Update: USS Guardian – Will Be Broken Up But Why Was it Near the Reef in the First Place?

The Navy has announced that the minesweeper, USS Guardian, which ran up on Tubbataha reef in the Philippines Sula Sea two weeks ago, will be cut up in place and hauled away.  The reason given is that the approach will “involve … Continue reading

Garrett McNamara Breaks World Record, Surfs Wave 100 Feet High

The Hawaiian surfer Garrett McNamara is said to have broken his own world record for the largest wave surfed when he caught a wave reported to be around 100ft off the coast of Nazaré, Portugal.  McNamara set the previous record in 2011 also off Nazaré. … Continue reading

New Research – Civil War Submarine Hunley Possibly Sunk by its Own Explosive

The Confederate submarine H.L. Hunley is credited as the first successful submarine, in that it was the first submarine to sink an enemy warship in combat.  New findings, however, might cause some to reconsider this “success.”  The Hunley may have been sunk … Continue reading

North Atlantic Storm Jolle More Intense than Superstorm Sandy

Last Saturday, in the Northern Atlantic to the south of Iceland, the extratropical storm Jolle, intensified dramatically.  Meteorologists use central pressure as a proxy for measuring the strength of a given storm. The lower the barometric pressure, the more intense the storm.  By this standard,  Jolle, … Continue reading

Around the World in 78 Days! François Gabart Sets New Record Winning Vendée Globe

François Gabart, sailing MACIF, won the Vendée Globe round-the-world single-handed race in 78 days and two hours, shattering the previous record of 84 days and three hours, set in 2009 by Michel Desjoyeaux.   Ending what has been a round-the-world match-race between the … Continue reading

‘I’d Go Faster if I Had a Keel’ – Dramatic Dash to the Finish in the Vendée Globe

François Gabart sailing MCIF in the Vendée Globe is less than 700 miles from the finish line, 76 days after setting out in the singled-handed around-the-world race. Armel Le Cléac´h sailing Banque Populaire is roughly one hundred miles behind Gabart.  The third place contender, Jean-Pierre Dick … Continue reading

Brooklyn Lyceum Shanty Sing Cancelled Due to Frigid Weather

The continued frigid weather has compelled the folks at the Brooklyn Lyceum to cancel the first shanty sing scheduled for tomorrow night.  Apparently the heating system in the 3,600-square-foot brick-lined theater with cavernous ceilings, is not up to the bitterly cold weather that we are experiencing here … Continue reading

Recreation of Shackleton’s Epic Lifeboat Voyage Gets Underway

In the Antarctic winter of 1916, Ernest Shackleton and a crew of five sailed in a decked over lifeboat from Elephant Island to South Georgia. They were on a desperate rescue mission across 800 miles of the roughest ocean in … Continue reading

Happy Bounty Day! Barque Picton Castles Arrives at Pitcairn Island

Happy Bounty Day! On Pitcairn Island, Bounty Day is celebrated yearly on January 23, in commemoration of the burning of the HMS Bounty by the mutineers in 1790.  The sail training ship Picton Castle arrived just in time to partake in the celebrations. … Continue reading