The sea is an immensely useful source of water transport where ships of all types sail across the globe, transporting different types of cargoes from one place to the other, or even passenger ships which are for leisure purposes. Yet sometimes it so happens that some unfortunate vessel sinks in the ocean for some reason or the other. Underwater ship wrecks may seem scary but it is just one of the job hazards for professional mariners. Today in this article we will try to discuss if it is practical to find sunken ships from the depths of the oceans.
Why Ships Sink?
The reason for ship sinking can be anything from a technical error to the weather at the sea. People know about some famous ships which sank and Titanic is one of such names which is not easy to forget. It was a huge ship that sank on its first trip itself. There are many more ships like this that have gone into the sea.
The maximum cases of ships sinking are in Marina trench and in the Bermuda triangle. Many experts have spent years in search of the sunken ships. There are stories about these ships that are quite amazing.
Days of the Yore
In the olden days kings and queens would transport a lot of gold and other valuables using the ships. When a ship would sink there would be a huge financial loss too apart from the lives lost. The historians have a huge number of ships in the list that drowned. They will not be able to say the exact location where the ship drowned but they can definitely tell what valuables the ship was carrying when it sunk.
Considering these stories many experts have tried to locate these sunken ships and their underwater wrecks in the hope of finding the treasure that they carried.
In the earlier days in the absence of ultra modern technology on ships like the radar, GPS, communication gear, computers and similar stuff, it was very difficult to pin point the exact location at which a ship might have sunk.
She can get drifted away if the winds are strong. If the ship was a war ship and it was a battle that leads to it sinking then due to the bombarding it is possible that the ship was broken into many small pieces and it may be impossible to tell where the ship would actually be. In the olden days the ships were made of wood mostly. Wood decomposes in water as a result it is not possible to find very old ships in the sea.
Sunken Treasure
Sunken Yatch
There is no accurate figure on how many ships might have sunk since the time man starting sailing in the oceans, but given the fact that in the earlier days many pirate ships also could have sunk, if the treasure hunters find a pirate ship then they may come across a huge stock of gold or similar valuables.
The topic of is it practical to find sunk ships interests two type of people one is the treasure hunters that we have discussed and the other are marine historians and archaeologists. They spend their lives in search of these ships.
Many divers across the world look for sunken ships just for passion. The story of treasure sounds fascinating but it is not easy to locate a sunken ship that was loaded with gold. As these treasures have been inside water for years they will be covered with a thick coat of rust and dirt that would make it difficult to even recognise them. The sunken ships are homes to marine lives. If we try to disturb them it can be dangerous for us. The government of the countries have strict rules made for any treasure that is found under the ocean. If any treasure is found it has to be reported else the activity will be illegal.
When the ship is underwater for years it is impossible to bring to back to the surface. Will all the modern technology that we have available with us today we can only study the ship. There is no way that we can bring it back to the surface. Even if you do the cost will be so huge that it would not justify resurfacing the same.
This is exactly why most of the ships are lying under the water of the sea and this is how they should be. Unless there is an environmental hazard because of the ship it is not touched. For example if the ship sunk with some substance that can be a hazard to the marine life it should be removed. Although it is not particle to salvage a ship all the time there is an exception. The ship named vasa was found in the Baltic Sea. It was in a perfect condition as the sea has a low temperature. It is the oldest ship that has been well preserved in a museum.
Deliberate Sinking
You may be surprised to know that in many parts of the world today ships are sunk deliberately. This is because a shipwreck can be a good place for marine life to thrive. As a result it will attract tourists. Many adventure lovers would like to scuba dive in order to see a ship that has sunken years back. Only experts would know if the ship is a historic one or it was just placed to attract tourists.
Well maybe if you see a ship like this you can say that it is practical to find sunken ships. Titanic still continues to remain one of the most famous ships that sunk. The point where it sunk is found. On completion of fifty years of Titanic sinking the family members of the victims were taken to the spot to pay tribute to the people who lost their lives.
Ship Under Water
We hope that we have been able to give a good idea to our readers about the topic of is it practical to find sunk ships. When a ship sinks it takes with it a lot of lives and secrets that perhaps no one will ever know. However, the ships should be allowed to rest in their watery graves. There is no point using the most complicated technology to find a ship that perhaps will not serve any practical purpose.
Underwater Ship Wrecks: Is It Practical To Find Sunken Ships?,
