Close in Proximity, Yet Out of Reach
Despite being close to the sinking Titanic, the Californian was unable to assist due to a series of bad actions. The radio on the ship was supposedly turned off for the night, preventing it from receiving distress calls from the sinking liner. Furthermore, the Californian’s skipper mistook the Titanic’s flares for fireworks and took no action. It was too late when the SOS calls were finally sent out. When the Californian was hit by a German submarine during World War I three years later, in November 1915, it came to the same conclusion.
The Resilient Chef
Charles Joughin, a Titanic cook, defied the odds and lasted for two hours in the icy North Atlantic waters—a remarkable feat given that most people died of hypothermia within 15 minutes. His secret weapon? A substantial amount of whiskey. He reportedly grabbed two bottles of beer before the ship went down, and the alcohol may have kept him warm. Joughin’s astonishing experience, which was featured briefly in the blockbuster film “Titanic,” proves alcohol’s ability to protect against extreme cold. Alcohol has been used to prevent hypothermia for centuries, and it was once common for Arctic explorers to bring whiskey on missions.
The Resilient Chef
