I wonder how many people who have been following the ill-fated journey of the Titan submersible’s visit to the Titanic wreck site were curious an elite club a couple of on board men were, apparently, part of: The Explorers Club.
The club is described as an an American-based international multidisciplinary professional society with the goal of promoting scientific exploration and field study.
It was founded in New York City in 1904, and has since served as a meeting point for explorers and scientists worldwide.
Pre 1981, the Club’s membership was exclusively male. Since then, it has more than 800 women as part of its ranks.
At least a couple of the men aboard the Titan submersible (that we now know imploded in the murky ocean depths) were members too.
I imagine, given the nature of what the Club’s members set out to do – from launching themselves into space, plunging into the world’s deepest waters, and traversing the most dangerous peaks and troughs around the planet (and beyond) – members may occasionally come and go due to unfortunate exploration-related circumstances, but few decreases of the Club’s membership have been as widely reported as the plight of those on board the Titan.
When you dig into the history of the club, it has an incredibly impressive alumni. Unfortunately, though, what constituted exploring back in its earliest days when Rudolph Valentino and American Presidents were part of its membership ranks, it also accrued a disturbing number of taxidermied wildlife – brought back as souvenirs from various explorations.
The line between what we should destroy to understand better is a fine one.
I’m not sure what the scientific purpose of this particular trip to Titanic was. In news reports, the journey has been billed as a tourism expedition more than anything.
Lives have been lost and that’s sad for everyone involved.
But it will not stop future generations of Explorers from swelling the club’s ranks to replace the ones that leave for ever – no matter how risky (or short) lifetime membership to The Explorers Club turns out to be.
Do you consider yourself a risk-taking explorer? If you had the funds, would you take the plunge to see the wreck of the Titanic? Do you admire any specific explorer? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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