Woehoew, she can be salvaged!

[EnsignYoshi]

In 1897 a belgian ship named the Belgica departed from antwerp on a belgian exploration mission to Antarctica. Leader of the mission was Adrien de Gerlache. The ship reached antarctica and got stuck in the ice and had to spend the winter there. Gerlache and his crew were the first human beings ever to spend the winter on the antarctic continent. They mapped some areas and collected scientific information. Some places on antarctica still carry today the name given to them by the Belgica crew. A large part of the crew made it back home alive.

The vessel was seized for allied purposes in WWII and used as a depot, untill a german bomb missed it and sank in front of the norwegian coast.
3 years ago they found the wreckage and said it to be unsalvagable. Now today came the news that a belgian divers team inspected the ship and that's she's in well enough condition to be salvaged, brought op in one piece and transported to belgium. They hope to put this "legendary" ship into a museum.

Currently they are looking for funds. 1,5 million euros. I hope they can get the money together and get the job done within 2 years, cause the team fears after 2 years the vessel will be insalvagable.

I remember reading a book when I was in school about the belgica mission, it has always fascinated me. It would be great to see the ship with my own eyes.

 

[John Picard]

Very cool. I'd love to see pictures of the wreck, as she currently lays.

 

[trekkiedane]

Indeed: cool

I'll be looking forward to the Discovery Channel-special about this

 

[EnsignYoshi]

I managed to make some screengrabs from the video on the news site
(you can watch it here in dutch if you like www.vrtnieuws.net , then you click "video zone", followed by clicking on "programma's", then "Het Journaal" (after today you use the date 17/02/2009) you scroll all the way down in the list with vids and click on "duikers beoordelen de staat van de belgica")

This is how the ship appears today:

It's actually quite coincidental that this should just coincide with the opening of the new pole station by belgium on antarctica.

For the interested flemish readers here: later tonight on the talkshow "Phara" on the channel "Canvas", one of the divers will come and talk more about the ship.

 

[Scout101]

interesting from a history standpoint, but seeing the images of the current situation, I'm not sure it's worth the money. 1.5 million Euros to bring to the surface, how many million more to repair it to a condition worth seeing? You'd pretty much be building it from scratch anyway.

I'd lean more towards the camp of bringing up any historical artifacts that may be there, and letting the bones of the old ship rest in peace.

 

[EnsignYoshi]

apparently there is no intention to restore it to it's former glory, just display the remains in it's current condition. So the price would stand at 1,5 million euros (plus conservation probably). I myself am willing to donate money (and I'm wondering if they'll be opening an account for this). I can understand your point of view. But to belgium, this is for a lot of people (I can't speak for all) a maritime monument and part of our history. We pay millions for the restoration of churches, historic buildings, little chappels,... why not pay for an important piece of our history.

also, a museum could generate tourism and revenue so it might earn the money back

 

[AdAstra]

Actually, they're not planning on restoring it. They just want to exhibit it "as is".

And why not? 1.5 million euros is peanuts compared to other "prestige" projects. This is part of our history, it deserves to be recognised as such.

 

[Timby]

The documentary "In the Wake of the Belgica" is a pretty neat look at the ship.

 

[Scout101]

I guess I just don't get it. If it's that important, why not restore it? if it's NOT that important, why not photograph the shit out of it and let it be?

Seeing it in semi-recognizable condition is one thing, but seeing a rotten pile of old planks encrusted with sealife doesn't do much for me, even if the pile of wood used to belong to an important structure.

If it's not going to be restored, maybe just raising a smaller portion of it makes sense? maybe there's a part of it that's less damaged than other parts, so it could be seen as representing the rest (i.e. the bow section)

 

[Captain X]

Why not build a replica ship like they have of the Mayflower and the Godspeed over here?

 

[John Picard]

I guess I just don't get it. If it's that important, why not restore it? if it's NOT that important, why not photograph the shit out of it and let it be?

Seeing it in semi-recognizable condition is one thing, but seeing a rotten pile of old planks encrusted with sealife doesn't do much for me, even if the pile of wood used to belong to an important structure.

If it's not going to be restored, maybe just raising a smaller portion of it makes sense? maybe there's a part of it that's less damaged than other parts, so it could be seen as representing the rest (i.e. the bow section)

Sometimes, it's just better to leave it in the condition it's in, like anything else antique. For example: take a piece of American Colonial Era furniture, sand it, add lacquer, and BAM, you just destroyed the value.

I'm no expert, but I don't see how on earth she could be raised without crumbling.

 

[Scout101]

Well, they're not trying to resell it, so fixing it up would be fine, if there's anything left TO fix up (which I doubt). It's only value is sentimental or educational at this point, but leaving it at a rotting pile of oddly-shaped wood doesn't do much to justify the expense (plus the ongoing expense to keep it in THAT condition).

Honestly, best thing I can think of is to make a REPLICA, like mentioned above. You then have pieces of the original ship stored nearby, with recognizable pieces being on display. Lets you visit the old girl both in spirit and in actuality.

As-is, it doesn't appear worth the expense to bring up. Nothing left of it but a crumbling outline.

 

[EnsignYoshi]

guess I just don't get it. If it's that important, why not restore it? if it's NOT that important, why not photograph the shit out of it and let it be?

Seeing it in semi-recognizable condition is one thing, but seeing a rotten pile of old planks encrusted with sealife doesn't do much for me, even if the pile of wood used to belong to an important structure.

If it's not going to be restored, maybe just raising a smaller portion of it makes sense? maybe there's a part of it that's less damaged than other parts, so it could be seen as representing the rest (i.e. the bow section)

It is that important, I was hoping it would be restored as well, but I have no idea what they are thinking in this area. Maybe it is as John Picard states, that restoring it would damage it even more. Perhaps they want to get it here first, so it's safe out of the waters, and it can be conserved and later on think about restoring it.

I'm looking for an american equivalent to compare it with... I can't think of any at the moment but a part of history is still better then no history. For belgium this ship is a big deal . also look at the cutty sark in london, 50% of the ship burned, yet millions tossed at it to restore it again. The antwerp cathedral restoration is 40 million euros if I'm not mistaken. 1,5 million euros are peanuts in that regard. Also many viking ships are basically nothing more then a pile of wood, yet they are proudly shown in musea.

Captain X: If I'm not mistaken, when the ship was first deemed unsalvagale, they took the anker, an some other loose objects, and started construction on a copy, which is still in progress if I'm not mistaken.

Also notice that ships under the sea, can look a whole lot different above sea. Appearances can be deceiving. Divers said the wood was solid and in good condition. Perhaps they will remake the basic shape using the original materials. Also it being covered in seaplants might give off a false impression. A broken greek statue can be glued into a statue, a dinosaur skeleton can be reconstructed, pieces of wood can be put together again using the original building plans...

 

[John Picard]

^^ In my VW hobby, some guys were asking astronomical prices for total turds. It got to the point where one guy on the website photographed a pile of rust and advertised it as a "restorable 23-window Bus" with a $12,000 price tag.

 

[EnsignYoshi]

A year ago or something the wreckage was found from the sail yacht (the Askoi II) of famous belgian singer Jacques Brel in australia (I doubt you'll know him in your parts of the woods). The ship was a phantom of it's image. rust, very badely damaged, and yet jacques brel fans spend a whole year getting that piece here. Now they want to restore it. If they can do it with that ship (which I deem of lower historical importance (no offense to brel fans)) (pictured below), why not the belgica . Though I do have to say that the askoii was brought here by using mostly private funds.

I'm no expert, but I don't see how on earth she could be raised without crumbling.

What I forgot to mention is that the ship lies 20 meters deep, 200 meters of the coast and is lying upright. Apparently all make it good conditions to raise it.

 

[Kryton]

Jacques Brel appeared in the movie adaptation of the play featuring his songs (mostly translated to English). The movie is titled "Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris". Mid '70s...very surreal. Great music.

 

[EnsignYoshi]

I found this on the site of belgica-association.
Showing a sketch the vessel as it appears now:

 

[Mallory]

Well, I hope it works out. I'm always happy to see a piece of history recovered and saved.

 

[RJDiogenes]

Ditto. I think this is great and I hope they get the funding.

Was anybody killed when the ship was sunk?

 

[EnsignYoshi]

Was anybody killed when the ship was sunk?

You mean during the war? I actually have no idea, I think it was an empty vessel with ammunition, maybe some guards nearby?

I kbow during the expedition to antarctica some crewmembers died, but I have no idea how many.