I recently saw two stories in the press that happen to overlap. Captain Reinhard Hardegen The first story was the report of the death of Reinhard Hardegen at 105 years old. Hardegen was believed to have been the last surviving German U-boat commander from … Continue reading
Category Archives: Current
Three years ago, the BBC published an article with the clickbait title of “Why is the US still using a Nazi tall ship?” The article was about the USCG Cutter Eagle and was OK as far as it went. The title … Continue reading
A quirky video for a Saturday. The mantis shrimp is an intriguing, colorful and frankly, rather frightening creature. Fortunately, most types grow no more than about 4″ long, although the zebra mantis shrimp found from East Africa to the Galápagos … Continue reading
Ever dream of sailing the Pacific on an inter-island trading ship? Well, the Auxiliary-Sail Trading Vessel Tiare Taporo, based in the Cook Islands is looking for crew. This sounds like a fascinating opportunity for the right individuals. From a notice by Pacific … Continue reading
The Washington Post has reported that Chinese government hackers have broken into the computers of a Navy contractor, stealing more than 600 GB of highly sensitive data related to undersea warfare — including secret plans to develop a supersonic anti-ship missile for use … Continue reading
Manta Point is a popular dive spot off the southernmost shore of Nusa Penida Island, near Bali, Indonesia. Divers are attracted by the large number of manta rays which congregate there. On March 3rd, a British diver, Rich Horner, found far more than mantas at … Continue reading
The deaths of 17 sailors in the separate collisions with merchant ships of the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers USS Fitzgerald and the USS John S. McCain has raised fundamental questions about the seamanship of US naval officers on the two ships, … Continue reading
Norfolk’s forty-second annual Harborfest is now underway. It is described as the “largest, longest-running, free maritime festival in the nation.” This year there are seven traditional sailing vessels from Virginia and Maryland participating, including the Godspeed of Jamestown, Alliance of Yorktown, … Continue reading
Although we speak of the internet as being in “the cloud,” an estimated 95 percent of internet communication is carried on cables on the bottom of the sea. Now Microsoft is exploring moving computer data centers beneath the sea, as well. Microsoft has … Continue reading
French-born swimmer Ben Lecomte has set off on a 5,500-mile record attempt to swim across the Pacific Ocean from Japan to California. The 51-year-old professional distance swimmer will swim for eight hours a day for more than six months as … Continue reading
Last week, the YM Efficiency, a 4250 TEU container ship bound from Taiwan to Sydney, Australia lost 83 containers in heavy seas while 30km off the coast of Port Stephens. In addition to the containers lost overboard, 30 other containers were … Continue reading
A certain number of brass bells and gongs from bell and gong buoys off the coast of Maine have turned up missing and the US Coast Guard has recently issued a press release asking the public’s help in identifying the … Continue reading
Recently, Hannes Frank was walking along Plage du Pin Sec, near Bordeaux and found a portion of a real estate sign which had washed ashore on the beach. The sign was worn and part of it was ripped away, but “Diane … Continue reading
Today is National Donut Day. I was not aware that such a day existed until I bought a cup of coffee at Dunkin Donuts this morning and was offered a free donut in honor of the day. (I did not … Continue reading
Last week, the Navy marked the 50th anniversary of the loss of the Skipjack-class nuclear submarine USS Scorpion (SSN 589) in a private observance at the Scorpion Memorial on Norfolk Naval Station. 99 officers and crew died when the submarine sank on May 22, … Continue reading
A post from several years ago that is well worth reposting. What was the most dangerous service in World War II? The Army, the Navy, the Marines? In fact, it was the Merchant Marine. 1 in 26 mariners serving aboard merchant ships … Continue reading
On June 7th, The Working Harbor Committee (WHC) is sponsoring a Hidden Harbour Tour® — Brooklyn Waterfront Past & Present — featuring guest speakers Capt. Maggie Flanagan, WHC & Waterfront Alliance, and Bill Miller, renowned maritime historian & author, www.billmilleratsea.com. … Continue reading
Last February, we posted about human bone fragments found near the wreck of the pirate ship Whydah Gally on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The bones were located close to where a pistol, which possibly belonged to the ship’ captain, “Black Sam” Bellamy, had been recovered. Forensic … Continue reading
We recently posted about Portside NewYork’s tanker Mary A. Whalen‘s 80th birthday. We also posted about the ex-USCG lighthouse tender Lilac‘s 90th birthday, which is tomorrow. (Stop by for cake.) And coming up next weekend, June 2, is the oyster … Continue reading
On Monday, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) announced in a press release, that they “recently obtained authorization by Maritime Archaeology Consultants (MAC), Switzerland AG, and the Colombian government to release new details from the successful search for the three-century-old … Continue reading