The Strange & Grim History of Battleship Island

Posted on by January 5, 2016

battleshipislandHashima Island lies nine miles off the port of Nagasaki, Japan. Between the seawall which encircles the small island and the abandoned apartment blocks rising from it, many think that it looks like a battleship, earning the nickname, Gunkanjima, or “Battleship Island.” The tiny island was once the most densely populated spot on the globe with 5,259 residents living and working on only 16 acres. For the last 40 years, it has been abandoned and uninhabited, a ghost island, its concrete towers slowly crumbling into the sea. In July 2015, after some controversy, the island was formally approved as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Beginning in 1887, when a rich deposit of coal was discovered, the island was turned into a large coal mine. Mineshafts reached deep beneath the sea while the apartment buildings for the miners rose skyward on the island above. Mitsubishi purchased the islands and built nine-story apartment buildings, the first large concrete buildings in Japan.

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The Wreck of El Faro — NTSB Video from 60 Minutes

Posted on by January 11, 2016

The news program 60 Minutes broadcast National Transportation and Safety Board (NTSB) footage of the wreck of El Faro last night. The TOTE Ro/Ro was lost with all 33 aboard in Hurricane Joaquin in October. The footage is striking and grim. El Faro‘s upper two decks were ripped off during the sinking and were found a half mile from the ship itself, which sank in 15,0000 feet of water. The Vessel Data Recorder has not been found. The video and photographs were taken by the US Navy’s CURV (Cable operated Unmanned Recovery Vehicle.)  The segment is generally well done, notwithstanding the unfortunate reference to the “Bermuda Triangle” and a few other questionable points. Click here or on the image below to watch the videos.

ElFaroNTSB

Lost in the Bermuda Triangle

Is the Explosive-Laden SS Richard Montgomery a Target for Terrorists?

Posted on by January 3, 2016

richardmontgomeryAnti-terror police in the UK are suddenly concerned that the SS Richard Montgomery, a Liberty ship which sank over seventy years ago loaded with high explosives in the Thames estuary, might be a potential target for terrorists.  Reportedly, the government has been on high-alert to defend the wrecked ship.

In 1944, SS Richard Montgomery ran aground and sank off the Nore sandbank, near Sheerness loaded with 1,400 tonnes of high explosives. Initial efforts to unload the ship’s dangerous cargo were partially successful but were abandoned after the ship began to break up. The remaining 1,400 tonnes of cargo was considered too dangerous to attempt to unload, so beyond periodic surveys and the placing of warning buoys and signs, little more has done in the intervening seventy-one years.

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The Return of the Schooner Amistad

Posted on by January 8, 2017
Photo: Sean D. Elliot/The Day

Photo: Sean D. Elliot/The Day

The schooner Amistad, the official flagship of the State of Connecticut, has seen difficult times in recent years. Built fifteen years ago at Mystic Seaport, until recently, the ship had been in receivership since 2014, after Amistad America, the non-profit which ran the ship, defaulted on debts and failed to file tax returns. Now, with considerable assistance from the state, a new non-profit, Discovering Amistad, hopes to return the schooner to operation, following necessary repairs being completed at Mystic.

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The New Year’s Day Wave, 1995 — Remembering the “First” Rogue Wave

Posted on by January 1, 2016

rogue1Happy New Year! On New Year’s Day 1995, a sea monster capable of sinking ships and sending sailors to their deaths was documented for the first time.  I am not speaking of a mythical serpent or another beasty, (which may or may not yet be discovered.)  I am referring to a rogue wave — a wave often three to four times higher than any other wave in a given sea state. Rogue waves have been reported by sailors for thousands of years. Until recently, however, they have also been dismissed by scientists and even by other sailors as wild exaggerations and mere sea stories. All this changed on New Year’s Day in 1995 when a 60′ wave hit the Draupner gas platform in the North Sea.

What was different this time was that the platform was equipped with a downwards-pointing laser sensor which accurately recorded the wave. For the first scientists had an accurate plot of the wave shape and height. It fit exactly the descriptions given by sailors of a very steep and huge, breaking wave. The recording of the wave’s shape resolved once and for all the argument over whether rogue waves were real. The wave has become known as the “Draupner Wave” or the “New Year’s Day Wave.”

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On the Anniversary of the Sinking — A Review of John Broadwater’s USS Monitor

Posted on by December 31, 2015

monitorrevAs this is Thursday, which is to say “Throwback Thursday“, as well as the anniversary of the sinking of the USS Monitor, which sank off Cape Hatteras 153 years ago tonight, it seems a good time to repost our review of John Broadwater’s excellent book, USS Monitor – A Historic Ship Completes Its Final Voyage.  

On December 31, 1862, while under tow in a gale off Cape Hatteras, USS Monitor sank. The Monitor had been in service for only ten months and yet in that brief time had revolutionized naval warfare. The wreck of the Monitor was finally located in August of 1973. In his book, USS Monitor – A Historic Ship Completes Its Final Voyage, John Broadwater tells the remarkable story of the ship and of the dedicated teams of archeologists, historians, divers and engineers who worked over the last forty years to preserve the ship and to rescue what could be saved from the wreck.

Broadwater is uniquely qualified to tell the story of the “ship that changed everything.” He was the only person involved in the Monitor from the discovery of the wreck in 1973 through preservation, management and the recovery of the portions of the ship being preserved ashore today. He recently retired from the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, where he served as chief archeologist.

It is difficult to overstate the importance of the USS Monitor. Continue reading →

San Jose, “Holy Grail of Shipwrecks” — the Legal Battles are Just Beginning

Posted on by December 31, 2015

sanjose1Battles at sea usually last a few hours. Battles in court can last far, far longer.  In the Battle of Santa Maria on October 5, 1804, when a British squadron attacked a Spanish treasure fleet, the ship Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes blew up within ten minutes of the battle commencing, killing all but 40 of her 240 crew and sending her cargo of gold and silver coins to the bottom. The legal battle over the recovered cargo would go on for over two centuries, finally ending in February of 2012.

Recently the government of Colombia has announced that they have located the galleon San José, which blew up in 1708 in a battle with the British, sinking with a cargo worth an estimated $4 billion to $17 billion. The long lost wreck has often been referred to as the “Holy Grail of Shipwrecks.” Assuming that the claim is accurate, the legal battle, which has already simmered along for 30 years, will come to a full boil.  The U.S.-based salvage company Sea Search Armada (SSA) had previously been contracted to find the ship and claims that it succeeded before the Colombian government changed the terms of the deal. SSA will no doubt file a suit, and they are not alone.

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Videos from the Clipper-Brig Morgenster

Posted on by December 29, 2015

Two wonderful drone videos of the Clipper-Brig Morgenster shot last November.  Thanks to Joost for passing them along.

Ocean

Tall Ship Morgenster sailing on the Ocean on her way to the Cape Verdes. Full square rig and stunsails set. With a Jimmy Green under the bowsprit and some fantasy sails.

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Comanche’s First Sydney-Hobart Win Also Her Last?

Posted on by December 28, 2015
Comanche: Jim Clark and Kristy Hinze-Clark.

Comanche: Jim Clark and Kristy Hinze-Clark.

Despite having a damaged rudder, the American super-maxi Comanche was first across the finish line in this year’s Rolex Sydney-Hobart Race, leading the next closest boat, Rambler by roughly 50 miles. This is the first time since 1998 that an American yacht has won line honors in the race.

Last year, the brand new Comanche took second behind eight-time winner Wild Oats XI. This year, Wild Oats XI was forced to retire with a ripped mainsail. The same storm that sent Wild Oats XI back to the dock also seriously damaged one of Comanche‘s rudders.

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Comanche & Rambler Lead in Boat-Breaking Sydney-Hobart Race

Posted on by December 27, 2015
Photo: Rolex/Stefano Gattini

Photo: Rolex/Stefano Gattini

The American yachts Comanche and Rambler are battling over the lead in the Rolex Sydney-Hobart Race, which has turned into a major boat-breaker. Twenty-nine boats, representing a quarter of the fleet, have retired from the race, most with damage from severe weather. The eight-time race winner and favorite, Wild Oats XI withdrew yesterday with a torn mainsail. If either Rambler or Comanche succeeds in winning the race, it will be the first time that an international yacht has won since 2001 and the first time that an American boat has won since 1998.

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Sydney Hobart Race 2015 — Collisions, Breakdowns & Heavy Weather

Posted on by December 26, 2015

wildoatsxiHappy Boxing Day and with it a wild beginning to this year’s Rolex Sydney Hobart Race. The race began with three yachts colliding at the starting line.  The Chinese Ark 323, Lupa of London, and Cougar II were forced to retire due to damage. Meanwhile, the eight-time winner super-maxi Wild Oats XI and rival American super-maxi Comanche were hit by an Australian “southerly-buster,” a nasty gale with winds over 40 knots. Wild Oats XI  was forced from the race with a ripped mainsail. Commanche was damaged, suffering a broken rudder. Her crew is attempting repairs before deciding whether to continue or retire from the race. Super-maxi Perpetual Loyal also retired from the race with a damaged rudder. Rambler has now taken the lead.

CEX Dolce returned to Sydney with a broken mast. St Jude, Koa also pulled out due to damage in the heavy weather.

Merry Christmas — US Navy Band Dueling Jingle Bells

Posted on by December 24, 2015

We hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season. Here is a slightly different take on Jingle Bells by members of the US Navy band.

Dueling Jingle BellsHere’s one of our favorites from this year’s holiday concerts, with a bit of a surprise twist near the beginning. Enjoy!

Posted by United States Navy Band on Wednesday, December 23, 2015

The Shantyman — Kindle Countdown, Starting at 99 Cents!

Posted on by December 24, 2015

Shantymankirkus1sTo celebrate The Shantyman being chosen as one of the Best Indie Books of 2105 by Kirkus Reviews, we are having an impromptu promotion. Here is how it works — today and tomorrow, The Shantyman will be available in Kindle format on Amazon for only 99 cents!  The price will then step up to $1.99 on December 26th for two days, then up to $2.99 on December 28th for two more days, before returning to the regular price of $4.99.  Click here to get your copy.

KIRKUS REVIEW — THE SHANTYMAN

Jules Verne — Two Past Trophy Winners in a Race Within a Race

Posted on by December 24, 2015
Spindrift 2

Spindrift 2

Past attempts to claim the Jules Verne Trophy, awarded to the fastest sailboat to circumnavigate the globe, have been solitary affairs — a single sailboat attempting to break the previous record time. That changed on November 22, when two veteran maxi-trimarans, Spindrift 2 and IDEC Sport set off from Ushant to race against each other and the record.  Both boats are past trophy winners.

This two boat race against a record is something of a rematch. The current record of 45 days, 13 hours, 42 minutes, 53 seconds was set in January 2012 by Banque Populaire V under the command of Loïck Peyron. The previous record of 48 days 7 hours 44 minutes 52 seconds was set in 2010 by Groupama 3 captained by Franck Cammas.  Spindrift 2 is the renamed and slightly modified, record setting, Banque Populaire V  while IDEC Sport is the renamed and modified Groupama 3.  Spindrift 2 and IDEC Sport are currently captained by Yann Guichard and Francis Joyon, respectively. Both boats were designed by VPLP Design.

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LCS Still “Little Crappy Ships”

Posted on by December 22, 2015

lcs12Back in the early 200s, the US Navy began a program to build a new class of Littoral Combat Ships, LCS, which were intended to be fast, agile and, at least by US Navy standards, relatively inexpensive, which could operate effectively in coastal waters around the world. Early on, the ships were given the nickname, “Little Crappy Ships” by some of the Navy’s blue water sailors. At the time, the nickname seemed a touch unfair. Now, faced with significant budget overruns and questions of whether the ships will ever be capable of performing their assigned missions, nickname seems prophetic.

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The Shantyman – One of Kirkus’ Best Indie Books of the Year 2015

Posted on by December 21, 2015

Shantymankirkus1sI am extremely pleased to announce that my novel “The Shantyman” has been selected as one of Kirkus Reviews’ Best Indie Books for 2015.  From the review:

With eloquent accuracy, Spilman’s novel captures the life of a 19th-century sailor…. Spilman’s colorful, well-researched novel will enthrall both sailing enthusiasts and landlubbers.  A fabulously gripping sailor’s yarn.

KIRKUS REVIEW — THE SHANTYMAN

What the Fashionable Sailor Wears, Part 1 — A Leatherman Tread?

Posted on by January 14, 2016

ltreadWhat should a sailor carry with him or her when clambering around a boat or sailing ship? A rigging knife and marlinspike are common. Some prefer a sheath knife, whereas I am happy with a folding knife and marlinspike that I carry in my pocket on a lanyard clipped to a belt loop.  A multi-tool of some sort can also be useful. I have two different sized “Leatherman” tools that I can also slip into my pocket on a lanyard.  Of course, too much in your pockets or a sheath on your belt can cause your pants to sag. And then there is managing the lanyards which are easy to catch on most anything that one passes by.

Leatherman has a new answer, at last when it comes to a multi-tool. Why not wear all your tools as a bracelet? The Leatherman Tread is just that — 29 tools in one, on a bracelet that also looks like it might be useful in a bar fight. There is a short video showing the Tread’s features after the page break.

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The VPLP-Verdier Racers with Dali Moustaches — the Future or a Foil Too Far?

Posted on by December 21, 2015

dalimoustache1

A new IMOCA (International Monohull Open Class Association) 60 design by Guillaume Verdier and VPLP Design has raised the question whether the design will be a the future of ocean racing or whether it is a foil too far.  In addition to the tall rig, sled hull, articulating keel and moveable ballast, the design features “L” shaped foils that some think bear a resemblance to Salvador Dali’s iconic mustache. VPLP-Verdier design has been described as the most complex monohull sailboats ever built.  Several of the designs have been built for the upcoming Vendee Globe round-the-world single-handed yacht race with the hope of breaking the current 78-day record.

Will these boats survive a round-the-world race? So far, things do not look promising. In the recent Transat Jacques Vabre from Le Havre, France, to Itajaí, Brazil, five of the new VPLP-Verdier designs started the 20-boat race, but only one finished. Armel Le Cléac’h’s Banque Populaire VIII, a VPLP-Verdier design, finished second roughly eight hours behind PRB, a conventional IMOCA 60.  One of the boats, Hugo Boss, sailed by Alex Thompson and Guillermo Altadill, suffered structural hull failure and sank after rolling and was dismasting. Thompson and Altadill were rescued.

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Almost Home, USS Georgia Collides With Buoy

Posted on by December 18, 2015

uss georgiaThe nuclear submarine USS Georgia is now in drydock at the Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay.  The Georgia was returning after a long international deployment when it ran into buoy No. 23, located at the entrance to the channel leading to the boat’s home port. No one was hurt and the sub made it in under her power.  As reported by Military.com: The Georgia is one of four Ohio-class submarines that were converted from ballistic missile subs to carry Tomahawk cruise missiles. The boats conduct clandestine missions in coastal areas across the world… Unlike the ballistic missile submarines on base, which return every 70 days, the Georgia and another converted sub, USS Florida, remain deployed for up to a year.    

So, basically, the submarine returns from a long deployment overseas, which may have included clandestine operations in coastal waters, then smacks a buoy just a few miles from home. What can one say? Stuff happens. Far better to have this sort of problem close to home than in distant waters.