Oasis of the Seas Passenger Falls Overboard Unnoticed, Rescued by Disney Ship

Frank Jade was a passenger on the Royal Caribbean cruise ship Oasis of the Seas until Thursday morning when he said that a large wave knocked him off an open deck and into the sea, approximately eight miles from Cozumel, Mexico. Reportedly, no … Continue reading

Update: Sinking of the Cemfjord — Should the Ship Have Been Allowed to Sail?

As we posted on Sunday, the passengers on the NorthLink ferry Hrossey, crossing Pentland Firth, off Scotland, saw a grim sight out the ferry windows — the bow of the cement carrier Cemfjord floating vertically in the water. The ship was loaded … Continue reading

Update: Höegh Osaka Grounded Deliberately, Salvage Planning Underway

The answer to the question as to whether the Höegh Osaka ran aground due to steering failure or pilot error, is neither. The car carrier was deliberately grounded on Bramble Bank when the ship developed an unexplained list after leaving Southhampton.  Ingar … Continue reading

Watching the Ball Drop — the Nautical Origins of a New Year’s Tradition

Last night in New York City, up to one million people watched a jeweled ball drop in Time Square at exactly midnight to mark the arrival of the New Year. Over a billion people are believed to have watched the festivities … Continue reading

Blue Sky M — Abandoned Migrant Ship on Autopilot

Straight from rescue operations on the ro/ro ferry Norman Atlantic, the Italian navy and coast guard rushed to intercept the Blue Sky M, a 3,500 DWT Moldavian freighter, which was reported to be carrying 700–1,000 migrants.  A distress call had been received … Continue reading

Italian Ro/Ro Ferry Norman Atlantic On Fire in High Winds & Seas in Adriatic

A fire broke out early Sunday on the Italian ro/ro ferry, Norman Atlantic, on route between the Greek port of Patras to Ancona, Italy with 478 passengers and crew aboard. The fire is believed to have broken out on the ro/ro deck. The ship is … Continue reading

The Wilkes Exploring Expedition and the US Botanic Garden

While visiting family in Washington DC, we visited the United States Botanic Garden. The Garden has a holiday exhibit that features model trains, specifically, Thomas the Tank Engine, which delighted my 2 year old grand nephew.  In addition to the trains … Continue reading