On Monday James Cameron, famed Canadian director of the two highest grossing films in history (AvatarandTitanic), made thefirst privately-funded and second-ever manned diveto the deepest part of the Marianas Trench in the Pacific Ocean. The dive was the result of a years-long project privately funded by Cameron himself to construct a vessel capable not only of withstanding the tremendous pressure at such depths, but of filming the entire voyage in 3D.
The first manned voyage to the bottom of the Marianas Trench, which measures nearly seven miles deep, was part of a long history of scientific projects during the Cold War. Project Nekton was the name given to the series of test dives and deep sea dives by the bathyscapheTrieste, owned by the United States Navy. On January 23, 1960,Trieste, crewed by Lt. Don Walsh and Swiss oceanographer Jacques Piccard, reached the bottom of the Marianas Trench and spent about 20 minutes exploring its unknown depths.
Don Walsh, now 80 years old, was present at sea for Cameron’s solo voyage, which lasted more than 6 hours. After spending over 4 hours at the bottom of the deepest known part of Earth’s oceans in his craft深海挑战者号, Cameron remarked, “I really feel like in one day I’ve been to another planet and come back”.
Cameron plans to release a documentary film with the 3D footage of the dive. I for one cannot wait to see the incredible footage, some of which canalready be found online.If you would like to learn more about theTriesteand the original voyage to the deepest ocean, check outSeven Miles Down: the story of the bathyscaph Trieste, written by Jacques Piccard himself.Seven Miles Downis available here in the Library’s collections.
You mustlog into post a comment.