Hermione, Freedom’s Frigate, is Afloat

Posted on by June 7, 2012

We have posted  last March about the replica of the French light frigate l’ Hermione, which has been under construction since 1997 at the historic dockyard in Rochefort, France.  The original l’ Hermione carried the 23 year old the Marquis de Lafayette back to America in 1780 carrying news of France support for the revolution.

This weekend, the replica l’ Hermione reached a major milestone. The Hermione is now afloat for the first time. The celebration of the ship’s launching is scheduled for July 6 – 8th.

Rochefort: the frigate “Hermione” afloat since Saturday

Tsunami Dock Washes up on the Oregon Coast

Posted on by June 7, 2012

A 66 feet long, 165 tonne, starfish and barnacle encrusted, steel and concrete floating dock has washed up on  Agate  beach, south-west of Portland, Oregon.  A plaque on the dock identifies it as coming from the port of Misawa in northern Japan, washed free during the tsunami of 2011.  The dock has tested negative for radiation.  The dock drifted 5,000 miles over 15 months. Debris from the tsunami continues to be a hazard to navigation. Fortunately, no vessel collided with the floating dock at sea. Unfortunately, two other docks from the same port are still missing.

Huge Japan tsunami dock washes up on US beach

Vacuum Cleaner Victims – the Clipper Ship Cutty Sark and Now the USS Miami !

Posted on by June 7, 2012

Victims of Vacuum Cleaners?

There is a new threat to our nautical heritage and our nation’s defense!  In 2007, the composite tea clipper Cutty Sark, built in 1869, was ravaged by fire.  An investigation revealed the culprit – an industrial vacuum cleaner.   Now, it appears that a vacuum cleaner has struck again!   Investigators say that a vacuum cleaner caused the recent fire on the nuclear submarine USS Miami in a shipyard in Maine, causing an estimated $400 million of damage.

US nuclear submarine fire linked to vacuum cleaner

How Big is Too Big? Protests on MSC Divina’s Arrival in Venice Lagoon

Posted on by June 7, 2012

MSC Divina dwarfs the historic domes of Venice Photo: Splash News

MSC’s newest passenger ship, the MSC Davina, recently called at the Venice lagoon setting off a storm of protests. The protesters think that such a large ship creates too much pollution and could damage the fragile environment of the lagoon.

The MSC Davina is 139,400 GT, almost 1,100 feet long, about 125 feet wide and carries up to 5,329 passengers and crew, or about 40,000 GT and almost 500 passengers larger than the Costa Concordia. 

The  MSC Davina was christened at the end of last month by the Italian actress Sophia Loren.  No doubt, in hopes of garnering publicity, the “No Big Ships Venice Committee” has written an open letter to Ms. Loren asking her to revoke any endorsement of the ship. Thus far there has been no response from the Italian actress.

Monster ship that’s the menace of Venice: Furious protesters call for ban on huge cruise liner which carries 4,500 people
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Update: Space Shuttle Enterprise Moved to a Bigger Barge

Posted on by June 5, 2012

The Space Shuttle Enterprise at Weeks Marine as seen from Port Jersey Boulevard in Jersey City on Tuesday, June 5, 2012, being moved to a larger barge. Photo: Reena Rose Sibayan/The Jersey Journal

After damaging a wingtip that extended beyond the side of the barge when the Space Shuttle Enterprise was moved from Kennedy Airport on Sunday, today the shuttle was moved to a larger barge for its last and shorter leg of its voyage to the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum on the Hudson River in Manhattan.

The latest schedule for the move is for the shuttle to pass the Statue of Liberty around 10:50 a.m. and the World Trade Center at 11: 40 a.m., arriving at the Intrepid Museum at 12:30 p.m.

Space Shuttle Enterprise moved to a bigger barge

Space Shuttle Enterprise in New York – Damaged in Transit and Delayed by Weather

Posted on by June 5, 2012

Wing of space shuttle Enterprise scraping against piling. Photo: Dennis Jenkins/collectspace.com

The Space Shuttle Enterprise has not had an easy time in New York.  When it was barged last Sunday between Kennedy Airport and Bayonne, New Jersey, prior to its final move to the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum, it suffered minor damage to one wingtip when the barge brushed alongside a New York railroad bridge.  We understand that NASA is not pleased.  The final move to the museum was scheduled for today, but was delayed to Wednesday by inclement weather.   Currently, we understand that the shuttle on the barge will be off the Statue of Liberty around 9:50 AM Wednesday morning for a photo shoot. Estimated arrival time at the Intrepid at Pier 86 is 11:15 AM, with offloading expected later during the day.  Thanks to Tony Seideman fro contributing to the post.

Patrick O’Brien – Portrait of a Marine Artist

Posted on by June 3, 2012

Patrick O’Brian is a well known name in nautical fiction.  Now another Patrick O’Brien, with a different spelling of his last name and an American, rather than an Englishman pretending to be Irish, is making a name for himself as a marine artist.  Here is a short video produced for the National Maritime Historical Society by Rick Lopes of XXLMedia.

Portrait of an Artist

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Transit of Venus – A Final Transit for 105 Years

Posted on by June 4, 2012

On June 5th and 6th, depending on where you are in the world, there will be the last transit of Venus, where the planet Venus visibly passes between the earth and the Sun, until the year 2017.  The previous transit of Venus was in 2004. The transit has only been visible eight times since Galileo.  NASA will feature a live streaming webcast of the transit from Mauna Kea, Hawaii from its site – 2012 Transit of Venus – Sun-Earth Day: Shadows of the Sun.

Transit of Venus 2012: How to view once-in-a-lifetime phenomenon
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Space Shuttle Enterprise Goes to Sea

Posted on by June 4, 2012

Photo: Will Van Dorp

The  Space Shuttle Enterprise was built as a prototype. As such it never flew in space. That is not to say, however, that it hasn’t traveled. In April, we caught it on video taking a ride on a NASA 747 up the Hudson River to land in Kennedy Airport on its way to a permanent home at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum.  Yesterday, it took a short sea voyage by barge, out past Coney Island, up through the  Verrazano Narrows Bridge before finally  docking at Port Elizabeth, N.J.  It will stay in Jersey until Tuesday. The shuttle goes on permanent display on July 19th.  For more photos, check out Will van Dorp’s tugster blog.     Video of the move after the jump.

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History’s Largest River Pageant for Britain’s Oldest Reigning Monarch

Posted on by June 3, 2012

An estimated million spectators lined the Thames to watch what has been described as the largest river pageant in history to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the reign of Queen Elizabeth, who, at 86, is England’s oldest reigning monarch.  Over 1,000 boats participated and the pageant was dubbed a success notwithstanding a steady rain.  All concerned, including the UK’s oldest reigning monarch, did their best to ignore Britain’s raining weather.

Queen’s flotilla idea taken from old painting


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What’s it Like to Sail in the Clipper Round the World Race? Interview with Skipper Gareth Glover

Posted on by June 3, 2012

Gareth Glover, the skipper of the yacht New York, was good enough to sit down yesterday and  provide a glimpse of sailing in the Clipper Round the World Race.

Clipper Round the World Race – Interview with Skipper Gareth Glover

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Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant – a Map of the Festivities

Posted on by June 2, 2012

In anticipation of tomorrow’s Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant, a map from LondonTown.com.  Click on the map below for a larger version.

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On Sunday 3rd June 2012, over one thousand boats will muster on the River Thames in preparation for Her Majesty The Queen to take part in the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant.
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North Carolina Legislature Plays Xerxes, Considers Making Sea-Level Rise Illegal

Posted on by June 2, 2012

Xerxes orders the sea to be lashed

When a storm destroyed Xerxes the Great’s bridge across the Hellespont in 480 BCE, he ordered that the sea be flogged with chains. Now, the North Carolina legislature is playing Xerxes. Some North Carolina legislators do not like the estimates of the rise in sea-level caused by global climate change, so they are considering making a rise in sea-level illegal, or at least, any predication of such a raise.  A law is working its way through the North Carolina legislature that would require government planning boards to only use predictions of sea level rise based on linear projections from 1900.  The increased rise in sea-level due to climate change would not only be ignored, but would be illegal for land use planning.

Coastal N.C. counties fighting sea-level rise prediction
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Seas of Peace – Israeli, Palestinian and American Teens Head to Sea

Posted on by June 1, 2012

Seas of Peace is a remarkable sail training and leadership program that brings together Middle Eastern and American youth for a summer of sailing and conflict resolution training.  This year, in their second summer of operation, they hope to bring together 18 young sailors on a 1,000 mile voyage on the Spirit of Massachusetts.  Monica Balanoff and David Nutt, the social entrepreneurs and youth leaders behind the program, are working to raise $20,000 by June 15th to make it happen.  Click here to donate to this fascinating program.

Seas of Peace – Sailing Beyond Borders to a More Peaceful World
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Update: Removing the MV Miner from Nova Scotia’s Scatarie Island

Posted on by June 1, 2012

Photo: The Canadian Press

Last October, we posted about the MV Miner, ex Canadian Miner, a Great Lakes bulk carrier whose tow rope snapped on the way to the scrap yard. The ship drifted onto Scatarie Island, off the coast of Cape Breton in Nova Scotia.  Now eight months after the grounding a contract has been given to the Bennington Group, a New York-based salvage company, to dismantle and remove the wreck.

After eight months aground, shipwreck to be removed from Nova Scotia island 

Where Did Ancient Sailors Sail ? – Roman Shipwrecks Located in Deep Water off Corfu and Paxoi

Posted on by May 31, 2012

Broken pottery from Roman wreck Photo: Greek Culture Ministry

Two Roman-era shipwrecks have been found in water slightly less than a mile deep off the western Greek islands of Corfu and Paxoi. The two third-century wrecks were discovered earlier this month during a survey of an area where a Greek-Italian gas pipeline is to be sunk.

It has long been supposed that most ancient sailors preferred coastal routes over sailing in deep water. The depth of these wreck raise questions about that theory.  Most shipwrecks from the era have been found in shallow waters closer to the coast.  It may be that the protection provided by inshore sailing were cancelled out by the likelihood of striking coastal reefs or being blown ashore. Then again, deep-water wrecks can also be harder to locate than shallower water wrecks.  It is also possible that the Roman ships were blown into deep water before sinking.

Shipwreck findings challenge conventional theory
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Own Your Own Secret Submarine Base – Norway’s Olavsvern Naval Base For Sale

Posted on by May 31, 2012

For only 105 million Norwegian krona (thats € 14 million or roughly US$17.5 million) you too can own an Arctic submarine base.  Norway’s Olavsvern Naval Base just outside the city of Tromsø, has been on the market since January 2011, but for the last several weeks has been listed for sale on a Norwegian web site.  The base, Norway’s  only submarine base north of the  features  a large dock and a deep-water berth as well as a fuel depot, a tunnel system and emergency power system, all designed to withstand a nuclear attack.  Overall the base includes 13.500 square meters of buildings and a 25.000 square meter mountain plant.  You must provide your own submarines, however. No subs are included in the deal.  Also, the electric bills are reported to be rather large.  On the other hand, as pointed out in the Geekologie blog, a secret Arctic submarine base would confer “instant evil villain” status to the owner.

Arctic submarine base for sale

Banners in the Breeze – Clipper Round the World Fleet

Posted on by May 31, 2012

The crews sailing in the Clipper Round the World Race represent over 40 nationalities. You can get a sense of the international makeup of the fleet by the banners and flags that they fly now that they have arrived in port.  Here is a short video I shot yesterday of the ten boat fleet in Liberty Landing marina in Jersey City, immediately across the Hudson River from lower Manhattan.

Banners in the Breeze – Clipper Round the World Fleet at Liberty Landing, New York Harbor

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Clipper Round the World Fleet Arrives in New York Harbor, Unofficially

Posted on by May 30, 2012

The ten boat fleet of the Clipper Round the World Race will officially and formally arrive in New York harbor on Sunday, June 3rd to coincide with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.  As Sir Robin Knox-Johnston sails the Suhaili, the 32ft yacht on which he became the first person to sail single-handed non-stop around the world in 1969, up the Thames River in the Diamond Jubilee Pageant, the ten racing yachts of the Clipper Round the World Race fleet will sail up New York Harbor to the North Cove.  Their arrival is expected to be covered live by the BBC.  Among his many exploits, Sir Robin Knox Johnston was the founder of the Clipper Round the World Race in 1996 and is the chairman of Clipper Ventures, which organizes and runs the race.

Until then, the Clipper fleet will hang out, unofficially, in Liberty Landing marina in the Morris Canal Big Basin in Jersey City, immediately across the the Hudson River from North Cove.  The ten boats will have been in the harbor for almost a week prior to their “official” arrival.
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