The chairperson for the evening began her introduction of ASNE’s coveted guest:
…He studied physics and English at California State University. Later, he discontinued his studies and worked several jobs such as machinist and truck driver and wrote when he had time. Mr. Cameron taught himself special effects…. After seeing the film Star Wars in 1977, Cameron quit his job as a truck driver to enter the film industry.[4] When Cameron read the book Screenplay, it occurred to him that integrating science and art were possible and he wrote a ten minute science fiction script with two friends, entitled Xenogenesis. They raised money and rented a camera, lenses, the film stocks, and studio and shot it in 35mm. To understand how to operate the camera, they dismantled it and spent the first half-day of the shoot trying to figure out how to get it running. [1]
How admirable, I thought—and a genius too! After the chairperson enumerated his successful movies: The Terminator and Terminator 2, Rambo, Abyss, Alien, True Lies, she emphasized his most grandiose accomplishment, Titanic.
“He wrote and directed the film Titanic, which earned 11 Academy Awards and grossed over $1.8 billion worldwide. To date, his directorial efforts have grossed approximately $3 billion.”
And now he is striving for a repeat performance with the upcoming Bismarck. As with Titanic, Cameron will rely only partially on his consultants for information. He has already explored the wreck at 15,000 feet below the water surface in a submersible and brought back priceless data of the World War II battleship sunk by British forces. Moreover, on the 2002 expedition he brought along two survivors of the German battleship who survived the carnage, but wanted to make peace with the tragedy.
The audience sat mesmerized while viewing a 40-minute video of Cameron’s photographic examination of the Bismarck. He discussed the results of his extensive survey which resulted in scientific conclusions about the battle between the British and the Germans, the damage which sank the German battleship, the damaging drop on a mountainous seafloor, and the condition of the current wreck. In his signature Cameron style, he emphasized the relationship between humanity and technology. As we viewed the last clips of this rare footage, Cameron explained:
“Although I have a fascination with geeky technology and exploration, I’m showing you the boots, the leather bags, and personal articles so that we never forget what this disaster is about: the human tragedy…I have an 18-year-old son who is older than some of the young men who perished…this tragedy brings the message close to home…”
The fluid, engaging speaker explained that he obtained some of the film footage with his trusted robotic camera (ROV), fondly named Elwood, and that he has personally logged 3,000 hours as a shipwreck diver. It is no wonder that he has made outstanding contributions to marine science and maritime archeology as part of his film making. As he finished his talk, the audience swiftly stood up to applaud his work and brilliant documentation.
The presentation was followed by a question and answer segment. Cameron answered each question thoroughly, as if each one mattered. Bill Garzke, his right-hand man on the Bismarck research, joined him on stage to answer questions about Titanic and Bismarck survivors. Bill has spent decades interviewing Bismarck survivors and analyzing the testimony of Titanic survivors; he believes that by using eyewitness accounts in conjunction with scientific findings, the public will have a better understanding of shipwreck events.
(To be continued)
[1] Details from Wikipedia.
Monday, February 8th, 2010,
by admin,
Filed under: Andrea Doria, Serving Our Seas, Survivor Stories| andrea doria, Avatar, Bismarck, James Cameron, shipwreck survivors, shipwrecks, Titanic, William Garzke|
No Comments
My friend Giuliano called me shortly after 9 p.m. on 2-3-10 to inform me that “my friend” James Cameron was appearing on the Larry King show. I told Giuliano that I was on a Teleseminar; but after two seconds of reflection, I said “Thanks. I gotta watch it!” realizing that my current priority was to reconnect with one of the world’s greatest geniuses.
I sat mesmerized in front of the TV as I watched Cameron, two of his major technical assistants, and some actors being interviewed about their role in “AVATAR”. Watching Jim speak reminded me of the evening I met him in Washington, DC a year and a half ago. It will always be one of the most exciting and memorable events of my life: “The James Cameron Event” explained in the article below. In fact, I tell my friends that the opportunity to meet the man, felt like I had reached the top of Mount Everest.
This is the first part of the article. I will blog two more times to share its entirety.
A NIGHT TO REMEMBER
An Evening with James Cameron
Washington D.C., June 24, 2008
Thank God I didn’t have to re-live another shipwreck, like the Andrea Doria, to feel a close connection with the 1997 movie, Titanic. As a guest at the American Society of Naval Engineers (ASNE) dinner, Titanic’s Academy Award winning director sat one seat away from me. James Cameron was about to present his talk, ‘Undersea Exploration of the DKM Bismarck.’
I was introduced to the tall, stately looking gentleman by my friend William Garzke[1], one of Cameron’s chief consultants for his presentation on the Bismarck.
“This is Pierette Simpson. She is a survivor of the Andrea Doria and has recently written an excellent book on the loss of this ship.”[2]
The silver-haired gentleman extended his hand to me and graciously exclaimed, “You must have been very young.”
I clumsily replied, “Probably not as young as you many think…but thank you for the compliment.” Shaking hands, I immediately I felt a warm connection to the film giant.
Bill Garzke continued to explain: “I reviewed Pierette’s book for the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers. We also collaborated on a report called ‘The Loss of the Andrea Doria’, which we presented in New York last week.”[3]
I felt great pride being accepted by these legendary shipwreck experts. Immodestly, I added that Bill was my mentor and in collaboration we had become authorities on the Andrea Doria tragedy. Then, quickly, before someone else could intervene on what seemed to be a magical moment, I introduced Cameron to my companion, Richard Haskin. I was impressed that the special guest walked over to Richard to shake his hand; he could have more efficiently extended his hand across a few people. Immediately, Cameron became the consummate gentleman and scholar in my mind. These precious moments set the tone to what would turn out to be a night to remember.
My friend Bill had helped to organize the evening’s event for the American Society of Naval Engineers (ASNE). Little did I know that Richard and I would sit at the ‘Reserved’ table, front and center, with Cameron and his three main consultants for the Bismarck presentation. After meeting all the distinguished scientists, I had a feeling that maybe I shouldn’t be drinking wine, for fear of losing coherence. I took a small sip anyway, hoping to put me more at ease.
[1] William Garzke is the national chairman of the marine forensics panel SD-7 of The Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers.
[2] For a copy of the review, see www.pierettesimpson.com: “The Book”.
[3] For a copy of the report, contact Pierette@PieretteSimpson.com .
Saturday, February 6th, 2010,
by admin,
Filed under: Andrea Doria, Serving Our Seas, Survivor Stories, Uncategorized| andrea doria, ASNE, Avatar, Bismark, James Cameron, shipwreck survivors, shipwrecks, The Larry King Show, Titanic, William Garzke|
2 Comments
Lucky Draw Shipwreck Survivor Quiz
Every month, two lucky people will will be entered in a drawing for a FREE autographed copy of Alive on the Andrea Doria! The Greatest Sea Rescue in History.
Submit the answers to this month’s LUCKY DRAW quiz at www.PieretteSimpson.com; click on “Special Offer and Complimentary Copy”. Then fill out the required information in order to receive a response and your book. Enter the number of the survivor from the following list next to the name of the shipwreck that they survived in the form below.
Tuesday, January 26th, 2010,
by admin,
Filed under: Andrea Doria, Serving Our Seas, Survivor Stories| Alive on the Andrea Doria, Survivor quiz|
No Comments
Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass. It’s about learning to
dance in the rain! – Joyce Schneider
You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, “I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.” You must do the thing you think you cannot do. – Eleanor Roosevelt
| Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have
within you the strength,the patience and the passion to reach for the
stars to change the world.”- Harriet Tubman
What are your favorite quotes?
|
|
Monday, January 25th, 2010,
by admin,
Filed under: Uncategorized| Caroline Myss, Eleanor Roosevelt|
No Comments
A Link to the Andrea Doria
A producer from Rome who came to my home in Michigan for an interview observed, “It seems like everyone has a connection to the Andrea Doria.” In my authorial journey I have found this to be immensely true.
My gentleman Richard Haskin and I attended Detroit’s North American International Auto Show. So, where’s the link to the ship that brought me to America? The Chrysler brand. It is explained in chapter 12 , “Diving the Doria” in Alive in the Andrea Doria:
“One fascinating ‘casualty’ of the Andrea Doria sinking was a beautiful, one-of-a-kind automobile called the Norseman. This special prototype, with an unusual cantilevered roof and no side pillars, was designed by Chrysler and built by the Italian company Ghia. The estimated cost was $150,000 ( in $1956). It was on its way to New York on the Doria, in tenet for the 1957 auto show circuit. But sadly, it would never be seen by the public.”
The beautiful Norseman is now in a larger cargo hold: the Atlantic Ocean. If only its long, sleek design, a glimmer of beautiful models to come, had been an inspiration for 2010 models! Whatever happened to creativity at Chrysler—and a majority of American cars for that matter?
Thursday, January 21st, 2010,
by admin,
Filed under: Andrea Doria, Serving Our Seas| andrea doria, Chrysler, North American international auto show, shipwreck diving, the Chrysler Norseman|
No Comments
THE PROTEST ship Ady Gil engaged by Sea Shepherd has been holed in a collision with Japanese whalers on the high seas off Antarctica.
Survival on our seas manifests in different ways. Watch this video of the protests ship Ady Gil (engaged by Sea Shepherd) and decide for yourself who collided into whom. But more importantly, ask yourself what can be done to protect one of earth’s most beautiful creatures: the whales. Obviously, anti-whaling ships have a huge battle ahead of them. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bbuq0YEIPNU
Wednesday, January 6th, 2010,
by admin,
Filed under: Serving Our Seas, Survivor Stories| Ady Gil, anti-whaling ships, Japanese whaling ships|
No Comments
On the floors of New York City’s waterways, no fewer than one hundred and seventy shipwrecks languish. Although their exact locations must remain secret to thwart the efforts of amateur looters, we are asking you to dive in and mine the wreckage.
Draw your inspiration from our gallery of shipwreck images and tell a story—fiction, creative nonfiction or poetry—in 3000 words or less, that brings these ghost ships back to life.
As with our regular submissions, we are not asking for explanations, but rather the stories that these shipwrecks evoke. Be as creative as possible, but to qualify for the contest, your story must reference a shipwreck specifically in the NYC waterways. (This doesn’t mean you need to write about a shipwreck that actually happened, but your story must reference the waterways around the city.)
Underwater New York presents the Shipwreck Story Contest in conjunction with the American Folk Art Museum’s exhibition, Thomas Chambers (1808-1869): American Maritime and Landscape Painter.
The winning story will be published in Underwater New York, and its author will have the chance to read at Underwater New York Free Music Friday: Shipwreck Stories at the American Folk Art Museum on March 5, 2010.
Contest details:
- Submit your entry using our online form and write “Shipwreck Story Contest” in the “which object” line.
- The deadline for submissions is February 12, 2010.
- Contest winners will be announced on the Underwater New York website on February 23rd.
- Questions? Contact us at underwaternewyork (at) gmail (dot) com
Saturday, January 2nd, 2010,
by admin,
Filed under: Serving Our Seas| American Folk Art Museum, New York shipwrecks, shipwreck writing contest, shipwrecks|
No Comments
These were my Google News Alert Sea Piracy headlines for December 30, 2010.
|
Somali Pirates Attack Kuwaiti Oil Tanker |
| Infamous Chinese pirates launch Ubuntu that looks just like Windows XP |
| PIRATES NAB SHIP |
| UK Flagged MV St. James Park Pirated in Gulf of Aden |
| World in Brief, Dec. 29, 2009 |
| India and Japan: Strategic convergence |
| Shipping cargo to US, Europe to become costlier from January
Although there have been fewer human casualties in 2009, there has been an increase of incidents. |
| Alarming, costly, dangerous, and despicable; these words describe my sentiments about this international piracy problem. Is there a silver lining? Will it be our oceans that unite continents toward economic, and even personal survival? Let us all become part of the solution.While we ponder our existence, I take this opportunity to wish every creature on this planet a safe, healthy, prosperous and enlightening 2010. |
Friday, January 1st, 2010,
by admin,
Filed under: Serving Our Seas| safety on our seas, sea piracy, Somali pirates, SOS|
No Comments
The cruising industry is the fasted growing segment in the travel industry. It provides meals, activities and multiple travel locations. Cruising has become popular with all age groups.
Peter Greenberg is an authority on cruising. Tonight on CNBC he narrated “Cruise Inc., Big Money on the High Seas”. The focus was on the Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCL) owned by the parent company Star Line.
Here are some interesting safety facts brought to light, along with my comments:
- NCL has 11,000 cameras on their ships, sharing every public space. Recently, it caught footage of a woman who fell overboard into the Gulf of Mexico. Since she was alone in her cabin, the footage showed there was no foul play. Great to hear!
- Cruise lines are not requested to report all crimes. Personally I think this is appalling!
- Lifeboats are lowered weekly. Fantastic preventative measure.
- Fire drills are held regularly with the staff and are taken very seriously; it’s the number one threat of a large vessel; the Norwegian purl, weighs 93,000 times and holds 2200 passengers.
- Another big threat is the norovirus. When one is reported on board, the ship is sterilized three times a week. This is really reassuring!
Mr. Greenberg ended the segment by highlighting a great benefit to the budget traveler: due to the economic crisis cruise lines are slashing their prices. For more authoritative information on cruising, visit Peter Greenberg’s site: http://www.petergreenberg.com/
Monday, December 28th, 2009,
by admin,
Filed under: Serving Our Seas| Cruise Inc. Big Money on the High Seas, cruise line safety, cruising industry, Norwegian Cruise lines, Norwegian Pearl, Peter Greenberg|
No Comments
I’m grateful for all my readers on every corner of the globe. I celebrate with you another beautiful, safe holiday.
Buone Feste- Italian Frohe Weinachten! (German) = Merry Christmas Boas Festas!- Portuguese Feliz Navidad – Spanish Mele Kalikimaka- Hawaiian Wesołych Świąt – Polish Mandarin-Jia Jie U Kwai Arabic-Eid Sa’eed! Fijne feestdagen or Prettige feestdagen – Dutch Boldog Ünnepeket – Hungarian Bonnes Fêtes de fin d’année! Sarbatori Fericite! – romania
www.pierettesimpson.com
Thursday, December 24th, 2009,
by admin,
Filed under: Serving Our Seas| pierette simpson|
No Comments
« Next Entries |