If Titanic Had Turned Back: The Hilarious and Deadly Scenario

Imagine if HMS Titanic had turned back just before hitting the iceberg. Could such a maneuver have been possible, or would it have ended in disaster? Let's explore the lunacy and the gravity of such an event.

A Turn Back: Captain's Perspective

The situation would have been a headache for Captain Smith. Imagine his panicked intercom message to the crew:

"From backward, Awww... fuck.. I didn't see that massive iceberg behind us, Captain Smith..."

With experience and adaptation, Captain Smith would likely have ordered a sharp turn back. However, the reality is far more complicated.

The Impossibility of a Sharp Turn

How on earth could he turn such a large ship in such a short distance, much less find and tie up alongside an iceberg? This maneuver would require coordinates and navigation finesse that would be nearly impossible given the conditions:

The ship would need to navigate a few miles to get back to the iceberg. After locating the iceberg, the crew would need to construct gangways to enable the thousands of passengers to safely move to the steeply sloping iceberg's surface. The ship would be tilting steadily, making the operation even more dangerous and complex.

Believe me, it does not sound like a great idea.

Delay and Realization

The realization of the severity of the situation would have taken time. The captain was on the bridge almost immediately. Mr. Ismay, the director of the line, was summoned shortly after, possibly seeing or hearing something unusual from his luxurious cabin. Mr. Andrews, the designer and ships carpenter, along with the mail room employees, were also called in. According to logs, the water in the mail room was reported to the carpenter, who then conducted a preliminary inspection.

Engineers would report to the bridge or their chief after the watertight doors came down, which might take at least ten minutes, and possibly more detailed inspections could take twenty minutes.

This leads to the critical task of summoning the sleepers and uncovering the boats, a process that would have taken time. The crew seemed unprepared, with lifeboats inadequately provisioned with food, lanterns, fresh water, and flares. The first boats had passengers on board, but they were underloaded. Passengers were not even notified to dress for warmth or in appropriate footwear.

The Deadly Operation

Even if the ship managed to turn back, the odds of getting people onto the iceberg, which they could not see, were slim. Some boats rowed towards a light, assumed to come from a nearby ship, but they could not reach it. The real problem lay in the practicalities of the operation:

The passengers would have to climb onto the icy surface. Many would likely slip and fall into the water. The ship would continue to sink, increasing the difficulty.

The traveling Titanic exhibition from RMS Titanic Inc came to Toronto after the discovery and salvaging of the wreck. Among the exhibits was a six-foot refrigerated block of ice and a clock. One of the exhibits had signage instructing visitors to place their hand on the ice and count the seconds they could keep it there. I am a pampered person, and I lasted 8 seconds. This gives an idea of how challenging it would have been for any passenger to stand on a drifting iceberg, much less hold on to it for half an hour, as the water would have continued to rise, making the situation more dire.

In conclusion, the idea of Titanic turning back and the passengers climbing onto the iceberg is a fascinating hypothetical, but it quickly descends into the terrifyingly ridiculous. The mistress was out of sight by the time the ship stopped, reversed, and moved again. The crew faced numerous challenges, and the situation only worsened.