South Street Seaport Museum to Get $10.4 Million Federal Funding for Superstorm Sandy Repairs

Posted on by August 13, 2015

Great news!  Congressman Jerrold Nadler (NY-10) and the South Street Seaport Museum announced that the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is awarding the museum $10.4 million from FEMA’s Public Assistance Program as part of federal efforts to assist in repairing damage caused by Hurricane Sandy in 2012.

“We’ve been working for more than two years to secure funding for Sandy recovery. This grant is a strong step in the right direction for the Seaport Museum,” said Captain Jonathan Boulware, the Museum’s Executive Director. “Congressman Nadler’s support of our efforts has been meaningful and we’re encouraged by this news as we undertake larger efforts to improve and expand Museum programming.”

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Massive Explosions in Chinese Port City Tianjin Kill at Least Fifty

Posted on by August 13, 2015

tianjinfireExplosions at a warehouse containing hazardous materials rocked the Chinese port city of Tianjin on Wednesday, killing at least 50 and injuring over 700, 71 critically. Tianjin, 100 miles east of Beijing, is the fourth largest urban area in China. Buildings within a 1.5 miles radius had windows blown out, office blocks were destroyed and hundreds of cars caught fire.  Chemical and oil tankers have either been stopped from entering the port or discharging their cargoes for fear of further explosions.

The first explosion and fire at the Ruihai International Logistics warehouse, shortly after 11AM local time on Wednesday, was estimated to be the equivalent of 3 tons of TNT. The first blast is believed to have set off a second, much larger, explosion, equivalent to 21 tons of TNT.  The explosions registered between a magnitude 2 and 3 on the Richter scale in Beijing. The blasts caused a huge fireball that could be seen from space. Fires at and near the warehouse have been burning out of control. There is considerable concern about the toxicity of the chemicals burning in the fires.

As reported by the New York Times:

According to the Tianjin Tanggu Environmental Monitoring Station, the company stored a collection of toxic industrial chemicals, including sodium cyanide, toluene diisocyanate and calcium carbide. The company was also licensed to handle highly combustible substances such as compressed and liquefied natural gas. Continue reading →

“Son of Migaloo” Sighted off Australia’s Gold Coast

Posted on by August 12, 2015

sonofmigalooRecently, there has been considerable excitement over the sighting of a white humpback whale off Australia’s Gold Coast.  Initially, the whale was thought to be Migaloo, an albino humpback first seen in 1991. The white whale, however, appears to be smaller and younger than Migallo and to lack the older whale’s distinctive markings. Some are dubbing the newly sighted whale “Son of Migaloo.”

Four years ago, we posted, “Of Migaloo and the New White Calf” about Migaloo and the appearance of a white humpback whale calf sighted off Queensland, Australia. Migaloo, or “white fella” in an Aboriginal language, may be the most popular humpback whale in the world, being the subject of several web sites (see also here and here) and Facebook and Twitter pages, (of course) as well as over a dozen Youtube videos.

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Sail the Seven Seas — the Seven Seas for Sale

Posted on by August 11, 2015

sevenseas1Movie director Steven Spielberg is putting his $200 million, 282′ mega-yacht, Seven Seas, up for sale, reportedly because it is too small. He is having a new yacht built, costing roughly $250 million, which, oddly, at 300′, is only 18′ longer than Seven Seas.

Seven Seas was built by Oceanco Yachts in the Netherlands and is only five years old. As described by the The Richest: The Seven Seas has accommodation and luxury amenities for 12 guests along with a crew of 26, including a private owner’s deck centered on a large master stateroom with a study and private deck area with a Jacuzzi. Other luxury touches include a helipad, fully equipped gymnasium, a spa and massage room and another, indoor cinema. Special stability systems allow the yacht to travel smoothly in any weather at 20 knots so the director doesn’t get jostled while viewing his latest masterpiece.

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Pitcairn Island — Tropical Living, Free Land and Internet!

Posted on by August 10, 2015

pitcairnboathouseHow would you like to escape to a tropical island, well off the beaten path, where land to build a house is free,  temperatures stay above 62F all year round and there is even an internet connection? If that sounds good to you, you might want to consider Pitcairn Island.

Yes, that Pitcairn Island, Britain’s smallest colony, the tiny island originally settled by mutineers from HMS Bounty.  The population has been dwindling in recent years and now stands below 50.

As reported by the Telegraph: “We’ve been appealing for more people to boost the population,” said Jacqui Christian, 44, who represents the island in Europe. “We’ve had many enquiries but only one person has applied to move to Pitcairn.

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Own the Historic Schooner Isaac H. Evans for an Essay & $125

Posted on by August 9, 2015

isaacevansThe 129 year old, 90 foot long schooner Isaac H. Evans, sailing out of Rockland, Maine could be yours for $125 and a 200 word essay. Captain Brenda Thomas, owner and master of the schooner, hopes to attract up to 8,000 entries, which would raise up to $1 million. The schooner was built as a Delaware oyster schooner in 1886 but has been sailing in the Maine “windjammer fleet” since 1973. The schooner is a National Historic Landmark. While the schooner is outfitted to carry passengers, the new owner does not necessarily have to continue that line of work. Captain Thomas says that “the person doesn’t have to operate it as a schooner. They could live on it, turn it into a restaurant. A Scout group could get it and offer sail training. There are no strings attached.”

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US Coast Guard Busts Narco-sub with $181 Million in Cocaine Aboard

Posted on by August 8, 2015
USCG CUTTER STRATTON

USCG CUTTER STRATTON

The submarine war at sea continues. Last month, the USCG Cutter Stratton intercepted a semi-submersible vessel in the eastern Pacific Ocean around 200 miles south of Mexico, loaded with 16,000 pounds of cocaine, worth an estimated $181 million. Four men were arrested aboard the sub and taken into custody. The 40′ long narco sub was taken under tow, but later sank in international waters.

As we posted about in 2010, The New Generation of Narco Submarines: Sometime in the 1990s, cocaine smugglers switched from high speed power boats, which were easy to spot on radar, to semi-submersibles, which were almost invisible to radar and difficult to spot from other boats. They have been dubbed narco subs and typically have been around 30-40 feet long, capable of traveling around 6 knots and carrying several tons of cocaine.

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Captain Mary’s Story Hour on the Cutter Lilac & Rides on the Fireboat John J Harvey

Posted on by August 7, 2015

If you are anywhere near the lower Hudson River this Sunday, August 9th, be sure to stop by the Cutter Lilac for Captain Mary’s Story Hour, a family event for all ages, from 10:30 AM to 1:15 PM. Mary Habstritt, aka “Captain Mary,” will be reading Fireboat: The Heroic Adventures of the John J. Harvey. In addition to hearing about the fireboat John J. Harvey which pumped water for 80 hours to aid firefighters during the Sept. 11 attacks, visitors will also be able to take a ride on the historic fireboat.

Participants may choose to depart on the fireboat from Pier 66 Maritime (in Hudson River Park at 26th Street) at 10:30 a.m. and share the story at Lilac after, or read the story at Lilac first and board the fireboat there for a trip out to the Harbor and back leaving at 12:00 noon and returning at 1:00 PM. The first reading of the storybook will be at 11:30 and the second is at 12:30 on the buoy deck at Lilac.

Reservations are required for the boat rides since space is limited and there is a $10 refundable fee per person that is forfeit if you do not take the ride. A third fireboat ride has been added at 1:30. No advance registration is needed for the reading. Click here to register for the 10:30 , the 12:00 or the 1:15 fireboat rides.

Timelapse Cruise Ship Under Construction

Posted on by August 6, 2015

This is a time lapse of the construction of a cruise ship for the German AIDA Cruises at the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Nagasaki Shipyard & Machinery Works. Superficially, it is an entertaining short video in which an entire new ship emerges as if assembled from Lego blocks.

Watch a bit closer and you can get a sense of the extreme complexity of building a cruise ship. Cruise ships are among the most complicated of all ships to build. Each block is a fully fabricated sub-assembly, which must fit perfectly with the blocks on all sides. All the structure, machinery, wiring, piping, hydraulics and ventilation must line up to very fine tolerances. The design and engineering is exacting. For many years, the only shipyards which had the capacity to build cruise ships economically were European. Obviously, MHI is now fully capable of building cruise ships, as well.

AIDAprima Cruise Ship : Full Construction Time-lapse by MKtimelapse

Natalia Molchanova — World’s Greatest Free Diver, Presumed Dead

Posted on by August 6, 2015

freediver1On Sunday, 53-year-old  Natalia Molchanova, a world record holder and arguably the greatest free diver that the world has ever seen, slipped below the surface on a practice dive off Ibiza. She did not surface again and is presumed dead. The search for her was suspended this morning.  A joint statement was issued AIDA International and Molchanova’s family:

The Worlds Most Accomplished and Famous Female Freediver, Natalia Molchanova, is Missing

Natalia Molchanova was recreationally freediving off the coast of Spain on August 2, 2015 when she was separated from her peers. She was diving without fins to around 30 to 40m and supposable got into strong underwater current. Search efforts have been ongoing during daylight hours and the next day since she was reported missing by three peers. She disappeared while diving approximately two miles northwest of the port of La Savina at Poniente de es Freus.

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Washington and Hamilton on the US Coast Guard’s 225th Birthday

Posted on by August 4, 2015
Washington & Hamilton at Federal Hall

Washington & Hamilton at Federal Hall

Today, on the 225th anniversary of George Washington signing of the legislation establishing the Revenue-Marine, the predecessor to the United States Coast Guard, President George Washington and his Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton, returned to Federal Hall in New York City, where the act was signed on August 4, 1790. OK, they were not literally Washington and Hamilton. (Alexander Hamilton is buried just a few blocks to the west at Trinity Church in lower Manhattan.) Washington was portrayed by John Lopes and Hamilton by Ian Rose.

The reenactment was part of a commemoration of the United States Coast Guard’s birthday and was organized jointly by the Coast Guard, the National Park Service and the Alexander Hamilton Awareness Society.  (Until today, I was not aware of the Alexander Hamilton Awareness Society.)

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Near 300th Anniversary of Terra Firme Fleet Disaster, Divers Find $1MM in Spanish Gold

Posted on by August 3, 2015

1715goldOn July 30, 1715 the Spanish Terra Firme and New Spain fleets, bound from Havana to Spain, were hit by a hurricane off the coast of Florida.  Eleven ships were blown up on to the reefs and sank. Only one ship escaped. More than 1,000 sailors lost their lives.

On July 17, Eric Schmitt and his family were diving on the fleet flagship, Capitana, when they found a trove of 52 Spanish gold coins, 40 feet of gold chain, and 110 silver coins and buttons all worth over one million dollars. The discovery was kept quiet for a few weeks to coincide with the 300th anniversary of the disaster. Who receives the benefit of the gold is unclear. The Schmitt family was diving under a contract with 1715 Fleet-Queens Jewels, a Florida company that holds exclusive rights to searching the wrecks.

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The Indian Ocean Gyre, the Garbage Patch and Malaysia Air Flight 370

Posted on by August 2, 2015

iogyreA wing flap from Malaysia Air Flight 370, which disappeared in 2014, has washed up on the island of Reunion in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Africa, roughly 2,300 miles away from where most believe that the plane crashed, on the opposite side of the ocean near Australia. So how did the wing flap make it the two thousand miles across the the Indian Ocean?  It appears to have ridden the Indian Ocean gyre, along with the rest of the trash cast off into the Indian Ocean.

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What Happened to the Polina Star III? New Oyster 90 Sinks off Spain

Posted on by August 1, 2015

oyster90In early July, the year old Polina Star III – an extended 90ft version of the Oyster 825 — suffered some sort of hull failure and sank off the East Coast of Spain. The Oyster press release describes it as a “a serious incident which compromised the integrity of the moulded hull.”  The five crew were rescued by the Spanish Coastguard before the vessel sank on July 4th. What happened to Polina Star III, delivered last May?  Divers have been sent to investigate the wreck. So far, the company has only said that “the possibility of impact with an underwater object propagating structural failure has not been ruled out. Recovery of the vessel will facilitate further detailed investigation.”

Surprisingly, the only reporting that we have seen of the sinking is in the Oyster statement posted on their website on July 24th. The statement goes on to say:

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The Problem with Boat Names & Double-Enders

Posted on by July 31, 2015

inspiredvirginAs we posted today, Donna Lange has just set off on her second solo circumnavigation on her Southern Cross 28, Inspired Insanity. A photo of the Donna and the boat points out one problem with painting a boat name on a double-ender. Reading across from left to right the boat’s name is Inspired Insanity from the Virgin Islands.  On the other hand, reading from up to down and then left to right, the name becomes Inspired Virgin from the Insanity Islands.

I am not sure where the Insanity Islands are on a chart but I have the distinct recollection of visiting once or twice.

Bon Voyage — Donna Lange & Inspired Insanity on Second Solo Circumnativation

Posted on by July 31, 2015

donnalangeToday, Donna Lange set off today from Bristol, RI on her Southern Cross 28, Inspired Insanity, attempting to sail single-handed nonstop around the world. This will be her second circumnavigation, although the first non-stop. She made two post calls on her first trip around between 2005 and 2007.  Here her description of the voyage she she began today:

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The Hallucinogen Magic of Sea Sapphires

Posted on by July 27, 2015

Sea sapphires are amazing creatures. These tiny crustaceans flash in brilliant shades of blue, green, red and gold, and then seem to disappear completely, as if by magic. RR Helm wrote in Deep Sea News, “When I first saw a sea sapphire I thought I was hallucinating.” She also referred to sea sapphires as “the most beautiful animal you’ve never seen.”

Now, researchers have published a paper in the Journal of the American Chemical Society which explains how these remarkable creatures pull off their light and invisibility trick. Those interested in the details should read: Structural Basis for the Brilliant Colors of the Sapphirinid Copepods. For the rest of us, the video below gives a more general explanation.

The secret to the sea sapphire’s colors and invisibility

The French Prize by James Nelson — a Review

Posted on by July 27, 2015

frenchprizeFor fans of his “Revolution at Sea Saga,” Jame’s Nelson’s The French Prize is an introduction to the next generation. Isaac Biddlecombe, the Revolutionary War naval hero of the previous saga, has a son, Jack, coming of age in the young American republic. The novel is set during the so-called Quasi-War, an undeclared war fought almost entirely at sea between the United States of America and the French Republic from 1798 to 1800.  Jack Biddlecombe is a skilled sailor and ship’s officer, while also a bit of a hot-head and a brawler. He has been given his first command, the merchant ship Abigail, bound for Barbados. Concerned about the danger of French privateers in the West Indies, the ship owner has six pound cannon installed on the deck of the ship. Oddly, the ship owner also happens to be one of his father’s political rivals. As Jack sails for the West Indies, toward the guns of a French warship, he is wholly unaware of the layers of political intrigue that surround the voyage.

In addition to duels, storms, and battles at sea, Nelson gives Jack Biddlecome an engaging passenger for the trip in the form of William Wentworth, of the “Boston Wentworths”, the son of wealth and position, who seems in equal parts amused, annoyed and intrigued by the young captain. When they aren’t literally trying to kill each other, they become allies of sorts. I would not be surprised to see William Wentworth in future books of the series. The French Prize is a fun and engaging read.

The Glory and the Danger of Open Water — Thoughts on Two Missing Teens

Posted on by July 28, 2015

capsized boatOn Friday, two 14 year old boys went missing in the Atlantic off Jupiter, FL. Their 19′ boat was found capsized on Sunday night. The Coast Guard, and now the Navy, is continuing the search for the teens, Austin Stephanos and Perry Cohen.

The missing boys reminded me of how easily that could have been me, almost a half century ago. Open water can be such a glorious and also very dangerous place if you are young, adventurous and think that you know what you are doing.

When I was around 15, my family moved to Treasure Island on the west coast of Florida. I got a job cleaning boats at a local marina and saved enough to buy an old 16′ runabout with a 33 hp outboard motor.  Most of the time I used the boat to run around the sheltered waters of Boca Ciega Bay, but I would often head out through John’s Pass into the Gulf of Mexico to go fishing or just cruise around offshore.

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‘Sea Slaves’: the Human Misery that Feeds Pets and Livestock

Posted on by July 27, 2015

Slave labor on fishing boats, particularity in Asia, has been a serious problem for many years. In 2011, we posted about reports that the crews of of chartered fishing vessels operating in New Zealand waters were being systematically abused and robbed of their pay. More recently, the AP investigated the abuse of seamen in Thai shrimping business. They found that Thai and Burmese fishermen were being held against their will and often beaten or killed on trawlers catching “trash fish” also know as bycatch, to supply Thai shrimp farms. The bycatch is also used to make pet food and food for livestock.

Now in the third of his series, Outlaw Ocean, Ian Urbina, of the New York Times, writes of ‘Sea Slaves’: the Human Misery that Feeds Pets and Livestock.  Well worth reading.  A short video companion to the article:

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