More Supply Chains Woes — Strikes at West Coast Ports

Following over a year of negotiations, labor negotiations at US West Coast ports have stalled, resulting in a wave of strikes. As reported by Splash247.com, the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA), which represents more than 22,000 dock workers at West Coast … Continue reading

Navy Selects First Female Master Chief Petty Officer in the Service’s 230-Year History

The Navy has selected an active-duty female gunner’s mate for promotion to master chief petty officer for the first time in the service’s 230-year history. Senior Chief Gunner’s Mate Jessica Saunders, who joined the Navy in 2002, was slated for … Continue reading

On National Donut Day — Captain Gregory & the Birth of the Modern Donut (& the Donut Hole)

Today is National Donut Day. Why is there a national day for donuts? The day celebrates an event created by The Salvation Army in Chicago in 1938 to honor those of their members who served doughnuts to soldiers during World War I. But who invented … Continue reading

Mystery & Tragedy on Italy’s Lake Maggiore — Fatal Boating Accident a Birthday Celebration or a “Spy Party”?

On Sunday, an overloaded chartered houseboat on Italy’s Lake Maggiore was caught in a sudden, violent storm and capsized, killing four of the 21 passengers and two crew. Sadly, this sort of boating accident, while tragic, is not entirely out … Continue reading

Wind Turbine One, Cargo Ship Zero — Off Course General Cargo Ship Allides With Wind Farm

We missed this story the first time around, but it seems worthwhile to mention it, all the same. For what is being referred to as the first time it has occurred, a merchant ship had an allision with a wind … Continue reading

Malaysia Detains Chinese Barge on Suspicion of Looting WWII British Warship Wrecks

For more than a decade, warships sunk in World War II have literally been disappearing from the ocean floor.  Illegal scrappers operating grabs from barges have been looting of Australian, American, British, Dutch, and Japanese warships for scrap metal in … Continue reading

Update: Trying to Sail 1,900 NM in a One Meter Boat — Forced to Turn Back on First Day, Boat Destroyed

A year ago, we posted about Andrew Bedwell, who planned on attempting to set a new world record for sailing the smallest boat to cross the Atlantic. His vessel, Big C is just over 1m/3.2ft long. On Saturday, Bedwell set … Continue reading

Royal Navy’s XV Patrick Blacket Tests GPS-Free Quantum Navigation System

Last year we posted about the christening of the Royal Navy’s research ship XV Patrick Blacket. (The “XV” designation refers to “experimental vessel.”) The 42-meter, 270 tonne modified crew-supply ship is intended to be a platform on which to test … Continue reading

Dueling Sea Drone Videos in Russian/Ukrainian PR Battle

Recent videos of a sea drone attack on a Russian warship released by Russia’s Defence Ministry and by Ukraine’s public broadcaster Suspilne tell two very different stories of the encounter. The Russian video shows a Ukrainian sea drone, a small … Continue reading

Update: Hvaldimir, Beluga “Spy” Whale Returns to Waters Near Oslo

In 2019, we posted about fishermen off the coast of Norway who encountered a beluga whale wearing a harness that read “Equipment of St. Petersburg. Researchers think the beluga may be a Russian spy in training. There was speculation that … Continue reading

The Story of the Bark Kathleen, Sunk by a Whale, Carved on a Sperm Whale Jawbone

We are all familiar with Melville’s novel, Moby Dick, inspired, at least in part, by the ramming and sinking of the whaleship Essex by a rogue sperm whale in the Pacific in 1820.  Less well-known is the sinking by a … Continue reading

HMS Prince of Wales Crippled by Misaligned Propeller Shaft

We now have the answer why the  Royal Navy’s newest aircraft carrier, HMS Prince of Wales, broke down off the Isle of Wight, in late August 2022.  The external shaft coupling on the starboard propeller shaft failed, resulting in serious damage … Continue reading

More Attacks on Sailboats — Did the Gladis Orca Trio Strike Again?

Orca attacks on sailboats off the Strait of Gibraltar and the Iberian Peninsula continue. Janet Morris and Stephen Bidwell from Cambridge told The Sunday Times that on May 2, on the second day of training for their week-long sailing course … Continue reading