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Monthly Archives: April 2011
Sloop Providence Sails Again
Great news. The Sloop Providence, replica of the American Revolutionary sloop of the same name is sailing again after being laid up for 3 1/2 years. She was purchased last year from the City of Providence by boat builder … Continue reading
Posted in Current, History, Lore of the Sea, Ships
Tagged Abraham Whipple, City of Providence, John Paul Jones, Newport, Rhode Island, Sloop Providence
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Internet mistake reveals UK nuclear submarine secrets
Oopps. In what is being described as a “school-boy error” the British Ministry of Defence posted a report on-line which revealed secret information about the UK’s nuclear powered submarines. The sensitive material was “redacted” by turning the background black, so that the text was not readable. … Continue reading
Hard Times at Two Seaport Museums – South Street and Independence
New York and Philadelphia are major ports and centers of art and culture. By all rights both should be home for major and successful seaport museums. Sadly that is not the case. Last month we posted about the Independence Seaport … Continue reading
Posted in Current, Lore of the Sea, Ships
Tagged Independence Seaport Museum, new york, Philadelphia, South Street Seaport
2 Comments
Loss of HMS Affray – Sixty Years Ago Today
Sixty years ago today, the Royal Navy submarine HMS Affray sailed on a simulated war mission called “Exercise Spring Train” and never returned. Despite an extensive search by 24 ships from four nations, the sunken submarine was not found until June 14, 1951. … Continue reading
A Wind In Her Sails – Interview with Maho Noborisaka on the Soren Larsen
On a cold and rainy April day here on the banks of the Hudson River, it is nice to consider sunnier climes. An interview with the Maho Noborisaka, Second Mate on the Tall Ship Soren Larsen. A Wind In Her … Continue reading
Posted in Current, Lore of the Sea, Ships
Tagged Maho Noborisaka, Tall Ship Soren Larsen
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Owner’s Manual for a Sunken Ship – RMS Titanic Manual: 1909-1912 Olympic Class
Haynes Manuals are well known as practical guides aimed at automobile enthusiastic and mechanics. They have also branched out into manuals for domestic appliances, personal computers, digital photography, model railways, men, babies, sex, and women. Reportedly the last four categories … Continue reading
The Titanic – from Maritime Tragedy to Pop Culture Icon
Ninety nine years ago today, the RMS Titanic sank after striking an iceberg in the North Atlantic with the loss of 1,517 passengers and crew. The sinking of the Titanic had a major impact on ship operations. The first International … Continue reading
The Toilet that Sank the Submarine
On April 14, 1945, the German submarine U-1206, on its first war patrol, had its mission go down the toilet. U-1206 “was one of the late war boats fitted with the new deepwater high-pressure toilets which allowed them to be … Continue reading
Posted in History, Lore of the Sea, Ships
Tagged Captain Karl-Adolf Schlitt, deepwater high-pressure toilet, German submarine, U-1206
3 Comments
Hunt the Rats on the USS Massachusetts
Rodents have always been a problem on ships, but things seem to be getting out of control. Last week we posted (somewhat facetiously) of a rodent problem on the Tall Ship Elissa after a rather large mouse named Minnie stopped by … Continue reading
Seaport Museum Founders Offer New Plan to Keep Institution Afloat
Peter Stanford and Robert Ferraro, two of the founders of the financially troubled South Street Seaport Museum in New York City, spoke to museum volunteers on Saturday. They presented their vision of how the museum could be saved and revived. … Continue reading
Posted in Current, Lore of the Sea, Ships
Tagged founders, Peter Stanford, Robert Ferraro, South Street Seaport Museum
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The Plastic Puffins of Ramsey Island
I can imagine a couple of bird watchers who become excited when they sight puffins on Pembrokeshire’s Ramsey Island. There haven’t been puffins on the island since the 1890s when they were killed off by rats. The rats are gone now, but … Continue reading
Posted in Current, Lore of the Sea
Tagged Pembrokeshire, plastic puffins, Ramsey Island
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Update: HMAS Adelaide Finally Scuttled
In March of last year we posted about the attempts to scuttle HMAS Adelaide as an artificial reef off New South Wales. (See HMAS Adelaide – A Hard Ship to Sink ) ”She was scheduled to be scuttled … but … Continue reading
Posted in Current, Lore of the Sea, Ships
Tagged HMAS Adelaide, New South Wales, Scuttled
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Navy Tests New Laser Weapon at Sea
The US Navy keeps trying to find new and different ways to blow things up. Last December it demonstrated an electromagnetic railgun potentially capable of hitting a target 100 miles away. Recently, it has used a a solid-state laser, aboard the USS … Continue reading
The Final Journey of the Willis Avenue Bridge
It is amazing what you can see passing through New York harbor. Those awake in the hours before dawn this morning may have seen a highway bridge under tow down the East River around the Battery and across the … Continue reading
Posted in Current, Lore of the Sea
Tagged Harlem River, Jersey City, new york harbor, Willis Avenue Bridge
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Chance to Win Stay at Historical U.S. Coast Guard Crews Quarters & Visit Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum
For those in the area this looks like fun. The Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum and MLive.com are sponsoring a two-night stay for two in the restored 1923 U.S. Coast Guard crews quarters at Whitefish Point in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Also included is a … Continue reading
