Container Ship ASL Bauhinia Ablaze, Abandoned & Adrift in Red Sea — Houthi Attack or Hazardous Cargo?

Following an explosion and fire onboard the container ship, ASL Bauhinia, in the Red Sea early Tuesday morning, the 22 crew abandoned the ship. The crew was subsequently rescued unharmed by a passing vessel.  The 1,930-teu containership, owned by Shanghai-based … Continue reading

Will the Axial Seamount Erupt in the Pacific Off Oregon in 2025?

Seismologists at Oregon State University predict that the Axial Seamount, Oregon’s most active underwater volcano, could erupt in 2025.  The seamount, located 300 miles from the state’s coast and one mile beneath the Pacific Ocean’s surface, has been swelling at … Continue reading

Update: State of Hawaii Awards $6.5M Contract to Remove Falls of Clyde from Honolulu Harbor

The Hawai‘i Department of Transportation (HDOT) is reported to have awarded a $6.5 million contract to a mainland marine engineering company, identified on social media as Donjon Marine, to finally remove the historic ship Falls of Clyde from Honolulu Harbor. … Continue reading

A23a, World’s Largest Iceberg, on Collision Course With South Georgia Island

The world’s largest iceberg, designated A23a, is drifting northwards from Antarctica towards South Georgia, a British territory and wildlife haven, where it could ground and break into pieces. If that happens, it poses a grave threat to King Emperor penguins’ … Continue reading

USS Jimmy Carter — the Navy’s Stealthy Spy Submarine

On the day following Jimmy Carter’s funeral, it seems like a good time to look at the top-secret submarine that bears his name. The USS Jimmy Carter (SSN 23) is a unique submarine in many respects. Commissioned in 2005, she … Continue reading

Looking Back at President Jimmy Carter’s Naval Career

Today was President Jimmy Carter‘s funeral. He was 100 years old when he died after a long and remarkable life of public service. He will, no doubt, be best remembered for his personal integrity and faith in his term as … Continue reading

Warren Upton, Oldest Survivor of Pearl Harbor Attack, Dies at 105

The Washington Post reports that Warren Eric Upton died in Los Gatos, California on Dec. 25. At 105, he was the oldest survivor of the attack on Pearl Harbor and the last remaining crew member of the USS Utah, according … Continue reading

Oil Spill in Kerch Strait After Russian Tankers Sink During Black Sea Storm

Authorities in Russia have said two small Russian oil tankers sank or were seriously damaged in the Black Sea on Sunday, resulting in an oil spill in the Kerch Strait.  The two tankers, Volgoneft-212 and Volgoneft-239, each with cargo deadweights … Continue reading

HMS Victory, French Oak & the Ship of Theseus — Thoughts on Varied Lives of A Ship

The BBC recently reported that HMS Victory, one of the most celebrated warships in British history, is being repaired using wood from France. The conservation work is part of a 10-year project titled The Big Repair, which will cost £40-£45m. … Continue reading

Humpback Whale Makes Epic Migration of at Least 7,000 N Miles Across Three Oceans

The BBC reports that a humpback whale has made one of the longest and most unusual migrations ever recorded, possibly driven by climate change, scientists say. It was seen in the Pacific Ocean off Colombia in 2017 and then popped up … Continue reading

Remembering the Halifax Explosion of 1917 & the Boston Christmas Tree

One hundred and seven years ago today, on the morning of December 6, 1917, the French freighter SS Mont-Blanc and the SS Imo, a Norwegian ship chartered to carry relief supplies to Belgium, collided in the Narrows, a strait connecting … Continue reading

Update: Wisdom, the World’s Oldest Wild Bird, Lays a New Egg at 74

In March 2021, we posted about a Laysan albatross nicknamed Wisdom who, at the age of 70, had hatched a new chick. Wisdom is the oldest confirmed wild bird and the oldest banded bird in the world, having been first identified and banded on … Continue reading

Swedish Sailor Lost Overboard in ARC Ralley 2024

Yesterday, the World Cruising Club (WCC) released a statement regarding a Swedish sailor lost overboard in the mid-Atlantic from the Volvo 70 racing yacht Ocean Breeze on Monday while sailing with the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC). “It is with … Continue reading

Update: Egyptian Dive Boat Sinking — 5 Survivors Rescued After 30 Hours Trapped in Air Pocket

After the Egyptian liveaboard dive boat, Sea Story, capsized and sank in heavy weather in the Red Sea early Monday morning, 28 of the 44 passengers and crew were rescued. On Tuesday, divers rescued five additional survivors trapped in air … Continue reading

New Zealand Community Rallies to Save 30 Stranded Pilot Whales

Good news for change. On Sunday, a pod of more than 30 pilot whales became stranded on Ruakākā Beach near Whangārei in northern New Zealand. Hundreds of residents joined forces with conservationists to save the pod. The rescue effort was … Continue reading