Actually, it’s been over 111 years.
Everyone’s talking about the Titanic now because a tourist submersible apparently got lost trying to explore it in the depths of the Atlantic (not exactly a surprise.) Rich tourists are gonna rich tourist… It boggles my mind that people actually want to go down into the deepest ocean to look at the wreckage when a) there are photographs of it, b) it’s slowly breaking down and becoming one with the ocean floor*, and c) it’s creepy as heck.
I was ten when Titanic came out and the big 90s craze happened. There have been many other Titanic crazes since the sinking, because people are fascinated by catastrophes and frivolous wealth and death. But when I was ten, I read a picture book about it and watched a made-for-TV movie about it (starring Tim Curry!) and I. was. terrified.
I had nightmares about my bedroom actually being a stateroom aboard the ship, sinking and drowning me until I woke up screaming. I dreamt about drenched ghosts in my bedroom doorway. Then I watched some TV documentary about finding the wreckage and the nightmares continued.
Suffice it to say, I didn’t see the James Cameron movie in theatres until years later. Oh, I saw it though. I owned it on VHS and watched it like a true masochist. Occasionally, I’d only watch the first half, saving myself from seeing those poor, dead, frozen mannequins.
So, you can imagine it’s been an interesting time for me this past week, with all of this new Titanic news. I made the mistake of googling photos of the wreckage while on my lunch break on Monday. One of the things that most stayed with me from the documentary I saw in around 1999 was that the clock on the wall was reduced to a yellow circle where the clock used to be. I don’t know why that gave me such heebie-jeebies, but it did. I couldn’t find any photos of that. It might not even be a yellow circle on the wall anymore.
The wall may not exist anymore.
Eventually, all of the wreckage will be gone. Especially if people keep joyriding down there to see it like it’s not a giant, rusted gravesite.
*such wonderful tings surround you / what more is you lookin’ for?
[Edited 6/22/23 to add] They found debris that indicates a “catastrophic implosion.” The 5 people in the submersible are dead. The silver lining, I suppose, is that there’s no mystery. They were technically found.
I’m probably not going to sleep well for a few days. Gahhh. Rest in peace, people. I disagree with what you did, but that’s a horrible way to die.
Sara Mazariegos 