In 2019, we posted that US Coast Guard was finally getting an appropriation to build three new heavy polar icebreakers, followed by the construction of three new medium polar icebreakers. The Coast Guard currently has one heavy icebreaker, USCGC Polar Star, which … Continue reading
Rick Spilman
Satellite photographs show Russia has deployed trained dolphins at the entrance to the key Black Sea port of Sevastopol, home to Russia’s Black Sea naval fleet. The dolphins are likely to be trained to intercept Ukrainian divers attempting to sabotage … Continue reading
The sailing cargo ship SV Kwai has been owned by the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) since January 2021, as one element of the island archipelago’s goal of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. This multi-faceted RMI effort … Continue reading
The question is not so much whether the wreck of Captain Cook’s ship Endeavour rests at the bottom of the harbor in Newport, RI, but rather which of several wrecks it may be. The Endeavour, renamed Lord Sandwich and outfitted … Continue reading
We recently posted a video about climbing the rig on the Götheborg of Sweden. Here is an interesting application of “high ropes course” techniques and technology to allow the public to safely climb to the maintop and out on a … Continue reading
A week ago last Thursday, the museum ship, the USS The Sullivans in the Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park began to take on water and partially sank at her berth. Naval Park Director of Museum Collections and Curator Shane … Continue reading
When the burial ship at Sutton Hoo in the UK was uncovered in 1939, the ship itself was missing. The wooden planks and frames of the ship, dating from around 600 AD, had rotted away. Nevertheless, an almost intact impression … Continue reading
Yesterday we posted about the patrol ship, the Grille, described by some as “Hitler’s yacht.” Today we will look at a second vessel to bear the same title — the Ostwind. In 1936, the German government had two racing sailboats built, … Continue reading
With the advent of Putin’s brutal invasion of Ukraine, we have posted about superyachts owned by Russian oligarchs including several yachts that may or may not be owned by the dictator himself. Here is a two-part post about yachts associated … Continue reading
My wife and I took an incredible trip to the Galapagos in 2017. An updated repost. We spent a week on Ecoventura‘s 83’ MY Eric and visited six of the more eastern islands of the archipelago. We saw many of … Continue reading
An updated repost. Like so many other species, Galápagos green sea turtles are unique to the archipelago. Here is a short video of snorkeling with Galápagos green sea turtles off Punto Cormorant on Floreana Island in the Galapagos in early November, 2017. … Continue reading
Here is another old favorite, a companion repost to yesterday’s repost of “The Unsinkable Hugh Williams – Truth Behind the Legend?” We recently posted in response to a video, “The Strangest Coincidence Ever Recorded?.” It recounted how three men named Hugh … Continue reading
I am traveling this week, so it seems like a good time to repost an old blog favorite, the remarkable story of the unsinkable Hugh Williams. There is a video bouncing around the web these days called “The Strangest Coincidence … Continue reading
Stuck in Chesapeake Bay mud for more than five weeks, the container ship Ever Forward is finally free. Refloating the 1,100-foot long ship required discharging 500 containers and additional dredging but she was dragged by seven tugs from the mudbank … Continue reading
Sailing onboard Götheborg of Sweden involves climbing and working in the rig, at the highest about 40 meters up, or far out on a yard. Everyone who sails with the ship goes through rig training, and even though most are … Continue reading
A short video that seeks to answer the question, what is it like to sail onboard Götheborg of Sweden as a deckhand? Have a look at what happens onboard: From bringing your passport when you sign on, to rig training, … Continue reading
Sad news. The museum ship, the USS The Sullivans in the Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park was taking on water Thursday morning. Buffalo News reports that Paul Marzello, park president and CEO, said the park staff realized … Continue reading
Moskva, a guided-missile cruiser and the flagship of the Russian Black Sea fleet, suffered ammunition explosions and fire while operating in the Black Sea off Odesa on April 13. Exactly what happened is unclear. Reuters reports that Ukraine’s southern military … Continue reading
Yesterday we posted about the What, How, & Why of the Ancient Principle of General Average. Here is a repost about a massacre, in which general average was declared involving a shipment of human cargo. On November 29, 1781, the … Continue reading
Following several attempts to free the Ever Forward, the ship’s owner declared General Average, citing “the increasing costs arising from the continued attempts to refloat the vessel.” What this means, in practice, is that the owners of the cargo now … Continue reading