The Star Spangled Banner and the Search for HMS Terror

Posted on by December 3, 2010

HMS Terror

History is full of strange connections.   This week an almost 200-year-old copy of “The Star Spangled Banner” is to be sold at auction house at Christie’s auction house in Manhattan.   The sheet music is currently valued at between $200,000 and $300,000.   The Star Spangled Banner, which became the national anthem of the United States, is known for the vivid lyrics, “by the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air, we knew through the night that our flag was still there.”
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HMS Dasher Memorial

Posted on by December 3, 2010

Last week, we posted about a new book which examines the causes of the tragic explosion and sinking of the HMS Dasher, in which 379 out of 528 crewmen died  and ranks as one of Britain’s worst naval disasters during World War II.   David Hayes was kind enough to point out video footage from the 2007 memorial weekend for survivors, families of survivors and those lost when the HMS Dasher sunk off of Arran on 27th March 1943.

HMS Dasher Memorial 2007

Thad Koza, Tall Ships Photographer, Dies at 69

Posted on by December 2, 2010

We posted about his new Tall Ships calendar about a month ago.  One of his calendars is hanging on my wall waiting for the new year to begin.   Sadly, we learned last night that Thad Koza has died of cancer. In addition to his beautiful calendars, Koza also published a number of books, including Tall Ships: The International Guide.

Tall ships photographer Thad Koza dies at 69

Correction: Ecolution, Innovative Sailing Yacht Owned by Dr. Wubbo Ockels, Sinks

Posted on by December 3, 2010

CORRECTION: The early news reports translated roughly from Dutch to English reported that the sailing vessel Ecolution was “sunk by demolitions.”  We interpreted that to mean explosives.  It appears however that no structural damage was done to the hull itself and that the vessel has been pumped out and is afloat, which would suggest that we were wrong in our interpretation of the phrase “sunk by demolitions.”   The error was entirely ours.  Thanks to Martin Römer of the Tres Hombres Packet Company for alerting us to the  mistake.

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Last night, the sailing yacht Ecolution sank at the No Limits Shipyard in Groningen by parties unknown.  Ecolution is an innovative sailing yacht owned by Dr. Wubbo Ockels, Dutch physicist and former ESA astronaut.    A reward is being offered for the tip that leads to the arrest of the perpetrator or perpetrators.

Vandals destroy expensive sailboat in Groningen

Ecolution is a 25 meter steel schooner designed to be “the most sustainable yacht in the world.”    The schooner is equipped with hydroelectric power generation and carbon fiber masts.

Wubbo Ockels realizes his dream in Groningen – the most sustainable yacht in the world
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The Pegasus Preservation Project Celebrates it 10th Birthday with the Rusty Rivet Awards

Posted on by December 1, 2010

Photo: Will van Dorp

The tug Pegasus was built in 1907.  Her last major refit was in 1953 when her steam engine was removed and a diesel engine installed.   Tonight the Pegasus Preservation Project is celebrating the 10th year of restoration of the Tug Pegasus with the First Annual Rusty Rivet Awards to “eight treasured volunteers.”  The festivities are taking place this evening  from 5:30 PM-7:30 PM at the Woolworth Tower Kitchen, 9 Barclay Street (at Broadway), New York, NY. Click here to learn more.

Maersk Ready to Order Malaccamax Containerships – 18,000 TEU ?

Posted on by December 1, 2010

Emma Maersk, currently the largst container ship.

Maersk may be on the verge of ordering up to 20 of the largest container ships ever built,  18,000 TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units).  The largest container ships now in service are capable of carrying roughly 15,000 containers.   Analysts have identified 18,000 TEU ships as the largest container ships able to pass through the Straits of Malacca, where a 20 – 25 meter draft is the limiting factor.  On the bulk side of the industry,  Malaccamax tankers, in common parlance often referred to as “super-tankers, are the Very Large Crude Carriers, VLCCs.  VLCCs are the work horses of the oil industry.  It will be interesting to see whether or not the proposed Maersk 18,000 TEU ships will fill the same role in the long haul container trades.

Maersk Reported Close to 18,000-TEU Ship Order
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American Indian Sailed to Europe With Vikings?

Posted on by December 1, 2010

Photo: Robert Harding Picture Library, Alamy

Interesting new evidence that the Vikings and the North American natives, who the Vikings called skrælings may have gotten along a bit better than suggested by the sagas.   DNA testing of 80 living Icelanders shows indicates a genetic variation similar to one found mostly in Native Americans.

American Indian Sailed to Europe With Vikings?

Five hundred years before Columbus sailed the ocean blue, a Native American woman may have voyaged to Europe with Vikings, according to a provocative new DNA study.
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Drunken Passenger Drops Anchor on Cruise Ship MS Ryndam ! ? !

Posted on by November 30, 2010

Allegedly, Rick Ehlert, 44, a passenger on the Holland America cruise ship, MS Ryndam, entered a restricted area, put on pair of work gloves, disengaged the windlass and released the stern anchor while the ship was underway, in international waters off the Florida coast early Saturday.   He also threw a lifebuoy overboard.   Ehlert said he was drunk at the time.    He has been arrested on a felony charge of attempting to “damage, destroy, disable, or wreck a vessel.”   Wow.

Anchor Drop Lands Cruise Passenger In Brig

Preserving the Battleship Texas and Problems with the Laffey again

Posted on by November 30, 2010

Battleship Texas

Last June we posted about the near sinking of the battleship Texas.  Now a final effort to save the 96 year old ship is underway.   A cofferdam will be built around the ship to create a dry berth for the battleship.   In related news, South Carolina state officials have expressed displeasure over the imminent default by the Patriots Point Development Authority on a $9.2 million loan.  The loan was intended to repair the World War II destroyer Laffey.   Not only can’t the Development Authority pay back the loan but they are seeking $85  million to maintain the destroyer Laffey, the carrier Yorktown and submarine Clamagore at Patriots Point.

Last shot to preserve battleship Texas begins

Laffey repair loan default irks SC officials

Karim-1 Sinks after Collision with Dutch Tanker Alessandro DP, Six Missing

Posted on by November 30, 2010

Six missing after Dutch and Sierra Leone-flagged vessels collide in the Black Sea

Two Dutch and Sierra Leone-flagged vessels collided during bad weather in the Black Sea on late Monday afternoon, the government confirmed. Six people are missing.

The Bulgarian Transport Ministry said the Sierra Leone-flagged ‘Karim 1’ was carrying 10 people when it collided with the Netherlands-flagged tanker ‘Alessandro DP’. The Dutch tanker was empty at the time of the accident.

The Ministry said four of the ten crew members aboard the ‘Karmin 1’ were rescued, leaving six crew members missing. The crew consisted of 9 Syrians and 1 Egyptian.

There were no reports of injuries among the crew of the ‘Alessandro DP’. The ‘Karim 1’ sank after the accident.

Thanks to Dick Bal for passing along the article.

RCCL’s Allure of the Seas Christened by a Cartoon Character

Posted on by November 30, 2010

Princess Fiona (in green)

In the beginning of November we posted about the new Disney cruise ship, Disney Dream, where interior cabins will have virtual port holes, which will show the view outside the ship and will include composited Disney cartoon characters flying by as well.   Now Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines has taken the cartoon on cruise ship a step further as when they had a cartoon character, Princess Fiona from the animated movie, Shrek, christen their new ship, Allure of the Seas.   RCCL has new joint venture agreement  with DreamWorks Animation which produced the movie Shrek among other major animated movies.

The Allure of the Seas is the sister ship to the Oasis of the Seas. Both ships have can carry 5,400 passengers, double occupancy, and are the largest cruise ships afloat.   Allure of the Seas is reportedly a few inches longer than the Oasis of the Seas so that RCCL can market the newer ship as the new “largest” cruise ship.

Incredible Year for the Brig Niagara – Awards, Fundraising and Movie Roles !

Posted on by November 29, 2010

The Brig Niagara has had an incredible year.   The ship and its captain have been honored with major awards, the organization has raised significant sums to support the ship and the ship has been featured in a new PBS documentary.

Just over a year ago, severe funding cuts threatened the operation of the historic replica.  Particularly worrisome were two large capital projects for the ship – a Coast Guard mandated dry-dock and hull inspection and a recaulking of the ship’s deck.   Nevertheless, the ship had a  busy summer  of sailing from one tall ships festival to another as part of the American Sail Training Association (ASTA) Great Lakes United Tall Ships Challenge® 2010.   Recently, it was announced that the Tall Ships Erie 2010 festival in September, which attracted 75,000 visitors, raised $220,00 for the Flagship Niagara League.  Roughly $170,00 of the funds raise will go for inspections and deck caulking with the remainder funding invested in the Niagara Education Fund.
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Nautic – The 50th Annual Paris Boat Show

Posted on by November 25, 2010

Nautic, the 50th annual Paris boat show will be held from December 4 – 12, 2010.  They expect a quarter of a million visitors to attend the show at the Porte de Versailles, which will feature 1,400 boats, including close to 300 new models, more than 600 motor boats, close to 500 sail a boats and 300 assorted small craft.

Stealth Sub Jimmy Carter Ready to Spy on North Korea

Posted on by November 28, 2010

In August of this year, ex-President Jimmy Carter traveled to North Korea on a diplomatic mission to free a captive American.  Now the submarine which bears his name is reported to be nearing North Korea as well.   Following the shelling of a South Korean island by North Korean military, a US naval task force lead by the aircraft carrier George Washington has joined ongoing South Korean naval exercises.  The Seawolf Class submarine Jimmy Carter is also believed to be operating in the area. The Jimmy Carter is longer than the other two Seawolf Class ships due to an additional hull section known as the Multi-Mission Platform (MMP), which allows the launch and recovery of ROVs and Navy SEAL forces.

Super-Silent Jimmy Carter Ready to Spy on North Korea
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Chesapeake Light Craft Sells its 20,000th Kit !

Posted on by November 28, 2010

A friend has a wooden kayak that he built from a kit.  It is simple in both design and construction – a stitch and glue plywood boat covered with fiberglass cloth.  It paddles well, is light weight and is very pretty.  Very difficult to ask for more than that, particularly from a kayak.   He built it from a Chesapeake Light Craft kit quite a few years ago.   It still looks great.   As reported by Classic Boat magazine, Chesapeake Light Craft has just achieved a significant milestone.  It has sold its 20,000 kit.   In addition to the kayaks that they are known for, Chesapeake Light Craft also offers kits for row boats, sailboats, and canoes.

US kit builder celebrates 20,000th kit
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Mystery Ship Beneath the Streets of Stockholm

Posted on by November 28, 2010

Photo:Jens Lindstrom/Swedish Maritime Museum

This summer we posted about an 18th century ship found buried beneath the streets of Manhattan near Ground Zero.  Recently,  while excavating in front of Stockholm’s Grand Hotel during renovation work to a nearby quay, workers discovered a most unusual ship.  Believed to date from the 1600s, based on its location at the site of  naval shipyard from that era, the ship is unique in that its planks are sown together with rope rather than secured by nails.

Naval mystery uncovered near former shipyard in Stockholm
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Cmdr. Andrew Coles of HMS Astute Relieved of Command

Posted on by November 27, 2010

Photo: AFP/Getty Images

Not a great shock, but Cmdr. Andrew Coles has been relived of his command of  HMS Astute, the Royal Navy’s newest and “stealthiest” submarine which very publicly  ran aground last month near the Skye bridge off the Isle of Skye.

Officer relieved of command over grounded sub

“Commander Coles will continue to serve in the Royal Navy and he will be reappointed to a post where his talents and experience can be used to best effect,” a ministry statement said. “A new commanding officer will be appointed as soon as possible.”

Thanks to David Rye for the heads up.

Update: Boozy teens’ midnight trip goes 1300km astray

Posted on by November 27, 2010

Photo: Tai Fredricsen

On Thursday, we posted about three Tokelauan teenage boys who had attempted to row the sixty miles between two small Pacific islands, became lost and drifted  for fifty days across nearly 1,000 miles of the Pacific  in a small aluminum skiff.   A more complete story is now coming about how the three boys, two aged 15  and one 14, found themselves in this predicament. It all started with a girl.

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HMS Invincible For Sale – the Perfect Holiday Gift?

Posted on by November 27, 2010

HMS INVINCIBLE

The holiday shopping season is in full swing. But what can you get for the person who has everything? Why not a used aircraft carrier? Just because the Royal Navy won’t be able to launch ship-borne fixed wing aircraft for the next decade doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be able to!

HMS Invincible is for sale by tender.  Admittedly the ship is a bit of a fixer-upper. She is almost thirty years old and her generators and pumps are described as generally unserviceable or not working.  The most likely buyers are steel scrap yards.  The ship may be seen by appointment only between 29th Nov 2010 and 10th Dec 2010. Bids are due by 10:00am Wednesday, January 5, 2011.

Sale by Tender – HMS Invincible
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Pirates (OK, Not Real Pirates) Drop Anchor in Key West

Posted on by November 27, 2010

In my grumpier moments, I object to celebrating Disneyfied pirates, especially given that piracy is, after all, still a serious problem and not merely a quaint relic of the 16th and 17th centuries.  Then again, I can’t be grumpy all the time.   “Pirates in Paradise”, the ten days of “pure piratical escapades celebrating Key West’s rich & colorful maritime heritage” sounds like lots of fun, particularly if enough rum is involved.

Pirates in Paradise
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