The Seabourn expedition ship discovered the Titania, a German World War I-era vessel, during a submarine dive—marking the first sighting of the ship in 110 years
Pic above: The 'Titania', an iron 3-masted barque of 1082 gross, 996 net tons. 201.1 x 32.8 x 20.3. Built 1889 Bremer Schiffbau Ges v. HF Ulrichs, Vegesack. Owners: 1911 HG Andersen, registered Fredrikstad, Norway. She is being overhauled in (possibly) Fletcher's slip at Port Adelaide.
Source: State Library of SA
Seabourn, a leader in ultra-luxury voyages and expedition travel, has made a historic discovery during a submarine dive off the coast of Alejandro Selkirk Island in Chile’s Juan Fernández Archipelago. On October 14, 2024, Seabourn Pursuit, the ultra-luxury line’s newest purpose-built expedition ship, uncovered the Titania, a German supplier ship lost for 110 years. Lying 95 meters below the surface, this remarkable find marks the first sighting of the Titania since it was scuttled in 1914.
"Experiences like these are a testament to the spirit of expedition, and this discovery is nothing short of historic," said Robin West, vice president and general manager of expeditions at Seabourn. “Seabourn’s expeditions and particularly our submarine explorations often take our guests to places where no other human has ever explored. I am so incredibly proud of our expedition team for delivering this once-in-a-lifetime and truly unforgettable ‘Seabourn Moment’ to our guests and the local community on Selkirk Island.”
The discovery of the Titania was made possible through the submarine team's dedicated research and close coordination with local communities to provide guests with a truly unique experience. Led by Submarine Pilot Mauricio Fernandez, the team – which includes Kieran Buckley, Henrik Enckell, and Isaac Yebra – worked with a local fisherman, Gino Perez, who had long heard stories about the Titania’s approximate location. Perez joined the dive and helped guide the team toward the suspected site of the wreck. Under ideal weather conditions, the team discovered the Titania 95 meters deep, about 4.25 nautical miles off the northwest coast of Selkirk. After the discovery, the island’s harbor master confirmed that no other diver or submarine had ever visited the wreck before.
Fernandez shared how the emotion in the submarine was palpable. “We were there witnessing history, and our guests had the chance to be a part of this discovery of Titania and the first to see this ship after she sank to the bottom of the ocean 110 years ago. This was truly a special moment of discovery and a perfect example of how Seabourn expeditions continue to provide our guests with incredible Seabourn Moments throughout each journey.”
Guests described the feeling when they saw Titania for the first time: “It was almost magical. It really was quite extraordinary,” said Irene Blum, a guest who was in the submarine during the discovery.
It was particularly emotional for Perez, who shared, “I imagined this ship so many times and now I can see where she is, how she looks like and how she is resting at the bottom. Thank you so much, my father manages this sector of the island, this means a lot to us and our family history. This is extraordinary.”
Titania was scuttled on November 19, 1914, and stories of the wreck passed down through generations. While fishermen occasionally discovered metal fragments in their lobster traps that they believed belonged to the vessel, the wreck had never been officially located until now.
South Pacific Itineraries
The discovery took place during one of Seabourn Pursuit’s South Pacific voyages which traversed more than 4,000 miles between Melanesia, French Polynesia and San Antonio, Chile. The itineraries have offered guests a wealth of opportunities for adventure, such as exploring the remote Juan Fernandez Archipelago off the coast of Chile; spending time at Easter Island; visiting the volcanic islands of the Pitcairn group across hundreds of miles of ocean; and exploring the remote Yasawa Islands of Fiji. Seabourn will offer similar deployments in 2025 featuring four voyages on Seabourn Pursuit: a pair of 20-day voyages departing March 18, 2025 from San Antonio, Chile to Papeete, Tahiti; and October 10, 2025 from Papeete to San Antonio; an 18-day voyage from Papeete to Sydney departing April 7, 2025; and a 16-day Remote Shores of New Guinea & Indonesia departing April 24, 2025, from Sydney to Darwin.
Submarine Experiences
Seabourn Pursuit and its sister ship, Seabourn Venture, feature two custom-built, state-of-the-art submarines allowing unforgettable exploration beneath the surface. These cutting-edge engineering marvels provide an extraordinary opportunity for guests to descend deep below sea level for close-up, breathtaking views of surreal subsea realms beneath Antarctic waters and reef walls teeming with marine life in clear, tropical seas. At select destinations, dives can occur in unexplored locations that may have not been visited by any humans yet. Guests are seated in two clear acrylic spheres flanking the center pilot’s station, with an awe-inspiring perspective of the marine world just outside, thanks to undistorted views in virtually all directions. The three passenger seats in each sphere are mounted on a rotating platform that can turn for the best sightlines.
Submarine experiences are available for an additional charge and are offered on select itineraries, including Seabourn Pursuit’s South Pacific sailings between March and October 2025.
Operated by highly trained pilots, Seabourn submarines are certified by Lloyd’s Register, with external annual inspections, utilizing the same standards by which Seabourn ships are rated and certified. The submarines are built with a multitude of safety design features, including a safety buoy and maximum diving depths of 300 meters (less than 1,000 feet), and there is a surface boat that remains near the submarines throughout each dive and is in constant communication with the submarine.
For more details about Seabourn, or to explore the worldwide selection of Seabourn cruising options, call Seabourn at 1-800-929-9391, visit www.seabourn.com or contact a professional travel advisor.
Source: Seabourn Media release
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