TOP 15 ADVANCED OLD SHIPS
TOP 15 ADVANCED OLD SHIPS
Transcript
00:00Hey everyone, today we're counting down the top 15 most advanced old ships.
00:04Now, these things were crafted from the finest materials available and equipped with cutting-edge technology of the day.
00:10So, let's start with number 15, the RMS Mauritania.
00:13The RMS Mauritania, which was built by the Cunard line and launched on September 20th, 1906,
00:19along with her sister ship, the RMS Lusitanium,
00:22was designed to compete for the transatlantic passenger trade and to serve as an emblem of British maritime prowess.
00:29At the time of her construction, the Mauritania was one of the largest and fastest ships in the world.
00:34She measured 790 feet or 241 meters long and could carry as many as 2,100 people,
00:40along with over 800 crew members.
00:43The ship was powered by steam turbines, which was a relatively new technology at the time
00:48and allowed her to achieve an unprecedented speed.
00:50On her maiden voyage in November 1907, she won the Blue Ribbon Award,
00:55given for the fastest transatlantic crossing and making the journey from Liverpool to New York in just over four days,
01:01a title she would hold for an impressive 22 years.
01:04With an interior designed to offer luxury and comfort to all passengers,
01:08the first-class cabins were the height of opulence.
01:11They featured grand dining rooms, smoking rooms, libraries, and even a music room,
01:16all with lavish decorations inspired by various historical styles.
01:20After serving as a military ship during the First World War,
01:23the Mauritania continued to serve the transatlantic route through the 1920s and early 30s,
01:29but by then, newer, more modern liners began to eclipser.
01:32She remained, though, an iconic ship until her retirement in 1934,
01:36at which time the ship was sold for scrap and was dismantled in 1935,
01:41marking an end of an era for one of the most celebrated ocean liners in history.
01:46Number 14. The Santa Maria
01:49The Santa Maria was, of course, most famous for being the flagship of Christopher Columbus
01:54during his first voyage across the Atlantic in 1492,
01:58and as such, holds an important place in maritime history.
02:02Originally named La Galega, after probably being built in the region of Galicia in Spain,
02:07the Santa Maria was a modestly-sized carrack,
02:10but one that was advanced for the time and suited to longer voyages.
02:15She was approximately 70 feet or 21 meters long
02:18and had a design that included a high, fortified forecastle and sterncastle,
02:22which would provide defensive positions in case of an attack.
02:26On her most famous voyage, the Santa Maria was accompanied by two smaller caravels,
02:31the Pinta and the Niña.
02:33While the exact details of her design remain somewhat unclear,
02:36as records haven't survived, she was known to be sturdy and reliable,
02:40which were crucial elements for those dangerous journeys across the Atlantic.
02:44Under Columbus' command, the Santa Maria set sail from Palos de la Frontera on August 3rd, 1492,
02:50on an expedition that aimed to find a westward route to Asia,
02:54looking for new trade routes and to find precious spices and goods.
02:58However, Columbus instead landed in the Bahamas on October 12th, 1492,
03:03an event that marked the beginning of extensive European exploration
03:06and eventual colonization of the Americas.
03:09The Santa Maria's voyage was not without its difficulties.
03:12She faced rough seas, treacherous weather,
03:15and the constant threat of mutiny from a crew who remained skeptical.
03:19Despite those challenges, though, Columbus' navigation skills and determination kept the mission on course.
03:25But unfortunately, the Santa Maria's journey ended prematurely
03:28when she ran aground on a reef off the coast of present-day Haiti on December 25th, 1492.
03:34Efforts to re-float her failed, and the ship was abandoned.
03:37And instead, the crew salvaged what they could,
03:40using the wreckage to construct a fort named La Navidad,
03:43where some of Columbus' men stayed behind while he returned to Spain on the Niña.
03:52The USS Constitution, often known as Old Ironsides,
03:56was a legendary frigate that first launched in 1797.
04:00She was one of the six original frigates authorized for construction by the Naval Act of 1794
04:06in response to the need for a naval presence to protect American merchant ships.
04:10Built in Boston, Massachusetts at Hart's Shipyard,
04:13the USS Constitution was designed by naval architect Joshua Humphreys
04:18and was one of the most powerful ships in the world,
04:20capable of both offensive and defensive operations.
04:23Constructed mainly of live oak because of its strength and durability,
04:27the Constitution was 204 feet or 62 meters long
04:31and was initially armed with 44 guns,
04:34though she often carried many more.
04:36After living up to expectations against pirates,
04:39the vessel's most famous service would come 15 years after setting sail
04:43during the War of 1812 against Great Britain.
04:46Under the command of Captain Isaac Hull,
04:48she earned her nickname Old Ironsides
04:50in a battle with the HMS Gourriere on August 19th, 1812,
04:54when British cannonballs were seen bouncing off her sturdy hull,
04:58leading one American sailor to exclaim that her sides were made of iron.
05:02The Constitution emerged victorious,
05:05capturing the other ship and turning the tide of battle.
05:08After the war, the Constitution continued to serve in various roles,
05:12including patrolling the African coast to suppress the slave trade
05:15and transporting American diplomats.
05:17She underwent several refits and overhauls,
05:20but by the mid-19th century,
05:21advances in naval technology and ship design meant that she was obsolete.
05:26Public sentiment and a poem by Oliver Wendell Holmes, however,
05:29helped save her from scrapping,
05:31and today, she's docked at the Charlestown Navy Yard in Boston as a museum ship.
05:35She remains a commissioned warship of the United States Navy
05:38and is by far the oldest that's still afloat.
05:43Number 12. The HMS Gourriere
05:46HMS Gourriere was launched in 1860,
05:49and it represented a major milestone in naval history
05:51as the world's first iron-hulled armored warship.
05:55Constructed by the Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Company in London,
05:59she was designed to maintain Britain's naval power
06:02at a time when technological advancements were rapidly transforming warfare.
06:06The Gourriere was commissioned in response to the French Navy's launch of an iron-clad warship,
06:11and this began a new era.
06:13She measured 420 feet or 180 meters long,
06:17and her hull was constructed of iron plates,
06:19making her far more resilient than her wooden predecessors.
06:23Further, she was powered by both steam engines and a full rig of sails,
06:26boasting a top speed of 14 knots under steam and up to 17 knots under sail,
06:31making her one of the fastest ships of her era.
06:34The Gourriere's armament was formidable, too.
06:37She carried 40 smooth-bore, muzzle-loading 68-pounder guns
06:41and 10 rifled, breech-loading 110-pounder guns
06:44arranged in a broadside battery configuration.
06:47These weapons were housed with an armored citadel
06:50protected by 4.5-inch thick iron plating,
06:53which rendered her virtually impervious to the artillery of the day.
06:57But despite her revolutionary design, the HMS Gourriere never saw combat.
07:01Her presence as a deterrent was simply enough to maintain British superiority at sea.
07:07She served with the Channel Squadron patrolling the waters around Britain and Europe
07:11and demonstrated British naval power during peacetime.
07:14By the late 19th century, advancements had meant she was obsolete,
07:18and she was relegated to various secondary roles,
07:20including a depot ship and a floating oil jetty.
07:23In the 20th century, though, it wasn't certain what would happen to this vessel,
07:27but a major restoration project was undertaken in the 1970s.
07:31The ship was painstakingly restored to her former glory
07:34and transformed into a museum ship.
07:36And today, she's permanently moored at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard,
07:40where she serves as a reminder of the ingenuity of Victorian engineering.
07:45Number 11. The RMS Queen Mary
07:48The RMS Queen Mary was also built by the Cunard Line
07:52to serve the transatlantic passenger route during the height of the ocean liner era.
07:56Completed in 1936, she was constructed at the John Brown & Company shipyard in Clydebank, Scotland,
08:02and was named after Queen Mary, the consort of King George V.
08:06The Queen Mary measured 1,019 feet or over 310 meters long
08:11and was one of the largest and most impressive ships of her time.
08:15She was powered by four steam turbine engines,
08:18allowing her to reach speeds of up to 32 knots.
08:20And it was this combination of size, speed, and power
08:22that enabled her to regularly cross the Atlantic Ocean in under five days,
08:27making her a top competitor for the prestigious Blue Ribbon.
08:30It's a title she never took, though,
08:32but the fact that she was so much larger than previous vessels and was almost as fast
08:36shows just how advanced a design she actually was.
08:39The ship's interior featured art deco design throughout,
08:42with lavish dining rooms, luxurious staterooms,
08:45and elegant public spaces decorated with fine wood paneling,
08:48intricate murals, and elaborate furnishings.
08:51She could accommodate 2,139 passengers,
08:54with a separate section for first-, second-, and third-class travelers,
08:57but everyone on board could expect a comfortable journey.
09:00Soon, it became synonymous with opulence.
09:03She was the favorite mode of travel for celebrities, royalty, and the wealthy elite.
09:08Her career, though, was dramatically altered by the outbreak of the Second World War,
09:12and in 1939, she was converted into a troop ship,
09:15painted gray and armed for defense.
09:18Known as the Gray Ghost due to her color and speed,
09:21she transported hundreds of thousands of Allied soldiers,
09:24but would then resume her transatlantic service in 1947.
09:28With the introduction of commercial air travel in the 1950s and 60s,
09:32the market for transatlantic travel evaporated.
09:35By 1967, the Queen Mary was retired from active service,
09:39and she was sold to the city of Long Beach, California,
09:41where she remains to this day,
09:43permanently moored as a floating hotel, museum, and tourist attraction.
09:4810. The Bismarck
09:51The Bismarck was one of the most famous warships of the Second World War,
09:55and it became a symbol of German naval power.
09:58Launched on February 14, 1939, at the Blumenwache shipyard in Hamburg, Germany,
10:03she was the lead ship of her class,
10:05and represented the height of German battleship design.
10:08Named after Otto von Bismarck, the Chancellor who unified Germany,
10:12she was a formidable vessel.
10:14Measuring 823 feet, or 250 meters in length,
10:18her armor was thick and comprehensive,
10:21designed to withstand heavy bombardment,
10:23with a main belt of up to 12.6 inches, or 32 centimeters thick,
10:28and a deck armor of up to 3.1 inches, or 8 centimeters thick.
10:32She was powered by three Blumenwache-geared steam turbines,
10:36and could reach speeds of over 30 knots,
10:38making her one of the fastest battleships of the time.
10:41The ship's armament was just as impressive,
10:43with a main battery made up of eight 15-inch guns mounted in four twin turrets,
10:48capable of firing 1,700-pound shells over 20 miles, or 32 kilometers.
10:54These were complemented by twelve 5.9-inch secondary guns,
10:58sixteen 4.1-inch anti-aircraft guns, and a number of smaller-caliber weapons.
11:03This firepower made her a significant threat to any Allied naval force.
11:09The Bismarck's most famous mission began on May 18th, 1941,
11:12when she set sail from Gothenhafen with the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen.
11:16Their mission, Operation Reinebung,
11:18aimed to break the Atlantic and disrupt the Allied shipping lanes.
11:22This led to the historic and dramatic Battle of the Denmark Strait.
11:26On May 24th, 1941, the Bismarck engaged the British battlecruiser HMS Hood,
11:32and the battleship HMS Prince of Wales.
11:34In a devastating salvo, the Bismarck sunk the Hood,
11:38and this shocked the British Admiralty so much
11:40that they began an intense pursuit of the Bismarck.
11:43Damaged during the engagement with the Prince of Wales and losing fuel,
11:47the Bismarck attempted to reach occupied France for repairs.
11:50But on May 26th, British aircraft from the carrier HMS Ark Royal
11:55managed to land a crucial torpedo hit,
11:57jamming the Bismarck's rudder and reducing her maneuverability.
12:00The final confrontation came the following day
12:03when British battleship HMS King George V and HMS Rodney,
12:07along with cruisers and destroyers,
12:09caught up with the crippled Bismarck.
12:11After a fierce battle in which the Bismarck was pounded by relentless shellfire,
12:15she was scuttled by her crew to prevent capture.
12:18It wasn't until 1989 that the wreck of the Bismarck was discovered,
12:22lying upright at a depth of about 15,000 feet,
12:25or 4,600 meters, in the Atlantic.
12:29Number 9. The USS Monitor
12:32The USS Monitor was commissioned in 1862
12:36and designed by Swedish engineer John Ericsson
12:38in response to the Confederate ironclad CSS Virginia,
12:42which threatened the Union naval supremacy.
12:45The Monitor's design was groundbreaking and unconventional for the time,
12:49featuring a low-profile hull that sat close to the waterline,
12:52with most of her structure submerged.
12:55This design reduced her target profile, making her harder to hit,
12:58and measuring about 172 feet, or just over 52 meters long,
13:02she had a draft of 10.5 feet, or over 3 meters,
13:06which allowed her to navigate in relatively shallow waters.
13:09The USS Monitor's most famous engagement happened on March 9th, 1862,
13:13at the Battle of Hampton Roads.
13:16This battle marked the first meeting in combat of ironclad warships.
13:19The Monitor confronted the CSS Virginia,
13:22which had already wreaked havoc on the Union fleet,
13:24and began a battle that was intense and lasted several hours,
13:27with both ironclads inflicting and absorbing significant damage.
13:32Due to the heavy armor on both ships, the battle ended in a stalemate,
13:35but the Monitor's performance proved the effectiveness of ironclad vessels.
13:39After the battle, she continued to serve in the Union Navy,
13:42primarily patrolling and participating in blockades along the eastern seaboard.
13:47Despite her innovative design, she was, however, not without her flaws.
13:51Her low freeboard made her vulnerable in rough seas,
13:53and her engine room was prone to flooding.
13:56These design limitations became evident on December 31st, 1862,
14:00when a Monitor sank in a storm off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina,
14:04only to be found 111 years later, lying 240 feet below the surface.
14:10Number 8. The HMS Victory
14:13The HMS Victory was one of the most celebrated warships in British naval history,
14:17after playing a vital role in the Battle of Trafalgar,
14:20as the flagship of Vice Admiral Lord Nelson.
14:23Launched on May 7th, 1765 at the Chatham Dockyard,
14:27she was designed as a first-rate ship of the line,
14:29and was a pinnacle of 18th century naval engineering and firepower.
14:33The Victory measured 227 feet or 69 meters long,
14:37and was mostly armed with an array of 104 guns spread across three gun decks,
14:42making her one of the most formidable ships of her time.
14:45The Victory's most famous engagement happened during the Battle of Trafalgar on October 21st, 1805.
14:50The battle was a turning point in the Napoleonic Wars,
14:53ensuring British naval supremacy and preventing Napoleon's invasion.
14:57During the battle, Nelson famously signaled,
15:00England expects that every man will do his duty by rallying his soldiers for the fight ahead.
15:06The Victory then engaged the French flagship.
15:08It was during this fierce battle that Nelson was wounded by a French sharpshooter,
15:12but this leadership and tactical brilliance had already secured a decisive victory for Britain.
15:17The Battle of Trafalgar ended with the destruction or capture of 22 enemy ships
15:22without the loss of a single British vessel,
15:24enshrining Nelson's legacy and the Victory's place in history.
15:28Today, the HMS Victory is the world's oldest naval ship still in commission,
15:32and it's the flagship of the first sea lord.
15:35She is preserved as a museum ship, with the deck, guns, and cabin still all meticulously maintained,
15:41providing an authentic experience of naval history.
15:45Moving on to number seven, the H.L. Hunley.
15:48The H.L. Hunley was a Confederate submarine during the American Civil War
15:53and holds the title of being the first combat submarine to successfully sink an enemy ship.
15:58Constructed in 1863 and named after the man who founded the project,
16:02this was a major technological advancement in naval warfare,
16:05despite her small size and basic design.
16:08The Hunley measured around 40 feet long and was powered by a crew of eight men,
16:12who had to manually turn a hand-cranked propeller.
16:15Her hull, which was built from wrought iron, was designed to be streamlined for underwater travel,
16:20but this left the interior extremely cramped and challenging.
16:24The submarine had ballast tanks that could be flooded to submerge and then pumped out to surface,
16:28but the process required precise handling and coordination from her crew.
16:33After a series of trials and modifications,
16:35her first mission was to break the Union blockade of Confederate ports,
16:38which was stalling in the South's war efforts.
16:41The submarine's main weapon was a spar torpedo,
16:43which was a copper cylinder filled with black powder that was then mounted on a long pole attached to the bow.
16:49The plan was for the Hunley to ram the torpedo into the enemy ship's hull
16:53and then retreat to a safe distance before detonation.
16:56On the night of February 17th, 1864, the H.L. Hunley embarked on her most famous mission.
17:02Commanded by Lieutenant George E. Dixon,
17:05the submarine set out to attack the USS Housatonic, a Union sloop of war anchored off Charleston.
17:11The Hunley successfully approached the Housatonic undetected
17:14and drove the spar torpedo into the ship's hull.
17:17The explosion sank the Housatonic in minutes,
17:19but this also damaged the Hunley, which was also lost.
17:22The disappearance of the submarine remained a mystery for over a century,
17:26and it was only in 1995 that it was located by a team of underwater archaeologists.
17:31She was found buried in the silt off the coast of Charleston,
17:34and recovery efforts began in the year 2000.
17:38Number 6. The HMS Hood
17:40The HMS Hood was one of the most renowned warships of the Royal Navy,
17:44and it was the height of naval engineering when she was built.
17:47Launched on August 22nd, 1918, at John Brown & Company Shipyard in Clydebank, Scotland,
17:53she was the largest warship in the world for two decades,
17:56measuring 860 feet or 262 meters in length, making her an imposing presence on the seas.
18:04She was armed with eight 15-inch guns mounted in four twin turrets, which gave her huge firepower.
18:10Her secondary armament included twelve 5.5-inch guns and several anti-aircraft guns,
18:15and was also capable of reaching speeds of 32 knots,
18:18which was impressive for a ship of her size and class.
18:22Throughout the interwar period, the HMS Hood served as the flagship of the Royal Navy's battlecruiser squadron.
18:28She undertook numerous missions, showing the flag around the world and participating in various naval exercises.
18:34Her presence at international events and naval reviews boosted British diplomatic efforts
18:39and demonstrated naval strength.
18:41The most important part of HMS Hood's history happened during World War II.
18:45In May 1941, Hood, alongside the newly commissioned battleship HMS Prince of Wales,
18:50was dispatched to intercept the German battleship Bismarck and the heavy cruiser Prince Eugen,
18:55which were attempting to break out into the North Atlantic to disrupt Allied shipping.
19:00On May 24th, 1941, the two British ships engaged the German vessels in the Battle of the Denmark Strait,
19:06and after one of the Bismarck's shells struck her, an explosion happened that split her in half.
19:11In catastrophic style, what was once the most powerful ship in the world
19:15had been destroyed by the new contender for the crown.
19:195. The SS Great Britain
19:22The SS Great Britain was launched on July 19th, 1843, and was by far the largest vessel afloat at the time.
19:30Built at the Bristol Dockyard in England, the SS Great Britain was a marvel of modern technology
19:35and often regarded as the predecessor of modern ocean liners.
19:39It was the first large iron-hulled ship powered by a screw propeller,
19:43which was a significant achievement over traditional paddle wheels that had previously been used.
19:48Her iron hull made her more robust and durable than her wooden counterparts,
19:52allowing for a larger size and greater strength.
19:55Measuring 322 feet or 98 meters in length, her innovative design included a balanced rudder
20:01and a screw propeller, which provided greater efficiency and maneuverability.
20:05Another major feature of the Great Britain was her engine,
20:08a 1,000 horsepower steam engine driving a single screw propeller.
20:12This combination of steam power and screw propeller allowed her to achieve speeds of up to 12 knots,
20:17making her one of the fastest ships of her era.
20:20She was originally designed to carry passengers and cargo between Britain and North America,
20:25and her maiden voyage in 1845 was a significant event,
20:28showing the potential of iron-hulled steam-powered ships.
20:32She could accommodate 360 passengers in luxurious accommodations,
20:36with facilities including dining saloons, promenade decks, and comfortable cabins,
20:40setting new standards for transatlantic travel.
20:43After nearly two decades of service, the SS Great Britain was converted into a cargo ship,
20:48and she continued to sail the world's oceans until 1886,
20:51when she was damaged in a storm and deemed beyond repair.
20:55She was then scuttled in the Falkland Islands, where she remained for nearly a century,
20:59gradually decaying.
21:01In the 1970s, an effort to save the SS Great Britain began,
21:05which saw her refloated and towed back to Bristol,
21:07her original birthplace after more than 80 years of abandonment.
21:11Today, she's permanently docked at the Great Western Dockyard in Bristol,
21:15where visitors can explore her decks, cabins, and engine room.
21:19Number 4. The DSV Alvin
21:21The Deep Submergence Vehicle Alvin is a manned submersible
21:25that has completely changed the concept of marine science and underwater exploration.
21:30It was commissioned by the United States Navy in 1964
21:33and operated by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.
21:36Alvin has played a crucial role in advancing our understanding
21:39of the depths of the oceans and the diverse lifeforms that inhabit there.
21:43Alvin was designed to dive to great depths and withstand the intense pressure of the ocean,
21:48allowing scientists to explore areas that were previously inaccessible.
21:52The submersible is 23 feet or 7 meters long and can carry a crew of three,
21:57one pilot and two observers.
21:59It's constructed from titanium and steel,
22:02which provide the strength needed to endure the crushing pressures found at those depths,
22:06and is capable of reaching a depth of over 21,325 feet or over 6,500 meters,
22:13making it one of the deepest diving submersibles in the world.
22:16In 1977, during an expedition to the Galapagos Rift,
22:20scientists aboard Alvin made a groundbreaking discovery,
22:23hydrothermal vents and the unique ecosystem that surround them.
22:26This revolutionized our understanding of life on Earth
22:29by revealing that ecosystems could thrive without sunlight,
22:33which had profound implications for the study of biology, ecology,
22:37and the potential of life on other planets.
22:39In 1986, Alvin was used to explore the wreck of the RMS Titanic,
22:43located more than 12,000 feet or 3,600 meters down,
22:47with the submersible's lights and cameras providing the first detailed images
22:51of the Titanic since its sinking in 1912.
22:54Throughout its career, Alvin has undergone numerous upgrades
22:57and refurbishments to enhance its capabilities.
23:00In the 2000s, Alvin received a significant upgrade
23:02that included a new titanium sphere,
23:04allowing for deeper dives and improved scientific instrumentation.
23:08These enhancements have enabled Alvin to continue making discoveries
23:11and contributing to our knowledge of the ocean,
23:14and it remains in service to this day.
23:20The USS Enterprise, CV-6,
23:23one of the most decorated ships in the history of the United States Navy,
23:26played a vital role in the Pacific theater during World War II.
23:30Commissioned on May 12, 1938,
23:32the Enterprise was the seventh U.S. Navy vessel to bear the name,
23:36and as a Yorktown-class aircraft carrier,
23:39she was a symbol of the American naval power.
23:42Nicknamed Big E, Enterprise was 824 feet or 251 meters long
23:47and was capable of carrying around 90 aircraft,
23:50including fighters, dive bombers, and torpedo bombers.
23:53Powered by four steam turbines,
23:55the Enterprise could reach speeds of up to 33 knots,
23:57making her fast and powerful.
24:00She was stationed at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.
24:03Fortunately, she was at sea,
24:05returning from Wake Island and escaped the initial attack.
24:08But her aircraft, however,
24:10were able to engage the Japanese planes attacking the harbor,
24:13marking her first involvement in World War II.
24:16One of her most important contributions
24:18would come during the Battle of Midway in June of 1942.
24:22As a part of Task Force 16,
24:24she played a critical role in the American victory,
24:27which turned the tide of the war in the Pacific.
24:29The Enterprise's air groups were instrumental
24:31in sinking four Japanese aircraft carriers,
24:34a victory that dealt a devastating blow
24:36to the Imperial Japanese Navy
24:38and shifted the balance of naval power in the Pacific.
24:41The Enterprise earned a total of 20 battle stars,
24:44more than any other U.S. warship in World War II.
24:47She was also awarded the Presidential Unit Citation
24:50and the Navy Unit Commendation
24:52for her extraordinary heroism and performance.
24:55Her pilots and crew members received
24:57numerous individual decorations, too,
24:59for their bravery and service.
25:01After the war, Enterprise was decommissioned in 1947.
25:04Despite efforts to preserve her as a museum ship,
25:07the financial cost was prohibitive,
25:09and she was ultimately sold for scrap in 1958.
25:132. The SS Savannah
25:16The SS Savannah holds an important place in maritime history
25:19as the first steamship to cross the Atlantic Ocean.
25:22Launched in 1818, it was technically a hybrid steamship,
25:26combining the traditional sailing rig with a steam engine,
25:29and it was this innovative approach
25:31that was revolutionary at the time.
25:33She was built in New York by the shipbuilding firm
25:35Thicket & Crocker under the direction
25:37of shipbuilder William Scarborough.
25:39The ship measured 98 feet, or 30 meters, long,
25:42but what truly set her apart was the steam engine
25:45designed by the engineer Daniel Dodd.
25:47This engine powered a single paddle wheel,
25:49which could be retracted when the ship was under sail,
25:52and the idea was to use steam power
25:54only when the wind was insufficient,
25:56ensuring a more reliable and consistent voyage.
25:59On May 22, 1819, the Savannah began its historic voyage
26:03from Savannah, Georgia, to Liverpool, England.
26:06The journey took 29 days,
26:08during which the ship alternated between steam and sail power.
26:11The paddle wheel was used for only about 90 hours
26:14during the crossing, due to the limitations
26:16of the early steam technology.
26:18Nevertheless, the successful completion of the voyage
26:20demonstrated the potential of steam-powered ocean travel.
26:24Despite this achievement, though,
26:25the SS Savannah was not commercially successful.
26:28The combination of high operational costs,
26:30limited cargo space, and the unreliability
26:32of early steam engines made it impractical
26:35for regular transatlantic service.
26:37Unfortunately, in 1821, the ship was wrecked
26:40off Long Island, bringing an end
26:42to its short but historical career.
26:44The legacy of the SS Savannah, however, lived on.
26:47It paved the way for the future advancements
26:49in steamship technology.
26:51By the mid-19th century, though,
26:52steamships had become the dominant mode
26:54of transatlantic travel,
26:56thanks to improvement in engine efficiency.
26:58The Savannah's groundbreaking voyage
27:00demonstrated the potential of steam power,
27:02and it inspired a generation of shipbuilders and engineers
27:06to continue developing and refining steam propulsion.
27:101. RV Calypso
27:13The RV Calypso was originally built
27:15as a British minesweeper during the Second World War,
27:18but would go on to become synonymous
27:20with oceanic research,
27:22thanks to an unexpected repurposing later on in life.
27:25Constructed in Seattle, Washington in 1942,
27:28the ship was initially known as the HMS J826.
27:32After serving in the Royal Navy,
27:34she was decommissioned and eventually sold
27:36to a Maltese businessman.
27:38In 1950, though, Jacques Cousteau,
27:40already gaining fame for his underwater explorations
27:43and inventions like the Aqualung,
27:45leased the ship for a symbolic one franc per year
27:48and transformed it into an oceanographic vessel.
27:51He renamed it the Calypso
27:53after a sea nymph from Greek mythology
27:55and embarked on a mission to bring
27:57oceanic research to the world.
27:59The Calypso was outfitted with a variety
28:01of specialized equipment to facilitate this.
28:03It included a large, specially designed observation chamber
28:07known as the Bubble,
28:08which allowed researchers to observe marine life up close.
28:11The ship was also equipped with a range
28:13of diving and submersible equipment,
28:15enabling Cousteau and his team to conduct
28:17groundbreaking underwater filming and scientific research,
28:20along with a helicopter pad and a miniature submarine,
28:23expanding its capabilities.
28:25Throughout the 1950s and beyond,
28:27the RV Calypso went on countless expeditions,
28:30contributing to our understanding of marine biology,
28:33geology, and ecology.
28:35Its journeys weren't, though, just about scientific discovery,
28:38as they also played a crucial role
28:40in raising awareness about marine conservation.
28:43Cousteau's films and television series
28:45brought the beauty and complexity of the underwater world
28:48into living rooms worldwide,
28:50and it highlighted the threats facing marine environments,
28:53such as pollution and overfishing,
28:55long before such issues were widely recognized.
28:58In 1996, the Calypso was severely damaged
29:01in a collision with a barge in Singapore,
29:04and since then, it's been the subject
29:06of numerous restoration efforts.
29:08After years of legal and financial hurdles, though,
29:10the Cousteau Society announced in 2016
29:13that the ship would be fully restored
29:15to continue its mission of education and conservation.
29:18But after a fire in 2017,
29:20it's unclear whether this will ever happen.
29:23Thanks for watching, everyone.
29:25I'll see you next time.
29:27Thank you to our channel members.