Disabled French Woman Kidnapped on Kenyan Coast and Taken to Somalia

Marie Didieu, a disabled  66-year-old French woman, was kidnapped yesterday from her vacation home on Manda Island, part of the Lamu archipelago, not far from where a British tourist was killed and his wife abducted three weeks ago.  The kidnappers arrived and departed by … Continue reading

Of Migaloo and the New White Calf

About 14,000 humpback whales migrated between Australia and Antarctica each year. Among them is a white humpback, nicknamed Migaloo. Migaloo, or  “white fella” in an Aboriginal language, was first spotted in 1991 and may be the most popular humpback whale in the world, being … Continue reading

The Knockdown and Capsizing of the SV Concordia – the Official Report

We recently posted that Transportation Safety Board of Canada has concluded that poor training played a role in the knockdown and capsizing of SV Concordia.  The official Marine Investigation Report examines the events leading up to the capsize in some detail.  It … Continue reading

The Original Social Networking – Harold Hackett and His Messages in Bottles

Harold Hackett of Prince Edward Island started throwing bottles with messages inside into the Atlantic Ocean in 1996.   Since then he has cast 4,800 bottles into the sea and has received 3,100 responses.   He has received letters back from Africa, Russia, … Continue reading

Update: Tanker Mattheos I and Crew Released Without Ransom – Why the Gulf Of Guinea is Not Somalia

Just over a week ago we posted about the hijacking of the product tanker 45,000 DWT tanker,  Mattheos I, with a crew of 23, off Benin in the Gulf of Guinea.  Last Saturday, the ship and crew was released. No ransom … Continue reading

“Those Damned Jellyfish” – Diana Nyad’s Second Attempt at Cuba-Florida Swim Ends Due to Jellyfish Stingsks

In August, Diana Nyard attempted to become the first person to swim from Cuba to Florida without the aid of a shark cage.  She gave up that attempt after 29 hours of swimming when adverse winds blew her off course.   … Continue reading

Jean-Marc Allaire Dies on the Way to the Charente-Maritime/Bahia Transat 6.50 Race

Tommorrow, the Charente-Maritime/Bahia Transat 6.50 sets off from La Rochelle, France bound for Salvador de Bahia, Brazil via Funchal, Madeira.  Roughly eighty sailors from sixteen countries will sail the Open/Mini 6.5, a 21 foot long ocean racer, across the Atlantic. … Continue reading

Russian Nuclear Sub, Svyatoy Georgiy Pobedonosets, Damaged in Collision with Fishing Vessel

What is interesting about this story is how it has been reported.  Here is what we know: The fishing boat, Donets, ran into the Russian nuclear submarine, Svyatoy Georgiy Pobedonosets (St. George the Victor,)  in the Avachino Bay on the … Continue reading