Opportunity to Sail on Picton Castle in the Great Lakes

Posted on by May 10, 2019

Just returning from its seventh round the world voyage, the barque Picton Castle will set off again this summer bound for the Great Lakes to take part in the Tall Ships America’s Tall Ships Challenge — Great Lakes 2019.  The ship is seeking trainee crew. From their website:  

You too can be part of this amazing voyage.  By signing up to join the Picton Castle as a trainee crew member, this can be your summer of sailing ship memories.  Sign aboard for as little as one week, two weeks, or for the full three-month voyage.  The longer the better, we always say.

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US Takes Control of Wise Honest, North Korea’s Sanctions Violating Bulker Carrier

Posted on by May 10, 2019

The media has been full of reports about the sanctions violating North Korean bulk carrier, dubiously named Wise Honest. Virtually every headline begins with “US seizes North Korean ship” or some variation thereof.  The Justice Department also used the word “seized” to describe the taking control of the ship by the US in a press release dated yesterday, May 9, 2019. 

The story seems a bit confused, however. One might assume from the verb “seized” that the US apprehended the bulk carrier, whereas, in fact, the ship and crew were arrested a year ago in April 2018 by Indonesian authorities. The ship was found to be carrying coal in violation of international sanctions. Apparently, the transfer of the ship to the US was only completed recently. The ship, Wise Honest, is reported to be approaching U.S. territorial waters in American Samoa, in coordination with the U.S. Marshals Service and the Coast Guard. 

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Jean-Jacques Savin Completes Trans-Atlantic Crossing, Drifting in a Barrel

Posted on by May 9, 2019

After a voyage of 147 days covering more than 2,000 nautical miles, French adventurer Jean-Jacques Savin, 72, has successfully drifted across the Atlantic Ocean on the wind and currents in his 10′ by 9′ orange barrel-shaped  craft.

He departed from El Hierro, one of the Canary Islands, west of Morocco, at the end of last December.  After arriving in the Caribbean on May 2, an oil tanker towed Savin and his barrel to the tiny Dutch island of St. Eustatius. His Facebook page reports that he is now on board a cargo ship on its way to Martinique.  

Heavy-Lift Ship Blue Marlin Freed After Attempted Hijacking Off Equatorial Guinea

Posted on by May 8, 2019

Blue Marlin, Photo: Spanish Navy

On Sunday, May 5th, armed pirates boarded the semi-submersible heavy-lift vessel Blue Marlin, 80 nautical miles offshore of Equatorial Guinea on the west coast of Africa. The ship, operated by the Dutch firm Boskalis, had unloaded cargo near Luba port, Bioko island, and was bound for Valetta, Malta when the pirates attacked.

Boskalis said in a statement, “By acting quickly and professionally, all twenty crew members were able to secure themselves in the citadel.” A citadel is a secured space in the vessel equipped with various means of communication and emergency rations. The captain activated the Ship Security Alert System (SSAS) which alerted the Spanish and Equatorial Guinean navies of the attack. Two helicopters were mobilized from Equatorial Guinea, followed by two navy vessels from Equatorial Guinea and the Spanish navy to rescue the ship. On the morning of March 6th, a special operations team boarded and searched the ship, by which point the pirates appear to have fled. Continue reading →

Allure of the Seas Slow Steaming for 5 Months Due to Continued Azipod Problems

Posted on by May 7, 2019

Cruise Fever is reporting that Royal Caribbean is having to rearrange the itineraries for the Allure of the Seas for the next five months due to mechanical issues with one of the three Azipods, the pod propulsion units which drive the ship. The ship is one of the largest cruise ships in the world with a capacity of over 8,000 passengers and crew.  Royal Caribbean will be dropping certain port calls as the ship will be operating at slower speeds with only two functioning pods. Apparently, 25 different itineraries are being modified. 

The news has a strong sense of déjà vu.  In early 2014, the Allure of the Seas was taken out of service to repair a faulty azipod. The ship, delivered in late 2010, has been having pod problems for most of its operating life. 

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Update: Dmitri Donskoii Shipwreck Scammers Go to Jail

Posted on by May 6, 2019

In July of last year, we posted about a Korean maritime salvage company which claimed to have found the wreck of the Russian armored cruiser, Dmitrii Donskoi, which sank during the 1905 Battle of Tsushima. They also claimed that the wreck might contain gold worth around $133.4 billion. The claims of gold seemed doubtful to many, including us, but generated enough excitement for the group backing the salvors to raise $7.6 million from investors.  

Within about a month, it began to appear the Shinil Group, the group behind the project, was involved in some sort of cryptocurrency scheme.  From there the scam fell completely apart. Last week, three executives from the company were convicted of fraud by the Seoul Southern District Court, receiving sentences of five years, four and two years respectively.

Holland America Cruise Ships Collide in Vancouver

Posted on by May 5, 2019

While docking in Vancouver on Saturday morning, the Holland America cruise ship MS 
Oosterdam collided with the MS Nieuw Amsterdam also owned by Holland America. The stern of the Oosterdam struck the stern of the already docked Nieuw Amsterdam. No injuries were reported and the damage was well above the waterline on both ships. Holland America says that damage to Oosterdam is minimal, while six stateroom verandas on the Nieuw Amsterdam require repairs, which got underway immediately. One source referred to the collision as a “parallel parking job gone wrong.”

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Scientist’s Models Predict “Water Worlds”

Posted on by May 2, 2019

Artist’s depiction of a water world. Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech

While the surface of the Earth is more than 70% covered by ocean, worlds covered by even greater expanses of water may be more common than previously thought.  We have previously posted about evidence of water on other bodies in our solar system. It is likely that there is water on Mars and Jupiter’s largest moon, Ganymede, may have vast underground oceans. Likewise the dwarf planet Ceres may contain more water than our planet Earth. Now, recent computer models suggest that most habitable planets may be “water worlds.”

Gizmodo reports that “a new study published in The Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society suggests that most habitable planets are wet. Like, extremely wet. Using computer models, astronomer Fergus Simpson from the Institute of Cosmos Science at the University of Barcelona found that habitable exoplanets, at least simulated ones, tend to be overrun by water, in most cases accounting for 90 percent or more of the total surface area.”

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Russian Spy Beluga Whale Defects to Norway

Posted on by May 2, 2019

Two days ago, NPR reported: “Fisherman off the coast of Norway encountered a beluga whale with “Equipment of St. Petersburg” inscribed on its harness. Researchers think the beluga may be a Russian spy in training.” 

There was speculation that the harness wearing beluga was part of Russian spycraft gone wrong. The harness was believed to be designed for some sort of camera or possibly a weapon. 

Today, however, there has been a new twist. The Guardian reports that the beluga may be defecting to Norway. They report that the “beluga whale that may – or may not – have been trained to spy for Russia appears to have defected to Norway, refusing to stray more than a few miles from the small northern harbor where it was found on Monday and entertaining locals with tricks.” 

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St. Lucia Quarantines Scientology Cruise Ship for Measles

Posted on by May 2, 2019

The cruise ship MV Freewinds is described on the Scientology website as “a religious retreat ministering the most advanced level of spiritual counseling in the Scientology religion.” It is also home to at least one confirmed case of the measles. The Caribbean nation of St. Lucia has quarantined the 440′ ship with 300 aboard in an attempt to avoid the spread of the contagious illness.

“Measles is a highly contagious disease. Anyone who is not adequately immunized against measles can contract the disease, if there has been close contact with a confirmed case,” according to a statement issued Wednesday by Dr. Merlene Fredericks-James, the island nation’s chief medical officer. “It is therefore likely that other persons on the boat may have been exposed.”

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Time-Lapse: When and If Over-Takes America 2.0, 2019 Wreckers Race

Posted on by May 1, 2019

Here is a fun time-lapse of the 1939 built Alden schooner, When And If, overtaking the schooner America 2.0 in the 34th Annual Schooner Wharf Bar Wrecker’s Cup Race in Key West, FL.  When And If  was built for General  George S. Patton who wrote that “When the war is over, and If I live through it, Bea and I are going to sail her around the world.” 

America 2.0 was designed and built by the Scarano brothers and delivered in 2011. The schooner is a modern interpretation of the yacht America of 1851.  Operated by Classic Harbor lines, they refer to new schooner as a “tribute to the first schooner America.”  

When and If Over-takes America 2.0 – Time-lapse of close encounter during the 2019 Wreckers Race

Ancient Seafarers, Stonehenge and the Megaliths

Posted on by April 27, 2019

For centuries, ancient megalithic monuments, such as Stonehenge, existing all across Europe, have been abiding mysteries. Who built them, how and why?

A new study by Bettina Schulz Paulsson of the University of Gothenburg, Sweden may have at least one of the answers. Who built the monuments? She concludes that sailors spread the practice of building megalith monuments.

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Corpus Christi’s Replica of Columbus’ Niña Sinks Again

Posted on by April 27, 2019

When Hurricane Harvey blew through the US Gulf coast in August 2017, the replica of Columbus’ Niña sank at the dock in Corpus Christie, Texas. Last Tuesday, the replica sank again. ABC Channel KSAT 12 quotes Kim Mrazek, president of the Columbus Sailing Association, which helps maintain the ship.  “She sank fast, but she is a survivor.

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Waterfront Heroes: Women on the Waterfront at City Lore

Posted on by April 28, 2019

Next Wednesday, May 1, from 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM, the City Lore gallery in Manhattan is hosting Waterfront Heroes: Women on the Waterfront which will feature a panel discussion moderated by maritime journalist Betsy Haggerty. The panelists will include Fulton Fish Market painter Naima Rauam, Carolina Salguero, founder and director of PortSide NewYork, Jasmine Benitez, Public Programs Manager of Rocking the Boat, and Capt. Cait Field, captain with Classic Harbor Line.

The panelists will describe their experiences working on and around New York’s 520 miles of coastline and Long Island’s 1600 miles of shoreline, and will answer questions from the audience. A reception will follow. Tickets are $5 and are available here.  City Lore is at 56 East 1st Street, New York, NY 10003. 

About the participants: Continue reading →

Are Ships She, He, or It, and Does it Matter?

Posted on by April 27, 2019

There has been a minor hub-bub of late over the decision by the Scottish Maritime Museum to use gender-neutral references to ships after vandals have scratched out references to “she” several times on museum displays. Putting aside the question of whether vandals are the best choice for dictating museum policies, the museum is not alone in moving to gender-neutral labeling for ships. Lloyd’s List, the more than 280-year-old publication has been referring to ships as “it” rather than as “she” since 2002. 

Not surprisingly, not everyone is happy with the change. The Telegraph reports that supporters of the museum expressed their dismay on social media. “This isn’t how it works. You don’t get to erase history, and like it or not ships have always been referred to as she,” said Jennifer Sorbara.

Well, maybe yes and maybe no. This may be true for English speakers but shipping is and has always been an international business. In other languages, ships can be he, she or it, sometimes both. 

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William H Sumner Shipwreck from 1919 Reappears Off NC’s Surf City

Posted on by April 26, 2019

In 1919, the three-masted schooner William H. Sumner was wrecked on the North Carolina shore near New Topsail Inlet, after a mutiny by its crew. Since then the wreck has played hide and seek, disappearing beneath the sand and emerging again as the sands shift and drift. On Monday, the Town of Surf City posted on its Facebook page: 

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Blind Japanese Sailor Sails Non-Stop Across the Pacific

Posted on by April 23, 2019

Mitsuhiro Iwamoto, 52, sailed 8,700-miles across the Pacific non-stop, becoming the first visually impaired person to do so. He was assisted by his sighted navigator, Doug Smith.  The two left California in late February on a 12m (40 ft) sailboat and arrived in Fukushima on Saturday morning.

Fox News reports that when sailing, Iwamoto can still feel the wind direction and steer with sighted people’s help, but needs a guide like Smith to navigate around other boats, according to the Voice of San Diego. To work around his disability, he uses a vocalized GPS and audio compass. On the latest trip, Iwamoto steered the yacht and managed the sail, while Smith helped him with the equipment that shows wind direction.

Mitsuhiro Iwamoto first blind non-stop Pacific journey (Japan) – BBC News

Transient Orcas Scare Even Great White Sharks

Posted on by April 24, 2019

A study published in Nature’s Scientific Reports documents that as ferocious as great white sharks can be, even the great whites are afraid of transient orcas.

When the orcas swim by the Southeast Farallon Islands, off San Francisco, the great white sharks flee the area and often do not return for up to a year, even though the killer whales are typically just passing through. Both the sharks and the orcas feed on elephant seals indigenous to the Farallons. In addition to feasting on seals, the transient orcas have been known to attack and eat great while sharks. Rather than compete with the killer whales for the seals, and possibly end up as dinner themselves, the sharks choose another hunting ground.

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How Will a Pedal-Powered Party Boat Do in the Hudson River?

Posted on by April 23, 2019

A Cycleboat in calm water.

A few years ago I was walking down a street in Austin Texas when I saw a group of folks sitting at a bar pedal by. Apparently, they were peddling a “Pedal Pub” on a PubCrawler tour. The Pedal Pub tour is advertised as traveling a “maximum speed is five miles per hour; just right for sharing good times with friends and drinking cold beverages as you pedal your way through downtown Austin!” Safe to say it was not what I expected to see, even in Austin. I have since learned that there are Pedal Pubs operating in 40 cities with 190 of these “Party Bikes” on the streets. Who knew?

I have recently learned of a waterborne version of the Pedal Pub called the Cycleboat. Instead of pedaling on streets, the pedaling passengers of a Cycleboat pedal a 24′ pontoon boat, turning a stern wheel to propel the craft through the water. The Cycleboats can accommodate between 14-16 passengers and are currently operating in bays, rivers, and lakes at 20 locations around the country. If the pedal-powered stern wheel doesn’t provide enough power, the boat also has a 30 hp gasoline outboard engine. Continue reading →

Update: Jean-Jacques Savin, Drifting in a Barrel Across the Atlantic, Still Drifting

Posted on by April 22, 2019

At the end of last December, we posted about the 72-year-old French adventurer Jean-Jacques Savin who set off to attempt to drift across the Atlantic in a large wooden barrel. He departed from El Hierro, one of the Canary Islands, west of Morocco, with the intention of drifting, carried by the winds and currents, across the Atlantic Ocean.

Now over 115 days into the crossing, Savin is reported to be in good spirits and to be, well, still drifting. He and his barrel have drifted over 2,500 nautical miles from the Canary Islands and are now within 400 – 1,000 miles of land, depending on which way the winds and currents take him. 

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