What USS Theodore Roosevelt & Iceland Reveal About Testing & the Virus

Posted on by April 19, 2020

When the COVID-19 infection broke out on the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, the decision was made to test all the 4,865 sailors aboard the ship. As of today, the Navy says that 94% of the crew has been tested. The results were stunning. From an initial three infections, the number of sailors testing positive had risen to 660 or over 14% of the ship’s personnel tested. One of the crew, Chief Petty Officer Charles Robert Thacker Jr, has died. Another six sailors have been hospitalized and two are reported to be in intensive care.

As disturbing as the total number of infections, there was something even more alarming. 60% of those who tested positive were asymptomatic – they showed no symptoms, no indication that they were sick. Why is this so troubling? According to new research, people with coronavirus infections may be the most contagious one to two days before they start to feel ill. One study suggests that more than 4 in 10 coronavirus cases are spread by those not obviously sick.

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Doolittle Raid on Japan, 78 Years Ago Today

Posted on by April 18, 2020

On April 18, 1942, sixteen B-25B Mitchell medium bombers took off from the U.S. Navy’s aircraft carrier USS Hornet deep in the Western Pacific Ocean to attack Toyko and other targets, in what would become known as the Doolittle Raid.  Here is a short video about the first airstrike on Japan in World War II.

The Doolittle Raid on Tokyo (1942): The US Strikes Back | Battle 360 | History

Clinton Pearson, Pioneer in Fiberglass Boat Building, Dies at 91

Posted on by April 17, 2020

Clinton J. Pearson, a pioneer in building fiberglass yachts, passed away on April 4, 2020, at the age of 91.

With his cousin, Everett Pearson, Clinton began building fiberglass dinghies in their garage in Seekonk, MA in 1955. The venture would grow into  Pearson Yachts. Their first auxiliary sailboat, the Triton 28, was launched at the New York Boat Show of 1959 and was an immediate success. The company grew rapidly and in 1961 was acquired by Grumman Allied Industries.

Clinton Pearson left his namesake firm in 1964 and bought the struggling sailboat-builder, Sailstar, which he renamed Bristol Yacht Corporation in 1966. The company operated until 1997 and built more than 4,400 yachts. Between Pearson and Bristol, Clinton Pearson is credited with the construction of over 20,000 yachts.

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Coronavirus Spreads on Carriers, Submarines and Hospital Ships

Posted on by April 17, 2020

Charles de Gaulle

We have been following the spread of the coronavirus on the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, where almost 600 sailors, including the captain, who was fired for speaking out about the spread, have tested positive for the virus. One crew member on the Roosevelt has died from the infection. Three other US aircraft carriers have reports of crew testing positive, as well.

Now the BBC reports that a third of the sailors serving with France’s aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle – 668 out of nearly 2,000 – are infected with the coronavirus. Nearly all of those infected are on the carrier itself. An escorting frigate and carrier pilots are also in quarantine.

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Safely Visit the Ocean Pursuit Shipwreck – Milky Way Time Lapse

Posted on by April 15, 2020

On March 1st, the 72′ scallop fishing vessel Ocean Pursuit came ashore on Bodie Island, part of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, on North Carolina’s Outer Banks. Since then the boat has been settling into the sand as well as attracting tourists. So many people have been visiting the wreck that the National Seashore has issued a warning to stay away, as the boat appears to be unstable in the sand.

So, whether you are a resident of the Outer Banks or just stuck at home under lockdown, like me, there is still a way to safely visit the Ocean Pursuit.  Wes Snyder has shot a wonderful timelapse sequence of the shipwreck beneath the Milky Way. It is beautifully done and you won’t get sand in your shoes.

Capturing The Ocean Pursuit Shipwreck – A Milky Way Timelapse Cape Hatteras National Seashore

First Sailor from USS Theodore Roosevelt Dies From Coronavirus

Posted on by April 14, 2020

The coronavirus was spreading out of control on the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, docked in Guam. Captain Brett Crozier pleaded with his superiors to evacuate most of the sailors from the ship to try to stem the infection. On March 30th, after being rebuffed by his superiors for days, Captain Crozier wrote a letter that he knew would probably end his navy career. In the letter, he wrote: “We are not at war. Sailors do not need to die. If we do not act now, we are failing to properly take care of our most trusted asset — our Sailors.”

Captain Crozier was subsequently fired. The number of infections on the Roosevelt rose from three sailors on March 25th to almost 600 today, including Captain Crozier. And yesterday, the first sailor died. His name is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

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CDC Modifies & Extends “No Sail Order” for All Cruise Ships

Posted on by April 13, 2020

Last Thursday, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) extended its “No Sail Order” for cruise ships calling on the United States. The CDC announced that “this Order shall continue in operation until the earliest of three situations. First, the expiration of the Secretary of Health and Human Services’ declaration that COVID-19 constitutes a public health emergency.  Second, the CDC Director rescinds or modifies the order based on specific public health or other considerations. Or third, 100 days from the date of publication in the Federal Register.” 

The CDC noted that there are around 100 cruise ships still at sea off the East Coast, West Coast, and Gulf Coast, with nearly 80,000 crew onboard. There are also 20 cruise ships at port or anchorage in the United States with known or suspected COVID-19 infection among the crew who remain on board. 

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Sailors Sewing Cloth Masks on US Aircraft Carriers, USS Roosevelt Infections Rise to 550

Posted on by April 12, 2020

Since April 5, the U.S. Navy has required fabric face coverings for all service members and civilians where social distancing isn’t possible, such as in the cramped quarters aboard an aircraft carrier or other Navy ship. While they required face coverings, they did not, however, provide cloth masks to Navy crews. The Navy appears to be no more prepared for the pandemic than the rest of the Federal government.

When no cloth masks were forthcoming, sailors aboard aircraft carriers have begun to make their own. Continue reading →

Over 400 Sailors Test Positive For Coronavirus on USS Theodore Roosevelt

Posted on by April 11, 2020

In late March, there were reports of three cases of coronavirus on the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt.  The number quickly grew to dozens and the ship was diverted to Guam. Now, the testing of sailors aboard the Roosevelt is nearly completed. Of 4,865 of the crew who have now been tested, 416 tested positive, and 3,170 tested negative, while the results for another 1,164 are still pending. Of those testing positive, 229 — more than half — showed no symptoms of the disease. About 2,700 crew members have been taken off the ship and are lodged on the base and in hotels on the island. Those who have tested positive are being checked by medics twice a day.

One of the personnel who tested positive was the ship’s commander Captain Brett Crozier, who was fired for raising concerns about the spread of the virus among his crew. Captain Crozier is being treated. One member of the crew was hospitalized Thursday in intensive care on Guam. 

The military is beginning to acknowledge that the spread of the virus on Navy ships is likely to only grow worse.

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Emergency Fundraiser for Developing World Seafarers

Posted on by April 10, 2020

A group of maritime organizations is raising money to provide much-needed emergency funding for developing world seafarers. From their Crowdfunder page:

While much of the shipping industry take their responsibilities to their seafarers very seriously there is still a real challenge facing many seafarers from the poorer regions of the world. Many are in lock down with casual contracts and unable to work, others are facing difficulties due to lock downs when they leave ships and are unable to return to their families with costs and little income coming in and there are even some reports of seafarers being shunned on their return to their homes for fears of the virus. There is also the issue of their families not having an income in order to get by.

The situation is likely to get far worse before it gets better. Continue reading →

Remembering Howard Slotnick (1930-2020)

Posted on by April 9, 2020

The maritime community has lost a great friend, shipmate, and leader in the passing of Howard Slotnick. A treasurer and chairman emeritus of National Maritime Historical Society, he served on the Coast Guard Foundation board and was an advisor to Tall Ships America. He also served on the board of trustees of Amistad America, and was an honorary trustee of South Street Seaport.

Here is a remembrance of Howard Slotnick by Roberta Weisbrod:

Howard Slotnick lived fully his ninety years. His joie de vivre and and love of the sea were one and the same. He expressed his devotion in myriad ways that have influenced the lives of New Yorkers, the spirit of our nation, and even the way the world appreciates maritime history and the waterfront.

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Penguin on “Field Trip” Meets Beluga Whales

Posted on by April 8, 2020

And now, for something completely different. While Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium has been closed to visitors, the aquarium has allowed its penguins to take ‘field trips’ inside the facility. Here is a short video of Wellington, a rockhopper penguin, coming face to face with three beluga whales, Kayavak, Mauyak, and baby Annik. The whales appeared to be very interested in the penguin and vice versa. Given that penguins are native to the Southern Hemisphere and belugas are found only in the north, this may be one of the few interactions between the two species.

Coronavirus lockdown sees penguin and beluga whale become unlikely friends

Update: Acting SECNAV Modly Wildly Out of Control, Resigns

Posted on by April 7, 2020


Update: Thomas B. Modly has offered his resignation.

When the Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas B. Modly traveled to Guam on Sunday to speak to the sailors on the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, he needed to deliver a clear and calming message. He needed to address concerns over the recent firing of the ship’s commander, Captain Brett Crozier, and to reassure the crew that the Navy was taking appropriate steps to treat sailors with the coronavirus. He failed miserably.

Instead, he launched into a profanity-laced tirade in which he accused the captain of betrayal and suggested that he was “too naïve or too stupid to be a commanding officer”. Modly repeatedly criticized Crozier’s integrity and suggested the possibility of court-martial for the captain. He also inserted partisan politics into the speech by attacking former Vice President Joe Biden, who has repeatedly criticized Crozier’s removal. Modly also slammed the crew for giving the captain a rousing sendoff as he left the ship.

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Menhaden — “the Most Important Fish in the Sea”

Posted on by April 6, 2020

To change the topic, for a day at least, here is a well done short video by the Nature Conservancy about the return of the lowly menhaden, which they call the most important fish in the sea. Menhaden are an oily little fish that are an essential food source for whales, dolphins, striped bass and seabirds. They are also filter feeders that help control algae and plankton blooms.  

Menhaden was seriously overfished in the 1960s. With coastal management and quotas, the schools of menhaden have returned and with them, New York City and Long Island have seen a dramatic increase in whales, dolphins and striped bass. Continue reading →

The Virus — An Enemy The US Navy Is Not Prepared To Fight

Posted on by April 5, 2020

Given the complete debacle of the current administration’s response to the coronavirus, one might hope that our military might be better capable of reacting to the crisis. So far, the US Navy, at least, has demonstrated only how ill-prepared it is in fighting the virus, for reasons that are both practical and political.

Practical Considerations
On the purely practical side, defending naval warship against attack by other ships is far easier than defining against a virus. In fact, warships are particularly vulnerable to infectious diseases. They tend to have large crews living in closely packed quarters. Unless the sick crew members can be identified and isolated quickly, contagion can spread rapidly across the ship.

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Venezuelan Navy Patrol Craft Rams Cruise Ship and Loses

Posted on by April 4, 2020

The incident took place in the early hours of Mar. 30, 2020, but the cruise ship operator only released an official statement on April 1st. It could almost be taken for an April Fool’s joke. It wasn’t.  

The Portuguese flag expedition cruise ship RCGS Resolute was drifting just over 13 miles off the coast of Isla La Tortuga, a Venezuelan island 60 miles off the country’s northern coast. With no passengers aboard the crew was performing maintenance on one of the two engines. Around midnight on the 30th, the Venezuelan Navy patrol ship ANBV Naiguatá approached the cruise ship. The Resolute was ordered to follow Naiguatá to Puerto Moreno on Isla De Margarita, located to the east. The Venezuelans accused it of violating the country’s territorial waters.

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Sailors Cheer Carrier Captain Fired by Navy For Standing Up For Crew Health and Safety

Posted on by April 4, 2020

Sailors on the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt cheered for Captain Brett Crozier as he departed the ship in Guam. Captain Crozier was removed from duty by the Navy after he raised concerns about the spreading coronavirus on his ship in a letter that was leaked to the media. Hundreds of cheering and applauding sailors showed their appreciation, chanting the captain’s name, as they bid him farewell.

A week ago, the USS Theodore Roosevelt was diverted to Guam after an outbreak of the coronavirus on shipboard. Reports of three sailors with the infection quickly grew to “dozens.” Since then there have been reports that over 100 sailors have come down with the virus.

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TBT — Ghost Ship, Sailing on Water, Wind, & Light

Posted on by April 2, 2020

Grasping at any excuse to stop thinking about the pandemic, for Throw-back Thursday, here is an updated repost from several years ago about an almost magical ghost ship.

What should a ghost ship be made of? Why not water, wind, and light? That is precisely what the designers at the Romanian art collective Visual Skin used to create the Ghost Ship, a glowing ship of light projected onto flowing water and billowing breezes. It floated gently on the water of canal in Amsterdam, with the spectral sails billowing in the wind. The ghost ship was part of the Amsterdam Light Festival of 2014. Since then the Ghost Ship has also appeared at Spotlight Bucharest and Berlin Leuchtet.

The Ghost Ship was conceived in Amsterdam, as a tribute to all 17th Century Dutch sail ships. It represented the very spirit of the Amsterdam, of the Batavia and of the Flying Dutchman. 

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Mystic Seaport Museum Closing, Lays Off 199 Employees

Posted on by April 1, 2020

Sadly, this is not an April Fools joke. The Mystic Seaport Museum is another casualty of Covid-19, at least for the duration of the pandemic. The Hartford Courant reports that as of today the museum is closing indefinitely and laying off 199 employees, 68 of which are full-time, according to a letter filed by the organization with the Connecticut Department of Labor.

While the period of time that the museum is closed is indefinite, the Seaport is not shutting down. From a statement titled “Our Business Goes On” on the Seaport website:

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Brig Pilgrim Sinks at Dock in Dana Point, CA, Salvage Attempts Underway

Posted on by March 31, 2020

The brig Pilgrim, a replica of the ship immortalized in Richard Henry Dana’s 1840 memoir, Two Years Before the Mast, sank at the dock over the weekend in Dana Point, CA. The replica brig, owned by the Ocean Institute has served as a classroom for marine science and maritime history programs since arriving in Dana Point in 1981. 

The brig is reported to have begun listing to starboard on Saturday night and to have sunk on Sunday. On Monday, attempts began to salvage the vessel and to determine why she sank. 

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