The Texas City Disaster – the Explosions of the SS Grandcamp & the SS High Flyer

On Wednesday night, a huge explosion ripped through West, Texas; a small central Texas town, south of Dallas. The fertilizer factory caught fire and exploded, leveling homes and buildings for a five blocks area, killing from 5 – 40 people and injuring … Continue reading

A Swan Adrift – Abandoned Sailing Yachts Drifting on the Deep Blue Sea

In February, Wolfhound, a 48′ Nautor Swan sailing yacht, was abandoned in a storm just north of Bermuda by her Irish owner, Alan McGettigan, and a crew of three. The sailors were rescued by a passing freighter. The boat was reported to have sunk. Instead, … Continue reading

Updated: Carnival Agrees to Pay and Costa Gets a Slap on the Wrist

Update: Carnival Corp has has agreed to reimburse the U.S. government for costs related to the high-profile fires aboard the Carnival Triumph in February and Carnival Splendor in 2010. Read more here. The juxtaposition is priceless. OK, priceless may be the wrong word … Continue reading

The Future of Commercial Sail & the Nord Integrity – an Unexpected Sailor

I would like to thank all those who came out last night to the Working Harbor Committee’s presentation of “Sailing Ships at Work – Past, Present and Future.”   It was a fun evening and gratifying that the presentation was so well received.  In … Continue reading

Carnival Triumph Adrift After Breaking Moorings in High Winds, One Man Missing

Winds gusting to near hurricane strength broke the moorings on the already damaged cruise ship Carnival Triumph at her berth at BAE Shipyard in the Port of Mobile, Alabama at 1:45 p.m. CT on Wednesday. The cruise ship, which had recently been … Continue reading

The Squid Wars and Outlaw Fleets in the Argentine Waters Off the Falkland Ilsands

The ongoing dispute over the Falkland/Malvinas Islands and adjoining waters, has created an opportunity for an outlaw fleet of industrial fishing trawlers to fish, and over-fish, the rich stocks of squid in Argentine waters near the islands. Illegal fishing is estimated to be … Continue reading

Wind Farm vs the Blowhard – Donald Trumped in Scotland

The Scottish government ignored the bluff, bluster and threats made by the bilious, billionaire blowhard, Donald Trump, and approved the installation of eleven wind turbines in an experimental offshore wind farm off the coast of Aberdeen. Trump is strongly of the view that the wind … Continue reading

Vancouver Maritime Museum, Stephen Colbert & Whale Bone Porn

The Vancouver Maritime Museum has an exhibit which opened this month, Tattoos & Scrimshaw: the Art of the Sailor, which has generated a surprising amount of controversy. It seems that some of the scrimshaw on display features explicit erotic scenes. … Continue reading