2021-16 Titanic
Around this time of year, I am always reminded of the story of the Titanic. For those of you who don’t know this story, I’ll share a quick version of it. I’m guessing that my fascination with this story stems back to being a kid in the 80’s when Dr. Robert Ballard found the Titanic on the ocean floor over two miles down from the surface. My Dad really enjoyed watching National Geographic To this day I can still remember myself sitting on the couch next to my father watching the video images from the submersible Argo play out on our television the resting site of the RMS Titanic.
On April 10th, 1912 the Titanic started her maiden voyage from Southampton to New York City. She was the newest and largest ship afloat at the time. She also had the newest technology of watertight compartments that gave her the nickname Unsinkable. Many people believed that even God could not sink her. She was a powerful and majestic ship. Her first class accommodations were the most luxurious of any ship with a gymnasium, swimming pool, libraries, and the finest dining. At the time, there were three classes. First Class, Second Class, and Third Class (also known as Steerage). With all the high tech safety features, and engineering that went into building her in Ireland, the 2,224 passengers and crew members had great confidence in her… a little too much confidence.
Titanic, on her maiden voyage, only carried 20 lifeboats. Less than half of her capacity of 48 lifeboats. If something drastic happened and the passengers needed to abandon ship, only 1,178 people at most would be able to fit on the provided lifeboats.
Captain Edward Smith gave the orders for full steam ahead. On April 14th, four days into the crossing of the Atlantic, and about 375 miles south of Newfoundland, she struck an iceberg at 11:40pm ship’s time. On the starboard side, starting from the bow and working it’s way back, the iceberg started punching holes in the hull. A total of 5 of the 16 watertight compartments were now exposed to the ice cold water of the great Atlantic Ocean. But not to worry, she was unsinkable from the watertight compartments that could be remotely sealed from the bridge right. Yes and no… The design of the compartments below deck made it possible to keep the ship afloat if 4 compartments or less were damaged. But the iceberg breached 5 compartments causing the water to flow over the top of each compartment as it filled with water and gradually caused the ship to sink as each of the 16 compartments filled with water. The distress call of S.O.S. was broadcasted out to anyone who could help. The RMS Carpathia responded to the call, but was 58 miles away and would take over 4 hours to reach the Titanic.
To the lifeboats! But remember. There were less than half of the needed lifeboats onboard to save everyone. Women and children were first to be saved. So the crew began loading the lifeboats, but only at half their capacity. It’s even speculated that First Class passengers refused other classes to be permitted on the lifeboats they were on. Also, many of the passengers, in the beginning, felt that loading the lifeboats was unnecessary. Even the dining room was setting the tables in preparation for the next meal. They still believed that this great ship would not sink. The lifeboats continued to be released with less than full capacity, the band kept on playing, and for the most part the passengers did not see the danger.
In two hours, things started to get bad, real quick. The bow started to dip farther into the water. So much that passengers noticed the angle as they walked or ran to their lifeboats. Those that doubted that the ship would sink, came to the quick realization that the Titanic was doomed. But now most of the lifeboats were either already gone, or filling up quickly. There was no more room for those who waited too long to be saved. One can only imagine the chaos with a sinking ship in the middle of the freezing Atlantic, flares being launched into the dark sky, the sound of the water spilling into the bulkheads, the band playing Nearer My God To Thee, screaming, crying, fear…
At 2:20 am, from the weight of the water pulling her down, Titanic broke apart and foundered with over 1,000 people still aboard the ship.
Those who did not hesitate running to the lifeboats were saved. Sometimes the small and simple decisions, like taking a seat in a lifeboat, are the choices that end up determining the rest of our lives.
We can learn many lessons from the history of the Titanic that we can apply into our daily lives. As scouts, we learn to always be prepared. When Baden Powell was asked what to be prepared for, his response was “Why, for any old thing.”
Continue to do your best each day as you prepare yourself for “any old thing.”