Ukraine Crowdfunding Fleet of Naval Drones to Counter Russian Black Sea Fleet

At the end of October, Russia announced that Ukraine had launched the “most massive attack by drones and remotely piloted surface vehicles on the waters of the Bay of Sevastopol in the history of the conflict.” Unconfirmed sources claim that … Continue reading

Repost: On Armistice Day, Remembering the German High Seas Fleet Mutinies of 1918

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 the … Continue reading

The Sinking of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald, an Unsolved Mystery

SS Edmund Fitzgerald, an American Great Lakes ore carrier, sank 47 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

Navy & Coast Guard Offer Signing Bonuses & Increased Enlistment Age to Attract Recruits

The US military has been having problems meeting its recruiting targets. In response, the US Coast Guard and the US Navy have been offering signing bonuses of up to $50,000 for certain billets, after the number of sailors plummeted, in … Continue reading

Gilded Age Yacht Coronet Being Moved to Mystic to Complete Restoration

Coronet is a 131′ wooden-hull schooner yacht built for oil tycoon Rufus T. Bush in 1885. It is one of the oldest and largest vessels of its type in the world, and one of the last surviving grand sailing yachts … Continue reading

Update: UK Cancels Plans for £250m National Flagship Yacht

In June of last year, we posted that UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, had announced the construction of a new national flagship intended to promote British businesses around the world. The proposal received a mixed response. As we noted in … Continue reading

Update: Montenegrin Mafia Boss Arrested in Billion Dollar Bust on MSC Gayane

In June 2019, Federal authorities raided the container ship MSC Gayane when the ship docked in Philadephia. They found and seized 20 tonnes of cocaine, worth over a billion dollars, stashed in shipping containers. The seizure was the largest cocaine … Continue reading

Michelin Inflatable Wing Sail Being Installed on Ro/Ro MN Pelican

Last year, we posted about French tire manufacturer Michelin’s Wing Sail Mobility (WISAMO) project design that features an automated, telescopic, inflatable wing sail system, which is expected to reduce fuel consumption by up to 20%. The project is taking a … Continue reading

Ancient Sperm Whale Clans Maintain Cultural Identities by Patterns of Clicks Within their Songs

A fascinating study recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests that seven ancient “clans” of sperm whales living in the vast Pacific Ocean maintain their cultural identity by distinctive patterns of clicks within their songs. … Continue reading

HMS Medway Torches Smugglers’ Boat Carrying £24m of Cocaine in Caribbean

Sky News reports that HMS Medway, a Royal Navy River-class offshore patrol vessel, pursued a drug smuggler’s boat after it was spotted near the Dominican Republic, alongside a US Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment and accompanying aircraft. Once it was … Continue reading

Russia Suspends Grain Export Deal Following Ukrainian Drone Attack on Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol

The BBC reports that Russia says that Ukraine carried out a “massive” drone attack on Saturday on the Black Sea Fleet in the Crimean port city of Sevastopol, damaging one warship. Nine drones were used, a top official said. Unconfirmed … Continue reading

Remembering “HMS” Bounty Lost in Hurricane Sandy — Survivors’ Interview

Ten years ago today, the replica of HMS Bounty sank in Hurricane Sandy off the coast of North Carolina. Despite horrific conditions, the US Coast Guard was able to rescue 14 of the 16 aboard the ship when she sank. … Continue reading

Dutch Fishing Vessel Rescues British Kayaker Clinging to Buoy in Dover Strait

The BBC reports that a Dutch fishing vessel has rescued a British kayaker found clinging to a buoy in the Channel after his kayak capsized. He is reported to have been holding onto the buoy for several days. The captain, … Continue reading

Record Drought Shuts Down Traffic In Mississippi River and Tributaries

In August, we posted about an extreme drought in Europe that dramatically reduced water levels in major rivers, including the Rhine, Elbe, Loire, Danube, and Po. Now a near-record drought in the US Midwest has dropped water levels in the … Continue reading

Entangled Humpback Does Spy Hop & Back Flip to Assist Marine Rescue Team, Freeing It From Fishing Gear

A wonderful story from the BBC.  After receiving multiple calls about a humpback whale entangled in 300ft (91m) of fishing gear and a buoy, Canadian officials dispatched a marine rescue team. They tracked down the beleaguered whale off Texada Island, … Continue reading

Tree Rings Help Identify Long Lost Rhode Island Whaling Ship Dolphin in Patagonia

In 1858, the whaling ship Dolphin sailed from Warren, Rhode Island, and never returned. The New York Times notes that the ship’s 42-person crew was rescued the following year from the waters of the southern Atlantic Ocean by an Argentine mariner, … Continue reading