Over the Veterans’ Day weekend, the iron-hulled sailing ship Star of India left her dock at the Maritime Museum of San Diego, setting sail, for the first time in five years, to celebrate her 160th birthday. A short news video: … Continue reading
Category Archives: Lore of the Sea
A popular, full-day excursion to Blue Lagoon Island, from a cruise ship docked in Nassau in the Bahamas, ended in tragedy on Tuesday when a ferry boat loaded with 100 passengers rolled over and sank in choppy waters. A 75-year-old … Continue reading
Intriguing news from Saildrone. The developer of ocean data collection using autonomous vehicles announced that it has received the first-ever classification for an autonomous, uncrewed surface vehicle (USV). From their announcement: The American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) has been a … Continue reading
The world’s newest island has risen from the Pacific Ocean off the Japanese island of Iwo Jima after an underwater volcanic eruption that began toward the end of October. In just 10 days, volcanic ash and rocks built up on … Continue reading
In the US, today is Veteran’s Day, when we honor those who have served in the military. It coincides with Armistice Day, the anniversary of the signing of the armistice which ended World War I, on the 11th hour of … Continue reading
SS Edmund Fitzgerald, an American Great Lakes ore carrier, sank 48 years ago today, on November 10, 1975, in a storm on Lake Superior. The crew of 29 was lost when the freighter, loaded with 26,000 tons of iron ore pellets, … Continue reading
A disturbing account of the Saga Cruises’ ship Spirit of Discovery that was caught in severe weather in the Bay of Biscay in which 100 passengers were injured. Five are reported to have been seriously injured. BBC reports that the … Continue reading
A wonderful story from Robyn White writing for Newsweek. A pod of dolphins led a whale and her calf back to their migration route after they became lost and distressed, a heartwarming video shows. The albino mother humpback whale was … Continue reading
In August, we posted Panamax Meets Pana-Drought — Drought Restrictions In Canal Cause Delays and 200 Ship Backlog. A record drought associated with the naturally occurring El Nino climate pattern has resulted in one of the country’s driest years in … Continue reading
A second post suitable for Halloween week. In Norse mythology, there were two great ships. Skidbladnir, was a ship that could carry Odin and his followers in Asgard, which also could be folded into a cloth that would fit in … Continue reading
Of the various wind assist technologies available for commercial shipping, which is the most cost-efficient? It is likely, too soon to tell. AIrbus is reported to be trying two different approaches — retrofitting one existing ship with suction sails and … Continue reading
Here is a post suitable for Halloween. It is not a ghost story but rather the tale of two mysterious skeletons found in a Viking ship discovered in a large burial mound at the Oseberg farm near Tønsberg in Vestfold … Continue reading
This afternoon, sailing south from Ålesund bound for Haugesund, on Hurtigruten’s MS Trollfjord, I noticed something unusual. The ship was pitching and rolling. The motion was gentle but evident. On the previous twelve or so days of the voyage to … Continue reading
Around 5 am about 14 miles southwest of the island of Heligoland, Germany, the British bulk carrier Verity sank after colliding with the Bahamian-flagged bulk carrier Polesie. Of the Verity‘s crew of seven, two were rescued, one has died and … Continue reading
We recently crossed the Arctic Circle on a Norwegian voyage on the Hurtigruten MS Trollfjord. The crossing brought to mind the question — who first devised this imaginary line at 66° 34′ N latitude? My first guess would have been … Continue reading
I am currently traveling, so I managed to miss Trafalgar Day. Here is an updated repost in honor of Nelson’s great victory over the combined French and Spanish fleets a day ago on October 21, in 1805. There is a … Continue reading
The Institute of Maritime Research announced recently that the wreckage of the World War II British submarine HMS Thistle has probably been discovered outside Rogaland, Norway, after more than 80 years on the seabed. In the Spring of 2023, the … Continue reading
In a press release on Tuesday, Berge Bulk, one the world’s leading dry bulk ship owners, announced the launch of its 211,153 DWT Newcastlemax bulker, Berge Olympus, with four retrofitted BARTech WindWings by Yara Marine Technologies. The WindWings installation is … Continue reading
Last Wednesday, the 123-year-old Victory Chimes was towed past the Rockland Harbor breakwater, in all likelihood, ending her long and storied carrier as a commercial sailing vessel. This Saturday, she arrived at Pier 25 in Manhattan on the Hudson River, … Continue reading
Today, October 13th, is celebrated as the birthday of the United States Navy, not to be confused with Navy Day which was once celebrated on October 27th. The current “birthday” may have more to do with bragging rights than real … Continue reading