Clive Cussler's Ocean Exploration
Spotlighting Some of Clive Cussler's Most Interesting Deep Water Discoveries
Most of Bestselling Author Clive Cussler's novels are centered around deep water mysteries. His real life experiences as an ocean explorer give him plenty of juicy material to work with! As part of a 30 lens series on deep water exploration, it seems neglectful not to include something on the man whose effort and talent keep us intrigued in what lies beneath the waters of the world.
Cussler has been on too many expeditions to showcase them all in one lens, so I have chosen a couple of my favorites to share, as well as other tidbits here and there about the man and his deep water expeditions.
While Carpathia and Hunley get most of the spotlight, be sure to check out some of the external links for more complete information on his ocean quests.
Photo by /Stef_
Cussler's Team Discovers the Carpathia Wreckage
She was probably most famous for rescuing victims of the sinking Titanic, yet she was a powerful and beautiful ship in her own right.
Using side-scan sonar and remote operating vehicles, and by combing every inch of the area where she was believed to have gone down, Cussler's NUMA (National Underwater and Marine Agency) found her wreckage in 2000, 120 miles west of Fastnet, Ireland.
The Carpathia was shot down by a German U-Boat in 1918 during the first World War, while serving her country transporting U.S. troops to Europe.
Clive Cussler on Discovering the Carpathia
"We have footage of the RMS Carpathia in her watery grave at the bottom of the ocean off the coast of Ireland. It humbles me. My goal was to preserve maritime history. We have been succeeding beyond my wildest dreams. I did not think this would happen in my lifetime,''
Carpathia rescues some passengers of the doomed Titanic - New York Times
The Carpathia Returns with Titanic Survivors - Actual Footage from the event
Carpathia passengers - On Deck Photo
Enjoying the Ship - no worries here!
The Sea Hunters Episode - About the Discovery of the Carpathia
Have you Read any of Cussler's Books?
Cussler on his first Diving Expedition
"I read about Jacques Cousteau, so my friend and I sent away to France for a tank and regulator,"
It was one of the first scuba rigs ever manufactured...
we just donned our gear, ran into the water and figured it out on our own"
alertdiver.com
Some of Cussler's Novels - With a Twist from Real Life
Art imitating Life.... imitating.....History?
H.L. Hunley
The South's Secret Weapon
The Hunley, a Confederate Submarine, was the first sub ever to sink a ship. She was placed in service during the civil war, and is often referred to as the "South's Secret Weapon". She successfully charged and sank Union blockader USS Housatonic during the night, but her victory was short lived. Soon after, she and her entire crew disappeared February 17, 1864, The mystery of what happened to the Hunley remained so for the next 131 years.
While her dark and cold tomb remained lost, she was not forgotten. P.T.Barnum offered $100,000 to anyone who could find the Hunley, so he could display it in his museum. That was in 1879. In the years since she still remained a public mystery and seemed to call out in her need to be remembered.
Searching for the Hunley was the first major project for Cussler and NUMA. After 15 years of frustration and not giving up, they found wreckage by towing a magnetometer, criss-crossing in a grid patter. In investigating a large magnetic anomaly, they determined it was the Hunley once they uncovered her hatch. The vessel was buried in three feet of silt outside of Charleston harbour.
Full Scale Model built for Charleston Hunley Museum before her discovery
NUMA
"Dedicated to preserving our maritime heritage through the discovery, archaeological survey, and conservation of shipwreck artifacts"
The Hunley Recovered
Confederate Submarine H.L. Hunley, suspended from a crane during her recovery from Charleston Harbor, 8 August 2000.
on the Hunley
Drawing of the Hunley
As she might have looked while in service under water.
More Info on Clive Cussler and NUMA - and the Carpathia & Hunley Expeditions
- Friends of the Hunley
Non Profit Organization dedicated to the preservation of the Confederate Submarine H.L. Hunley - RMS Carpathia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
RMS Carpathia From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search RMS Carpathia CareerName: RMS Carpathia Owner: Cunard line Route: Transatlantic: Liverpool-Queenstown-Boston Transferred to Liverpool-Queenstown-New York summers Trieste- - H. L. Hunley (submarine) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
H. L. Hunley (submarine) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Drawing of the H. L. Hunley. Based on a Photograph taken in 1863 by George S. Cook Career (C.S.A.)Name: H. L. Hunley Builder: Horace L. Hunley Laid down: early - National Underwater and Marine Agency | Founded by Clive Cussler
Dirk Cussler Founded by Clive Cussler, the National Underwater and Marine Agency (NUMA) is a non-profit, volunteer foundation dedicated to preserving our maritime heritage through the discovery, archaeological survey and conservation of - The Other Side of the Night: The Carpathia, the Californian and the Night ... - Daniel Allen Butler
After Every Disaster, Someone Has Something to Hide. . . Book jacket. From Google Books
