James Cameron Now at Ocean's Deepest Point
Explorer-filmmaker reaches Mariana Trench on deepest ever solo sub dive.
A shipboard crane lowers Cameron's sub into the Pacific around 2 a.m. Monday, local time.
Photograph by Mark Thiessen, National Geographic.
Last month, the filmmaker James Cameron (Titanic, Avatar) took a trip to the deepest part of the ocean - the Mariana Trench. He was the first human to reach the 6.8-mile-deep (11-kilometer-deep) undersea valley solo. Previously, in 1960, two men (Jacques Piccard and Lieutenant Don Walsh) descended to the bottom in the Trieste.
For the story of this dive, see Man’s Deepest Dive.
For more on what he did and where he went see James Cameron Completes Record-Breaking Mariana Trench Dive.
While thousands of climbers have successfully scaled Mount Everest, the highest point on Earth, only two people have descended to the planet’s deepest point, the Challenger Deep in the Pacific Ocean’s Mariana Trench. Read about the The Mariana Trench.
Map courtesy National Geographic Maps East of the Mariana Islands is the deepest gash on the planet's surface, the Mariana Trench (shown here in dark blue), which formed where the Pacific Ocean collides and dives under the Philippine Plate. The Challenger Deep is near the southern end.
26 comments:
I feel it's a bit odd that a film director is the first to see the deepest part of the ocean, but it's a great step for man regardless. Also, I was surprised to read that their vehicles were fueled by gasoline. I just can't see how going so deep underwater could ever be made safe in the first place, but putting gasoline under so much pressure should cause a problem, shouldn't it? Apparently not. But then again, what else could they use as fuel?
Julie Lisak
I agree with the comment before me. I felt it odd that a filmmaker who has nothing to do with studying the ocean was one of the first people to go to the farthest point below the ocean. I would have thought an individual who was more involved in oceanic studies would have been the first one to go to this level. I thought it was interesting though that we are able to reach that far into the ocean using the technology we have today.
Britini Irwin
It is amazing how we still have so much of the ocean to explore. There is still so much we do not know, and technology will help us in the pursuit of knowledge. It will be exciting to see the changes in our understanding of the world that will come from new technology.
Carley Pfleger
Wow! I didn't even though that we hadn't even reached the deepest point of the ocean yet and yes, it is strange how a filmmaker is the first to accomplish this. I would have easily thought someone who had been studying the ocean for a long time would have done this awhile ago, but it just shows how far we are coming with our technology and how we are still learning so much about Earth each day.
It is so interesting that with our advanced technology we are able to explore and do things that years ago it would be impossible to do. I am confused why a film director made it that far and not somebody who studies the ocean but it was a great risk taken and he must be very proud for accomplishing something so terrific. Its amazing how the vehicle was fueled by gasoline and made it that far down into the ocean.
Nicole Weinberg
ESCI 111
I feel that this type of accomplishment should be more well known, as it is a big deal, I think. It is exciting that this kind of milestone was reached and I think it will help us on our quest to find out more about the Earth. It is great to know that this director had the drive to reach that point at the bottom of the ocean, but there is always more to discover.
Hannah Peters
Esci 111
That's pretty ironic that James Cameron is now the record holder for going the deepest in the trench, seeing that he made the movie Titanic. Kind of funny also. Congrats to him though.
-Victor McIntosh
I agree with most of the comments written above me. I can't believe that he is the first human to reach 6.8 mile-deep undersea that is crazy. I am not positive on how deep the ocean floor can go but, I feel as though 6.8 miles is nothing. With the technology we have today we should be able to come up with something that helps us explore deeper into the ocean.
Sarah Doggendorf
I can believe the director James Cameron would be the first person to reach the deepest part of the ocean due to his movie based on events of the Titanic. It's also interesting how much of the ocean floor we still have to discover!
J.D. Wynn
Really amazing how that little submarine took so much water pressure.
-Tyler Renfro
I also found it strange that a filmmaker was the first to break this. In the a few comments before me, I also think that 6.8 miles is nothing. We see how we travel all the way out into space and what not but we are just now digging 6.8 miles into the ocean, just amazing.
-Jacob Wood
I also feel like this exploration should of been a bigger deal to people. Without seeing it on the blog I more than likely would have never known it occured. it's crazy with how many scientits and explorers we have today that a flimaker was the one to dive deep into the ocean, but congrats to him! It doesnt suprise me with technology today that we were able to dive 6.8 miles deep. I think it would be very interesting to see what its like down in the deep dark waters. Its always a curiosity of mine being that its so mysterious and unknown!
-Kierstyn Bone
Start by saying Congrats to James Cameron for his advancing journey! I loved looking at the pic of the lime green sub! That is amazing how a grown man would be able to spend such time, with little space in there for this kind of research! But I suppose with as much training and preparation it took that it might have not been such a problem. I think that it was cool to see that Cameron was gathering specimens from the ocean floor and other samples! I would like to know the outcome of the results! I feel there is so much to learn about the Ocean and Earth let alone. It was also a very cool story of Piccard and Walsh's story too! Shame though Piccard could not have been there with the other two to share the joy. Great story.
Melissa McKenney
ESC1 111
I had another teacher talk about this in class today actually. I find it very interesting that this kind of discovery is going on, and I can definitely see James Cameron doing it since he was so interested in the Titanic. When I was younger, I was very interested in the Titanic, especially the pictures after it had been sunk. The ocean floor is just amazing to me, I would love to see more about the Mariana Trench.
--Shay Smith
ESCI 111
I like how people are trying to go to new depths. I like that people are not only trying to go as high as they can, for example Mt. Everest or the moon, but they are trying to go to the depths of the ocean. I do find it a little odd that a director was the first to go down. I would understand more if he did this before making the movie Titanic but I feel like that a scientist should be the one to go that deep. I've always wondered what is at the depths of the ocean and I feel like scientists and technology are making that possible. I can't wait to see what the future holds.
Laura Doherty
I forgot James Cameron was the director of Titanic. That makes it even more interesting to me. I remember watching footage of him and his crew diving into the sea during the filming of this movie to try and explore the remains of the titanic. I can't remember if they were able to find anything then though.
Britini Irwin
It's amazing to me the advances we've made to be able to go down that far and explore within such pressures. Its also amazing with all the technological advances we've made how far we still have to come in our underwater explorations. I personally have diving in a sub to the deep to see the Titanic on my bucket list. Not only would that be amazing, it would make me just one of a very few that have experienced such an amazing thing.
Michael Stephens
I feel as many of the others do, that it is odd James Cameron was the first to explore this deep ocean trench. You would think more people would have wanted to explore this before a movie director. Although it is pretty ironic since he did make the movie titanic. But congrats to Cameron for being the first to explore it.
Devin Caldwell
In my opinion, you are all free to disagree -- but, this "little" trip makes up for all of his awful movies. This is a great advance for further exploration of the ocean. I can't believe it was a director who did this. Impressive. 6.8-miles-deep... I could only imagine the "things" living down there...
Adam Reid
I think it's really amazing how this average man who makes films, was the first to go down that far in the ocean. However, I find it odd that no one else has ever made it that far, considering there are people who actually do that for a living. I think it's a really great accomplishment, but I would like to know where he got the ability to do something that an expert on this hasn't even done yet.
Brooke Hover
I think its amazing the they are sending a film director down to the deepest part of the ocean rather then a scientist. It's amazing no matter who goes down there, but I feel like they should be sending scientists down instead. It would be interesting to see what information they find from explorations down there.
~Tarah Kohler
I think he made this trip under the sea for his new movie (go figure). Supposedly when the next Avatar comes out Cameron wants it to take place in the oceans of Pandora (which is the alien planet in the movie 'Avatar'). Last I read I think the movie plans on coming to theater in 2014 so he has plenty of time to make more trips to the ocean and draw from inspiration in our own ocean to make a completely different world's imaginary ocean. If it is anything like what the planet looked in the first movie I can't wait!!
Nathan Pierce
ESCI111
This was probably one of the coolest things i have read. I got really into it as the divers were going down...i felt like i was part of it. It was interesting reading what they were feeling and seeing. I don't think i would be able to do what those men did, but it is so amazing that a craft was able to be built to go that deep with two men on board and able to keep contact with a telephone. It would have been pretty awesome too if they were able to record all of that so a video could be made to show students and other people about the Mariana Trench.
Angela Borisuk
The fact is that there is much more water than land on earth. With new technological advances like these it will be interesting to see what is actually down there and what new ifeforms we will be able to study.
- Andrew Hagan
I keep noticing comments about how it is "odd" that a film maker would be the first to go to the deepest part of the earth, but if you knew about who James Cameron is, you'd know that although his profession is film making, he has used that fame and fortune to pursue his passion-exploring the deep. His recent documentary about Titanic really showed who he is a person. He even stated that between making the movie and exploring the Titanic, he'd much rather explore the ship.
I agree with the comment posted my michaelstephens77. James Cameron has the means to explore the ocean and the interest. Why would it be odd for him to do so? It's not his fault that only two other men have. If I could, I would, too. James Cameron is an incredible director (needless to say) and it's nice to know that he has legitimate interest in the ocean because it makes the Titanic that much more special to him.
Jennifer White
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