Seventeen teams from around the world have set off rowing from Spain’s San Sebastian de la Gomera in the Canary Islands in the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge in what is billed as the “World’s Roughest Rowing Race.” The teams will … Continue reading
Category Archives: Current
I was struck by the juxtaposition. Laura Dekker, the Dutch 16 year old who is sailing around the world alone, arrived in Cape Town at roughly the same times as the mega-racers of the Volvo Ocean Race. Well, she arrived … Continue reading
Perhaps Miami Beach is feeling a certain solidarity with Koblentz, Germany. Today an M57 US Navy training mine washed up on Miami Beach. Fortunately the mine was inert and did not contain explosive. Yesterday, bomb disposal experts successfully defused two … Continue reading
We have previously posted about how the European drought has lowered the Rhine River so that World War II munitions long buried in the riverbank have become exposed. Over the weekend, forty five thousand people, roughly half of the population of the city … Continue reading
On Friday, the “Christmas Tree Ship” arrived again on the Chicago docks, bringing Christmas trees to needy families. The arrival of the ship has become a Chicago holiday tradition, honoring of the memory of Capt Herman Schuenemann and his three … Continue reading
Today the Christmas Ship is Chicago’s largest all volunteer charitable support program for inner city youth and their families at Christmas time. At the turn of the twentieth century, the “Christmas Tree Ship” was a family business. In the mid 1880s, August and … Continue reading
In the United States, we have seen an explosion of so-called “reality TV,” which is usually more akin to unscripted soap opera than reality, fortunately. In Canada, however, the CBC has some wonderful programming which is reality television in … Continue reading
Valeska Paris recently appeared on the Australian television program “Lateline” where she charged that she was held for twelve years against her will on the cruise ship MV Freewinds, a ship operated by the Church of Scientology. The ship, the … Continue reading
After an lovely warm November, winter is beginning to settle in here on the banks of the Hudson River, so it feels like a good time to feature a video of warm water, blue sky and white sails. Here is a video shot by Jimmy … Continue reading
Last January, three divers, Charles Buffum, Mike Fournier and Craig Harger, announced that they had located the wreck of Oliver Hazard Perry’s ship USS Revenge which sank 200 years ago off the coast of Rhode Island near Watch Hill. It turns out that Charles Buffum, … Continue reading
Recently we posted about how the near record drought in Europe has lowered the levels in the Rhine River, not only limiting vessel traffic, but also exposing World War II munitions. We wrote that “ bomb disposal experts … are evaluating how to dispose of a … Continue reading
Two men, aged 53 and 26, from the Pacific Ocean island nation of Kiribati, who had been missing for 33 days, came ashore over 300 miles away on the on Namorik Atoll, in the Marshall Islands. The men were reported … Continue reading
The gangway to HMS Belfast, collapsed into the Thames River in London shortly after noon today. Two work men are reported to have been taken to the hospital with what are described as abrasions. More than 100 people on board the ship, including 30 school … Continue reading
The Naval Heritage Society is attempting to to build a full-scale, fully functional replica of of the USS Hornet, a sloop of war built in 1805, which had a successful career in the War of 1812 and beyond, before being lost in a hurricane in … Continue reading
On November 21st, at IMO Headquarters in London, Captain Seog Hae-gyun was awarded the IMO Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea for 2011 “for his decisive, brave and courageous actions to protect his ship and crew during a vicious pirate attack … Continue reading
Last Friday night, only twelve hours into a 15 day Mediterranean voyage, the research vessel Atlantis received a mayday call, relayed by the Greek Coast Guard reporting a fishing boat in distress about 40 miles away, near the island of … Continue reading
The impact of the ongoing budget crisis in Britain on the Royal Navy has been far reaching. Last week we posted about concerns that budget cuts would leave Britain with a shortage of attack submarines. Recently, it was revealed that the … Continue reading
Update: Prince William co-piloted the Sea King helicopter which rescued two crew from the sinking Swanland. Prince William serves with RAF Valley in north Wales. The bulk carrier Swanland is reported to have sunk this morning off north Wales in heavy … Continue reading
We were saddened to learn of the death of Olga Bloom, who died on Thanksgiving Day at the age of 92. Thirty five years ago, Ms. Bloom, a violinist and violist, founded Bargemusic, a floating concert hall moored on the … Continue reading
A near record drought has lowered the water levels on the Rhine River, Europe’s most important inland maritime waterway, by five feet below average, stopping many ships and barges from trading. In several locations, river levels have fallen to one hundred year lows. To … Continue reading