MV Akademik Shokalskiy Still Stuck — Third Icebreaker, Aurora Australis, Turns Back

We posted recently about the Chinese icebreaker,  Xue Long, or Snow Dragon, which came within about 6 miles of the expedition cruise ship, MV Akademik Shokalskiy, before being forced to turn back. MV Akademik Shokalskiy has been trapped in pack ice off Antarctica south … Continue reading

Another Container Ship Cracking – MSC Monterey Anchored off Newfoundland

MSC Monterey, a 4,892 TEU container ship, was bound from the Belgium port of Antwerp to Newark, NJ, but diverted to Newfoundland after cracks in her hull were discovered. The ship is now at anchor south of Newfoundland, near Trepassey … Continue reading

Icebreaker Snow Dragon Now Stuck in Ice, Six Miles from MV Akademik Shokalskiy

The Chinese icebreaker Xue Long, or Snow Dragon, has gotten to within around 6-7 miles of the expedition cruise ship,  MV Akademik Shokalskiy, before it too was stopped by thick ice off the coast of Antarctica, south of Tasmania. Three icebreakers … Continue reading

50 Years Later, Remembering the Lakonia Disaster

The brochure for for the cruise liner Lakonia promised “A MARVELOUS CHRISTMAS CRUISE TO SUNNY MADEIRA AND THE CANARY ISLANDS…HAVE YOUR HOLIDAY WITH ALL RISK ELIMINATED. ENJOY A HOLIDAY YOU WILL REMEMBER FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.” Now fifty years later, … Continue reading

Congratulations to Vice Admiral Michelle Howard, Nominated to be Vice Chief of Naval Operations.

President Obama recently nominated Vice Admiral Michelle Howard to serve as vice chief of naval operations, the service’s No. 2 uniformed officer. If confirmed, she will be the first black and the first woman to hold the job and the first … Continue reading

Blackfish, Backlash and the Bailing of the Bands from SeaWorld

This year, Seaworld Orlando is sponsoring “Bands, Brew and BBQ” during February and early March. There may be fewer bands to go with the BBQ and brew than originally planned. At least seven well known performers and bands have pulled … Continue reading

Fiona Shaw Performs ‘Rime of the Ancient Mariner’

Fiona Shaw, in an excerpt from a new staged reading of Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s 1798 poem “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.” This scene features the passage that birthed the expression “albatross around your neck.” The show, directed by Phyllida … Continue reading

Canada to Claim North Pole — Status of Santa Uncertain

Reports are that Canada is filing a claim to extend its northern sea boundary to encompass an area of over 1 million square miles of Arctic seafloor which includes the North Pole, under provisions of the United Nations Convention on … Continue reading

Rediscovering the Japanese Aircraft-Carrier Submarine I-400 — Scuttled During the Cold War

Recently, the crew of the the Hawaii Undersea Research Laboratory‘s submersible Pisces V  announced finding the hull of the Japanese mega-submarine I-400  at a depth of 2,300 feet on the sea floor off Hawaii.  The huge submarine survived World War II but … Continue reading