‘You know what you’re getting into’: ‘The Simpsons’ writer describes trip on submersible Titan

As the search continues for the submersible that was on a mission to take tourists to the ocean floor to see RMS Titanic, one person who recently took the trip is speaking about his experience.

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“The Simpsons” writer Mike Reiss and his wife embarked on the experience 11 months ago.

Our Seattle sister station KIRO spoke with him about the trip and how he prepared.

Reiss said that he dove with the company that owns the Titan before so he signed up for it. OceanGate Expeditions is based in Everett, Washington.

Reiss told KIRO once they descended into the depths they had less than half an hour to look at what’s left of the doomed ocean liner that sank in the Atlantic Ocean in April 1912.

In the end, he had only 20 minutes to take photos of the Titanic.

“It was a real struggle to get to the Titanic. Our time was very, very short because on top of the danger of being two and a half miles down, there was a hurricane coming down at sea level,” said Reiss. “We really had this tight window. You sort of land at the bottom of the ocean and then go, ‘All right, where’s the Titanic?’ We know it’s around here somewhere.”

Reiss said that one issue that the Titan encounters is a loss of communication, KIRO reported, adding that they were warned several times of the dangers that face their mission.

“So, before you even go on you sign this long, long waiver that mentions possible death three times on the first page. So… you know what you’re getting into,” Reiss said according to KIRO.

It even crossed his mind when he stepped foot in the underwater vehicle.

“In fact, when I stepped onto it, I just knew in a part of my mind was going, ‘Welp, this could be the end.’”

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