Cameron's 2001 Expedition

[Eric Sauder]

After a couple weeks of silence from the Keldysh, which is on site above Titanic, I have some good news and bad news to report.

First the bad news. Only 17 hours before their departure for St. John's, Newfoundland, word came through that, because of the necessity of expanding the number of ROV crew, the berths which were reserved by Cameron for Bill Sauder and Parks Stephenson are now unavailable. Understandably disappointed after three weeks of delays and uncertainty ending in a last-minute cancellation, Parks says he's going to take a few days off from posting.

The good news is that Ken Marschall has had a second dive to the wreck -- he had one last year as well -- and came back with new, detailed information about the ship that he hasn't found in any photo of Olympic or Titanic during his 35 years of research. It's times like this, I'll bet Cameron is glad he has someone like Ken on board who knows what he's looking at!

Eric Sauder

 

[Christine Geyer]

Oh that are really bad news for the two boys. So sorry for them !!

What a pity. I can imagine how they feel. I would certainly take a few days off from EVERYTHING if I was in their position. Is there anything we can do to make them at least a little better ??

Thanks Eric for sharing the news with us, I'm very curious for the details that Ken Marschall will tell.

Always look forward in hearing more from you
(preferably GOOD news).

Many regards
Christine

 

[Inger Sheil]

G'day Eric -

I'm bitterly disappointed that Bill and Parks won't be there for the expedition - I was looking forward to getting Parks' angle on the wreck. It seems, though, as if Cameron has gained an appreciation for his encyclopaedic knowledge of the ship's construction and his innovative approach to reasoning out the questions that face researchers. It's to be hoped that he'll be kept in the loop! I certainly appreciate his 'translations' of the more technical issues.

~ Ing

 

[Michael H. Standart]

Eric, I'll add my own regrets for Bill and Parks being left on the beach...and I hope you'll pass that on to them...but I'm looking forward to the new information when it becomes available. With all due respect to RMSTI (A matter of opinion, I know!), they're not exactly held in high regard as reliable. I'd like to see something from a nuetral source.

Cordially,
Michael H. Standart

 

[George Behe]

Hi, Eric!

Please express my sincere regrets to Bill that he wasn't able to make the trip -- it's a shame that Cameron wasn't able to keep his name on the roster and be able to draw on his incredible knowledge of the ship. (Let's hope Cameron will keep the lines of communication open, though, because Bill has no rivals in his own areas of expertise.)

Any word yet on whether or not Don decided to make the dive? (He told me he might not, but I told him he'd darned well *better* -- or words to that effect.)

All my best,

George

 

[Beverly J. Crowder]

Thank you for updating us Eric, that is very disappointing news. I believe we were all looking forward to hearing from our brave historians as they would probably be able to shed some new light on some unanswered questions from the abyss.

Hopefully, when the filming is done, Bill and Parks will be able to view the footage and hopefully find things like Ken has.

It is all very exciting isn't it??

My best to Bill and Parks.

Beverly

 

[Nigel Bryant]

Hi Eric,

Sorry to hear that Parks and Bill could not go, it must be really disappointing. Hopefully they may get to visit the wreck in the future.

I hope the exhibition is success in finding more information about one of our favorite ships. Thank you Eric for the sad/good news.

Nigel

 

[Dan Cherry]

Eric,
that's too bad for Bill and Parks. I know Parks was really looking forward to the expedition. I feel bad for him and this serious disappointment.

Back in June, I, too, found a detail aboard Titanic and Olympic, that Ken hasn't incorporated into his paintings yet. Will see, once he gets back from the expedition, if he finds the info useful...

 

[Colleen Collier]

I am sure that the disappointment is greater than words can say. I can only pray that their determination is larger and they will fulfill their dreams and see the great ship in the near future. Colleen

 

[George Behe]

Hi, all!

Good news! Don Lynch made the Big Dive to the Titanic a couple of days ago.

Let's keep our fingers crossed that James Cameron will allow Don and Ken Marschall to fill us in on their activities and observations after they return home.

All my best,

George

 

[Jennifer Mueller]

i am glad that mr marschall and mr lynch is on board with mr cameron because thay are some of the best titanic experts in the world in my opinion they have a really good book out called titanic an illistrated history and i recomend it to everyone on this board mr lynch had a small role in the 1997 movie titanic which is directed by mr cameron he played the father of the boy who spinned the top and if i am not mistaken mr marschall was a historian expert for the movie and my point is this mr cameron couldnt have chosen two better people to have on his expidition because i dont know if mr sauder or mr parks has any experience with the real titanic if i wanted to ask some expers questions on the titanic i would chose mr lynch and mr marschall jennifer mueller

 

[Jennifer Mueller]

is there a website where i can find info on the expidition jennifer mueller

 

[Parks Stephenson]

Jennifer,

Speaking for myself, I don't have any experience with the real Titanic, so it's a real mystery why Ken Marschall recommended to Jim Cameron that I should accompany him. However, I do know that Bill Sauder knows the structure and mechanical aspects of the ship better than almost anyone alive. The original intent was to have 4 invited experts out there (not counting people already on Cameron's payroll, like Ralph White and Charlie Pellegrino), but the last-minute addition of extra technicians caused that number to be cut in half because of the lack of available berthing.

Parks

 

[Bill Wormstedt]

George - please congratulate Don on our behalf!

Parks - very sorry to hear you weren't able to make it.

 

[Tad G. Fitch]

George, how are you doing? I hope that you had a nice trip. That is great news that Don was able to take the plunge and see the ship in person. I am sure that it will be quite an experience for him. I share your hopes that Ken and him will be allowed to fill us in on their experiences when they return. Parks, I am sorry to hear that there was not enough berths on the ship to allow you to go. I hope that this letter finds all doing well.
All my best,
Tad