Judas Island by Joan Druett – a Review

Posted on by June 21, 2013

Joan Druett’s Judas Island, the first book of her Promise of Gold trilogy, is a delightful mix of nautical adventure, romance and droll comedy.

In the novel, Harriet Gray, an eighteen year old British actress, finds herself abandoned on the deck of the brig Gosling, a ship whose ownership is unclear and which is under the command of Jake Dexter, a captain who technically may be a pirate, even if he does not think of himself as such. The crew is a motley band of treasure seekers, now highly distracted by the lovely young actress who stands before them. The Gosling is anchored off the brooding Judas Island. Captain Dexter and his crew are trying to unravel the island’s mysteries and find the treasure that is rumored to be be hidden somewhere on its shores, although to no avail. Harriet impetuously buys her way into the band of adventurers and induces them to sail to Valparaiso in search of her brother, who is rounding up a herd of alpaca, which she promises the crew will bring them all riches.

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Face of a 16th Century Archer From the Mary Rose

Posted on by June 19, 2013

Researchers at Swansea University, working with a Swedish expert, have reconstructed the face of one of Henry VIII’s elite archers, who drowned aboard the warship Mary Rose in 1545.

Face of 16th-century English archer revealed

It reveals a man in his 20s or 30s, who stood over six feet tall. The archer may have been a captain: he was found with an ivory armguard, a silver ring, and a bag containing a pewter plate, all of which indicate he was of high status. Tests also revealed signs of repetitive stress injury, likely caused by working in a profession where one is pulling a longbow with a force of up to 90 kilograms. 

The team at Swansea University’s College of Engineering analysed several skulls from the Mary Rose. They produced an exact 3D copy of one of them. Swedish expert Oscar Nilsson, who works with the police on reconstructing the faces of unidentified bodies, then used the copy to build up the man’s face muscle by muscle.

How to reconstruct a 500-year-old face

Fifth Annual North River Historic Ship Festival at Pier 25 in Manhattan June 20 – 23

Posted on by June 19, 2013
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Photo: Betsy Frawley Haggerty

If you are in the New York area, check out the North River Historic Ship Festival that starts with a kickoff gala tomorrow night and runs through Sunday. The festivities include:

  • A gala reception honoring A.J. Pietrantone, the former executive director of Friends of Hudson River Park.
  • Free dockside tours of the steam-powered lighthouse tender, Lilac, the 99-year-old wooden barge Lehigh Valley No. 79 and tug Pegasus.
  • Free river trips on the world-famous and water-spraying retired NYC fireboat John J. Harvey and on South Street Seaport Museum’s historic schooner Pioneer. The 106-year-old tug Pegasus will also offer river trips.
  • Two circus performances on a covered wooden barge.
  • Fishing on the pier, river-critter touch-tank explorations and knot-tying aboard Lilac.

Click here to learn more.

Why and How Did the MOL Comfort Break in Half? Structural Flaw or Improper Loading?

Posted on by June 19, 2013

mloc4Why and how did the MOL Comfort break in half? The obvious answer is that no one knows, yet. We will learn more following an investigation, which is many months in the future.  In the mean time, what are the likely causes of such a casualty?  How and why could an only five year old ship, delivered in 2008, built at good quality shipyard, Nagasaki Shipyard & Engine Works, operated by a well known and established ship owner, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, simply break in half?

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Container ship MOL Comfort Breaks in Two off Yemen, Crew Rescued

Posted on by December 30, 2013

UPDATE: Contrary to initial reports that the ship sank, the two halves of the MOL Comfort have remained afloat. Tugs have been dispatched to the site.

MOLCOMFORT

PTI Photo

The container ship MOL Comfort sank today off Yemen after suffering catastrophic hull cracking near amidships. A Coast Guard official was quoted as saying, “The vessel hull broke into two off the Mumbai coast and the crew members were rescued from the ship in two life rafts and a life boat,” a Coast Guard official said.  The ship was loaded with 4,500 containers was bound from Singapore to Jeddah. [Updated]

While there has been no determination why the ship’s hull broke, it seems likely that misloaded cargo might be the culprit. When loading a container ship, there is always an imbalance between the weight of the ship and cargo pressing down and the buoyancy of the sea pushing up. Too much weight in the ends can break a ship in half, which is what appears to have happened here.

Merchant vessel ‘Mol Comfort’ splits into two off Mumbai coast, crew rescued

New York Alligators – In the Peconic River, not the Sewers

Posted on by June 16, 2013

alligator-spotted-near-peconic-riverFor more than 80 years, there has been an urban legend about congregations of alligators living in the depths of New York City sewers. (Yes,a group of alligators is called a “congregation.” I didn’t know that either until I looked it up.) The legend goes that baby alligators acquired in Florida or Louisiana, brought back to New York by vacationers were flushed down toilets in New York City and went on to live and breed in the city sewers. It never happened. City sewers turn out to not be a good habitat for alligators.

Now, however, not that far from the big city, on the western end of Long Island, there have been sightings of five alligators in the Peconinc River. So far, four have been captured while the fifth is still at large. Alligators are not native to New York State. They would be incapable of surviving the winter. Nevertheless, thsi is not the first sightin gof alligators on Long Island. Just last October, animal control officers trapped another five in another area of Long Island. As reported by Fox News:

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Congratulations to Francis Joyon for Setting New Singlehanded Transatlantic Record

Posted on by June 16, 2013

idecCongratulations to Francis Joyon, who set a new west to east singlehanded transaltantic sailing record. He sailed from New York’s Ambrose Light of and crossed the line linking Lizard Point, Cornwall to Ushant in a remarkable 5 days 2:56 minutes and 10 seconds, beating the previous record set by Thomas Coville in 2008 by 16 hours 34 minutes and 30 seconds.
Joyan sailed a Groupe IDEC 29.7 meter trimaran and covered a distance over the bottom of 3,222 miles at an average speed of 26.20 knots. An amazing performance. Francis Joyon, 57, is a French professional sail boat racer and yachtsman, and currently also holds the record for the fastest single-handed sailing circumnavigation.

Yellow Duckmarine Sinks in Liverpool’s Albert Dock, Second Time in Three Months

Posted on by June 15, 2013

yellowduckboatAn amphibious tourist bus sank in Liverpool’s Albert Dock today. All 31 aboard the Yellow Duckmarine tour boat were rescued and no serious injuries were reported.  Seventeen passengers were  admitted to the hospital but have since been discharged. The youngest passenger was only 2 years old. This is the second sinking Yellow Duckmarine tour boat in the last three months. The previous sinking, in March, was of a tour boat without passengers aboard.  Last May, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip took a ride on the Yellow Duck during a visit to Merseyside Maritime Museum.

Tourist terror as amphibious duck bus carrying 31 people sinks in Liverpool’s Albert Dock for the SECOND time in three months

The Piri Reis Map – 500 Years Old, Still Fascinating and Controversial

Posted on by June 15, 2013

piri-reisIn 1929, a portion of a world map was discovered in the archives at the Topkapı Palace in Istanbul.  The map showed Europe, parts of Africa and Columbus’ discoveries in the New World. It was drawn in 1513 only 21 years after the voyages of Columbus, by Piri Reis, an Ottoman admiral and cartographer.  Last Thursday, a reception was held to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Piri Reis map at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Headquarters in London.  A new 59 tile reproduction of the famous map was installed on a wall at IMO Headquarters to commemorate the anniversary.

The map is not only an important historical artifact but has also been the subject of speculation involving lost civilizations and even space aliens.

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Father’s Day Sailing Trips

Posted on by June 14, 2013
Schooner Shearwater

Schooner Shearwater

Father’s Day is celebrated in the United States on Sunday, June 16th.  Here are a few selected Father’s Day sails which most salty dads are likely to enjoy:

New York Harbor – Schooner Shearwater, Father’s Day weekend – “Fathers will be offered drinks unlimited beer & wine for the duration of the sail. – “Shearwater Loves You Dad!”

New York Harbor – Clipper City Craft Beer Tasting Sails – Set sail on New York’s largest sailing vessel with the craft beer experts from Urban Oyster, and get introduced to the wonderful new world of Craft Beer.

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Seal of Approval – Best Underwater Photos 2013

Posted on by June 13, 2013
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Best Overall Photo 2013 University of Miami Underwater Photo Contest: Harbor seal in kelp forest photographed by Kyle McBurnie.

From more than 650 underwater images submitted, Kyle McBurnie’s photo of a harbor seal in a kelp forest at Cortes Bank was chosen as “Best Overall” photograph in the the 2013 Annual Underwater Photography Contest hosted by the University of Miami (UM) Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science.  Click here to view the winning photographs in all categories.  Thanks to Irwin Bryan for passing along the news.

Was the Carnival Triumph the Last Straw? Trust in Cruise Lines Plummets According to Poll

Posted on by June 12, 2013

What a difference a blackout and overflowing toilets can make.  In September of last year the headline in the L.A. Times was “Cruise industry rebounding from ship accident, woes in Europe.”  The subtitle read, “Cruise reservations seem to be rising, with the drop in European bookings offset by strong U.S. sales. The Costa Concordia disaster had only a short-term effect.”

Then came the fire on the Carnival Triumph in February which left the ship in the Gulf of Mexico without power, running water, hot food lighting or air conditioning.  Unlike the tragedy on the Costa Concordia, where 32 passengers and crew died, no one died or was seriously injured.  Nevertheless, the proximity to US media markets guaranteed that the stories of toilets overflowing and sewage in the hallways would get full coverage on the networks, newspapers and across the internet.

A Harris poll released this week shows trust in the cruise industry in general and Carnival in particular has plummeted since the incident.  Since the fire on the Carnival Triumph, America’s trust in cruise lines has dropped by 12%.  For Carnival, the news is much worse. Trust in the world’s largest cruise conglomerate has fallen by 26% in the same period.

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Hong Kong Bids Rubber Duck Adieu as Pittsburgh Welcomes Inflated Yellow Avian

Posted on by June 11, 2013
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Photo: RICHARD A. BROOKS/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

Thousands thronged Hong Kong’s Victoria harbor waterfront to say goodbye to a beloved four-story inflatable yellow duck. (See our recent post, Spreading Joy Around the World,” aka “Rubber Duck” – Inflated, Deflated, Revived & Censored) The huge inflatable duck, which is named “Spreading Joy Around the World,” is the creation of the Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman.  It has has lived up to its name, having visited Sydney, Japan, France, Sao Paolo, Amsterdam and Hong Kong. It’s next stop is reported to be Pittsburgh for the four-week International Festival of Firsts that begins late September.  Thanks to Phil  Leon for passing the news along.

Hong Kong waves bye-bye to beloved 4-story rubber ducky after month-long splash

Scientists Studying Climate Change Rescued from Melting Ice

Posted on by June 11, 2013
Nuclearicebreakeryamal

Photo: ru.wikipedia.org/Wofratz/cc-by-sa 3.0

A group of 16 Russian scientists, monitoring climate change in the Arctic, encountered more than they had planned on. They had to be rescued when the ice beneath their station began to crack due to unusually warm weather. The Russian nuclear icebreaker Yamal reached the research station, off Canada, on Saturday, eight days after departing Murmansk.  The crew of the icebreaker is expected to collect the SP-40 research station’s remaining equipment within the next four or five days.  Thanks to Dave Shirlaw on the MARHST-L for pointing out the article.

Russian atomic icebreaker rescues scientists from cracked ice floe in Arctic

Student Teams Compete to Design Safe Affordable Ferry Design

Posted on by June 10, 2013

wsafeferriesThe news stories are depressingly familiar.  A ferry, often in a developing nation, sinks along the coast or in a river and the lives of hundred are lost.  In regions where ferries are the most necessary, they are often the most dangerous. Safe and affordable ferries are desperately needed.  The World Ferry Safety Association is sponsoring a competition to design such a ferry.  Student teams from six maritime universities are competing in the Safe Affordable Ferry Design Competition to develop a ferry design for a 500 passenger ferry for Bangladesh.

The student teams competing are from (in alphabetic order), Istanbul Technical University, Maine Maritime Academy, National Technical University of Athens, Tolani Maritime Institute, India, University of Applied Sciences in Bremen, University of British Columbia, and Webb Institute in New York.  A panel of six judges (see below) will review the submissions and will announce the winners by early Fall 2013. The top prize is $5,000 with second and third prizes also to be awarded.

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A PSA on IMO’s PSSA (Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas)

Posted on by June 9, 2013

Yesterday, we posted about a report by the WWF on shipping accident “hotspots” around the world. The report noted that often these regions of increased risk of ship sinking or collision also coincided with environmentally sensitive areas. Fortunately the shipping industry is beginning to focus on protecting areas of the oceans which are particularly sensitive to damage by ships. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has an ongoing program to designate Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas (PSSA) which need special protection because of their “significance for recognized ecological or socio-economic or scientific reasons and which may be vulnerable to damage by international maritime activities.”

Here is a PSA (Public Service Announcement) about IMO’s PSSAs.

Discover IMO’s Particularly Sensitive Sea Area (PSSA)

WWF – Shipping Accident Hotspots in South China Sea, Mediterranean and North Sea

Posted on by June 8, 2013

Chinese Fishing Vessel Aground on Tubbataha reef

Happy World Oceans Day!  The World Wildlife Federation has released a study to coincide with World Oceans Day, documenting dangerous “hotspots” around the globe for accidents involving ships.  Sadly many of these “hotspots” also coincide with some of the most ecologically important ocean regions.  The South China Sea and East Indies, east Mediterranean and Black Sea, North Sea and British Isles were found to be particularity at risk for for accidents involving ships.

South China Sea, Mediterranean and North Sea are shipping accidents hotspots

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The Future of Commercial Sail – What the Past and Present Suggest about a Likely Future For Sailing Ships

Posted on by June 7, 2013

beamon1For those near New York harbor next Monday, I will be giving a presentation on “The Future of Commercial Sail” at the monthly New York City Shiplore meeting on Monday, June 10th at 7:30 PM at  79 Walker Street, 5th floor, in Manhattan.

Oil prices are four times higher today than they were just a decade ago.  Wind power is the fastest growing sector in the energy business.  Is it time for a return to wind power to propel modern commercial ships?

In Monday’s presentation, we will be looking at what made the windjammers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries uneconomical, and the impact of current energy prices and new environmental rules on shipping; and will ask whether these economics might justify a return to commercial sail.  We will also look at a variety of new designs of sailing ships being developed by a new generation of naval architects.  It should be fun evening.  If you are the neighborhood, stop by.