Retired Marine Corps Colonel Pleads Guilty in ‘Fat Leonard’ Scandal

On March 14, 2017, The Department of Justice announced that retired U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Bruce Loveless and eight other high-ranking Navy officers had been indicted for accepting luxury travel, elaborate dinners, and services of prostitutes from foreign defense contractor … Continue reading

Large Rubber Duck, Named Joy, Mysteriously Appears in Belfast Harbor, Maine

Since at least 2007, a variety of large inflatable rubber ducks have been showing up in harbors around the world. Most recently, a 25-foot high inflatable rubber duck appeared mysteriously in Belfast harbor in Maine. The word “JOY” was emblazoned … Continue reading

Royal Navy Pays Tribute to Last Surviving World War 2 Bomb Disposal Diver

From the Royal Navy News: The last surviving World War 2 bomb disposal diver was honoured during a visit to the Diving Museum in Gosport. John Payne, now 96, was on the first ‘P’ Party 1571 group – a select team … Continue reading

Götheborg & Expedition 2022 — Sailing for Asia in April

Götheborg of Sweden, a full-sized replica of a Swedish East Indiaman, sailed home today from Stockholm to her homeport in preparation for a voyage to Asia in April of next year.   The nearly 60-meter (197-feet) long East Indiaman is billed … Continue reading

Tidal Turbines Impact on Seals, Fish and Other Sea Life

Our recent posts about tidal turbines to create clean energy have raised interesting comments and questions about the impact of the underwater turbines on fish and mammals. Will seals, seabirds, and fish be sliced and diced by underwater turbines? Will … Continue reading

Poseidon — Russia Continues Development of Autonomous Nuclear “Doomsday” Torpedo

Back in 2018, we posted “Status-6 — Putin’s Autonomous “Doomsday” Torpedo.” It described a huge new torpedo, initially called Status-6 by the Russians but now known as Poseidon, and dubbed Kanyon by the CIA, a 65′ long, autonomous nuclear-powered and … Continue reading

US Navy “Fat Leonard” Bribery Scandal Grinds On — New Guilty Plea

The “Fat Leonard” Navy bribery and corruption scandal keeps grinding inexorably onward. One might say that the pace is glacial, except in an age of climate change, glaciers appear to be moving faster. There has been a recent guilty plea … Continue reading

Tidal Power — Trials in East River on New Recyclable Blade Design

One of the concerns with wind and tidal energy installations is that the turbine blades are built from materials that are not easily recyclable. As the blades wear out with use, they could create a significant disposal problem. For the … Continue reading

Scientists Accidentally Discover the World’s Northernmost Island off Greenland

The BBC reports that a group of scientists say they have discovered by luck what they believe is the world’s northernmost island off Greenland’s coast. In July, the scientists flew to collect samples to what they thought was Oodaaq Island, that … Continue reading

Scientists in Egypt Discover Fossil of an Amphibious, Four-legged Whale

Scientists in Egypt have announced that they have discovered the fossilized bones of a previously unknown amphibious, four-legged species of an ancestral whale. The semiaquatic whales called protocetids, existed over forty million years, during the Eocene period, according to findings … Continue reading

Congratulations to Capt. Amy Bauernschmidt, First Woman to Command a Nuclear-Powered Carrier

Capt. Amy Bauernschmidt is now the commanding officer of the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln — becoming the first woman to lead a nuclear carrier in U.S. Navy history. Bauernschmidt, who previously served as the carrier’s executive officer from 2016-2019, relieved … Continue reading

Update: Yara Birkeland, Crewless Electric Container Ship, First Voyage by Year’s End

In 2017, we posted “ Yara Birkeland, Autonomous Container Ship — Is This Really a Good Idea?” The question remains unanswered, but we may have a better idea when the 103 TEU, all-electric, crewless feeder ship is delivered and completes its … Continue reading

Carnival Passenger Dies of Covid, CDC Recommends Vulnerable Avoid Cruises Even if Vaccinated

On a recent voyage from Galveston, TX, one passenger and 26 crew members tested positive for Covid-19 on the Carnival Vista. The passenger, Marilyn Tackett, a 77-year-old retiree from Oklahoma, subsequently died. The outbreak represented the highest number of cases … Continue reading