A Whale’s Tale? Did Costa Cover Up Past Grounding on the Costa Fortuna?

Posted on by January 25, 2012

Costa Fortuna

In May 2005, while the cruise ship Costa Fortuna was making a close approach to the island of Sorrento, there was a “loud bang” after which the vessel rolled from left to right according to the ship’s photographer Roberto Cappello, 59.  He later would photograph damage to the ship’s keel and a broken propeller blade, only to have the photographs and files confiscated by Costa.  Costa apparently later claimed that the ship had stuck a whale.  Italian magistrates will be asked to investigate whether Costa Cruises attempted to cover-up the previous grounding.
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US Navy SEAL Commandos Rescue American and Danish Hostage in Raid on Somali Pirates

Posted on by January 25, 2012

Paul Tisted & Jessica Buchanan Photos: Danish Refugee Council

In a pre-dawn raid, US Navy SEAL commandos freed two hostages; an American, Jessica Buchanan, 32, and a Dane, Poul Thisted, 60;  being held for ransom in a pirate compound 12 miles north of the Somali town of Adado.  Members of SEAL Team Six – the same unit that killed Osama bin Laden – are reported to have parachuted in and engaged in a firefight with pirates as they approached the compound. U.S. helicopters landed once the raid was underway and later flew the hostages to a U.S. military base in Djibouti. Nine pirates were reported to have been killed in the assault. No American casualties were reported and the hostages were not injured.
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Update: Costa Concordia – Fuel Removal Begins, Video of Staff Emerges & Body Count Rises

Posted on by January 24, 2012

Crews from the Dutch salvage company SMIT are setting up to begin pumping 2,300 tonnes of diesel fuel from the sunken cruise ship Costa Concordia.  A crane barge and temporary tanks have been moved alongside the stricken ship. Pumping is expected to begin Saturday.

A disturbing video has emerged showing  a member of the ship’s staff directing passengers in life jackets to return to their staterooms. A women says that she as an “announcement from our captain.” She then says, “We kindly ask that you return to your cabins or if you prefer you can stay in the lounges.”  She goes on to say, “We have finished addressing the  problem that we’ve had. The electrical problem with the generator. Everything is fine.”  She then asks again for passengers to return to their cabins. The video ends with her saying, “Everything is fine. OK?”

The body count has risen to 16, as another body was found this morning. Twenty three people are still missing.

Costa Concordia Staff Filmed telling Passengers to return to their Cabins

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Group Hopes to get Schooner Amistad Sailing Again

Posted on by January 24, 2012

The Amistad in better days

In May of 2010, we posted about a serious rigging failure suffered by the schooner Amistad while in heavy seas off the Florida coast.  The schooner limped back to Mystic, CT, where she built,  to undergo $100,000 in repairs.  She has not sailed since.  This year, Amistad America, the non-profit organization behind the schooner, is hoping to get her sailing again.

Group hopes it can right the Amistad

There were no trips last year as Amistad America tried to find the money to do the repairs and then restructured its $280,000 debt with TD Bank, which had filed a lien against the nonprofit organization.

“There were times last year when I was deeply concerned if we could get through the next two months,” admitted Amistad America CEO Greg Belanger in an interview last week.
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Graves Of 18th Century Connecticut & Rhode Island Ship’s Captains Discovered In Suriname

Posted on by January 24, 2012

View of the Nieuwe Oranjetuin Cemetery, Paramaribo, Suriname

The graves of four ship’s captains and merchants dating from the mid-18th century have been found in Suriname, a former Dutch sugar colony on the northern coast of South America. The graves of privateer Capt. Michael Burnham of Middletown, CT; Capt. William Barbut of New London, CT, Capt. Nathaniel Angel and Capt. William Gardner Wanton, both of Rhode Island; were recerntly found in the Dutch colonial cemetery of Nieuw Oranjetuin in Paramaribo, Suriname’s capital city.

Graves Of Connecticut Sea Captains Discovered In South America
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Happy Year of the Black Water Dragon!

Posted on by January 23, 2012

Today begins the new lunar year – the Year of the Black Water Dragon.  The lunar new year is celebrated for 15 days, from the first day of the first new moon of the year to the first full moon.  We wish everyone a most happy and prosperous New Year.  Thanks to Frogma for posting the link to the video of the underwater dragon dance.

The Lunar New Year: Enter the Dragon

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Costa Concordia – the Inchino, Costa Management & the Web

Posted on by January 23, 2012

L'inchino al Faraglioni di Capri, an unidentified cruise ship "bowing" to the Faraglioni rocks

The dangerous practice of the “inchino,” Italian for “bow” and often translated as “salute,”  appears to be widespread and not limited to Costa.  The “inchino” is performed by sailing a ship close to an island or port and blowing the ship’s horn, figuratively bowing or saluting the port. It now appears that such a “bow” resulted in the grounding and sinking of the Costa Concordia off Giglio. While the practice may not be limited to Costa, the suggestion that Costa was not aware of the practice and did not approve of it, seems unlikely.

Italian news site, Napoli de Vivere, has featured a photograph of an unidentified cruise ship (not a Costa Crociere ship) passing between the famous cliffs of the Isle of Capri, the Faraglioni, from a video shot on September 24, 2006.  Navi da crociera: inchino anche ai faraglioni di Capri  They comment:  Apparently, the passage of the cruise ship Costa Concordia, near the coast of the island of Giglio was not an isolated case. Captains like to greet the coast, close to the mainland, attracting the attention of the people and astound the passengers, but the danger of certain maneuvers is not worth a salute, and tragically, we realized these days that can never be too cautious.
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Racing of the Dhows in Abu Dhabi & the Volvo Ocean Racers

Posted on by January 23, 2012

The Volvo Ocean Race is off on the third leg from the Maldives to Sanya, China.  The Volvo fleet was again transported from Abu Dhabi by ship to avoid potential attacks by pirates.  During the fleet stop over in Abu Dhabi, a number of the Volvo sailors were invited to sail on the traditional sailing dhows in the Abu Dhabi Sailing Festival Race.

Racing of the Dhows in Abu Dhabi – Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12

Thanks to Tom Russell on the Traditional Sail Professionals Linked-in group for pointing out the video.

“Noah”, Japan’s Mini-Arks

Posted on by January 22, 2012

Cosmo Power, a Japanese engineering company, has developed the “Noah” a four person mini-ark to help residents along Japan’s coast survive a future tsunami.  The “Noah” is  a four foot diameter bright yellow sphere made of fiber-reinforced plastic. It is self righting and can survive a 33 foot drop. It also can be used as a toy house for children. The pod retails for about $3,800 and more than 1,000 have been ordered.

From One Tragedy, Tools to Fight the Next

A Japanese Company Creates Arks for the Next Tsunami
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Costa Concordia Update: Death Toll Rises, Sanctuary Threatened, Salvage Options Considered

Posted on by January 22, 2012

The death toll from the sinking of the Costa Concordia has risen to thirteen as divers discovered another body of a woman wearing a life jacket in a submerged passageway.   Eight of the thirteen victims have now been identified according to Italian officials. Four of the dead are French, one is Italian, one Hungarian, one Spanish and one German.  Twenty four people remain missing including two Americans.  There is now concern that there may have been stowaways aboard the ship. If so, the unregistered passengers may increase the final death toll.
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Setting Square Sails on the Star of India

Posted on by January 22, 2012

A well done video by the Maritime Museum of San Diego shot on the 1863 built iron windjammer Star of India.  Thanks to the Tall Ship Morgenster for pointing it out on Facebook.

Setting square sails

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Nome Fuel Unloaded, USCG Healy and Russian Tanker Renda Must Now Get Out

Posted on by January 21, 2012

Photo: David Dodman, KNOM Radio Mission

After spending the better part of a month getting to Nome, Alaska to deliver an emergency supply of fuel to last the winter, the ice-strengthened Russian tanker Renda has finally off-loaded its cargo – 1.3 million gallons of diesel fuel and gasoline for the town of 3,600.  Now, the only problem faced by the tanker and its escort vessel, the USCG icebreaking cutter Healy, is to break back through the ice to open water. The delivery was the first ever winter resupply of the Western Alaskan town by water.  Once clear of the ice, the Renda will return to Russia while the Healy will unload supplies at Dutch Harbor, Alaska before returning to its home port in Seattle.

To follow the Healy’s return through the ice click here: Oceanographic research ship USCGC Healy (USA)   See our previous post – Rescue Mission to Nome – Russian Tanker Renda & USCG Icebreaker Healy Battle Ice to Deliver Fuel

Laura Dekker Completes Solo Circumnavigation – A Most Singular Young Sailor

Posted on by January 21, 2012

Photo: AP

Laura Dekker has arrived in St. Maarten, having sailed her 38 ft Jeanneau Gin Fizz ketch, Guppy, successfully around the world alone.  Her voyage began when she quietly slipped out of  Gibraltar on August 21, 2010.  At only 16 years and four months old, Laura is the youngest solo circumnavigator in history.  The yacht club in Simpson Bay where she has arrived has been sealed off to anyone other than Laura’s family. The media is being kept at bay to give Laura time to rest before facing the media circus.  A small floatilla met the young sailor, including one boat with her parent and grandparents aboard.

Laura sails tonight port in St. Maarten

But who is Laura Dekker? Born on a sailboat in New Zealand she has had a most unusual life that has included significant family turmoil, in addition to her battle with Dutch courts to allow her to sail around the world as a minor.  An article in the Dutch News.nl describes her as stubborn, self absorbed and a devil of a sailor.
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Costa Concordia – Wreckage on Le Scole Rock

Posted on by January 21, 2012

This underwater photo taken on January 17, 2012 at the "Le Scole" rock shows twisted wreckage on the sea floor, left by the cruise liner Costa Concordia after it ran aground in front of the Isola del Giglio harbor. (AFP/Getty Images)

It appears that the question of where and on what the Costa Concordia ran aground is a bit more clear.  Wreckage, believed to be from the collision, has been photographed at Le Scole rock.  Thanks to Andy Hall at the Maritime Texas blog for pointing it out.  See also the Atlantic Monthly’s Inside the Wreck of the Costa Concordia.  Yesterday we posted:

There is a 150 foot long rip in the hull on the port side of the ship with a large piece of stone still embedded in the hull. From the position of the damage on side of the hull, it appears that the ship may have scraped along an underwater ledge rather than hitting an underwater pinnacle of rock which would have damaged the bottom of the ship. There are underwater ledges in the vicinity of the small island of Le Scole off the south-eastern of the island of Giglio. This would put the grounding just slightly to the south of the assumed position of the grounding in the AIS plot developed by Lloyds, but the damage would agree with that observed on the hull. Sky News has an animated reconstruction of this scenario.
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Floating Gold by Margaret Muir – a Review

Posted on by January 20, 2012

Margaret Muir’s novel, Floating Gold, was recently released in paperback.  A great read, we never though that it got the attention that it deserved. Here is a repost of our review from May of 2010:

Margaret Muir’s new novel, Floating Gold, is a wonderful blend of classic Georgian naval fiction, a mystery/thriller and a grand treasure hunt.   A rousing tale, well told.

Captain Oliver Quintrell is on the beach, both literally and figuratively.  Recently released from Greenwich Hospital after recovering from injuries related to a “direct contact with a four pound cannon ball,” he finds himself without a commission in a world briefly at peace following the signing of the Treaty of Amiens in 1802. He is therefore pleased to be given the command HMS Elusive, a frigate on a secret mission with sealed orders bound for an island near the bottom of the world.  Along the way they encounter storms, calm, murder, and sabotage until they finally arrive at the island, which itself may be the greatest threat of all to survival of the ship and crew.  Hidden on the island is a vast, yet mysterious treasure that Captain Quintrell, his officers and crew must find and carry back to England.

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Costa Concordia – One Week Later, What Do We Know? Not Very Much!

Posted on by January 21, 2012

One week ago, the Costa Concordia grounded off the island of Giglio.    Eleven passengers or crew are confirmed dead. Twenty four people are missing.  The ship itself has sunk in shallow water having rolled 80 degrees on its side.  What else do we know?   Several basic questions remain unanswered.

Where precisely did the Costa Concordia run aground and on what?  No one really knows.  From the charts there do not seem to be any hazards where the first grounding is supposed to have taken place.  The captain steered the ship into shallower water where she currently lies.   From Lloyd’s List:
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Gianni Scerni, President of RINA, Resigns – Was Critical of Costa Management in Newspaper Interview

Posted on by January 20, 2012

Shortly after Costa Crociere chairman and CEO Pier Luigi Foschi blamed the grounding of the Costa Concordia on an ”inexplicable” error by the captain, Gianni Scerni, the president of RINA, sat down for an interview with the Italian newspaper Il Secolo XIX.  RINA, Registro Italiano Navale, is the Italian classification society that issued the certificate of seaworthiness and the Safety Management System (SMS) certification for the Costa Concordia.  The resulting article, titled Ma l’armatore non poteva non sapere (But the owner could not find out) is critical of Costa management and questions the claim that Costa was unaware of the practice of its ships presenting a “salute” or “bow” in the form of a close passage by island of Giglio.   Within hours of its publication, Gianni Scerni announced his resignation as the president of RINA.   He disputed the accuracy of some of the comments in the interview but decided to resign from RINA nevertheless.

Odd Notes on the Costa Concordia – Singers, Violinists and Theme Music from the Titanic

Posted on by January 20, 2012

According to survivors’ reports, the band on the deck of the Titanic continued to play after the last boat departed as the ship sank beneath waters of the icy North Atlantic.  Coincidentally, a singer aboard the Costa Concordia, Amelia Leon says that she is related to a ship’s violinist who died when the Titanic sank.

Sadly, a violinist on the Costa Concordia is also among the dead. Sandor Feher, a Hungarian violinist  who worked on the ship, reportedly returned to his cabin to retrieve his violin and never made it back on deck.

Finally, passengers have reported that at the moment that the Costa Concordia hit the rocks the music playing in the ship’s dining room was Celine Dion singing My Heart Will Go On, which was the theme music for James Cameron’s movie, Titanic.

‘Titanic’ Theme Song
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The Shipbuilders of Essex

Posted on by January 20, 2012

Here is a wonderful 20 minute film made in 1947 about, as the tile suggests, shipbuilding in Essex, Massachusetts.  It has the slightly corny Hollywood production values of its time but does a good job at showing the construction of a fishing boat from the laying of the keel to the launching.  Notice the characteristic Essex side launch, which hasn’t changed much since at least 1947.  See our previous post of the launch of the pinky  schooner Ardelle. Thanks to the SAIL Ardelle Facebook page for pointing out the video.

The Shipbuilders of Essex

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Three Italian Captains – the Costa Concordia and the Andrea Doria

Posted on by January 19, 2012

Andrea Doria 1956

Reuters reports that Italy is enthralled by the tale of the “two captains,”  while on CNN another Italian captain, from another ship and another time, is remembered – In Andrea Doria wreck, a captain who shone.

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