We recently posted about Michael Packard, a Cape Cod diver, who found himself scooped up inside the mouth of a humpback whale. Most of the media reports used the term “swallowed” by the whale. If the word “swallow” is defined … Continue reading
Rick Spilman
Exciting news from the crew of the Barque Picton Castle. Full scholarships are now being offered to those accepted in the highly regarded Picton Castle’s Bosun School. From their announcement: Bosun School is going ahead this summer! We’re thrilled to … Continue reading
One hundred and seventeen years ago today, the disaster on General Slocum resulted in the largest loss of life in New York City prior to the attacks of 9/11/01. An updated repost. At around 9AM on June 15, 1904, approximately … Continue reading
A diver from Cape Cod, Massachusetts was gulped up and then spat out by a humpback whale feeding off the coast of Provincetown early Friday morning. The diver, Michael Packard, 56, of Wellfleet, was hunting for lobsters while about 45 … Continue reading
This seems like a good video for a summer Sunday — two 60-foot long whale kites flying over Delray Beach, Florida, flown by Randy “the Kite Man” Lowe. Video by Larry Richardson. When Whales Fly — Giant Kites Soar Over … Continue reading
A thick, slimy layer of so-called “sea snot” has spread in Turkey’s Sea of Marmara to the south of Istanbul, posing a threat to marine life and the fishing industry. Reuters reports that scientists say climate change and pollution have … Continue reading
When the cruise ship Celebrity Millennium departed from St. Maarten on June 5 for a seven-night cruise visiting Aruba, Curacao, and Barbados, each of the 600 passengers (over 12 years old) and 700 crew members had been fully vaccinated and … Continue reading
The Orange County Register had an interesting article recently. They reported that last Saturday a whale-watching boat reported seeing what they believe to be a “flue” whale, a hybrid blue-fin whale, swimming off Dana Point, CA. The whale has been … Continue reading
The ex-Cunard luxury liner Queen Mary, which had served as a tourist attraction and hotel in Long Beach, CA since 1972, was shut down by the pandemic. Then in January, the manager of the ship on behalf of the City … Continue reading
In a few days, the composite clipper ship Cutty Sark will be graced with a new carved wooden figurehead carved by one of the last master carvers, Andy Peters. The figurehead, like its two predecessors, represents the witch Nannie Dee, … Continue reading
Back in 2017, we posted Inflated Wing Sail — Rig of the Future? The post showed a prototype daysailer with a single inflatable wing sail (IWS) without winches, halyards, shrouds, or complex deck gear. Now French tire manufacturer Michelin has … Continue reading
I am aware of only one man who was praised by both Eisenhower and Hitler. A repost on the 77th anniversary of D-Day. General Dwight David Eisenhower said that “Andrew Higgins … is the man who won the war for … Continue reading
Something very strange took place around the middle of July 2019 off the coast of California, near San Diego. Leaked radar images and video from the USS Omaha show unidentified objects swarming around the ship, visible on several sensor systems. … Continue reading
Pollution from the container ship X-Press Pearl is being described as potentially the worst marine ecological disaster in Sri Lankan history. The ship carried 25 tonnes of nitric acid, along with other chemicals and cosmetics, when it caught fire on … Continue reading
The South Street Seaport Museum is offering FREE tickets to tour the 1885-built windjammer Wavertree on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through October 2021, with timed entry, from 11am-5pm at Pier 16 on Manhattan’s East River, (Fulton and South Streets). From … Continue reading
Kharg, an Iranian Navy training and logistics ship, caught fire in the Gulf of Oman in the early hours of Wednesday local time. After more than 20 hours of firefighting and rescue operations, the ship subsequently sank near the port … Continue reading
Interesting news from the UK. Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, announced the construction of a new national flagship intended to promote British businesses around the world. The Prime Minister said in the announcement: This new national flagship will be the first … Continue reading
For the second year running, in-person Fleet Week in New York, traditionally beginning in the week before and running through the Memorial Day Weekend, was canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. A virtual Fleet Week celebration has been ongoing, however, … Continue reading
Museum ships are slowly reopening. The USS Slater on the Albany waterfront, the last Destroyer Escort afloat in America, is set to open to the public on Memorial Day, Monday, May 31st. After Memorial Day the ship will operate normal … Continue reading
The historic lighthouse tender USCGC Lilac recently turned 88. Lilac is America’s only surviving steam-powered lighthouse tender and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. To celebrate her birthday, two temporary art installations featuring historic photography and dramatic audio … Continue reading