Happy Birthday US Navy – Whenever and whereaver the place and time may be

Posted on by October 13, 2010

Today, October 13th,  is celebrated as the birthday of the United States Navy, not to be confused with Navy Day, which is celebrated on October 27th.  The current “birthday” may have more to do with bragging rights than real birthdays.

For many years, the founding of the Navy was celebrated on various dates, the most common being either March 27th, the day in 1794 when the Congress authorized the construction of five frigates, or on April 30th, the day in 1798 when the Navy Department was first established.
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Tracking Orcas by Zeppelin on the Airship Eureka

Posted on by October 13, 2010

The Center for Whale Research is using a novel approach to tracking orca whales.  They are using the only operational zeppelin in the United States,  the Airship Eureka, on loan from Farmers’ Insurance, the company that sponsors the zeppelin, which donated a day of flying for the orca survey in Washington’s Puget Sound.

Zeppelin offers rare views of whales
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Collision between Greek tanker Mindoro and Cypriot container ship Jork Ranger

Posted on by October 12, 2010

Damage to Tanker Mindoro

This morning around 4:56 UTC the Cypriot container ship Jork Ranger collided with the Greek tanker Mindoro, carrying  jet fuel off the Scheveningen coast in the North Sea.  The collision caused a fuel spill from a five-meter wide puncture in the tanker.

Oil Slick In North Sea After Tanker-container Ship Collision

Reports quoting the Dutch Coast Guard said the spill did not cause any environmental damage, as a small trail of light paraffin was evaporating soon and drifting away from the Dutch shoreline.

The leak from a five-meter wide hole was plugged by rescue teams without much delay.

Damage to the Jork Ranger

Thanks to Dick Bal for passing the news along.  Here is a remarkable AIS plot of the collision.  The video is after the jump.

Collision between Greek tanker Mindoro and Cypriot container ship Jork Ranger
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Wind Power and Hot Air – Cape Wind Still in Doubt as Google Shows Some Backbone

Posted on by October 12, 2010

Photo: Ayesha Rascoe

According to one study the US has enough offshore wind to power the country four times over.  In Europe there are currently 830 wind turbines now installed and grid connected, totalling 2,063 MW in 39 wind farms in nine European countries with over 100 GW of offshore wind projects in various stages of planning.    The US, in contrast, generates zero kilowatts from offshore wind.   Zero.

Recently Google and Good Energies, a New York based financial firm, have agreed to make a major investment in a proposed $5 billion transmission backbone for future offshore wind farms along the Atlantic Seaboard, a critical bit of infrastructure to move power ashore.   Last week,  after a nine year legal and regulatory battle, Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar, signed a 28 year lease for Cape Wind, a $1 billion, 130-turbine project in the Nantucket Sound that could provide up to 75% of all electricity for Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket.   So is the US beginning to catch up with Europe and the rest of the world?  Nope. Not even close.  Formidable legal and regulatory obstacles still  remain and it is by no mens certain that Cape Wind will ever be built.

Despite Lease Approval, Future of Cape Wind Remains Up in the Air
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Happy Columbus Day – Thoughts on What Columbus Was and Was Not

Posted on by October 11, 2010

Today is Columbus Day in the United States (and Thanksgiving Day in Canada. Happy Thanksgiving Canadians.)  Columbus Day is celebrated tomorrow in Spain.

Every year about this time,  various scholars and pundits emerge to denigrate the memory of the Genoese naviator and explorer.   There were indeed many things for which Christoffa Corombo, as he was known in his home of Genoa, could be criticized for.   He never reached China.  He severely underestimated the circumference of the Earth, (which may have been more Ptolomy’s fault that Christoffa’s.)

Of course, these are not the faults for which what the modern pundits condemn Columbus.   Columbus was indeed an imperialist and he promoted genocide.  The man was clearly a monster!  Or so they contend. Howard Zinn is his book A People’s History of The United States makes the case:
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Fairtransport and the Brigantine Tres Hombres

Posted on by October 11, 2010

We posted recently about the efforts by B9 Shipping and the Greenheart Project to develop competitive modern sailing cargo ships.   In the Netherlands Fairtransport Shipbrokers is operating the Brigantine Tres Hombres in freight service between Europe, the Atlantic islands, the Caribbean and North America.  A video about their operations:

Fair Transport

OPT PowerBuoys on the Grid in Hawaii

Posted on by October 10, 2010

PowerBuoy

Recently we have been posting about the PowerBuoys developed by Ocean Power Technology.  They will soon be connected to the word’s largest  “Wave Hub” off the coast of England. They are also working toward deploying their buoys off the Oregon coast. Ocean Power Technologies announced this week the completion of the first-ever grid connection of a wave energy device in the United States.  There is a video of the PowerBuoy in waves after the jump.

Commercial wave energy device completed at Hawaiian naval facility
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10/10/10 : Goodbye to the Netherlands Antilles, Hello Curaçao and Sint Maarten

Posted on by October 10, 2010

Flag of Curaçao

Today, 10/10/10 is proving popular as a day to be be married.   It is also apparently a good day for a divorce, or at east a reorganization. The Netherlands Antilles is being dissolved today.  The islands of Curaçao and Sint Maarten are becoming independent countries while the islands of Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba will gain Dutch municipality status.   The Netherlands Antilles Ship Register will be transferred to the Curaçao Ship Register. This register is, and will remain, located in Willemstad , Curaçao, and the new country will assume all existing flag state responsibilities for this register.  All treaties, codes and legal responsibilities will be transferred to the new government.

Fire and Explosion on the Baltic Ferry Lisco Gloria

Posted on by October 10, 2010

There fire and explosions on the Lithuanian ferry Lisco Gloria early Saturday.  Twenty three minor injuries were reported.  Translated by Google from German from Der Spiegel :

Second explosion reinforced fire on the Baltic Sea ferry

236 people rescued, but the flames are still not under control: on the Baltic Sea are struggling rescue ships, ferries “Lisco Gloria” to clear the burning. A new explosion has increased the fires. Forces fear that diesel oil could leak into the sea.

Kiel – “The ship is ablaze,” said a spokesman for the Emergency command in Cuxhaven in the morning, had a quick erase of the fire is not expected. “The fire eats further and further into the ship.” The forces are trying to cool the outer skin of the ship – to prevent the destruction of the 200-meter long “Lisco Gloria”. Is pumped too much water in extinguishing the ferry could capsize, they said the spokesman.

Read the rest of the article

Thanks to Ulrich Rudofsky for passing the article along.

A New Generation of High-Tech Sailing Ships?

Posted on by October 8, 2010

B9 Shipping and the Greenheart Project are both working to develop new high-tech sailing coasters.  B9 has in mind a 3,000 DWT three masted bulk carrier with automated square sails whereas the Greenheart Project envisions a much smaller fore and aft rigged general cargo ship.   They both look intriguing. Whether or not they would be economically viable is still unclear. By the standards of today, a 3,000 DWT bulk carrier is quite small. Nevertheless, it is roughly the same size as the great windjammers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.  A B9 Shipping promotional video, after the jump.

Will renewable energy fuel a new generation of eco-shipping?
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Giant Lego Replica of Aircraft Carrier USS Intrepid

Posted on by October 7, 2010

An amazing 23 foot-long Lego replica of the  Essex Class aircraft carrier USS Intrepid constructed by Ed Diment was unveiled at the Great Western Lego Show Swindon, UK last weekend. Click here for more photos.

Giant Lego Replica of Aircraft Carrier USS Intrepid

Modeled after the ship as it looked in February, 1945, the period-perfect details include motorized gun turrets, TBM Avenger torpedo planes, and F4U Corsair fighters.

Chemical Tanker YM Uranus under Tow after Collision with Hanjin Rizhao

Posted on by October 8, 2010

Yesterday the 7,000 DWT chemical tanker YM Uranus carrying pyrogas gasoline was in a collision with the 197,000 DWT bulker Hanjin Rizhao off the coast of Brittany.  Contrary to early reports that the chemical tanker was sinking, she remained afloat, despite a significant list, with no loss of cargo.  Her crew abandoned ship and was picked up by the French Navy.  The YM Uranus is now under tow to the port of Brest.

Chemical tanker and cargo vessel collide in Channel

San Francisco 2010 Fleet Week the Biggest in 20 years

Posted on by October 8, 2010

2010 Fleet Week celebration will be the biggest in 20 years

SAN FRANCISCO -This year’s Fleet Week celebration, an annual event that celebrates the city’s rich contribution to the United States armed forces, will be the largest one held in 20 years, organizers and city officials said Wednesday.

Ten ships, eight of them active military vessels, will take part in this year’s event, scheduled to kick off today and run through Monday. The eight active military ships — including two from the Canadian naval fleet — will bring nearly 1,000 sailors into San Francisco, according to Fleet Week organizers.

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Thanks to Alaric Bond for passing the article along.

Countdown to the VELUX 5 Oceans Race

Posted on by October 8, 2010

Eco 60 class boats awaiting the race start in La Rochelle

The Velux 5 Oceans Single Handed Round the World Race will be starting in just over a week on October 17th.   The competitors will race from La Rochelle, France to Cape Town, South Africa; then on to Wellington, New Zealand; to to Salvador, Brazil, to  Charleston, South Carolina in the USA and returning to La Rochelle, France for a race of almost 30,000 miles. The race will be sailed in Eco 60 class boats, designed to be relatively less expensive than boat is other ocean races.
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Seafarers Ale:Drinking for a Cause, not Just Because…

Posted on by October 7, 2010

For those in Britain, Fuller’s Brewery (Fuller, Smith and Turner plc), founded in 1864 and London’s only remaining traditional family brewer, is donating £5 to Seafarers UK for every barrel of their Seafarer’s Ale sold.  Seafarers UK is a national charity that supports seafarers and their families.  So now, stopping in at the pub for a pint can be a way of supporting a good cause, rather than just because…

I don’t believe that Seafarer’s Ale is available on this side of the pond.  I did however stop in at my local liquor store and picked up a six pack of Fuller’s London Pride to show my solidarity. (It is also an excellent ale.)

Seaman’s Church Institute Leaving New York City

Posted on by October 7, 2010

Seaman's Church Institute Floating Chapel, New York 1844

After 176 years the Seaman’s Church Institute is leaving New York.    The organization announced that they will be putting its building at 241 Water Street, near South Street Seaport, up for sale next week.  The ministry will shift all operations to its newly renovated center at Port Newark later this month.  Last year we posted about the Floating Chapels of the Seamen’s Church Institute.

The once busy piers on the Hudson River are either gone or converted to parks where children and families play.  The East River docks are a mix of museum and shopping mall.   No ships have called on Manhattan in decades and the Brooklyn piers are largely quiet as well. There are no sailors left in Manhattan so the Church is shifting its operations to focus on where the sailors are.

Seamen’s Institute to Sell Its Building and Leave Manhattan
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Whale Wars War of Words: Sinking of the Ady Gil Ordered by Watson?

Posted on by October 7, 2010

The Ady Gil is hit by Japanese ship Shonan Maru 2 and, inset, Peter Bethune, top, and Paul Watson.

Last January the power boat Ady Gil was hit by the Japanese whaling ship, Shonan Maru 2, during the Sea Shepherds‘ protest/reality TV show.  Who was responsible for the collision is still the subject of controversy. Now the captain of the Ady Gil, Pete Bethune, has resigned from the Sea Shepherds after accusing  Sea Shepherd Conservation Society Boss Paul Watson of lying about the sinking of the Ady Gil.  Bethune claims that Watson ordered the scuttling of the vessel following the collision.  Watson responded by claiming that Bethune lied in  his testimony in Japanese court

Sea Shepherd word war: ‘sinking ordered’
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Freak Waves – a BBC Documentary

Posted on by October 6, 2010

As noted in our recent review, I found Susan Casey’s The Wave: In Pursuit of the Rogues, Freaks and Giants of the Ocean to be very disappointing because it spends far more time with extreme surfer dudes than it does examining rogue or freak waves.  The same can not be said of a BBC documentary first aired on November 14, 2002 called “Freak Waves.”  In addition to an in depth look at ships struck by rogue waves, it also features a fascinating discussion, in wholly accessible language, of how the nonlinear Schrödinger equation can closely approximate rogue waves, an outcome that surprised even the mathematicians.  This could explain why all the equations, which oceanographers have used to explain that rogue waves cannot exist, may be all wrong.

By the magic of Youtube, the documentary is available as five 10 minute clips:

Freak Waves part 1/5

Watch the rest of the documentary after the jump.
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Chauncy Maples Makes a Million Pounds

Posted on by October 6, 2010

In June we posted about the missionary/hospital steamer, the Chauncy Maples.   Launched in 1901, she is the oldest ship in Africa.   She is being restored to return to duty as a traveling clinic on the 560 kilometer long Lake Malawi.   The Chauncy Maples Malawi Trust has been attempting to raise £2 million to fund the project.  Last Friday, Thomas Miller, a London-based specialist insurance company, which has been spearheading the drive, announced that they are half way to their goal, having raised over £1m pounds.

Chauncy Maples makes a million
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