Charles Darwin once wrote, “If it was not for sea-sickness, the whole world would be sailors.” Some of us are more susceptible to mal de mer than others. Apparently, Darwin was very prone to sea sickness. From my own experience, I … Continue reading
Rick Spilman
Granny is dead. In August of last year, we posted Orca “Granny,” 105 Years Old, Still Swimming the Pacific about the oldest member of the ” J” pod of Puget Sound orcas, and also the known living orca. Sadly, in … Continue reading
A fascinating short video by the BBC. Apparently, the mobula rays which make the biggest slash when leaping from the ocean have the greatest chance of finding a mate. Often referred to as “devil rays”, “flying mobula” or simply “flying … Continue reading
NASA scientists this week, made an exciting announcement. They have discovered the necessary chemical mix to potentially support life in the sea beneath a polar ice cap of Saturn’s moon, Enceladus. What they have observed on Enceladus is similar to the … Continue reading
Deep-sea mining has long been a controversial subject. For the last 50 years, proponents have called for the mining of silver, gold, copper, manganese, cobalt, and zinc from the seafloor, while environmentalists have argued that seabed mining should not be permitted because of … Continue reading
Last October, we posted that the USCG Cutter Tamaroa, ex-USS Zuni, was to be reefed by the end of the month. The 205-foot ex-fleet ocean/salvage tug and ex-Coast Guard Cutter was to be sunk as part of an artificial reef … Continue reading
Captains on the new Citywide Ferry service in New York harbor are receiving training on a state-of-the-art simulator at SUNY Maritime College at Fort Schyler. … Continue reading
I am sure that I am not the only one who really does not like anti-fouling bottom paint. By definition, anti-fouling bottom paint is a biocide — it kills life — which is fine and dandy if that life is … Continue reading
Norway’s Stad Peninsula divides the Norwegian Sea to the north and the North Sea to the south. The seas, winds, currents and weather are extremely dangerous for any ship attempting to round the peninsula. Now, Norway intends to bore through … Continue reading
Real pirates tended to have very short careers. Edward Teach, better known as Blackbeard, was pretty typical, being active for only about two years from 1716 to 1718, before losing his head. Cartoon pirates, however, do generally much better. Captain … Continue reading
Recently science writers at various news outlets have been gushing over an announcement that scientists have been able to use graphene to remove the salt from seawater. CNBC lead with the exuberant headline, “Carbon-based filter which turns seawater into drinking … Continue reading
At the end of January, we posted Clipper Ship City of Adelaide Still Not Quite Home, where we noted: “The ship is sitting on a deck barge as a “temporary” accommodation at Port Adelaide’s Dock 1, with no permanent dock space … Continue reading
A video producer who produced video of the excavation of a pirate ship is now suing the State of North Carolina and others for piracy. Nautilus Productions, which served as a videographer for the Queen Anne’s Revenge shipwreck project, is charging … Continue reading
Great news. The Senate has passed a waiver for the historic riverboat steamer Delta Queen from the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) regulations, moving it one step closer to returning to service. For several years now, we have been posting … Continue reading
So far, only two of the crew of 24 have been rescued after the Very Large Ore Carrier (VLOC) Stellar Daisy capsized and sank suddenly on Friday, March 31st. The 266,00 DWT Marshall Island registered bulk carrier was reported to have … Continue reading
The Viking longship Draken Harald Hårfagre was hauled out of the water Friday, March 31 at the Mystic Seaport Museum, for several days of routine maintenance in the museum’s shipyard. The vessel has been spending the winter at Mystic Seaport … Continue reading
They probably shouldn’t have built the gym over the water. Whale Breaches Before a Basketball Game Happy April Fool’s Day. … Continue reading
NOAA’s largest oceanographic research vessel, Ronald H. Brown, is based in Charleston, SC, although if you haven’t seen her in her homeport for quite a while, you are not alone. She only recently returned from a record deployment of 1,347 … Continue reading
We have learned that Joe Stead has passed away. He was a folk singer who sang with everyone from Paul Robeson to Pete Seeger. Around the turn of the 21st century, his focus shifted more toward the sea with his … Continue reading
Congratulations to Nainoa Thompson who was honored recently with the 2017 Explorers Club Medal, the most prestigious recognition in exploration. The award was presented to Thompson at the 113th Explorers Club Annual Dinner at Ellis Island in New York City. Thompson was recognized … Continue reading