The War Zone column from the Drive.com blog recently featured photographs of a Royal Navy Vanguard class submarine returning to HM Naval Base Clyde, which is also known as Faslane, on the west coast of Scotland, after a 197-day nuclear … Continue reading
Category Archives: Current
An updated repost. There is a line from a Paul Simon song, “these are the days of miracle and wonder.” One might not think to apply that lyric to the events of 9/11, 22 years ago today. Yet for at … Continue reading
North Korea has unveiled a new “tactical nuclear attack submarine,” based on a remodeled Soviet-era vessel, equipped with multiple launching tubes capable of launching nuclear missiles. Submarine No. 841 – named Hero Kim Kun Ok – will be one of … Continue reading
Reza Baluchi is at it again. The US Coast Guard intercepted Baluchi in the Atlantic about 70 miles (110km) off Tybee Island, Georgia on August 26 in his most recent attempt to run across the ocean, this time from the … Continue reading
The LA Times reports that the deadly fire that broke out four years ago aboard the Conception dive boat, killing 34 people, started in a plastic trash can on the main deck, a confidential report reviewed by The Times shows. Investigators … Continue reading
We recently posted about the remarkable 61-year career of the one-of-a-kind research vessel FLoating Instrument Platform, known as FLIP. FLIP was essentially a massive 355-foot-long spar buoy used to study oceanic wave height, acoustic signals, water temperature, and density. Now, … Continue reading
We are saddened to learn that Captain William “Bill” Pinkney died on August 31, 2023 at the age of 87. Captain Pinkney was the first Black man to sail solo around the world via the 5 Great Capes. Captain Pinkney … Continue reading
Richard Starkey, better known as Ringo Star, wrote the song, Octopus’s Garden, for the Beatles 1969 album Abbey Road. The first verse goes: I’d like to be/Under the sea/In an octopus’ garden/In the shade… In a recent study, researchers describe finding … Continue reading
In 2021, we posted about the start of construction of a sail-assisted cargo ship, built to carry Ariane 6 rockets for the European Space Agency (ESA). Now, the ro-ro cargo ship, Canopée, has completed sea trials and is ready to … Continue reading
The P&O cruise ship MV Britannia was blown from her dockside moorings in Mallorca, Spain on Sunday during a sudden and intense storm. The ship drifted across the harbor and collided with a moored oil tanker, the Castillo de Arteaga. … Continue reading
We recently posted Ukrainian Naval Drones Redefining Warfare in the Black Sea, discussing naval drones developed by the Ukrainians with formidable ranges and increasing lethality. These sea drones are explosive uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) that have been used to attack … Continue reading
In addition to devastating the historic town of Lahaina on the Hawaiian island of Maui, the recent wild fires also destroyed most of the boats in the harbor. After almost two weeks, Channel KHON2 News reports that the US Coast … Continue reading
An unlikely nautical relic of World War II, the BRP Sierra Madre, sits hard aground on Second Thomas Shoal, an atoll in the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. Manned by a handful of Philippine marines, the rusting hulk … Continue reading
Panama, the fifth wettest country, is experiencing one of the two driest years in the country’s 143-year record. The historic drought has impacted the water levels in Gatun Lake and the Panama Canal resulting in the Canal Authority introducing ship draft … Continue reading
Pyxis Ocean, an 80,000 DWT bulk carrier, fitted with two WindWings, a pioneering rigid wing technology, has set sail on its maiden voyage from China to Brazil. The bulker, owned by Mitsubishi Corporation has been chartered by Cargill, one of … Continue reading
After 61 years of service, the one of its kind research vessel FLoating Instrument Platform, known as FLIP, has been retired and sent to a scrapyard. I distinctly recall being absolutely fascinated by this engineering marvel when it was almost brand … Continue reading
The sad saga of the Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) is winding down. The small surface vessels, built in two classes, and designed for operations near shore, were intended to be inexpensive and flexible. Instead, they proved to be unreliable, relatively … Continue reading
Almost 200 years ago, Charles Darwin set sail from Plymouth, UK, as a naturalist on HMS Beagle on an epic voyage that would prove pivotal in the development of his theories of evolution. This week, the 105-year-old Dutch schooner Oosterschelde set … Continue reading
When Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, at least 100 Ukrainian Navy vessels, representing 75% of the Ukrainian naval fleet, were captured by Russian forces. In the Russian invasion of 2022, much of the remaining fleet was destroyed or scuttled to … Continue reading
Swansea Museum, the oldest museum in Wales, is seeking a new partner to sail the 1909 Bristol Channel Pilot Cutter Olga. Their 5-year loan agreement with Sailing Tectona comes to an end this year, and the vessel will return to … Continue reading