The gymnasium was located just behind the 2nd funnel and if you were exiting the grand staircase on the starboard side, there would be a room where if you went to the right, you would find the gym but if you went straight, you would go out on the Boat Deck. The gym was open for women from 9 a.m. to noon and gentlemen were allowed in from 2 to 6 p.m. and children were allowed in only at 3 p.m. There was an electric camel, electric horse, rowing machines, a stationary bicycle, punching bag, and other exercise equipment. There was a gym instructor called William T. McCawley whom taught the passengers how to use the equipment. The survivors remembered him as always cheerful and kind. He is pictured above teaching passengers how to use the rowing machine. Douglas Spedden remembered how fun it was riding the electric camel saying how fun it was and said that it reminded him of a trip to the Sahara Desert.
After the TITANIC struck the iceberg, the gymnasium was opened. Passengers went inside and used the equipment to get warmed up. McCawley encouraged people to try out the rowing machines before getting into a boat. After all the boats were gone, the gymnasium was empty and the equipment was never used again. In Robert Ballard's second return to the TITANIC, he sent a robot inside the gymnasium and saw the handles to the rowing machines and the electric camel still in place; the bicycle is still there to.
No comments:
Post a Comment