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

Recovery of the Volvo Ocean Racer Vestas Wind

In the end of November, the Team Vestas Wind, racing in the Volvo Ocean Race, ran aground on a reef in the remote Cargados Carajos archipelago about 430 km to the northeast of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean.  There were no injuries and the crew … Continue reading

SS City of Rio de Janeiro, San Francisco’s Deadliest Shipwreck Found Again

Recently, History.com featured an article titled “Found: San Francisco’s Deadliest Shipwreck.” They reported that the wreck of the 345-foot Pacific Mail Line passenger steamer SS City of Rio de Janeiro had been found by NOAA researchers using high-definition sonar in 287 feet … Continue reading

Happy Solstice –Tyrrhenian Sea and Solstice Sky

NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day: Today the solstice occurs at 23:03 Universal Time, the Sun reaching its southernmost declination in planet Earth’s sky. Of course, the December solstice marks the beginning of winter in the northern hemisphere and summer … Continue reading