Part 3,906 in a never-ending series.

Imagine that you're "enjoying" the sea air on the deck of your ship. And it hits a reef. And all that stands between you and the safety of land is a few hundred metres of ocean ending in... that.

Leaving aside an end to voyages which lasted between weeks and months, there's a reason why 747's were an idea which caught on.

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Edit September 2024: You can tell how long ago this description was written. Most 747 passenger planes have since been retired. They're still better than a wooden sailing ship, though.