The sea is an unforgiving environment. Sea pressure increases roughly 44 psi for every 100 feet of depth, equating to one atmosphere for every 10 meters. At the Titanic’s depth, pressure reaches nearly 6,000 psi, about 400 times normal atmospheric pressure. This immense pressure challenges not only submersible vehicles but also the experts who design, maintain, and operate them. Success or failure, and indeed life or death, hinge on a strong safety culture and individuals willing to “stand in the breach” to prevent disaster.
Undersea professionals bear a unique responsibility to stop disasters. As Admiral Hyman Rickover, the father of the nuclear navy, once said: “…it is the duty of each of us to act as if the fate of the world depended on him. Admittedly, one man by himself cannot do the job. However, one man can make a difference. We must live for the future of the human race, and not for our own comfort or success.” How will you react when doing the “right thing” conflicts with your own comfort or success?
Gard Clark will share thought-provoking examples from over 40 years of experience as a naval officer, submarine captain, commercial plant manager, business executive, and current Co-Chair of the Marine Technology Society Submarine Committee and Deputy Executive Director of the World Submarine Organization.
