Murder on Kodiac Island. Alaska

Posted on by May 28, 2012

This sounds like the teaser from a thriller or murder mystery. Unfortunately, it is all too real.  Last Thursday, shortly after 7 AM, coworkers found the bodies of US Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Jim Hopkins and retired Boatswain Mate Chief Rich Belisle, working as a civilian contractor, at their stations at Coast Guard Communications Station Kodiak on Kodiak Island, Alaska.  Both men had been shot dead. The station is a high security area, responsible for radio communications across the North Pacific and Bering Sea.

As the killings took place on federal property, the FBI has jurisdiction and is being assisted by military police, the Coast Guard Investigative Service and the Alaska State Troopers.  Beyond ruling the deaths as homicides, the FBI has said very little about the case thus far.
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Trireme Olympias Stricken from London Olympics – Fears of Popularity and Bridge Jumpers

Posted on by April 20, 2012

Photo: Alexandra Guest

The image is wonderful to think about. At the start of the London Olympics, the trireme Olympias, with 170 of Britain’s finest rowers at the oars, was to proceed down the Thames bearing the Olympic flame.  But it is not to be.

As reported by the Financial Times: Martin Green, the head of ceremonies for London’s organizing committee (Locog), said there were “major concerns” from London’s transport and security agencies that the trireme would create overcrowding along the Thames as the flame passed by….There was also discussion about people throwing themselves off bridges,” he said.  

Olympic organisers ground ancient Greek warship
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Update: Princess Cruises Regrets Not Rescuing Fisherman, Blames Breakdown in Communication

Posted on by April 20, 2012

Princess Cruises said it deeply regrets that its ship the Star Princess passed by a fishing boat adrift in the Pacific Ocean and failing to rescue the dying men on board. The cruise line is blaming a “breakdown in communication,” claiming that the captain and the officer on watch were never contacted about the disabled fishing boat. Passengers on deck spotted the fishing boat in distress and relayed the information to a sales representative on the ship, who promised to pass the information onto the bridge. By the time the fishing boat was ultimately rescued several weeks later, two of the three fishermen aboard had died.

Did Cruise Ship, Star Princess, Ignore Drifting Boat in Distress Leaving Fishermen to Die?

Posted on by April 19, 2012

Photograph by passenger, Jeff Gilligan, of boat in distress

In February, we posted about the rescue of the three fishermen, drifting in the Pacific, by the cruise ship, Seaborne Odyssey. There are now reports of a similar story with a tragically different outcome.  Passengers aboard the cruise ship, Star Princess, are claiming that the ship ignored a drifting boat in distress in the Pacific off  the Galapagos, leaving two fisherman to die.
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Large Reward for Whistle-blowing Engineer on M/V Aquarosa

Posted on by April 19, 2012

When US Coast Guard inspectors came aboard the bulk carrier M/V Aquarosa in Baltimore in February of 2011, a junior engineer slipped them a note, which read, “I have sometheng to till you but secret.”  The engineer, Salvatore Lopez, from the Philippines, had collected evidence of the illegal dumping of oily waste and garbage into the ocean. Lopez had copies of the ship’s log as well as hundreds of photos shot with his cell phone of illegal activities.  With the information provided by Lopez, the Coast Guard inspectors were able to locate the “magic pipe” hidden in the engine room that allowed the ship’s operators to pollute undetected.

The owners and operators of the M/V Aquarosa were fined $1.85 million in federal court last January for their activities.  On Monday, a federal judge in Baltimore awarded Salvatore Lopez $462,500 for alerting the Coast Guard to the illegal dumping. Depending on the outcome of another portion of the case, Lopez could be awarded an additional $462,500.   Lopez, who had been supporting a wife and four children on $27,000 a year, has been unable to get work since he began helping the investigation.

Judge awards whistle-blower $462,500 in high-seas pollution case

Indonesian Barquentine Dewaruci and Equadorian Barque Guayas in OpSail 2012

Posted on by April 19, 2012

As we posted a few days ago, OpSail 2012 kicks off today in New Orleans.  In addition to the USCG Cutter Eagle, two lesser known tall ships will be participating —  Indonesian Navy’s steel three masted barquentine Dewaruci, and the Ecuadoran Navy’s steel three-masted barque Guayas, commissioned in 1997.  The video below is of the Dewaruci‘s port call in San Deigo in March. After the jump is a video of the Guayas arriving in New Orleans.

Indonesian Navy Ship Docks In San Diego

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Congratulations to Matt Rutherford on his 309 Day Solo Circumnavigation of the Americas !

Posted on by April 18, 2012

After a difficult last few days, Matt Rutherford sailed into Chesapeake Bay this morning at 10:42 AM, completing the first ever solo circumnavigation of the Americas, a voyage of 309 days and over 25,000 miles.  Matt’s plan is still to make his first landfall this Saturday the 21st of April at noon in Annapolis. All are invited to help welcome him home.

Sailor finishes 309-day trip at Bay bridge-tunnel
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Bolivia Posed to De-flag Iranian Controlled Ships

Posted on by April 18, 2012

Bolivia is poised to de-flag fifteen ships linked to the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) just weeks after these ships were flagged into the Bolivian registry. The ships had previously been registered in Malta and Cyprus.

Facing international sanctions over its nuclear polices, Iran has been playing games to avoid sanctions on its shipping assets.  IRISL has been changing the names of the ships and reflagging them in order to dodge the sanctions. The ships’ IMO identification numbers stay the same, but by continually changing names and flags, the Iranians have, for several years, often managed to stay one step ahead of those monitoring the sanctions.  The recent dodge, however, of transferring ships from Maltese and Cypriot registries to the Bolivian has apparently not been successful.

Exclusive: Bolivia poised to de-flag Iranian ships
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Matt Rutherford Completing Circumnavigation of the Americas Within Hours

Posted on by April 17, 2012

Matt Rutherford, sailing St. Brendan, a 27′ Albin Vega, is within hours of sailing into the Chesapeake Bay, finishing his solo circumnavigation of the Americas!  Matt is planning to on setting foot on-shore for the first time in 25,000 miles-at-sea, at noon, Saturday, April 21 at Annapolis City Dock.  Our heartfelt congratulation on an amazing voyage. To learn more go to: Solo Around the Americas

Matt’s motivation for the trip was to show people, particularly those with disabilities, that there are no limits to what can be accomplished in life; and to raise money for Chesapeake Region Accessible Boating (CRAB), a nonprofit sailing program for people with disabilities, based in Annapolis, Md.

Photographs of Human Remains and the Fight Over What Remains of the Titanic

Posted on by April 17, 2012

2004 photo of a boot and possibly a coat on the seafloor near the Titanic. Photo:Institute for Exploration/Center for Ocean Exploration at the University of Rhode Island/NOAA Office of Exploration and Research

Very few of the bodies of the 1514 passengers and crews who died on the Titanic were ever recovered.  Recently released photographs, which raise the question of whether or not here are human remains at the wreck site, have become central to a larger battle over who should protect the wreck and  how it should be preserved.

In the last few days, the National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration has released photographs that they suggest show human remains at the wreck site. One photo, which actually dates back to 2004 (but which was previously cropped for publication)  shows boots and clothes laid out in a  pattern which might suggest a human body.  “There are people inside,” said James Delgado, director of maritime heritage at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
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Arnold Maersk Mc-Kinney Moeller, of A.P. Moller-Maersk A/S, Dies at 98

Posted on by April 16, 2012

Danish shipping magnate Arnold Maersk Mc-Kinney Moeller died today at aged 98.  He was Denmark’s richest man who created the country’s largest enterprise, the shipping and oil conglomerate A.P. Moller-Maersk A/S.  The conglomerate is the largest container ship and supply vessel operator in the world, with subsidiaries and offices in more than 135 countries worldwide and around 108,000 employees.  Mc-Kinney Moeller built the shipping company into a corporation with annual sales last year of $60 billion — equivalent to almost 20 percent of Denmark’s gross domestic product.  Mc-Kinney Moeller stepped down as board chairman in 2003, at the age of 90.

Mc-Kinney Moeller, Denmark’s Richest Man, Dies at 98

Thanks to Phil Leon for passing along the news.

OpSail 2012 Getting Underway in New Orleans, then Sailing for New York

Posted on by April 16, 2012

The 47th Operation Sail, OpSail 2012 gets underway tomorrow, April 17th and will continue through the 23rd, in the port of New Orleans, LA.   It will feature the tall ships Dewaruci from Indonesia, the BAE Guayas from Equador and the USCG Eagle from the United States.  Six non-sail naval vessels from four nations will also be in participation.

From May 23-30, 2012, OpSail will shift to New York harbor. The Dewaruci,  BAE Guayas and the USCG Eagle will be joined by the Class A & B tall ships,  Cisne Branco from Brazil, Gloria from Colombia, Juan Sebastian De El Cano from Spain, Cuauhtemoc from Mexico, and Etoile and Belle Poule from France.  other sailing vessels participating include the Adirondack, America 2.0, Clipper City, Gazela Primeiro, Pioneer, Pride of Baltimore II, Shearwater and the Summerwind.

After New York, OpSail 2012 will sail to Norfolk (June 1-12), Baltimore (June 13-19), Boston (June 30-July 5) and New London (July 6-8.)  Thanks to Irwin Irwin Bryan and  Miroslav at Antic.org for contributing to the post.

Titanics In Tennessee & Missouri, Pirates of the Caribbean, Napoleonland & the Commercialization of History

Posted on by April 15, 2012

The Titanic of Tennessee with concrete iceberg

Today, on the anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic with the loss of 1,514 lives, it would be appropriate for a learned historian at an august university to sit down to ponder the commercialization of history and to consider how our consumer culture turns tragedy into theme parks.

This came to mind from articles about the Titanic of Tennessee, a sort of half-length half scale replica of the ship in the mountains of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee which opened as a “museum attraction” two years ago. (See our previous post, Titanic Museum to Open in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee?)  I am not sure exactly what a “museum attraction might be. Fortunately Mary Kellogg-Joslyn, the Titanic Museum Attractions owner explains, “This museum is not a thrill ride or Hollywood style museum. It is an interactive experience that brings in all elements of the famous and tragic Titanic story for families to experience.”  One can only hope that bringing in all elements of the experience does not include drowning in the dark in icy water.  That would certainly cut down on repeat visitors.
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Joseph Conrad on the Titanic – On Experts, Icebergs, Lifeboats and Biscuit Tins

Posted on by April 15, 2012

In June of 1912, Joseph Conrad wrote “Some Reflections on the Loss of the Titanic” for the English Review.  While best known as a novelist, his comments reflect his years as a ship’s officer in both sail and steam.   He finds little to like in the events of that night in April, one hundred years ago today, or the events which followed. A few of Conrad’s thoughts on the media, icebergs, the design of unsinkable ships, biscuit tins and the romanticizing of needless death.

On the Media:
He was offended by what we would all the media circus following the sinking.  “It is with a certain bitterness that one must admit to oneself that the late _S.S. Titanic_ had a “good press.” ….. the white spaces and the big lettering of the headlines have an incongruously festive air to my eyes, a disagreeable effect of a feverish exploitation of a sensational God-send.”
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Sailors Missing, One Dead in Full Crew Farallones Race off San Fransciso

Posted on by April 16, 2012

Slow Speed Chase from 2009 Photo: Kat Wade / Special to The Chronicle

Update: Sad news. As of Sunday Evening, the Coast Guard suspended the search for the four crew missing after the 38′ yacht Slow Speed Chase ran aground in Farallones Race off San Francisco on Saturday.

Three or four sailors are missing and one is confirmed dead after the 38′ yacht Slow Speed Chase ran aground Saturday afternoon in the Farallon Islands off San Francisco, CA while competing in the Full Crew Farallones Race.  The Yacht Racing Association of San Francisco Bay and the SFGate are reporting that there were seven sailors aboard the yacht. Three were rescued, three are missing and one has died.  CNN, the New York Times and the AP are reporting that there were eight crew aboard and that four remain missing.  The US Coast Guard is now searching for the missing sailors.  From the New York Times:

1 Dead, 4 Missing in Yacht Race Accident.
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Myths of the Titanic – Did White Star Line Claim the Ship was Unsinkable?

Posted on by April 14, 2012

The BBC recently published an article titled “Five Titanic myths spread by films.”  The first alleged myth is that the White Star Line never claimed that the Titanic was “unsinkable.”   The article asserts: ” The White Star Line never made any substantive claims that the Titanic was unsinkable – and nobody really talked about the ship’s unsinkability until after the event..”   One hears this claim over and over.  White Star Line never claimed that the Titanic was unsinkable.  But is it accurate?

It is true that White Star did not prominently feature “unsinkability” in its advertising. Their slogan was “Largest and finest steamers in the world.”  Nevertheless, there is strong evidence that White Star, and indeed most experts of the day, did consider the Titanic to be unsinkable.
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J.P. Morgan, RMS Titanic and SS United States

Posted on by August 20, 2020

What does J.P. Morgan, the American financier, and the passenger ships, RMS Titanic and SS United States have in common?

Everyone knows that White Star Line, the owner of the RMS Titanic, was a British Company. Fewer are aware that White Star was owned by an American.  It was a wholly owned subsidiary of the International Mercantile Marine Company (IMM), an American holding company owned by J.P. Morgan.  J. Bruce Ismay, chairman of the White Star Line, sold the company to J.P. Morgan in 1902.  The RMS Titanic, like all the other ships of the White Star fleet, was a British ship, and technically, as an American, J.P. Morgan could not own British ships.  Nevertheless, Morgan took advantage of the loophole that his holding company, IMM, could own the company that owned the ships. For all intents and purposes, J.P. Morgan owned the Titanic. It was not one of his better investments, for reasons having nothing to do with icebergs.
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Pouring the Ballast on the Boston Tea Party Ship Beaver

Posted on by April 13, 2012

The Beaver, a replica of one of ships that were the center of the Boston Tea Party in the run-up to the American Revolution, was relaunched in January after a major rebuild at the Gloucester Marine Railways.  The Beaver and the replica Eleanor will be displayed at the new $27 million  Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum on Fort Point Channel in Boston, which will open in June of this year.  A third ship, the  Dartmouth, will be built from scratch, and is expected to be completed in about two years.

Leon Poindexter, the master shipwright leading the project, has been broadcasting a series of Youtube Webisodes. Here is Ballast for the Beaver, episode 45, where concrete is being poured in the ship for ballast.   I am not familiar with the use of concrete for ballast in wooden ships.  If anyone is able to enlighten me, I would appreciate it.  Thanks to Tom Russell at the Traditional Sail Professionals Linked-in Group for pointing it out the video.

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Standoff in the South China Sea – Philippine and Chinese Ships Face-off at Scarborough Shoal

Posted on by April 13, 2012

BRP Gregorio del Pilar

The South China Sea is home to a myriad of competing claims for territory, fishing, oil and mineral rights by China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia and Taiwan.  There is currently a stand-off between Chinese ships and the Philippine navy and coast guard vessels at Scarborough Shoal, located between the Macclesfield Bank and Luzon, Philippines in the South China  Sea.  Sovereignty  over Scarborough Shoal, a series of islands and an atoll,  is claimed by the Philippines, China and Taiwan.

As reported by the Manila Standard:   The current standoff began Sunday when a Navy surveillance plane sighted eight Chinese fishing vessels anchored in a lagoon at Scarborough, the Foreign Affairs Department said. That prompted the military to deploy its largest warship, the Hamilton class cutter BRP Gregorio del Pilar, which was recently acquired from the United States.
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