Gulf of Mexico ‘Dead Zone’ Will Be Large This Summer, But Maybe Smaller than Last Year

Posted on by June 14, 2020

The bad news is that the annual summer “hypoxic” or “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico this year may be larger than average. The good news is that it will be about 15% smaller than last year’s model prediction and roughly 20% smaller than the record “dead zone” in 2017. Nevertheless, at 6,700 square miles, this year’s “dead zone” is still larger than the State of Connecticut.

The “dead zone” forms every year due to an algae bloom which deprives the Gulf waters of oxygen. The little or no oxygen in the water can kill fish and other marine life. NOAA explains that the algae bloom is caused “by excess nutrient pollution from human activities, such as urbanization and agriculture, occurring throughout the Mississippi River watershed. Once the excess nutrients reach the Gulf they stimulate an overgrowth of algae, which eventually die, then sink and decompose in the water. The resulting low oxygen levels near the bottom are insufficient to support most marine life and have long-term impacts to living marine resources that are unable to leave the area. Considered one of the world’s largest, the Gulf of Mexico dead zone occurs every summer.

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A Drone Visit to Gradually Reopening Mystic Seaport Museum

Posted on by June 12, 2020

The Mystic Seaport Museum in Mystic, Connecticut is a magical place to visit, particularly in the Spring and early Summer. Unfortunately, the museum was shut down by the pandemic since the beginning of April. The great news is that as of May 23rd, the seaport museum has been progressively reopening. Their website describes it as “the beginning of a gradual return to regular operation and for the initial weeks visitors will be able to access only the outdoors portion of the grounds, as the village buildings and indoor exhibitions will remain closed.”

In the meantime, here is a marvelous 4K drone video of Mystic Seaport by Ryan Smith. From the Charles W. Morgan to the Mayflower, with a myriad of vessels in between, the bird’s-eye view is breathtaking. Continue reading →

First American Woman to Walk in Space Also First Woman to Visit the Challenger Deep

Posted on by June 10, 2020

Dr Kathy Sullivan and Victor Vescovo after their dive to Challenger Deep. Photo: Enrique Alvarez

In addition to serving as a crew member on three Space Shuttle missions, Kathryn Sullivan was also the first American woman to walk in space on October 11, 1984. Now, at 68, she has become the first woman to reach the Challenger Deep, about seven miles below the ocean’s surface, the deepest spot in the world’s oceans. 

Kathryn Sullivan became the eight-person to travel 35,810-feet below the surface to the Challenger Deep, descending in the DSV Limiting Factor piloted by Victor Vescovo of Caladan Oceanic.

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Solo-Sailor Jeanne Socrates Honored in Victoria

Posted on by June 9, 2020

Jeanne Socrates was 76 when she set sail alone from Victoria, British Columbia, in October 2018, on her 38′ yacht Nereida. She returned to Victoria 339 days later, then 77, having sailed singlehanded non-stop around world, becoming the oldest sailor to do so. On a previous circumnavigation, she also set a record as the only woman to have circumnavigated solo nonstop from North America.

Last November, her home port honored Jeanne Socrates by naming the dock in Victoria’s Inner Harbor where Nereida is berthed in her honor. A plaque now identifies the commercial dock as the Jeanne Socrates Dock.

Last week the city also installed a bronze plaque in her honor on Victoria’s Wall of History overlooking the Inner Harbour, to commemorate her epic voyages.

Congratulations, Jeanne. Well deserved.

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On World Ocean Day, Attack on Atlantic Ocean Marine Sanctuary

Posted on by June 8, 2020

Deep-sea octopus on Bear Seamount within the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument off the coast of New England Photo: NOAA

Happy World Ocean Day, held every year on the 8th of June to celebrate the oceans and to take action to restore and protect them. This year the day’s theme is ‘Innovation for a sustainable ocean.’

Unfortunately, the current US administration seems determined to move backward rather than forward on the protection of the ocean. Late last week, the current occupant of the Oval Office announced, while on a trip to Maine, that he intended to open the first and only Atlantic marine sanctuary to fishing and to cancel the planned phase-out of lobster and crab fishing in the area.

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GPS Spoofing Mystery — Crop Circles & Ghost Ships

Posted on by June 6, 2020

Image: Global Fishing Watch / Orbcomm / Spire.

On June 5, 2019, the offshore supply boat Princess Janice was operating from a Nigerian oil terminal when suddenly the AIS (Automatic Identification System) an automatic tracking system showed the vessel a continent away, circling above Point Reyes, CA, eventually veering off above Utah. The false AIS reading continued for over two weeks.

Princess Janice was not the only ship with false AIS data. A total of 12 ships’ AIS positions appeared to be being thousands of miles from their actual position, traveling in circles or ovals, often partially over land. Most of the vessels reported circling positions off the coast of Northern California, though two were shown off Madrid, one to the vicinity of Hong Kong and another to the Chinese city of Shanwei.

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Affirmation of “Respect, Dignity and Inclusion” From US Navy Sixth Fleet Leadership

Posted on by June 5, 2020

As protests over the death of George Floyd and against racism and police brutality continue across the nation and parts of the globe, the leadership of U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa/U.S. Sixth Fleet has issued a letter titled “Respect, Dignity and Inclusion.”  The letter is signed jointly by the Sixth Fleet Command Master Chief Johannes J. Gonzalez; U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa Fleet Master Chief Derrick A. Walters; Commander, U.S. 6th Fleet, Vice Admiral Lisa M. Franchetti; and Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa, Admiral James Foggo and reads as follows:

Dear CNE/CNA/C6F Teammates,

As we continue to watch the demonstrations and violence playing out in cities across America and here in Europe, it is important to take time to reflect upon the situation and acknowledge the impact this is having on us, our shipmates, and our families. The catalyst for the current situation may have been the death of Mr. George Floyd, but we should all understand that the outrage sparked by his death goes much deeper across many communities in our great Nation.

We encourage you to have the courage to discuss this challenging situation with your colleagues, so we can all gain a better understanding of underlying concerns, as well as find ways to work together to develop and put in place lasting solutions. Continue reading →

TBT — Panoramic and Audio Tour of USS Pampanito

Posted on by June 4, 2020

subpano1
On May 24th, a fire in a warehouse on Pier 45 on San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf came very close to the engulfing the World War II Liberty ship SS Jeremiah O’Brien and the USS Pampanito, a Balao class fleet submarine museum and memorial from the same era. Fortunately, the timely arrival of San Francisco Fire Boat #3, St. Francis, helped to save both historic ships.

On Throwback Thursday here is a repost of a link to a wonderful panoramic and audio tour of the USS Pampanito.  By clicking and dragging your mouse across the images you can wander from the main deck to the forward and after torpedo rooms and everywhere in between. The 360-degree panoramic photos are extremely well done. There is text explaining what you are seeing as well as an mp3 audio tour that you can click. According to the Fact Sheet & Backgrounder, the sub has its own ice-cream maker. See yesterday’s post, How Ice Cream Replaced Booze in the US Navy. 

TOUR OF USS PAMPANITO (SS-383)

How Ice Cream Replaced Booze in the US Navy

Posted on by June 3, 2020

General Order 99
One hundred and six years ago next month, on July 1, 1914, Secretary of the US Navy Josephus Daniels issued General Order 99, banning “the use or introduction for drinking purposes of alcoholic liquors on board any naval vessel, or within any navy yard or station.” The US Navy had ended the rum ration in 1862 and imposed progressively more stringent restrictions on what alcohol sailors could have on shipboard. General Order 99 ended even the serving of alcohol in the wardroom and the captain’s cabin.

Prohibition and Ice Cream
Six years later, in 1920, the entire country followed the Navy’s example. With the ratification of the 18th Amendment, the United States banned the production, importation, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages. The thirteen year period known as Prohibition led to the growth of criminal gangs and the proliferation of “speakeasies,” illegal drinking establishments. 

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Factory Trawler American Dynasty Hit Hard by COVID-19

Posted on by June 2, 2020

Photo: American Seafood

The Seattle-based factory trawler, American Dynasty, cut short its fishing season off the Washington coast after most of the 126 crew tested positive for COVID-19. A statement by American Seafoods, which owns the ship, reported that a crew member tested positive for COVID-19. As a result, the company decided to test the entire crew and on May 30 an additional 85 crew members were confirmed positive. Results are pending for nine outstanding tests.

How the virus came onboard is unclear. From the company press release:

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Two Hundred and Seven Years Ago Today — “Don’t Give Up the Ship”

Posted on by June 1, 2020

On June 1, 1813, two hundred and seven years ago today, the British frigate HMS Shannon defeated and captured the USS Chesapeake in single-ship combat. Captain James  Lawrence on the Chesapeake was mortally wounded during the battle. His last words were, depending on the account,  “Don’t give up the ship. Fight her till she sinks,” or “Tell them to fire faster; don’t give up the ship.”  If  “don’t give up the ship” was an order, it was impossible to follow and never carried out. The ship had already been taken by British boarders.

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Bark Europa — An Unexpected 10,000 Mile Voyage Home From the End of the World

Posted on by June 2, 2020

The bark Europa arrived in the port of Ushuaia, Argentina in late March. Ushuaia, which describes itself as “the end of the world, the beginning of everything,” would normally be the jumping-off point for the ship’s regular voyage to Antarctica. This year, however, the concurrent arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic changed everyone’s plans. The crew found themselves stuck aboard in port in pandemic limbo. 

As reported by Newsweek, since there was no way on how to know when this world crisis would be finished, Dutch Captain Eric Kesteloo and his international sailing crew of 11 women and 8 men refused to sit and wait, and so they decided to sail back to Bark Europa‘s home harbor in Scheveningen, the Netherlands.

The Europa is currently completing the 10,000 mile non-stop voyage under sail back to her homeport. Marine Traffic reports that she departed Ushuaia on March 27 and is currently sailing east at 4.5 knots, with an estimated arrival in Scheveningen on June 16.

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Time Bomb in the Thames — Removing the Masts from the SS Richard Montgomery

Posted on by May 31, 2020

Three rusting masts rise from the Thames Estuary, off Sheppy Island, not far from Sheerness. They are the masts that once supported the swinging booms on the Liberty ship USS Richard Montgomery, which sank with a cargo of high explosive bombs and other munitions in 1944. The wreck still contains an estimated 1,400 tonnes of potentially highly volatile explosives. The remaining munitions are too dangerous to remove and also too dangerous to ignore. 

Now, the Ministry of Defence is offering to pay £5 million ‘danger money’ to any company prepared to hack off the rusting masts of the ship that the BBC has referred to as the “ticking time bomb of the Thames.” The concerns are that the rusting masts could waste away and fall onto the munitions, potentially causing a detonation.

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Evolution of the “Narco-sub” — Semi-Submersibles, Go-Fast LPVs and VSVs

Posted on by May 29, 2020

Narco-sub seized by Colombian Coast Guard — Photo: Guardian

In the 1990s, rumors began to spread that the Colombian cartels were moving cocaine to the United States by submarine. In 2006 the navy intercepted a “narco-sub” off Costa Rica with 3.5 tonnes of cocaine on board. In 2019, thirty-three submarines were intercepted by Colombian authorities, an average of almost three a month, most of them along the Pacific coast.

The Guardian quotes Admiral Hernando Enrique Mattos Dager, in charge of Colombia’s Poseidon taskforce against drug trafficking, saying, “Large quantities of cocaine are transported by sea,” he said. “It is much easier to move a tonne of cocaine by sea than by plane because there are more checks on freight at airports.” He estimates that 80% percent of the country’s illicit drugs leave via the Pacific coast and 14% go via the Caribbean.

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TBT — World War II Combat Footage: Sinking of the Bismarck

Posted on by May 28, 2020

On Throw-Back-Thursday, here is footage of the sinking of the German battleship Bismark, 79 years ago yesterday, by the Royal Navy in a three-day running battle in which the Bismark sank the British battlecruiser HMS Hood.  Ultimately, the German battleship was disabled when her rudder was jammed in a torpedo attack by obsolescent Fairey Swordfish biplane torpedo bombers from the aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal.   Here is a British newsreel of the events.  Thanks to Alaric Bond for contributing to this post.

World War II Combat Footage – Sinking of the Bismarck

Surgical Masks Wash Ashore In Australia After APL Europe Loses At Least 40 Boxes

Posted on by May 27, 2020

Photo:AMSA

It would appear to be a sign of times. Surgical masks have been washing ashore on the beaches of New South Wales, Australia. Not pandemic aid from King Neptune, but the result of containers of medical supplies among the at least 40 containers which were lost off the APL Europe in rough seas on Sunday.

The ship had been en route from Ningbo, China to Melbourne when the ship briefly lost propulsion and rolled violently in high seas. The rolling resulted in approximately 40 containers falling into the ocean southeast of Sydney, Australia. Following the loss, the 5,510 TEU Singapore-flagged vessel diverted to Brisbane. Continue reading →

80 Years Ago — Operation Dynamo, the Evacuation of Dunkirk

Posted on by May 26, 2020

Eighty years ago today, on May 26, 1940, Operation Dynamo, the evacuation of British and other Allied troops from the French port of Dunkirk, began. Following a Blitzkrieg attack by German forces in early May, the British Expeditionary Force (BEF), three French field armies, and the remains of Belgian forces were driven back and encircled near Dunkirk. Initially, the plan was to attempt to rescue up to 45,000 troops. By June 4, when the Germans took the port, 338,000 British, French, and other Allied troops were evacuated across the English  Channel to England. 

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Fleet Week NYC Flashback –Parade of Ships 2011

Posted on by May 25, 2020

This year’s Fleet Week celebrations, traditionally held around the country over the Memorial Day weekend, have been canceled due to the pandemic. So, here is a Fleet Week New York flashback, the Parade of Ships from 2011. We hope that everyone has a happy, safe, and healthy Memorial Day weekend.

Fleet Week New York 2011, Parade of Ships

San Francisco Firefighters Save Liberty Ship SS Jeremiah O’Brien From Massive Wharf Fire

Posted on by May 24, 2020

A major fire broke out on Saturday morning in a warehouse on Pier 45 on San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf which came very close to the engulfing the historic World War II Liberty ship, SS Jeremiah O’Brien. The fire was reported at around 4:15 AM and quickly rose to four-alarms. At the height of the fire there were 130 firefighters and 50 apparatus on the scene. 

Shortly after the first firetrucks arrived, the San Francisco Fire Boat #3, St. Francis, also came on the scene. CBS San Francisco quotes fire department spokesman Lt. Jonathan Baxter who said that the fireboat crew saved the historic Liberty ship.

“When firefighters arrived, the flames were literally lapping over the Jeremiah O’Brien,” he said. “They literally saved the O’Brien.”

“The Jeremiah O’Brien has been known as the lucky ship,” said ship captain Cevan Lesieur. “She survived the North Atlantic and D-Day and that’s the first reaction — it’s a miracle!” Continue reading →