On Tuesday around 3:35 PM the Coast Guard in Galveston, TX was notified that a fishing boat, the 82′ long Pappy’s Pride, had collided with the 600-foot chemical tanker Bow Fortune. The fishing boat had capsized and four crew were … Continue reading
Category Archives: Ships
We are having a relatively warm January with significantly fluctuating temperatures. Similar weather conditions 101 years ago, coupled with a shoddily built storage tank, caused the Great Boston Molasses Flood, which inundated Boston’s North End sending a wall of molasses, … Continue reading
One of the better ways to tell if a model works at predicting the future is to run it in reverse to see how well it predicts the past. Climate change models so far have had their limitations. Most current … Continue reading
In addition to more than 24 people who have died in the terrible Australian bushfires, an incredible number of animals have also perished. Estimates of wildlife deaths range from millions to a billion animals. More than 25.5 million acres of … Continue reading
Good ideas are rarely new. Container ships revolutionized liner shipping in the 1960s and 70s. Nevertheless, the idea of carrying cargo in easily handled standardized containers goes back at least 2,000 years. I was reminded of this when reading about … Continue reading
As we have previously posted, the restored Liberty ship, John W. Brown, was at risk of becoming homeless when its five-year agreement for berthing at Rukert Terminals’ Pier C in Canton, Maryland expired last September. Now, if all goes well, … Continue reading
Sandy Hook harbor pilots guide merchant ships in and out of New York harbor, all year round, day and night, in all weather. They are highly skilled professionals who routinely make a very difficult job look easy. It easy to … Continue reading
The five 100′ long maxi yachts dominated the 75th sailing of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, each finishing the 630 nautical mile race within the same two-hour window. Commanche took line honors finishing the race in 1 day, 18 … Continue reading
Merry Christmas to all those who celebrate the holiday. Here is a short video of the rigging crew of Matt Otto, Nick Canzellarini and Alex Peacock at Mystic Seaport Museum installing one of the many mast-top Christmas trees atop the … Continue reading
Like so many coastal cities, Stockholm has grown larger and its harbor smaller over time as landfill and buildings have replaced waterways and docks. The Local reports that over the past year, work has been going on in the Kungsträdgården … Continue reading
We recently posted about the 105th anniversary of the Battle of the Falklands and the discovery of the wreckage of the German armored cruiser, SMS Scharnhorst, which was sunk in the battle. In researching these posts there was one bit of historical … Continue reading
USNI News recently quoted Adm. Tony Radakin, the First Sea Lord and U.K. Chief of Naval Staff suggesting that the U.K. Royal Navy intends the HMS Queen Elizabeth its largest, most advanced warship ever built, to be considered interchangeable with … Continue reading
The Galveston Historical Foundation has announced its yearly daysails on the 1877 Barque Elissa. The day sails will be on April 3rd, 4th, and 5th. From the announcement: Join us for a one of a kind outdoor adventure aboard the … Continue reading
This morning while maneuvering to come into the dock at Cozumel, Mexico, the cruise ship Carnival Glory, collided with the docked cruise ship, Carnival Legend, and narrowly averted hitting the Royal Caribbean Lines Oasis of the Seas, which was also … Continue reading
The new America’s Cup AC75 monohulls flying across the water on foils look like other-worldly beasts to a traditionalist’s eye. How does one sail those things? Very carefully, apparently. The other day, Emirates Team New Zealand was testing their boat, … Continue reading
At NASSCO in San Diego, they have begun cutting steel for a new Navy oiler, T-AO-206, to be named the USNS Harvey Milk. When completed it will be the second of the John Lewis class of underway replenishment oilers, operated … Continue reading
International yacht racing is incredibly expensive. That is unquestionably true of the America’s Cup races. Recently, the Financial Times spoke to British sailing champion Ben Ainslie about his concerns that the race is too expensive to remain viable. The cost … Continue reading
Perhaps we have been too hard on the USS Gerald R. Ford. Sure her weapons elevators don’t work and for tactical purposes the most expensive warship ever built may be little more than a $13 billion berthing barge. Nevertheless, at … Continue reading
Many years ago, I had the good fortune to sail with a volunteer crew of Patrick O’Brian aficionados from New York to Bermuda on the replica frigate HMS Rose. Despite being rather short on wind, it was a memorable voyage. … Continue reading
In May of 2020, the barque Picton Castle will embark on another epic voyage, this time to the South Pacific. Trainees may sign aboard for the year-long voyage or for any of the four legs of the trip. The Picton … Continue reading