Artist Roger Bansemer gets an unexpected invitation to dive two and a half miles down into the Atlantic to the site of one of the most famous shipwrecks in history. Armed with his artist’s eye and insight, he embarks on an expedition on a Russian research ship to the Titanic. In this compelling journal, Bansemer’s writing and stunning visual work bring us into the adventure, relaying the colorful characters on the expedition, the history and past grandeur of the Titanic, and the aching beauty of the ship’s underwater remains.

Bansemer became the 112th person to dive to the Titanic, the sixth person under the stern, and the first artist to have painted Titanic on site. This book chronicles his journey in a mixture of paintings, photos, and digitally-painted images.

He almost didn’t make it out to the site as a hurricane churning in the southeast Atlantic kept him in St. John’s, Newfoundland, waiting. But an artist uses his time to observe and paint, and his love of painting nature and lighthouses thus play their part in this book too. Then his lifelong fascination with painting ships takes over as he sails in the Explorer out to the research vessel Keldysh. The little launch Koresh, the wondrous submersible Mir, and finally the ghostly remains of the Titanic all appear from the artist’s brush.

Bansemer’s fascination with painting people, especially the salty, nautical types, finds full expression. Meet buddy Lowell and diving partner Ralph; various Russian crewmen including Bird Man Pierre, Pirate Skippy, the cooks, the “cowboy” who “rides” the submersible; Keldysh Captain Gorbach; and many others. Bansemer captures them all in their most characteristic poses.

The star is always the Titanic, majestic even at the bottom of the sea. Bansemer pays tribute to the many people who went down with her, acknowledging her role as their memorial resting place. This book, Roger Bansemer’s written and painted journal of his journey to Titanic, is also offered in their memory.