Sea Shepherd’s New Speed Boat, Brigitte Bardot, Broken by the Southern Ocean

The reality TV stars, the Sea Shepherds, took their newest speed boat, the Brigitte Bardot, out on the Southern Ocean recently, which proved to be more than it could handle. The Brigitte Bardot reportedly cracked its main hull and severely damaged the port … Continue reading

Update: Repairs Underway to Russian Fishing Vessel Sparta with Help from Korean Icebreaker Araon

The Russian fishing vessel Sparta, which was holed by ice below the waterline in the Ross Sea off Antarctica on December 16th and has been trapped in the ice for over ten days, is now undergoing temporary repairs.  On Monday, … Continue reading

The Long Strange Voyage of Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle, Johnny Vasco da Gama

In 2008, a young Kemp’s ridley sea turtle washed up, stranded, in the Netherlands.  Kemp’s ridleys are the smallest and rarest of all sea turtles and are a critically endangered species.  The Kemp’s ridley turtles typically live in the warm waters of the Gulf … Continue reading

Update: Christmas Day Rescue for Russian Fishing Vessel Sparta?

The South Korean icebreaker Araon and the fishing vessel Chiyo Maru No 3 may reach the stricken Russian fishing vessel Sparta on Christmas Day. The Sparta is a 157 feet long fishing vessel with a crew of 32 aboard which … Continue reading

Lobster Trap Christmas Trees – Christmas Tradition & Friendly Competition

Lobster traps, also known as lobster pots, are ubiquitous around the coastal towns of New England. Around this time of year, Christmas trees built from stacked lobster pots rise in many towns along the coast. With fishermen being fishermen, a friendly competition between the … Continue reading

Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge – “The World’s Roughest Rowing Race” Living Up to Its Name

The Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge  which bills itself as “The World’s Roughest Rowing Race” is living up to its name. As we posted previously, seventeen boats set off December 4th to row across the Atlantic from Spain’s San Sebastian de la Gomera … Continue reading

Dr. Edith Widder – Using Bioluminescence to Fight Pollution

A fascinating glimpse in today’s New York Times at the work of Dr. Edith Widder who is using bioluminescence to measure the level of pollution in coastal sediments. Illuminating the Perils of Pollution, Nature’s Way [iframe: width=”480″ height=”373″ frameborder=”0″ scrolling=”no” … Continue reading

Stricken Fishing Vessel Sparta Not Fit for Antarctic Ice

The Russian fishing vessel Sparta is afloat, though just barely after being holed by ice at the edge of the Ross ice shelf in Antarctica.  Why was an non-ice strengthened fishing boat fishing in such treacherous waters in the first place?  That is the question being raised by the Vyacheslav Martyanov, … Continue reading

More than 200 Missing as Asylum Seeker’s Ship Sinks Off Indonesia

On December 15th last year a boat loaded with asylum seekers wrecked on Australia’s Christmas Island, killing 48 or more than half of the passengers aboard.   On Saturday, a boat bound for Christmas Island sank off Indonesia roughly 50 miles off … Continue reading

Russian Oil Rig, Kolskaya, Capsizes off Sakhalin – 4 Dead & 49 Missing

The Russian jack-up drilling rig, Kolskaya, capsized while under tow in a storm in the Sea of Okhotsk, 200 KM off Sakhalin Island at 12.45 local time (0145 GMT) Sunday.  Of the 67 crew on board, 14 were rescued,  four are reported to have … Continue reading