compartments above it. The photography was fabulous- do try to catch it again this weekend- usually these are rebroadcast on Saturday. Two hurricanes bearing down on the expedition brought it to an end before the team wanted to leave. You will recognize George Tulloch , Charlie Haas and Jack Eaton among the crew. Am still sitting here with mouth open taking it all in.
 
I saw it too!!! Immediately ordered the video afterwards and then realized I could probably tape the rerun. I was also spellbound. Recognized my "neighbor" Troy Launay (the long-haired blond at the joystick of the Magellan - I actually spoke to him on the phone after this voyage; he lives in Jupiter a few miles from here) and Bill Garzske and a couple of other fellows whose names I've become familiar with. I was very impressed with the documentary. It didn't seem sensational (like some other documentaries I could name!) and felt like it was truly representing scientific facts instead of making a program to sell toothpaste. The tank experiments were fascinating to watch, as was the sequences about the stern and keel. I was also impressed with the new information about the cork from the refrigeration units. It all makes sense to me now what the menfolk have been discussing in the technical threads. Highly recommended you all catch this piece. I came across it by accident. I rarely watch TV on Friday nights but my daughter was home for a change and tying up the computer which left me channel surfing. I was so excited to see it listed on the TV Guide channel just before it started. I had only a moment to spare. Lucky me!

Kyrila
 
Titanic Myths..a wonderful title for this little gem. I learned that Captain Smith ignored the ice warnings completely...Captain Lord commanded the California...that more than 40 other ships were in Titanic's immediate vicinity...that third class paid for the excesses of the wealthy...that Lightoller deliberately let men die...that Captain Smith effectively became catatonic...and that Bruce Ismay was just a passenger.

As near as I could see, truth was a myth in that show.

-- David G. Brown
 
Just watched it Arlene- some good stuff too. I could have done without the interminable theme from 1997 Titanic groaning in the background, but it was lovely to see the Earl of Rothes looking so fit and well, to see Mr. Burr, Paul Lowndes-Brown at last, Mr. Parkinson and his memories of his father in Belfast, Ismay's great grand nephew, and see some of the re-enactments and photographs. Not anything truly new and exciting was revealed, but it was assembled nicely. Where was the segment with the Kamudas shot- in the Indian Orchard museum? This will probably come on again later tonight-usually midnight-well worth a look.
 
I caught it too. I really should subscribe to TV Guide, because I always manage to catch things by accident. I'm with Shelley. I liked the parts where they interviewed people, and showed films I hadn't seen before. But with David, I also frowned when they dispensed additional myths about Lord, Ismay, Lightoller, Molly Brown and others. But I still enjoyed it. Might even try to get a copy of it.

Kyrila
 
Am wondering if we watched the same show David. I got different impressions entirely. Smith did indeed show some lack of leadership- I believe the man putting forth the statement speculated that as Commodore, and a Master of many years, who could fail to be utterly bowled over by the circumstances which must have been unimaginable for even such a man as Smith. He went on to make the point that as Smith died with the ship, his legend reached heroic proportions which certainly were overstated. I can't remember catatonic being the word used- but I would tend to agree that almost anyone could fail to wrap their mind around such a calamity under such pressure- and some accounts seem to indicate Smith was stunned. The point was also well made that Phillips or Bride could have run the ice warning up to the bridge and allowed the navigational warnings to take priority over First Class messages to friends. I may be wrong here -but I thought it was said that 20 ships were in Marconi range of the ship. As far as the Ismay bit- the point seemed to me to be accurate- the newspapers (who had a grudge), and the need to have a scapegoat immediately did indeed paint a wretched picture of Ismay and those eager to point a finger at someone did promote the impression that Smith was under some pressure to please the Chairman to the point of letting him dictate speed -which I doubt Smith would have allowed. The point here was to underline that Ismay was a passenger. His grand nephew spoke quite eloquently to this- and said what many have thought in a minimum of words- he survived when others did not- and was at times sorry he did. The phrase I recall about steerage was that it was this class on which the lines truly made their money due to sheer numbers, and not the wealthy few- accurate. The treatment of Lightoller- well- it was right on the nose about Kenneth More being a popular media idol after WWII and the public was hungry for a hero whom they admired- so he was a natural pleaser for a heroic and somewhat glamorous Lightoller. It was also a point put forth to ponder that any good seaman would never send a boat half empty away when no women or children were left and there were men left standing on deck. I suppose it is just like the night the ship sank- two people can see the same thing and walk away with totally different impressions and interpretations.
 
I saw the show myself. Can't say as I could give it a really good look as I was busy with the U.S. Military Forum at the time. Hopefully, it'll come on again sometime soon so I can get it on tape. Some of the photography of the Olympic and Titanic under construction was material I'd never seen befor.

Regarding Captain Smith's shortcomings, certainly he had a few, but I have to wonder just how "inactive" he really was. When going over the Senate transcript this past summer, I came away with the impression that he was a lot more active then were inclined to give him credit for.

While I think that Ismay was quite a bit more then "just a passenger" I don't doubt for a second that a lot of the press hoopla that got going on him was streight out of the Hatemonger 101 textbook. Ismay and Randolph Hearst weren't exactly the best of freinds and it's not surprising that Hearst used the opportunity to grind and axe or two (dozen)

Moral of that story: Never honk off a bloke who has the power of the printing press at his beck and call and a willingness to use it. The payback tends to be rather unpleasant.

Sure was nice to see some familier faces among those interviewed though. If Muffet Brown happens to drop in; good job Muffet!
 
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