Archive for shipwrecks
“Time Takes Its Toll”
Tony Gramer, a distinguished looking gentleman, appeared on the stage at the Washtenaw Community College Campus. It was February 27, 2010; the occasion, The Great Lake Ship Festival sponsored by the Ford Seahorses dive club.
Mr. Gramer began with a philosophical statement; “divers praying a piece of history to us, along with adventure and science. We must keep the sport alive.” Then he announced his presentation, The Philadelphia Story, Time Takes Its Toll. Tony, as he likes to be called, showed compelling video footage that he took with diving buddies as they explored a mass in Lake Huron—the cargo ship Philadelphia. It was evident at this point, how time does take its toll, even on well preserved shipwrecks in the Great Lakes. Nearly the entire hall had been taken over by zebra mussels.
Of course, the collision between the cargo ship Philadelphia and the steamship Albany, happened in November of 1893. Fortunately, courageous shipwreck divers are willing to use cameras and other technology to bring us a historical perspective of a treasured entombed by crustaceans.
Tony explained the tragedy. “There was dense fog. It appears that both ships were going at a fast clip. The Philadelphia sounded its foghorn at the Albany did not return the signal. The collision sank both ships. Both Captain survived and were found at fault. 24 men from Buffalo, New York, died, and 23 made it to shore.” Tony’s theory, which he seems to have investigated thoroughly, is that the casualties were struck by another ship in lifeboat number two. After all, the area of Harbor Beach Michigan, is and was frequented by many ships.
Both the Philadelphia and the Albany sank in 124 feet of water on a foggy morning in November.
Tony did an excellent job in demonstrating how diving is essential in determining the collision, damage, sinking, and the human elements of a shipwreck.
Filed under: Serving Our Seas, Survivor Stories | cargo ships, Harbor Beach, shipwreck diving in the Great Lakes, shipwrecks, the Albany, The Philadelphia|No Comments
Another partial standing ovation followed. James Cameron and Bill Garzke returned to our table. People followed them, hoping for a quick chat or to give praise. I offered Cameron my compliments for his interesting talk:
“I never thought I could be so fascinated by a sunken battleship story. It was a great presentation.”
I know how valuable it is to receive feedback after my speaking engagements on the Andrea Doria. Cameron seemed to relish in everyone’s positive comments as if he had heard these words for the first time. It was another way to share the message that he appreciated our interest in his work. People continued to flock at his side. I took this opportunity to chat with a couple of distinguished marine engineers. One had been to the Andrea Doria ‘gravesite’ on July 26, 1956. He explained almost apologetically that with other Coast Guard cadets, he was ordered to shoot holes into the lifeboats that were still afloat. “We used them for target practice,” he quipped. “They were considered a danger to navigation.”
I peeked over to what had become an autograph session. A gentleman saw that I was anxious to offer my book to the famous film maker. He gave me his place in line and I actually dared to take a seat facing James Cameron. I handed him my book, Alive on the Andrea Doria! The Greatest Sea Rescue in History.[1] Inside I had written a lengthy dedication. Cameron looked at the cover with great interest as I told him that I would love the opportunity to see this shipwreck on the seafloor for myself; that it would allow me the chance to make peace with the cadaver that was once a luxury liner.
“Do you think Elwood would like to explore the Andrea Doria?” I boldly asked.
Cameron, the explorer-humanitarian understood my need, having offered this kind of therapy to the Bismarck survivors.
“Since the wreck is only at 250 feet, I think it’s feasible. I would let you navigate him from the surface…but I need to know that there is scientific value for using this approach, as opposed to what is already being done.”
I heartily assured him that I would do my research on that.
The evening offered precious moments in my life as a shipwreck survivor and author. Moreover, speaking to James Cameron felt like I had climbed a mountain top, even though we were discussing the bottom of the planet.
Speaking of planets, Cameron is a member of the NASA Advisory Council and is working on the project to get cameras on the pending manned Mars mission. I hope the marine world doesn’t lose one of its most ardent researchers to another part of the universe.
N.B. Bill Garzke told with me later that Cameron shared his delight for receiving an honorary induction into ASNE. As the two men descended the stage, the outstanding film maker beamed,
“My Dad will be very proud of me.”
Cameron’s father is an engineer.
(Conclusion of article)
[1] For information on the book, see
www.PieretteSimpson.com.
Filed under: Andrea Doria, Serving Our Seas, Survivor Stories | andrea doria, ASNE, Avatar, Bismarck, James Cameron, shipwreck survivor, shipwrecks, Titanic|3 Comments
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.
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 .
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|3 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
Filed under: Serving Our Seas | American Folk Art Museum, New York shipwrecks, shipwreck writing contest, shipwrecks|No Comments
On November 10, 1975, 29 men found a final resting place in the icy grave called Lake Superior; they had been navigating and working on the Edmund Fitzgerald.
This video is a beautiful tribute to the life of a viable freighter and the men who gave her life meaning. All of the footage is accompanied by the poignant ballad “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” by Gordon Lightfoot.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgI8bta-7aw
May the 29 souls rest in peace.
Filed under: Andrea Doria, Serving Our Seas, Survivor Stories | Gordon Lightfoot, Lake Superior, shipwrecks, The Edmund Fitzgerald, The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald|No Comments
Dear Pierette:
The Marine Forensic Committee that I chair opened the Technical and Research Session of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers at its national meeting in Providence, Rhode Island. Our one-hour part of the program as certainly was successful as we filled up the 75-seat room and had people standing at the back and in the doorway. Phil Sims opened our session with a paper on the Decay of the Andrea Doria that had John Moyer and Steve Gatto as co-authors. Steve and John were unable to attend. The Society charges authors for attending meetings now due to the costs of meeting rooms in the Westin Hotel. Years ago things were different as authors went free. Times have certainly changed. Nonetheless, Phil did an excellent job of presenting the paper and attached is the current version of the Andrea Doria paper. I think you will find it interesting as there is a picture of Steve Gatto when he was much younger.
The rest of our session was also successful as there was a brief presentation of some research done on the SS Edmund Fitzgerald, followed by a presentation on the Guidelines for Investigating Shipwrecks that is being prepared by the Committee for possible publication in the near future.
I hope you will the attachment of interest and useful. Certainly the ship is decaying with the aluminum superstructure all but gone – a sacrificial anode that keeps the hull fairly intact. However, Phil Sims mentioned that in the visit to the wreck site this year, the bow is beginning to fall to the seabed as the hull now begins to decay. It is interesting to note that the HMHS Britannic in the Aegean Sea is in much better condition than the Andrea Doria even though that hull has been underwater for 93 years!
Bill Garzke
NB. Garzke is the chairman of the Marine forensic panel for the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers
*Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers
Filed under: Serving Our Seas, Survivor Stories | andrea doria, John Moyer, shipwrecks, SNAME annual conference, Steve Gatto, The Decay of the Andrea Doria, William Garzke|No Comments
I have a lot of pictures, but they can’t replace the great feelings within for evoking memories about the award ceremonies held in my honor. Both events took place not far from Torino, Italy. Realizing that the title of “Piemontesi Protagonisti” was special—only two people are chosen annually for their contributions to culture, literature, and patriotism to the Piedmont, Richard and I arrived in Northern Italy a week early so we wouldn’t be jetlagged.
The first event was on May 21 in the town near my native village called San Martino Canavese. It’s where I had my first communion and where my great aunt Teresa is buried. The current mayor, Domenico Foghino, was my schoolmate when I was young.
As I arrived at the municipal building on the evening of May 21, I did not know what to expect; Domenico had told me it would be a surprise. The anticipation was thrilling, but the ceremony in the large conference room was the dream of a lifetime. The room was crowded with friends and relatives, representatives of the media, and government officials.
After Mayor Foghino welcomed everyone, my school friends came and sat next to me to read excerpts from my book; the mayor presented me with a plaque of honorary citizenship followed by singing of the national anthem; I talked to the audience (in Italian) about my memories of youth and my difficult emigration. Each moment was nothing less than amazing, including the strains of music from the band that was beckoning me to go out to the plaza.
I assumed this was the end of a beautiful evening, until Domenico (the mayor) instructed all of us to drive down the hill to my town of Pranzalito. As Richard and I approached my one-room schoolhouse where I went through third grade, a procession of cars followed us honking their horns. We felt as if we were part of a wedding procession. But instead, it was the inauguration of the new walk-in clinic housed in my schoolhouse. Town children cut the red white and green extended across the threshold. As we walked in, I noticed my honorary plaque of citizenship hanging on the wall. Yes, the schoolhouse would now be remembered for one of its young students who went to the New World, but enthusiastically had given back to her roots.
For a couple of hours, we all enjoyed snacks, desserts and beverages. Most of the village folk attended, including the children. As they drew pictures of me surviving the Andrea Doria-Stockholm collision, they were amazed to know that the blackboard on which they were drawing was the original that my teachers had written upon. I was amazed too, but wondered where the old yellow map of Italy had gone. It had given me my first sense of belonging to a place and culture that I would embrace for a lifetime.
Richard remarked, “How many people ever get the chance to be honored and remembered in their elementary school?” I guess he’s right that it’s special—and it feels terrific remembering all the smiling faces, handshaking, camera flashes popping, and words of congratulations.
Note: the second ceremony will soon be posted in another blog entry.
Filed under: Andrea Doria, Survivor Stories, Uncategorized | andrea doria, maritime news, personal memoir, Piemontesi Protagonisiti, shipwrecks|No Comments
November 1, 2008
Okay. I’m rolling up my sleeves for the first official blog entry. You undoubtedly want to know how I’m currently serving our seas—in addition to being an author of a shipwreck. (my book is called Alive on the Andrea Doria! The Greatest Sea Rescue in History)
On November 15, I’m doing an awesome event in Manhattan. I’ve been invited to present the Andrea Doria story to the Explorers Club for a conference called “Sea Stories”. Having been told that its members are an elite group of the explorers, I researched them and found this impressive description.
Founded in New York City in 1904, The Explorers Club promotes the scientific exploration of land, sea, air, and space by supporting research and education in the physical, natural and biological sciences. The Club’s members have been responsible for an illustrious series of famous firsts: First to the North Pole, first to the South Pole, first to the summit of Mount Everest, first to the deepest point in the ocean, first to the surface of the moon—all accomplished by our members. (read more: http://www.explorers.org/about/about_the_club.php)
I’ve concluded that the only reason I was invited to speak is because I explored, unwillingly, the foggy Atlantic Ocean on July 25 – 26, 1956. Seriously though, perhaps they did consider the fact that I am the first shipwreck survivor to write a definitive and complete account of one’s shipwreck. Nevertheless, I’m a little concerned that I might be upstaged by camels, Emperor penguins, or elephants! This humorous article will explain why: http://outside.away.com/outside/culture/200608/richard-wiese-explorers-club-1.html
What does one wear to describe one’s shipwreck experience—especially to a group that is not easily astounded by anything? Hmmm…I wonder where I can find a mermaid outfit!
Filed under: Uncategorized | Explorers Club, famous firsts, sea exploration, shipwrecks|No Comments
Welcome, Benvenuti, Bienvenue, Bienvenidos, Willkommen, Aloha, Kalōs orisate to my blog, as we voyage on local, national, and international waters.
Since my topic is so vast, deciding what to call my blog has been a challenge; after all, I’m a shipwreck survivor—specifically the Andrea Doria. Shouldn’t I call it “Survival on Our Seas” or “Safety on Our Seas”? After doing a google search about the seas, I realized the subject is far too fascinating to limit my content to personal survival and safety. After all, there is sailing, swimming, surfing, surveying, ships, shipwrecks—all “s” words for the acronym SOS. There is also ecology, geography, geology, biology, climate, preservation, and oceans of research to consider.
Finally, I asked myself: what is my objective? The answer was as crystal clear as the Caribbean—to serve our seas. Therefore, you can expect to read and comment on any of the above topics. I even invite you to discuss lakes, streams, waterfalls, canals, and more. By surviving a catastrophe on the Atlantic, I’ve earned the right to embrace any water issues.
What could be more important, I ask you? We live in a world of water. It covers most of the planet’s surface. We ourselves are made of it — roughly 60 percent of the human body (and 70 percent of our brains) is water. Water IS synonymous with survival!
Welcome to my journey of “Serving Our Seas”.
Bon voyage with me!
Pierette
Author of ALIVE ON THE ANDREA DORIA! THE GREATEST SEA RESCUE IN HISTORY
www.pierettesimpson.com
Filed under: Andrea Doria, Serving Our Seas, Survivor Stories | Alive on the Andrea Doria, andrea doria, sea topics, serving our seas, shipwrecks, survival|No Comments
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