Toronto’s 161st Annual Top Hat Ceremony Celebrates the First Ship of Spring

Some watch for the first robin to signify the arrival of Spring. In the Port of Toronto, Canada, the coming of spring has been marked by the arrival of the first ocean-going ship of the season; an arrival that has … Continue reading

The Dual Discovery of the Whaling Brig Industry and Her Crew’s Fate Link to US Racial History

The shipwreck in 6,000 feet of water in the Gulf of Mexico, 70 miles from the mouth of the Mississippi River, had first been spotted in 2011, by a geological data company scanning an oil lease area. The wreck was … Continue reading

Russian Landing Ship Destroyed by Ukrainian Attack in Occupied Port of Berdyansk

The Ukrainian military claims to have destroyed the Russian Alligator Class landing ship Orsk in the Ukrainian port city of Berdyansk, which Russia captured in late February.  “The destroyed ship in Berdyansk could carry up to 20 tanks, 45 armored … Continue reading

Update: Submarine USS Clamagore to be Scrapped

The Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum in South Carolina has decided after years of debate to scrap USS Clamagore, a Cold War-era submarine, and save some of its artifacts for an exhibit.  “Unfortunately, we cannot financially sustain the maintenance … Continue reading

Aftermath of Norwegian Escape Grounding — ‘a Freaking Madhouse’

A cruise on the Norwegian Escape that sailed from Port Canaveral, Florida last Monday didn’t go well, and for a change, had little to do with Covid 19. On the second day of the cruise, the ship ran aground in … Continue reading

Mischarted Pacific Islands: Henderson & Pitcairn

The Royal Navy patrol ship HMS Spey was on a mission to check and update charts of waters around British Overseas Territories scattered around the globe. It recently observed that Henderson Island in the South Pacific is one mile south … Continue reading

Tim Severin and the Voyage of St. Brendan

On St. Patrick’s Day, a post about another Irish saint, St. Brendan the Navigator, and the adventurer who sought to replicate his epic voyage. Who was the first European to sail to North America? According to Irish tradition, it was … Continue reading

Update: Russian Superyacht, Nearly Sunk by Ukrainian Engineer, Seized by Spain Along With Two Others

Spain has recently seized three Russian superyachts believed to be subject to EU sanctions, including the 48-meter-long $7 million Lady Anastasia, which was partially sunk when sabotaged by its Ukrainian chief engineer. Taras Ostapchuk, 55, the engineer was said to … Continue reading

Container Ship Ever Forward Aground in Chesapeake Bay

Almost one year ago, the container ship Ever Given ran aground, blocking the Suez Canal for six days. Now, another ship operated by the same shipping company, Evergreen Marine Corporation, has run hard aground. The Ever Forward, a 1,095-foot, 12,000 … Continue reading

Women’s History Month Repost — Eleanor Creesy, Navigator of the Clipper Ship Flying Cloud

During Women’s History Month it is worthwhile remembering Eleanor Creesy, the navigator of the clipper ship Flying Cloud, who with her husband, Captain Josiah Creesy, set world sailing records for the fastest passage between New York and San Francisco.  Eleanor … Continue reading

Russian Warship Vasily Bykov (Go F*** Yourself) Reported Sunk by Ukrainian Missile

On the first day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Russian naval vessel Vasily Bykov ordered the 13 Ukrainian border guards on Snake Island in the Black Sea to surrender. The border guards replied, “go f*** yourself“. The warship … Continue reading

How Shackleton’s Endurance Endured for 107 Years on the Bottom of the Weddell Sea

The Endurance22 Expedition announced yesterday that they have discovered the wreck of Sir Ernest Shackleton‘s ship Endurance, which was crushed by pack ice off Antarctica in 1915.  The ship was in remarkably good condition. How is it that the ship is so … Continue reading

Update: Shackleton’s Lost Ship Endurance Located After 107 Years

The Endurance22 Expedition announced today that they have discovered the remarkably intact remains of Sir Ernest Shackleton‘s ship Endurance, which was crushed by pack ice off Antarctica in 1915.  A team of marine archeologists, adventurers, and technicians on the icebreaking … Continue reading

The Mystery of the Superyacht Scheherazade — Who is the Owner?

As Western governments scrabble to identify the luxury yachts of sanctioned Russian oligarchs, the ownership of Scheherazade, a 495′ long superyacht, docked in Marina di Carrara, a small Italian town on the Tuscan coast, remains a mystery. Valued at $700 … Continue reading

Stuck in the Ice, Searching for Shackleton’s Endurance

In early February, the Endurance22 expedition set off from Cape Town, South Africa for Antarctica’s Weddell Sea aboard the icebreaking research ship, SA Agulhas II. Their objective is to locate, survey, and film the wreck of Endurance, Ernest Shackleton’s ship that … Continue reading

UK and Major Container Ship Lines Ban Russian Cargo and Ships Over Ukrainian Invasion

The impact of Russian sanctions is spreading across the shipping industry. Yesterday, Britain announced that Russian ships would be banned from UK ports as part of a new package of sanctions against Russia. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said that he … Continue reading

Ukrainian Engineer Attempts to Sink Oligarch’s Yacht — “My Boss is a Criminal”

A Ukrainian marine engineer was detained after attempting to sink the Lady Anastasia, a 48-meter-long $7 million superyacht owned by Russian oligarch and arms tycoon, Alexander Mijeev. The attempt took place on Saturday at Port Adriano in Mallorca. The 55-year-old … Continue reading

France Seizes Russian Ro/Ro Baltic Leader in English Channel Over Sanctions

France seized a Russian-flagged ro/ro cargo ship, Baltic Leader, on Saturday, in the English Channel, in accordance with recent sanctions put in place following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The ship was bound for St. Petersburg, Russia, but was diverted … Continue reading