Are you a risk-taking adventurer with $130,000 to spare?

The first manned survey of the rusting RMS Titanic in 13 years will depart in June from St. John鈥檚, N.L. 鈥� and they鈥檙e still taking applications.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not for somebody who鈥檚 frail but it鈥檚 not as strenuous as, say, climbing a major mountain or going on a one-week bike trip through the Alps which some of our participants have done,鈥� said expedition leader Stockton Rush, CEO of OceanGate Inc., a private company based in Everett, Wash.

Far more people have explored space than have seen the Titanic, resting about 4,000 metres deep in the North Atlantic off Newfoundland.

Thanks to a scheduling change, three of 54 previously sold-out spots are now available for submersible dives this summer as part of a six-week mission to assess what鈥檚 left of the fabled wreck.

Their $130,000 seats 鈥� US$105,129 鈥� were priced at the inflation-adjusted cost of a first-class ticket for Titanic鈥檚 doomed maiden voyage, and help fund the company鈥檚 research. Each participant gets flown out for seven days on the chartered research vessel and at least one dive to the wreck site on a five-person sub lasting six to nine hours.

鈥淲e have some folks who are mountain climbers, we have others who鈥檝e been to the South Pole,鈥� said Rush.

鈥淥ne guy, I think he snowshoed to the North Pole. It鈥檚 a varied group but I think the unifying characteristic is they鈥檙e adventurous.鈥�

Ages range from 23 to 75.

鈥淗e convinced us he鈥檚 healthy,鈥� Rush said of the eldest 鈥渕ission specialist鈥� who will help fund the endeavour while assisting with research and photography. It won鈥檛 be a pleasure cruise.

鈥淨uite a few of our participants are in their 50s and 60s,鈥� Rush said. They hail from all over the world, including several Americans, Australians, Brits and others from various parts of Asia and across the globe. They must go through training to escape a helicopter in water and be able to climb a six-metre steel ladder.

There are 18 spots left for a similar expedition in 2019, with others planned in subsequent years. Rush said cutting-edge high resolution imaging and underwater laser scanners will help create a highly detailed 3D virtual model to better track Titanic鈥檚 decay.

A big question is the pace at which 鈥渞usticles鈥� are devouring its remains.

OceanGate provides manned submersibles for industry, research and exploration but has built a novel sub specifically for the Titanic dives.

Dubbed the Cyclops 2, the sub features a carbon-fibre and titanium hull to drastically lighten its weight.

Tests start Monday in Puget Sound near Seattle, before heading to the Bahamas for deeper dives in April.

鈥淭he first trial down to 4,000 metres will just be me,鈥� said Rush, 55. 鈥淚t should be interesting.

鈥淐ertainly your heart gets moving but it鈥檚 a very steady process. It鈥檚 not as though we go straight to 4,000 metres.鈥�

Repeated trips to gradually greater depths will take about a week, he figures.

Rush laughed when asked what happens if someone needs a bathroom.

鈥淭here鈥檚 actually something called a low-residue diet they use for the space program,鈥� he explained. 鈥淚nside, the humidity鈥檚 very high so you don鈥檛 have a need to drink water. As long as your system鈥檚 empty you鈥檙e OK.鈥�

Still, the sub will be equipped with a portable toilet with a little screen for 鈥渟emi-privacy,鈥� Rush said: 鈥淭hat鈥檚 mostly so people don鈥檛 worry about it as much.鈥�

The Cyclops 2 is expected to reach St. John鈥檚 in May, and anticipation is already building.

Rush said there are plans for presentations at Memorial University of Newfoundland, a public show and tell and maybe even some 鈥渟hallow dunks鈥� in the St. John鈥檚 harbour.

Ron Collier of SubC Imaging, based in Clarenville, N.L., said the company will supply the sub with its latest ultra-high resolution cameras for video and still photos.

鈥淭he capabilities that are available today are really staggering compared to what they would have been 10 or 12 years ago,鈥� he said in an interview.

Footage will be gathered carefully so as not to disturb what is considered a grave site, Collier said.

More than 1,500 people died when the so-called unsinkable ship went down after striking an iceberg April 15, 1912, about 600 kilometres off Newfoundland鈥檚 southeast tip.

Rush said he hopes the expedition will be the first of many others in the largely unknown deep sea.

鈥淥ur hope is it opens people鈥檚 awareness of all the amazing things underwater to be researched and explored.鈥�

Sue Bailey, The Canadian Press

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