Into the Dark Water

In just a few hours, the Titanic would be at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. Some 1,500 people—men, women, and children—would be dead.

Yet at 11:00 that night, April 14, 1912, there was not the slightest hint of doom in the air. 

Jack Thayer, 17, went outside onto the ship’s deck to gaze at the sky before going to bed. The stars were shining so brightly that they reminded him of diamonds. The ocean was perfectly calm. All was quiet except for the steady hum of the ship’s engines and the whistle of a gentle breeze.

“It was the kind of night,” Jack would later recall, “that made one glad to 

be alive.” 

Indeed, this smart and curious boy from Philadelphia had much to feel glad about. He and his parents were returning from a two-month trip to Europe. Now he was on the Titanic, the biggest and most luxurious ship ever built. His large first-class cabin was as fancy as a room in the finest hotel. There was a swimming pool with heated ocean water. Delicious meals were served on dishes decorated with gold. 

Jack felt lucky to be on the ship’s first voyage across the Atlantic Ocean. In three days, the ship was due to arrive in New York City to cheering crowds.

In just a few hours, the Titanic would be at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. About 1,500 people would be dead. But at 11:00 on the night of April 14, 1912, there wasn’t even a hint of the coming disaster. 

Jack Thayer, 17, went outside onto the ship’s deck. He looked at the sky. The bright stars looked like diamonds. All was quiet except for the hum of the ship’s engines and the whistle of a gentle breeze. 

“It was the kind of night,” Jack would later remember, “that made one glad to be alive.” 

Jack, a boy from Philadelphia, had much to feel glad about. He and his parents were returning from a two-month trip to Europe. Now he was on the Titanic. It was the biggest and most luxurious ship ever built. His first-class cabin was large and fancy. There was a swimming pool with heated ocean water. Meals were served on dishes decorated with gold. 

Jack felt lucky to be on the ship’s first voyage across the Atlantic Ocean. In three days, the ship was supposed to arrive in New York City.

It was almost 11:30 when Jack went back to his cabin. He said goodnight to his mother and father, but just as he was about to get into bed, he felt himself sway a little bit. He realized the ship had turned slightly to the left—“as though she had been gently pushed,” Jack would later say. The engines stopped, and for a moment, it was strangely quiet. 

Then Jack heard muffled voices and running footsteps. He put on his slippers, told his parents he was going to see what was happening, and rushed outside. Soon he was joined by a crowd of passengers, including his father. 

It turned out that the ship had struck an iceberg, a giant chunk of floating ice. But Jack wasn’t worried. In fact, there was a mood of adventure in the crowd. People joked as they squinted into the dark night. They all wanted to see the object that had dared interrupt the voyage of the great Titanic.

“Nobody yet thought of any serious trouble,” Jack later remembered. “The ship was unsinkable.”

It was almost 11:30 when Jack went back to his cabin. He said goodnight to his mother and father. As he was about to get into bed, he felt himself sway a bit. The ship had turned slightly to the left. It felt as if it had been “gently pushed,” Jack would later say. The engines stopped. For a moment, it was strangely quiet. 

Then Jack heard loud voices and running footsteps. He put on his slippers. He told his parents he was going to see what was happening and hurried outside. Soon a crowd of passengers joined him, including his father. 

It turned out that the ship had hit an iceberg, a giant chunk of floating ice. But Jack and the other passengers weren’t worried. People joked as they looked into the night. They wanted to see what object had dared interrupt the great Titanic.

“Nobody yet thought of any serious trouble,” Jack later remembered. “The ship was unsinkable.”

Indeed, most people believed the Titanic could not sink. They thought that the ship’s state-of-the-art safety features would keep the Titanic afloat no matter what. So Jack and his father took their time as they walked around the ship, trying to find out when they would move again. 

Then they saw Thomas Andrews, the designer of the Titanic. If anyone understood what was happening, it was the man who knew the ship inside and out. Andrews’s fearful expression almost stopped Jack’s heart. 

“The Titanic will sink,” Andrews said. “We have one hour.”

The iceberg’s sharp fingers had clawed through the side of the ship. Water was gushing into the ship’s lower levels. That, though, was only half of the horrifying story. The Titanic had only 20 lifeboats, enough for about half of the passengers and crew members. The people who designed the ship never imagined they would need more. 

The Titanic was more than 1,000 miles from New York City. The ocean water was freezing at 28 degrees Fahrenheit. In water that cold, the human body goes into shock almost immediately. The heart slows. The skin begins to freeze. Death comes within 45 minutes.

For those who couldn’t escape by lifeboat, there was almost no hope of survival.

At the time, most people believed the Titanic could not sink. They thought that the ship’s state-of-the-art safety features would keep the Titanic floating no matter what. So Jack and his father took their time as they walked around the ship. They tried to find out when they would move again. 

Then they saw Thomas Andrews. He was the designer of the Titanic. If anyone understood what was happening, it would be him. Andrews’s fearful expression almost stopped Jack’s heart. 

“The Titanic will sink,” Andrews said. “We have one hour.” 

The iceberg’s sharp fingers had clawed through the side of the ship. Water was gushing into the ship’s lower levels. The Titanic had 20 lifeboats. That was only enough for about half of the passengers and crew members. The people who designed the ship didn’t think they would need more. 

The Titanic was more than 1,000 miles from New York City. The ocean water was freezing at 28 degrees Fahrenheit. In water that cold, the body goes into shock. The heart slows. The skin freezes. Death comes within 45 minutes. 

For those who couldn’t escape by lifeboat, there was almost no hope of survival.

Back in his cabin, Jack put on a warm wool suit and a sweater. He tied on his life vest and slipped into his coat, then rushed back up to the deck with his parents. What they found was confusion and deafening noise. People were shouting. Crew members were firing bright rockets into the air. If other ships could see the rockets, they would know to come to the rescue.

Jack and his parents walked all over the ship, hoping to find a lifeboat. Suddenly, they were in the middle of a crowd of panicked passengers. 

To Jack’s horror, he was separated from his parents. He searched desperately but could not find them. He became convinced that they had boarded a lifeboat, leaving him behind. And there were no lifeboats left.

Jack was on his own. 

Back in his cabin, Jack put on warm clothes. He put on his life vest and his coat. Then he ran back up to the deck with his parents. Passengers were scared and confused. People were shouting. Crew members were firing bright rockets into the air. If other ships could see the rockets, they would know to come help. 

Jack and his parents walked all over the ship, hoping to find a lifeboat. Suddenly, they were in a crowd of scared passengers. 

To Jack’s horror, he was separated from his parents. He searched desperately but could not find them. He thought that they had gotten on a lifeboat and left him behind. There were no lifeboats left. 

Jack was on his own.

The boy tried to stay calm as the Titanic kept sinking. He refused to give up hope.

He decided to wait until the ship was low enough in the water that he could jump in without getting injured. That moment came at about 2:15 a.m. The ship lurched forward, its front plunging deeper into the black waters of the Atlantic. Jack jumped into the water as far out from the ship as he could. 

“Down, down I went, spinning in all directions,” Jack later said.

He swam to the surface, gasping from the cold. He had been floating for only a few minutes when an enormous piece of the ship crashed into the water, just 20 feet from him. Suddenly, Jack was under the water once again. This time he barely made it back up to the surface.

But then his hand hit something—an overturned lifeboat. Four men were balancing on it. One of them helped Jack up. From there, they watched the Titanic in its final moments. The back of the ship rose high into the sky. All the ship’s lights went out.

Then, in a moment of terrifying quiet, the Titanic disappeared into the ocean.

Jack tried to stay calm as the Titanic kept sinking. He refused to give up hope. 

He waited for the ship to sink low enough so he could jump into the ocean without getting hurt. At about 2:15 a.m., Jack jumped into the dark water. 

“Down, down I went, spinning in all directions,” Jack later said. 

He swam to the surface, gasping from the cold. He had been floating for only a few minutes when a huge piece of the ship crashed into the water. It landed just 20 feet away from him. Suddenly, Jack was underwater once again. This time he barely made it back up to the surface. 

But then his hand hit something. It was an upside-down lifeboat! Four men were sitting on it. One of them helped Jack up. From there, they watched the Titanic in its final moments. The back of the ship rose high into the sky. All the ship’s lights went out. 

Then, in a moment of terrifying quiet, the Titanic disappeared into the ocean

The silence was broken by the first desperate cries for help. People—hundreds of them—were scattered everywhere in the water, kept afloat by their life vests.

Over the next few minutes, Jack and the others on the lifeboat managed to pull 24 people out of the water alive. The group was “packed like sardines” on the overturned boat, Jack later said. Their arms and legs were tangled together. Freezing waves washed over them. Nobody moved for fear of slipping into the water.

Little by little, the terrible crying faded. The dark water turned silent.

Shivering from the cold and fear, Jack waited for death.

But then came a light. At about 3:30 a.m., a ship called the Carpathia broke through the darkness. Its captain had received the Titanic’s call for help and rushed his ship through the icy waters. He wanted to save the passengers of the Titanic.

The silence was followed by cries for help. Hundreds of people were in the water, floating in their life vests.

Over the next few minutes, Jack and the others on the lifeboat pulled 24 people out of the water alive. The group was “packed like sardines” on the upside-down boat, Jack later said. Their arms and legs were tangled together. Freezing waves washed over them. Nobody moved. They were afraid of slipping into the water. 

Little by little, the terrible cries faded. The dark water turned silent. Jack shivered from the cold and fear. He waited for death. 

But then, at about 3:30 a.m., a ship called the Carpathia arrived. Its captain had received the Titanic’s call for help. He rushed his ship through the icy waters. He wanted to save the passengers of the Titanic.

When Jack boarded the rescue ship, he was shocked to see his mother. He was also filled with joy. Then his mother asked a simple question.

“Where is your father?”

They discovered that Mr. Thayer had not boarded a lifeboat. He had not survived.

“I should have known that he would not have taken a boat, leaving me behind,” Jack later said.

The Carpathia, carrying the Titanic’s 705 survivors, arrived in New York City on April 18. It was met by a crowd of 30,000 people. Jack and his mother then returned to Philadelphia.

Jack went on to marry and have two sons. Years later, he wrote a book about the sinking of the Titanic, in honor of his father.

Today, more than 110 years after the ship sank, the stories of its survivors still fascinate and inspire us. In this way, the mighty ship sails on.

When Jack got on the rescue ship, he was shocked to see his mother. He was also filled with joy. Then his mother asked a simple question. 

“Where is your father?” 

They discovered that Mr. Thayer had not gotten on a lifeboat. He had not survived. 

“I should have known that he would not have taken a boat, leaving me behind,” Jack later said. 

The Carpathia, carrying the Titanic’s 705 survivors, arrived in New York City on April 18. It was met by a crowd of 30,000 people. Jack and his mother then returned to Philadelphia. 

Jack went on to marry and have two sons. Years later, he wrote a book about the sinking of the Titanic. 

Today, more than 110 years after the ship sank, stories about its survivors still inspire us. In this way, the mighty Titanic sails on.