Monday, 10 January 2011

Raise the Titanic



The 'Maid', the floating pontoon jetty at Streethay Wharf was a victim to the ice a couple of weeks ago, subsiding slowly to the bottom after the four inch thick sheet pierced its hull. An attempt to pump it out only saw it sink completely.
Today, with the ice now gone, was Raise the Titanic day. The massive eight wheeler crane extended its jib out over the water and lowered a cluster of chains down to hook onto the few extremities of deck that were still showing.
Then it pulled. And peeled the deck back like the lid of a sardine can while the hull sat determinedly on the bottom.
Take Two. The chains were re-attached to the cross braces now revealed by the inadvertent can-opening. And finally up came the Maid to rest propped half out of the water and await more pumping and then an even larger crane to drag it completely out for repair.
Lew Grade couldn't have done it better.Here's the Maid prior to the sinking with a very handsome boat tied up

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