Photo: AP /Post Courier

As of Thursday evening, 246 survivors had been pulled from the sea, following the sinking of the passenger ferry MV Rabaul Queen off the coast of Papua New Guinea early Thursday.  Only one survivor was reported to be found on Friday.  According to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, survivors were rescued by merchant ships battling 16-foot (5-meter) swells and 45 mph (75 kph) winds at the disaster scene. It is feared that many of the missing may have been trapped inside the ferry when it capsized. The ferry has now sunk in water over 3,000 feet deep.

More than 110 missing from Papua New Guinea ferry

USS Ponce

As Iranian saber-rattling raises tensions around the Straits of Hormuz, the US Navy has cancelled plans to decommission the 40 year old USS Ponce (LPD-15), an Austin-class amphibious transport dock ship.  Instead the ship is reported to be being refitted to operate as a “mothership” from which commando teams can operate.

Navy wants commando ‘mothership’ in Middle East

Or maybe not.  Some have suggested that It would not make sense to concentrate a number of the nation’s most elite warriors on a ship in the Persian Gulf where they would be vulnerable to a variety of Iranian attacks and would require other vessels to protect the “mothership.”   After the “commando mothership” story was widely reported, Fleet Forces Command commander Admiral John Harvey said that the Ponce is “not going over there as an alternate command ship; it’s not going over there as a special operating force ‘Death-star Galactica’ coming through the Gulf…”  Instead, the revamped Ponce will serve as a “lilypad” for counter-mine Sikorsky MH-53 helicopters and patrol craft.

Transport Vessel Isn’t Being Made SEAL Mothership, Admiral Says

If mines need to be cleared from the Gulf, the Navy may be deploying more than just helicopters. There are reports that the Navy may use mine-detecting dolphins. The dolphins are trained to identify the underwater objects, including mines.  Once a mine is spotted by a dolphin, it drops an acoustic transponder nearby. Destruction of the mines is left to human divers.  ”Dolphins – - which possess sonar so keen they can discern a quarter from a dime when blindfolded and spot a 3-inch metal sphere from 370 feet away — are invaluable minesweepers,” reported The San Francisco Chronicle. 

The Navy Is Depending on Dolphins to Keep the Strait of Hormuz Open

Costa Concordia: underwater footage shows divers’ inspection

Atlantic Odyssey rowers rescued after capsizing

Australian water skiers try for record

Thanks to Alaric Bond for passing along the news.

The search for the missing in the submerged portions of the Costa Concordia

The cost of the Costa Concordia sinking could reach a billion dollars, paid primarily by insurance companies.  Carnival Corporation, the parent company of Costa Cruises, will likely be responsible for at least $40 million in deductibles.  Initial estimates from Carnival suggest that they may also loose another $95 million in lost bookings.  There are also concerns that the bad publicity from the sinking will negatively impact cruise bookings just as the industry is recovering from the recession.

Late in the summer of 2011, after 100’s of hours of ROV video, they have seen what appear to be bullion boxes containing 4 bars, each being 400 troy ounces of precious metal. “We have seen boxes indicative of those used to store and ship this type of bullion in 1942. Our video clearly shows the box and our inspection class remotely operated vehicles (ROV) could not lift it due to its weight of about 130 lbs.”

The Richest Shipwreck Treasure, in Bostons back yard

Thanks to Irwin Bryan for passing along the news.

Boat lost at sea surfaces four years later

Photo: Eric Rousseau

Twenty three boats set off this weekend in the the third Bouvet Guyane Solo Atlantic Rowing Race 2012 in a 2,600 mile race between between Senegal and Guyana.  All solo rowers are competing in identical 8 meter long boats.  One major challenge of the race will be crossing the equatorial counter currents. The route passes through the Intertropical Convergence Zone where sporadic and unpredictable winds can be violent. Also in the approach to Guyana,the rowers must cope with where powerful coastal currents.

The Row to Recovery team

The Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge, which bills itself as the “world’s toughest rowing race,” is winding down. Of the 17 boats which set out on December 4th, seven boats have crossed the finish line in Barbados, four are still rowing, and six boats have pulled out of the race.

The racers have set several new world’s records. Andrew Brown, the only solo rower in the race, came in second overall and set a new world record for the fastest solo row across the Atlantic, completing the voyage in 40 days, nine hours and 44 minutes. He also raised £88,080 for two children’s charities.

The Row For Freedom team, Julia Immonen, Debbie Beadle, Helen Leigh, Kate Richardson and Katie Pattison-Hart, came in 5th overall and set a double world record. They are the first five-woman team to row any ocean in the world and have broken the record for rowing the Atlantic in the fastest time by an all-female crew. On the voyage they battled waves up to 30 foot high, their steering system failed, their water-maker caught fire and the de-salinator broke.  The team is raising money for two charities, ECPAT UK and the A21 Campaign.

The Row to Recovery team came in seventh. The crew of six ex-servicemen, four of whom have severe injuries suffered during service in Afghanistan and Iraq, had to cope with a broken auto-helm, water de-salinator and rudder, as well as rowing through storms and high waves. On their arrival after 51 days at sea they received a message of congratulations from from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.  The team has raised nearly £700,000 for charity.