Not “Demonic” but “Domoic” — Sickened Sea Lions Attacking Beachgoers in California

Posted on by April 14, 2025
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The BBC reports that last month a surfer paddling off the coast of Southern California was attacked by a sea lion that lunged at him, bit him, and dragged him off his board.  “It looked possessed,”  the surfer, Rj LaMendola wrote in a Facebook post, saying the animal involved in the encounter was “feral, almost demonic”.

It turns out that the sea lion was not “demonic” but “domoic.” The sea mammal was poisoned by ingesting domoic acid — a neurotoxin produced by a toxic algal bloom. In the ecosystem, sea lions were perhaps hit the worst, suffering from seizures, brain damage, dehydration, and muscle spasms as hundreds began to die.

How was the sea lion poisoned? Small fish, such as anchovies and plankton, probably ate toxic algae that was blooming in the Pacific Ocean. Larger mammals, including sea lions and dolphins, then ate the fish and the toxic algae they carried, researchers found.

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Searching For And Discovering the Titanic as a Cover for Surveying the Submarines Thresher and Scorpion

Posted on by April 13, 2025
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One hundred and thirteen years ago this week, the RMS Titanic slipped below the icy waters of the North Atlantic after striking an iceberg. Close to 1,500 passengers and crew were lost, making the sinking the deadliest peacetime sinking of a passenger liner in history.

The Titanic had sailed from Southampton, UK five days earlier on April 10th. Coincidentally, 51 years later, on April 10, 1963, the nuclear attack submarine USS Thresher sank during deep-diving tests, killing all 129 crew and shipyard personnel aboard. Also coincidentally, the Thresher sank relatively close to the wreck of the Titanic, although when the submarine sank, no one knew quite how close. An updated repost.

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Satellite Mapping of Ocean Floor Discovers 100,000 Seamounts

Posted on by April 12, 2025

Graphic: NASA Earth Observatory

For decades, we have more detailed maps of the Moon’s surface than Earth’s ocean floor. Although ships equipped with sonar can capture highly detailed images of the seafloor, only about 25 percent of the ocean has been mapped this way. Scientists have long been working to do better.

Now, a NASA-supported research team has taken a major step forward by creating one of the most detailed maps of the seafloor to date, using data from the SWOT (Surface Water and Ocean Topography) satellite.

One of the most striking discoveries made through the SWOT satellite’s observations is the discovery of nearly 100,000 seamounts beneath the ocean’s surface. 

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On World Parkinson’s Day — Patrick Morrissey & Team HPP Row Across the Pacific To Beat Parkinson’s

Posted on by April 12, 2025

Today, April 11th, is World Parkinson’s Day. Parkinson’s disease is a progressive and debilitating neurological disorder affecting millions of people worldwide. It is the fastest growing and the second most prevalent neurological condition, affecting an estimated 11.8 million people worldwide. From 1990 to 2015, the number of people with Parkinson disease doubled to over 6 million. Experts now expect 25 million Parkinson’s diagnosis by the year 2050.

Despite significant advancements in treatment, there is still no known cure for  Parkinson’s. While drugs can help control the symptoms, so far the best method for slowing the disease progression is exercise, which brings us to the story of Patrick Morrissey and the Team Human Powered Potential (HPP).

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Six Die in Helicopter Crash in Hudson River Near Jersey City

Posted on by April 10, 2025

Six people died when a helicopter crashed in the Hudson River, at roughly 3:15 PM this afternoon. Two adults and three children — all believed to be members of a family of Spanish tourists — were pulled from the helicopter or from the frigid river and taken to hospitals in New Jersey, but none survived, officials briefed on the crash said. A sixth person, believed to be the pilot, was also killed.

The helicopter, a Bell 206, took off from Lower Manhattan and flew near the Statue of Liberty before heading up the Hudson River, turning around just past the George Washington Bridge and flying back down along the Jersey side of the river. The helicopter came down near Jersey City, not far from the Water’s Soul sculpture.

The helicopter apparently came apart in mid-air and came plummeting down. Video of the crash shows the helicopter tumbling end over end and hitting the water at a high speed. 

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Triple Amputee, Craig Wood, Sailing Solo Across the Pacific

Posted on by April 8, 2025

A wonderful story reported by the BBC. Craig Wood, a British Army veteran who lost both his legs and his left arm while serving in Afghanistan set sail late last month in an attempt to become the first triple amputee to sail solo across the Pacific. 

Rifleman Wood lost both his legs and an arm when he was blown up by a roadside bomb while serving in Sangin, southern Afghanistan, in 2009. He was just 18 and only three months into his first tour. 

Mr Wood, now 33, hopes to sail 6,000 nautical miles (11,112km) solo and unsupported in 80 days, from Puerto Vallarta in Mexico to Yokohama, Japan, and is expected to finish in early May. After 14 days at sea, he has sailed so far over 1,500 nautical miles.

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Windcoop Orders World’s First Sail-Powered Container Ship

Posted on by April 4, 2025

In February, we posted about the world’s first commercial sailing ro/ro, the Neoliner Origin. Launched by Turkish shipyard RMK Marine, the ship is expected to enter service in mid-2025.

This week, it was announced that Windcoop, a French maritime cooperative based in Lorient, has placed an order with RMK Marine for the world’s first wind-powered container ship. The wind-powered open hatch box ship will operate between Madagascar and France. Construction is said to commence in 2026, while the ship is expected to undergo trials, delivery, and commissioning in May 2027.

The 91.3-meter-long ship will have a  210 TEU capacity, including 40 reefer plugs for refrigerated cargo. The three wing sails, designed by Computer Wingsails (CWS), are each 350 square meters for a total sail area of 1,050 square meters. The ship is projected to have an average speed of 9 knots under sail.

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Congratulations to Sophie Pierce, First Person to With Cystic Fibrosis to Row Across the Atlantic

Posted on by April 3, 2025

Image: Atlantic Dash

Sophie Pierce did not believe she would live until she was 30 due to cystic fibrosis, a genetic illness affecting her ability to breathe. Remarkably, she has just completed a world record-breaking row, at age 32, becoming the first person with the condition to row the Atlantic.

As part of Cruising Free, a team of four women rowers from Neyland Rowing Club, Pembrokeshire, she set off on a 3200-mile unsupported row across the Atlantic from Lanzarote in the Canary Islands to Antigua in the Caribbean as part of the Atlantic Dash 2025.

Ms Pierce said the 53-day journey had been “incredibly tough” but “empowering”.
“If you had told me five years ago that I would be standing here in Antigua after rowing an ocean, I would have laughed,” Ms Pierce said.

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Expedition Ship Ocean Explorer Hit By 40′ Waves in Drake Passage

Posted on by April 2, 2025

Quark Expeditions bills it as “The Ultimate Drake Passage Cruise” and it appears that passengers aboard Quark’s expedition cruise ship Ocean Explorer got their money’s worth as the ship was slammed by 30-to-40-foot waves in its crossing of the notorious Drake Passage, between the tip of South America and Antarctica. Fortunately, there were no reports of damage to the ship or injuries to those aboard.

Lesley Anne Murphy, a travel blogger, captured footage showing passengers falling into walls and sliding across the floor as giant waves crashed into the vessel during a return trip from Antarctica.

Murphy estimated some waves were 30 to 40 feet. The ship’s unique design, including paneled windows, allows passengers to see waves coming. 

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Update: Microalgal Bloom Causing Toxic Sea Foam on South Australian Beaches Identified

Posted on by March 28, 2025

We recently posted about a mysterious foam on beaches of the Fleurieu Peninsula of South Australia, that is being blamed for sickening more than 100 surfers and for the deaths of leafy seadragons, fish, and octopuses. Now, the Australian Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has received results from water tests identifying the species Karenia mikimotoi (Kar-een-ia mickey-mow-toy) as the cause of the microalgae bloom on the Fleurieu Peninsula.

Karenia mikimotoi is toxic to fish and invertebrates and can cause general allergic-type responses in humans.

The EPA says that the event has been driven by an ongoing marine heatwave, with marine water temperatures currently 2.5C warmer than usual, as well as relatively calm marine conditions with little wind and small swell.

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Tourist Submarine Sinks in Red Sea Off Egypt — 39 Rescued, 6 Dead

Posted on by March 27, 2025


Reuters reports that on Thursday morning, six Russians died and 39 foreign passengers were rescued when a tourist submarine sank off the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Hurghada.

The Red Sea Governorate said the submarine, named Sindbad, had 50 people onboard: 45 tourists of different nationalities from Russia, India, Norway, and Sweden, and five Egyptian crew members. 

Four of the rescued tourists were reported to be in critical condition, receiving treatment in the intensive care units (ICU) of local hospitals.

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A Tale of Two “Code Talkers” — Marine Radioman Thomas Begay & Navy Wave Winnie Breegle

Posted on by March 25, 2025

Last week, Trump’s Defense Department removed articles about Navajo code talkers from its websites amid an ongoing campaign to rid the military of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. Once again, under Trump, opposition to DEI was used as a tool for denying opportunities to people of color, women, and minorities—if not erasing them entirely from the history books.

After three days of public outcry and lobbying from the Navajo Nation president and the tribal council to the White House and the Pentagon, the Defense Department gave up on this part of its effort to whitewash the past and abruptly reversed itself.

Here is the story of two code talkers, Marine radioman Thomas Begay and Navy Wave Winnie Breegle, who deserve to be remembered and who serve as examples of how diversity, equity, and inclusion helped win World War II. 

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Sea Foam Sickens Over 100 Surfers on South Australian Beaches

Posted on by March 19, 2025

Five years ago, we posted about a surge of sea foam stirred up by severe weather off the east coast of Australia that inundated several beaches. While that foam proved harmless and non-toxic, recent sea foam washing up on Australian beaches has been more problematic. 

The Guardian reports that mysterious foam on South Australian beaches is being blamed for more than 100 surfers becoming ill and for the deaths of leafy seadragons, fish, and octopuses.

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Peruvian Fisherman Rescued After 94 Days Missing at Sea

Posted on by March 17, 2025

A remarkable story of survival against all odds. A Peruvian fisherman was found alive after drifting at sea for 94 days, a navy official said.  Maximo Napa, 61, was rescued in his small fishing boat on Tuesday after being spotted by an Ecuadoran vessel off the coast of Chimbote in northern Peru.

In a tearful interview, he told local media that he had survived at sea by eating cockroaches, birds, and turtles.

“Mr. Napa arrived in good physical condition. He could walk, and wash himself. Shocked, but in good physical condition,” said Peruvian Navy port captain Jorge Gonzalez.  Napa was discharged from the hospital on Saturday.

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Royal Navy’s Cetus, First Uncrewed Submarine, Launched

Posted on by March 16, 2025

British unmanned systems manufacturer MSubs has launched Cetus, the UK Royal Navy’s first Extra Large Underwater Autonomous Vehicle (XLUAV) technology demonstrator.  At 12 m in length, 2.2 m in diameter, and weighing up to 25 tonnes with a full test payload, the demonstrator is claimed to be the largest and most complex crewless submersible procured by a European navy to date.  MSubs of Plymouth was awarded the £21.5 million contract to manufacture Cetus in November 2022.  

Once delivered, the vessel will be deployed independently to secure the country’s critical infrastructure and monitor sub-sea activities across its territories. The XLAUV will sail on other missions supporting the navy’s existing crewed submarines, including the Astute-class nuclear-powered submarines and their successors.

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China Building Fleet of ‘Invasion Barges’ Suitable For Taiwan Landings

Posted on by March 14, 2025

Many have dismissed Chinese threats to invade Taiwan as saber-rattling. Recent imagery, however, suggests that the risk of invasion is very real.  The images show that the Chinese are building a fleet of “invasion barges” apparently designed to facilitate an amphibious assault on Taiwan. The self-propelled barges, built in several sizes and configurations, feature jack-up cylinder legs and long “Bailey Bridge” style bow ramps.

Once a barge is close ashore, the jack-up cylinder legs can be lowered, lifting the barge out of the water to create a secure pier platform.  With the bow bridge ramp lowered the barges could provide docks for China’s large fleet of civilian ferries. China’s roll-on/roll-off (RORO) ferries are built to carry military vehicles including heavy main battle tanks. They are exercised in this role regularly. The new barges could provide a unique way to offload large numbers of tanks, trucks and other heavy equipment directly onto Taiwanese roads.

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Battleship USS Texas Finally Finds Home in Galveston

Posted on by March 13, 2025

The battleship USS Texas, the oldest remaining dreadnought battleship, may finally have a permaneny home in Galveston, TX.

After decades of heglect, the venerable old ship was drydocked in 2022 to undergo $60 million in repairs and refurbishment, which was largely completed early this year. However, the USS Texas still lacked a secure place to dock. Last week, the Galveston Wharves Board of Trustees finally agreed to berth the battleship at Pier 15, securing a long-term home as a museum ship for the historic warship.

In a statement on Facebook, the non-profit Battleship Texas Foundation stated, “We’re thrilled to have the support of the Wharves Board to bring Texas to Pier 15 in Galveston- just a short walk from Pier 21 and the historic Galveston Strand. Texas, the last ship of its kind, will promote tourism, educate future generations, and create a visitor experience worthy of her crew and legacy.”

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Fire and Explosions After Container Ship Strikes Anchored Tanker Off Humber in North Sea

Posted on by March 10, 2025

This morning, the 804 TEU Portuguese-flag container ship Solong struck the 49,729 DWT US-flag product tanker Stena Immaculate, at anchor in the North Sea, off the mouth of the River Humber. Multiple explosions were reported as the ships caught fire. 

Both crews abandoned ship after the allision. The 20 crew members onboard Stena Immaculate were all reported to have been accounted for and were taken to local hospitals but are not believed to be seriously harmed. One of the Solong’s crew remains missing, while the other 13 have been brought safely to shore, according to Ernst Russ, the manager of the container vessel.

The British Coast Guard is coordinating the emergency response casualty off the coast of East Yorkshire and reported that an alarm was first raised at 9:48 a.m. local time.

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Women’s History Month — Celebrating Admiral “Amazing Grace” Hopper

Posted on by March 7, 2025

As the current administration launches a frontal attack on diversity, equity, and inclusion, it is a good time to remember Admiral Grace Hopper. Grace Hopper was a pioneering computer scientist and a United States Navy Rear Admiral. Hopper received a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in mathematics from Yale. She was nicknamed “Amazing Grace” and is often referred to as the “mother of computing.” An updated repost.

Since 1994, The Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing (GHC) has honored Admiral Hopper hosting a series of conferences designed to bring the research and career interests of women in computing to the forefront. It is the world’s largest gathering of women and non-binary technologists. This year the celebration will be held in Chicago.

In October of 2020, the U.S. Naval Academy officially opened Hopper Hall, the academy’s new center for cybersecurity studies, named in her honor.  The cybersecurity facility is the first building named after a woman at the three main service academies.

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The Long Goodbye — Preparing SS United States to be Sunk as an Artificial Reef

Posted on by March 6, 2025

The iconic passenger liner  SS United States arrived early Monday in Mobile, Alabama, nearly two weeks after departing under tow from South Philadelphia. She was docked at Modern American Recycling Service (MARS), where if all goes according to plan, she will be stripped of non-metal and potentially hazardous materials in preparation to be sunk as the world’s largest artificial reef, off the coast of Destin-Fort Walton Beach in the Gulf of Mexico. The remediation is expected to take until the end of this year.

The SS United States was taken out of service in 1969. Last year, Okaloosa County, FL purchased the ship for $1 million and budgeted an additional $8 million for remediation, transport, and deployment. The project also includes plans for a land-based museum dedicated to the ship.

A last minute attempt to save the ship from being sunk is being mounted by the New York Coalition to Save the SS United States. They propose mooring the ship in South Red Hook, Brooklyn, NY at the Gowanus Bay Terminal (GBX™) to be used as a public waterfront mixed-use center. 

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