The ten decks on the titanic: Passenger accommodation The internal structure of Titanic comprised ten decks. In accordance with the usual maritime practice, to avoid possible confusion on board, the passenger decks were also designated alphabetically A, B, C, D, E, F an d G, with "A" representing the Boat deck. The decks were: Boat Deck (A) Promenade Deck (B) Bridge Deck (C) Shelter Deck (D) Saloon Deck (E) Upper Deck (F) Middle Deck (G) Lower Deck Orlop Deck Tank Deck The passenger accommodation and public areas were located on the Promenade, Bridge, Shelter, Saloon, Upper, Middle and Lower decks, with the remaining three decks being occupied by crew quarters, cargo, stores and machinery compartments. The Boat and Promenade decks were above the moulded or shaped structure of the ship and did not extend for the complete length of the other superstructure decks due to additional space being necessary for machinery requirements and cargo loading facilities. Having a length of 500ft, these two uppermost decks were only 50ft shorter than the superstructure and enhanced the vessel's profile by providing a tiered appearance. The first deck to occupy the complete length of the superstructure was the Bridge deck, which extended for a length of 550ft. Forward and aft of this deck, and on the same level but interrupted by the cargo hatches, were the Forecastle and Poop decks. The Forecastle deck was 106ft long, and the Poop deck was 128ft long. First class passengers were accommodated on the five levels from the Upper to the Promenade decks; second class passengers had their accommodation on the Middle, Upper and Saloon decks; while third class passengers were to be found on the Lower deck forward and the Middle, Upper and Saloon deck aft. The cost of travelling on the Titanic varied widely according to the type of passage chosen. At the top end, the most expensive suite cost £870one way across the Atlantic. The lowest-priced first class passage - accommodation in a four-berth cabin without meals - cost £23. The cost of a steerage, or third class, passage was £7 10s one way, but it included all meals. For this fare the passenger got a bunk in a dormitory of up to eight people. The elegant dining room of the first class First class The passenger accommodation for first class was arranged to provide 39 private suites, 30 on the Bridge deck, with the remaining nine on the Shelter deck. Titanic's first class accommodation was completed with a complement of 350 first class standard cabins, all of which were all fitted with single beds producing a total accommodation of over 750. Number of rooms first class One-berth Two-berth Three-berth Parlour-Suite Sitting Rooms Number of passengers A deck 30 - 4 - 42 B deck 31 34 8 2 123 C deck 15 62 57 2 310 D deck 111 8 30 - 117 E deck 9 2 28 - 97 total 96 106 127 4 689 If required, 46 single-berth rooms can be converted into two-berth rooms, making the total number of first-class passengers 735. Second class Second class passengers had their accommodation arranged as two or four-berth rooms to a maximum complement of 668 passengers. The rooms were finished in enamel white with mahogany furniture covered in moquet material and linoleum tiles to the floor. The dining room of the second class offered abundant comfort as well Number of rooms second class two-berth three-berth four-berth number of passengers D deck 19 - 20 118 E deck 15 - 49 226 F deck 19 - 45 218 G deck 23 2 15 112 total 76 2 129 674 Third class For the 1026 third class passengers, however, it was a vastly different story; in their areas the passenger accommodation comprised mainly four or six-berth cabins with only 66 two-berth rooms being provided. White star had in Titanic provided what was probably the best conditions possible for this class of passenger and was probably equivalent to second class in other comparable vessels. number of third class rooms two-berth four-berth six-berth eight-berth ten-berth number of passengers D deck 4 - 7 - - 50 E deck 26 40 8 - - 260 F deck 31 59 18 5 2 466 G deck 5 13 4 - - 86 G deck - - - - - 164 total 66 112 37 5 2 1026

The "Shipbuilder" wrote on completion of the Olympic that the passenger accommodation was of "unrivalled extent and magnificence . . .. and the excellent result defies improvement". The Olympic and the Titanic could each carry 3, 295 people: 2,435 passengers, and crew of 860. Travallers were separated into three sectors: first, second and third class: 689 first, 674 second and 1, 026 third respectively. Boat Deck [A] Upper Deck [F] Promenade Deck [B] Middle Deck [G] Bridge Deck [C] Lower Deck Shelter Deck [D] Orlop Deck Saloon Deck [E] Tank top. Passenger accommodation and public areas were located on the Promenade, Bridge, Shelter, Saloon, Upper, Middle and Lower Decks. The other three were reserved for the crew, cargo and machinery. The Boat and Promenade Decks were above the superstructure of the ship. Their lengths did not run the entire length of the ship. The Bridge Deck extended 550 feet, the complete length of the superstructure. The length was interrupted by the Forecastle (106 foot long) and the Poop Decks (128 foot long). During Titanic's design, entirely new features were added which had never been seen before. A swimming pool, Turkish Baths, Squash courts and a gym were provided. First Class gym FIRST CLASS TRAVEL ON BOARD The first class public rooms included a dining saloon, reception room, restaurant, lounge, reading and writing room, smoking room and the veranda cafes and palm courts. Cafe Parisien There was a gym and squash court. The sisters were the first liners in history to have them installed. The first class also enjoyed several Turkish and electric baths, which although technically saunas, were decorated in an Arabian style. The portholes were covered with a carved Cairo curtain so that when light shone through an Orient look was given to the room. The first class grand staircase was exactly that. It was over 60 feet from the lower landing to the glass skyline above. It had a seventeenth century William and Mary style with solid oak carved panelling running all the way around. At the foot of the stairs was a Cherub light with a very distinctive wood carving clock behind, which although quite decayed in the wreck is still visible today. The Turkish Bath 1. Reading and Writing Room This room was really designed for use by travelling first class women. It was painted in white and furnished very elegantly. There was a huge bow window that enabled the occupiers to lookout on to the Promenade Deck. There was a large fire which burned intensely adding warmth to the room. 2. First Class Lounge The Lounge was situated on the Promenade Deck and again elaboratly fitted out. This room was dedicated to reading, conversation, playing cards and other social interactions of the day. It was decorated in the French Louis XV style. The craftsmanship wasexquisite. The walls were covered with "boiseries" (elaborate woodern carving)which gave the room a distinct symmetrical appearance. 3. First Class Smoke Room Towards the back of the Promenade Deck was situated this very fine room. The walls of the first class Smoking Room were panelled in mahogany carved in the Georgian style and were inlaid with mother of pearl. Above the centerpiece fireplace was a painting by Norman Wilkinson called the "Approach to the New World." Those who required an after dinner drink could find exactly what they wanted in the well stocked bar. Others enjoyed walking around the room looking at the painted glass windows depicting many different ports from around the world, and other White Star Line ships. On the portside of the room was a small Verandah area, which led to the Palm Court areas (30ft by 25ft) overlooking the aft Promenade Deck. Walled trellises with climbing plants gave the impression that the room was part of a conservatory. Passengers could sit on wicker chairs to finish their drinks. 4. First Class Reception Area Behind the Grand Staircase was a spaceous Reception Room 54 foot long. It was decorated in the Jacobean style and had a white ceiling and a dark rusty colour carpet. Before dinner, saloon passengers could gather to discuss the day's activities aboard the ship. Some would sit on one of the many floral patterned Grandfather Chairs to be found there. The Reception Room led directly to the Dining Room. 5. First Class Dining Room The first class passengers would certainly dine in style. Their dining room was 114 foot long and spanned the full width of the ship. Seating 532 passengers at once, it was the largest dining room ever seen on a ship. The room was decorated in attractive Jacobean style, and was painted in peanut white. The decoration had been the result of painstaking research. The designs were based on Hatton Hall and some very fine houses in Hatfield, England. The furniture (chairs and tables) were oak and designed to add luxury and comfort at all times. In those days dinner was considered a very important part of a voyage. 6. A La Carte Restaurant This restaurant served the finest meals all of which were not included in the fares of its guests. It added an extra touch of class. The room was decorated in Louis XIV style and had floor to ceiling panelling in French light brown walnut. Specially mounted ornaments and mouldings gave a regal effect. Candle-style lamps hung in the centre of the panels. Plain silk curtains covered the large bay windows that gave a great feeling of spaciousness. Passengers could sit around the tables in groups of two to eight people. An orchestra played to them from a raised platform. Dining would have been quite an experience. 7. First Class Accommodation Titanic provided 39 private suites: 30 on the Bridge Deck and 9 on the Shelter Deck. The suites included bedrooms with private toilet facilities. All had up to five different rooms: 2 bedrooms, 2 wardrobe rooms and a bathroom. First class accommodation also held 350 cheaper standard cabins with single beds. The expensive and exclusive staterooms boasted excellent fittings. Each were decorated in different periodic styles including Louis XVI, Louis XV, Georgian and Queen Anne. SECOND CLASS TRAVEL ON BOARD Second class passenger accommodation was to be found over seven decks. Exits were either by the second class grand stairway or an electric elevator which ran up and down all seven decks. 1. Smoke Room After dinner, the gentlemen of the second class could retreat from the Dining Room to their Smoking Room. This room was decorated in Louis XVI style and it had oak panelling with daido rails. Linoleum tiles were specially designed for the room and were unique to the ship. 2. Library After dinner, travelling second class women would part company from their partners and often sought in the Library. This was the equivalent of the First Class Reading and Writing Room. The room was excellently appointed filled with mahogany furniture. A large book case was situated at the forward end opposite the bulkhead. Large windows had silk curtains hanging. The rich fabric of the Wilton carpet gave a snug feel to the room. 3. Second Class Dining Room The Dining Room was 71 foot long and it could seat 2394 people at one sitting. The room had oak panels with pivoted sidelights which provided a great elegance dining room. There was a piano in the room to entertain diners. All the furniture was mahogany with crimson upholstery. 4. Second Class Accommodation Second class accommodation was provided in either two or four berth rooms. A maximum of 550 passengers could be accommodated. The rooms were fitted in enamel white with mahogany furniture. The Staterooms of the second class were very similar to the standard cabins of the First Class. However when comparing the size of room, staterooms and galleys etc. it must be remembered that the Titanic and Olympic set entirely new standards of transatlantic travel. The second class or middle class would have been treated in exactly the same way as the first class passengers would have been on other contemperary shipping lines. THIRD CLASS TRAVEL ON BOARD Third class accommodation was much less luxurious than second class. Even so, third class or "steerage" passengers as they were known still enjoyed levels of luxury compared to most liners of their day. 1. Third Class Smoke and General Room The General Room was the heart of the Steerage, third class community. It was the main meeting room. It was panelled in pine and finished in enamel white with teak furniture. The Smoke Room was panelled and furnished in oak with teak furniture and was very comfortable. It was clear from outset that the White Star Line had given much consideration for the third class passengers, many of whom would be crossing the Atlantic to start new lives away from their home country left behind. The White Star Line wanted them to enjoy the voyage as a good start to their "new life." 2. Dining Room The Dining Room, situated on the Middle Deck, was 100 foot long and extended the full width of the ship. It could seat approximately seat 470 passengers in each of the three sittings. The pantries and galley were situated behind the Dining Room. 3. Third Class Accommodation There were over 1000 third class passengers on the Titanic. Their accommodation was much more modest than the other two classes. The rooms comprised mainly of two to six berth rooms. There were only 84 two-berth cabins onboard. The size of the rooms compared to first and second class reflected the class attitudes of the age. The first class Turkish Bath was larger than the third class galley. A thousand passengers would rely on the galley but only a handful would have used the Turkish Bath. The designers wanted to change the attitudes towards third class travel. The third class cabins were not dormatory like rooms but individual closed cabins, thus adding privacy to the passengers, but they would still have shared their experience with strangers. CREW ACCOMMODATION The White Star Line intended that the crew and passengers should not meet at any time during the voyage. The engine room staff were housed on the starboard side at the forward end of the ship on the Lower, Middle, Upper and Saloon Decks. Two spiral staircases connected their rooms to the boiler and engine rooms.

April 10, 1912, Wednesday, Southampton, England - Sailing Day... -Passengers arrive at the White Star docks and board Titanic between 9:30 - 11:30 am. Titanic casts off to depart on her maiden voyage promptly at noon. She was assisted by six tugs into the channel of the River Test. Under her own power, she passed two smaller ships moored on her left. The ships were White Star's Oceanic and the American Line's New York. The ships were warped together with New York on the outside. As Titanic steamed past at six knots the lines that moored New York to Oceanic suddenly snapped. Now free of her moorings, New York began to drift toward the much larger Titanic. Disaster was averted when the tug Vulcan rushed to New York's side and passed a line to her stern, slowing her drift toward Titanic. At the same time Captain Smith increased power to his port engine, causing a wash that helped push New York clear. -The incident bears a remarkable resemblance to an earlier incident involving Olympic, with Captain Smith in command, and the Royal Navy Cruiser HMS Hawke, while outbound from Southampton on September 20, 1911. Navigating a narrow body of water called Spithead, off the isle of Wight, Olympic and Hawke were on a parallel course about 200 yards apart and on roughly the same course with Hawke off Olympic's starboard side. Suddenly Hawke appeared to turn hard to port and rammed Olympic in the starboard quarter, badly damaging Hawke's bow and creating a double gash in Olympic's hull as well as damage to her starboard propeller. Olympic managed to limp back to Southampton and then to Belfast, where she underwent six weeks of repairs. The courts later faulted Olympic for the accident. The decision was based on tests conducted by the Admiralty using small models in tanks to demonstrate the unseen hydrodynamic forces at work. Force's, claimed the Admiralty, that literally sucked Hawke into the side of Olympic due to the immense size of the liner. Olympic had a gross tonnage of 45,000 tons, while Hawke was only 7,500 tons. Rather than being punished for the incident, Captain Smith was instead promoted. He was named to command White Star's new flagship, Titanic, on her maiden voyage to New York and back. This maiden voyage was to be Captain Smith's last command as he planed to retire upon returning to England. After finally making open water, Titanic turns toward Cherbourg, France, arriving at 6:35 PM. Here she takes aboard mail and another 274 passengers. Of these, 142 are first-class and include such names as Charles M. Hays, president of the Canadian Grand trunk Railroad; John B. Thayer, president of the Pennsylvania Railroad; Mrs. James Joseph (Margaret) "Molly" Brown, who was never actually called Molly until after her death; and Benjamin Guggenheim, who had originally booked passage on Lusitania but, when Lusitania became laid up for repairs, transferred to Titanic. Titanic left Cherbourg at 8:10 PM en route to Queenstown (now Cobh), Ireland, where she arrived around noon. At Queenstown she takes aboard 120 additional passengers and 194 sacks of mail. A few passengers got off the ship here, including Francis Browne, a Jesuit Priest who took many of the only surviving photos of Titanic's maiden voyage including the last known photo taken of her before the disaster, and Fireman J. Coffy, who deserted by hiding under sacks of mail being transferred ashore. From- Queenstown, Chief Officer Wilde posted a letter to his sister stating, "I still don't like this ship ... I have a queer feeling about it." At 1:30 on the afternoon of April 11, 1912 Titanic departed what was to be her final port of call and steamed steadily toward her date with destiny. As she sailed away Reverend Brown took one last photo of her. Titanic encountered no rough seas or bad weather during the voyage and passengers quickly settled into their shipboard routines. On April 12, at around sunset, Titanic received the first warning of danger ahead. The French liner La Touraine sent a wireless message reporting ice ahead. The message was given to Captain Smith who gave it to Fourth Officer Boxhall. Boxhall noted the position on the map in Titanic's chartroom. It was more than a thousand miles away and to the north of Titanic's course. Late on the evening of April 13 the Furness Withy liner Rappahannock, which was eastbound from Halifax to London, passed within signaling distance of Titanic and warned by signal lamp of heavy pack ice ahead. Rappahannock also reported that she had dented her bow and twisted her rudder in the encounter with the ice. Titanic received a total of six separate ice warnings on April 14, the first coming at 9:00 AM from the Cunard liner Coronia. The message reported, "bergs, growlers, and field ice in 42°N, from 49° to 51°W." The second warning came at 11:40 AM from the Dutch liner Noordam, who reported "much ice" in roughly the same position. At 1:42 PM the third warning of the day came from the White Star liner Baltic. The message reported, "icebergs and large quantity of field ice in 41°51´N, 49°9´W." This warning placed the ice only 250 miles ahead of Titanic's position. At 1:45 PM, just minutes after the warning from Baltic, the day's fourth warning was received from the German liner Amerika, that reported passing two icebergs at 41°27´N, 50°8´W. This message was not actually intended for Titanic. It was addressed to the U.S. Hydrographic office in Washington. This was not within the range of Amerika's own wireless, so Titanic relayed the message. The fifth warning was received at 7:30 PM from the Leyland liner Californian. She reported her position as 42°3´N, 49°9´W, and reported, "Three large bergs five miles to southward of us," only 50 miles ahead of Titanic's current position. The sixth and final warning came at 9:40 PM from the Atlantic Transport liner Mesaba who reported, "Lat. 42°N to 41°24´N, Longitude 40°W to 50°30´W, saw much heavy pack ice and great number large icebergs, also field ice."  Had anyone checked, they would have discovered that this last message described a rectangle that Titanic had already passed into. Altogether, the six ice warnings received on April 14 described an area of ice 78 miles long. Unfortunately, there is doubt about whether the messages were ever delivered to the bridge or plotted on the chartroom map. Apparently not, since no one seems to have made the connection.

April 14, 1912, 11:40 PM - The crow's nest bell suddenly rings three times followed by the ringing of the crow's nest telephone on the bridge. The telephone is answered by Sixth Officer Moody, who hears Lookout Fredrick Fleet's urgent warning, "Iceberg, right ahead!" First Officer Murdoch, on watch on the bridge orders the engines stopped and then full astern and also orders the helmsman, Quartermaster Hitchens, to turn the helm hard astarboard. For 37 seconds they waited. When it seemed as though they would strike the berg head-on, the ship finally started to turn to port (left), but it was too late. A spur of ice, hidden beneath the surface, bumped and scraped the starboard (right) side of the ship for a distance of 248 feet. This caused, not a continuous gash as once suspected, but a series of smaller holes and buckled hull plates that affected the first four compartments and two feet into the fifth. The total area now open to the sea was a mere twelve square feet. Captain Smith, who was in his cabin just aft of the bridge on the starboard side, came immediately to the bridge. Upon learning of the collision with the iceberg the captain ordered Fourth Officer Boxhall to conduct an inspection of the ship. When he returned to the bridge Mr. Boxhall reported that he could find no damage at all. Within minutes however, reports to the contrary began to pour in - eight feet of water in boiler room 6, flooding in the mail room, twenty-five minutes after the collision the squash court was awash, fifteen minutes later the seaman's quarters on E Deck forward, forty-eight feet above the keel, began taking on water. Edward Wilding, a naval architect at Harland and Wolff who's primary job had been the design of Titanic, estimated at the British Inquiry that 16,000 cubic feet of water had entered the hull in the first forty minutes after the collision. Titanic was doomed. Around midnight Captain Smith goes personally to the wireless room and orders First Wireless Operator John "Jack" Phillips to send a distress signal. Mr. Phillips dutifully sent the signal, "CQD" about half a dozen times followed by, "MGY" about half a dozen times. "CQD" was the distress signal used by the Marconi Company, by which Mr. Phillips and Second Wireless Operator Harold Bride were employed, and "MGY" was the wireless call-sign for Titanic. The distress call was almost immediately answered by the North German Lloyd liner Frankfurt and shortly thereafter by the Cunard liner Carpathia. Carpathia was only 58 miles away and immediately turned around and headed toward Titanic at full speed. Carpathia, however, had a top speed of less than twenty knots and would take four hours to reach Titanic's location. Captain Smith knows his ship will not last that long. He also knows that his lifeboats will only carry about half of the people on-board the ship. He also knows that the temperature of the sea water is only around 30° F. By this time he must have realized that he and half of the people on Titanic were under a death sentence. At 12:05 the crew begins to uncover and swing out the lifeboats. At 12:25 the loading of the lifeboats begins with women and children loaded first. The loading and launching of the lifeboats is a slow and confused process as few of the crew and none of the passengers have had any formal lifeboat drills or been given lifeboat assignments. At 12:45 the first lifeboat, number 7, is launched from the starboard side; with room for sixty-five people, it carries only twenty-eight. With only a slight list noticeable, passengers are hesitant to leave the imagined safety of the ship. The officers loading the boats are hesitant to fill the boats to capacity for fear of causing them to buckle while hanging from the davits. Harland and Wolff had tested the boats with the weight of seventy men, but none of the crew seem to have been aware of the test. About this time Quartermaster Rowe fires the first of eight distress rockets. A ship's light is seen on the horizon to the north. The ship, thought to be the Leyland liner Californian, fails to respond to the flares or any other attempts to contact her. By 1:15, the tilt on the deck growing steeper, passengers are now more willing to enter the small boats. Officers are now less cautious in loading the boats and they begin to leave more fully loaded. 1:40, with most of the forward lifeboats gone, passengers begin to move to the temporary safety of the stern. At 1:40 Collapsible "C", leaves the ship. As it is being lowered First Class passenger William Carter and White Star Managing Director J. Bruce Ismay step on-board. Ismay was later villainized for leaving his ship while over 1500 people were left to die. Ismay contended that there were no more passengers in sight when he boarded the boat. Carter later testified that he had placed his wife and children into a lifeboat prior to his departure in Collapsible "C". It was determined at the British Inquiry that Mrs. Carter and the children had departed Titanic on lifeboat #4, fifteen minutes after Collapsible "C" left the ship. Mrs. Carter sued for divorce. At 2:05 the last lifeboat is launched. There actually remain two collapsible boats, "A" and "B", that are literally washed off the ship as she sinks and are not actually launched. At 2:17 the last distress signal is sent by Titanic. In the early morning hours of April 15, 1912 Titanic became one of the first ships in history to send the new "SOS" distress call. About this time many passengers and crew are knocked or swept into the water as the bow quickly plunges under. The forward funnel collapses, crushing many of those struggling in the water. At 2:18 the lights blink once and then go out for good. Several survivors report seeing the ship break in two between the third and fourth funnels. The bow section sinks and the stern settles back nearly level. Second Officer Charles Lightoller, who was in the water just yards from the ship, later reported that the ship did not break-up, but slid gracefully beneath the water in one piece. At 2:20 the stern section, now filling with water, tilts into a position that is nearly perpendicular to the water's surface and steadily sinks. 1500 people now struggle in the icy water. Most of the lifeboats that had rowed away from the ship with empty seats for fear of suction pulling them under when Titanic sank now refuse to return to the aid of those in the water for fear of being swamped. There they sat, listening to the screams of the dying, hearing the final pleas for help, "I know you can hear me, please save one life!" Many survivors later said they coped with this by convincing themselves that the screams and pleas they heard were not from their loved ones. In less than an hour the sea is quiet. Finally, after it had quieted down, one lifeboat did return; lifeboat #14, under the command of Fifth Officer Lowe, rescued five swimmers. Lifeboat #4, under the command of Quartermaster Perkins, picked-up eight people, more because it was still close to the ship rather than because it returned. Now those in the boats had nothing to do but wait... Lifeboat Departures Time Launched Boat # Side of Ship Capacity Occupants 12:45 7 Starboard 65 28 12:55 5 Starboard 65 41 12:55 6 Port 65 28 01:00 3 Starboard 65 50 01:00 1 Starboard 40 12 01:15 8 Port 65 39 01:20 10 Port 65 60-70 01:20 9 Starboard 65 56 01:25 12 Port 65 16-18 01:30 14 Port 65 63 01:30 13 Starboard 65 64 01:35 16 Port 65 ? 01:35 15 Starboard 65 70 01:40 C Starboard 47 39 01:45 2 Port 40 26 01:45 11 Starboard 65 70 01:55 4 Port 65 29 02:05 D Port 47 44 02:20 A Starboard 47 13* 02:20 B Port 47 30*

The Rescue

Of the more than 2200 men, women and children, passengers and crew aboard Titanic when she brushed up against the iceberg, only 705 survived. That's only 32% of the people onboard the ship. Those who survived made it into the lifeboats and were picked up by the Cunard liner Carpathia later in the morning.

Carpathia, upon hearing of Titanic's plight, immediately turned toward her. Running at full-speed, about 19 knots, she covered the fifty-eight miles of iceberg studded waters between them in just four hours.

Below is a chart of the numbers of people onboard, saved and lost. Everyone is broken down into Men, Women and Children, and Total. It's then further broken down into passenger class and crew. The source for this table is the Senate Investigation Transcripts. Please note that I have corrected a couple of minor calculation errors regarding percentages. Also, the Senate came to the conclusion that there were 706 survivors, while the commonly accepted total is 705.

The Discovery

July 14, 1980 The first planned expedition was led by US entrepreneur Jack Grimm. They left on July 14, 1980 from Port Everglades, Florida on the H.J.W. Fay. On this expedition Grimm hired Fred Spiess and Bill Ryan, two of the top oceanographers in the world (at that time), This expedition went without out success. July 5, 1985 Dr. Ballard's expedition to locate the wreck, His expedition was a joint French-American one. The French scientists were part of IFREMER (Institut Français de Recherches pour l'Exploration des Mers) while the Americans were part of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI). - Dr. Ballard suggested, after six weeks of searching, to search just north of the area where the lifeboats had been picked up by the rescue ship Carpathia. - The two ships involved in the expidition were named Le Suroit and Knorr. - They both used sonar tracking instruments to map the ocean floor. One of the instruments, "SAR" was a red, torpedo-shaped tracking device that covered an area of about 80 percent of the 150-mile target search area. It belonged to IFREMER. - The second instrument, "Argo" was the instrument that found the wreck. It had less than 3/4 of the coverage area of SAR. - A boiler from the ship was found on September 1st, 1985 at 1:05 AM. - Titanic's wreck is located at a depth of 12,460 feet, two and a half miles underwater. At this depth, the water pressure is approximately 6000lbs. per square inch! It lies on a gently sloping alpine-like country side overlooking a small canyon below (now named Titanic Canyon). Its bow faces slightly east of north and sits upright. - One mystery was solved by finding the wreck, the ship was torn in two, between the third and fourth funnels. - When Dr. Ballard returned in 1986, he explored the wreck, as well as the debris field in his three-man submarine christened Alvin. -Unfourtantely the first sight of Titanic he saw lasted less than 5 minutes. It was of her massive hull rising from the mud below. "I thought of Edmund Hillary standing at the summit of Mount Everest, of some future space traveler peering over the edge of the known universe. Slowly, I let out my breath; I didn't realize I had been holding it." -Dr. Robert Ballard -The stern was located approximately 1,970ft. away from the bow. -There is a hole in the bow (see image above) that many would like to believe to have been caused by a coal explosion, and helped Titanic sink. If I had a bigger image to show you, you would see that the hole is way too high above the waterline for it to have helped sink Titanic. A more realistic story would be that the hole was caused by the immense stress caused on the hull while it was tilted at an unusual angle. Or perhaps it was caused when the bow plowed into the mud on the sea floor. -The forecastle of the bow was buried more than 60ft. in the mud. -Only the top part of the biggest propeller is visible above the mud. -The crow's nest, where the iceberg had been spotted, was still attached to the foremast which had fallen over onto the deck of the bow. -Both anchors were still in place. -A lighting fixture in the Grand Staircase area was found intact with a piece of coral growing out of it. -No human remains were ever found at the wreck site. The only explanation for this is possibly because the mud on the sea floor has an acidic level of PH 4! (That's the same strength as the acid in your stomach) -An eerie doll's head, resembling a human skull, was found looking up from the silt. It might have belonged to Loraine Allison of Montreal. The only first class child not saved in the sinking. -Many objects were found in the debris field lying between the separated stern and bow section. These objects remind us that this is a grave site, and should not be disturbed. -Dr. Ballard made 7 dives before returning home for the last time. He is part of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachussets. -He left a plaque in memory of those who lost their lives during that fateful night. He did not disturb anything in the wreckage. -The stern section sits on the ocean bottom at 49º 56' 54" W, 41º 43' 35" N and the center of the debris field is at 49º 56' 49" W, 41º 43' 32" N. The center of the bow section is located at 49º 56' 54" W, 41º 43' 53" N.

The Measurements

Ship length The ship legnth compared to modern vehichles Depth of titanic wreck Compared to various popular mountains.

The Wreck Map This is the map where titanic went down on its maiden voyage 14 April 1912.