Remembering the HMY Iolaire Disaster, 100 Years Ago This Week

On New Year’s Eve 1918, over 200 men crowded the dock at the port of Kyle of Lochalsh waiting to the board the HMY Iolaire, a 190′ long iron-hulled yacht requisitioned by the Admiralty. Most of the men were Royal Navy Reservists. … Continue reading

Car Carrier ‘Sincerity Ace’ on Fire — 16 Rescued, 1 Missing, 4 Feared Dead

Around 1,800 nautical miles northwest of Oahu, the car carrier Sincerity Ace is adrift and on fire. Sixteen of her Philippine crew have been rescued, while four are feared dead and one remains missing. The fire broke on on Monday on the Panamanian … Continue reading

After 72 Years, Oil From Nuke Test Survivor Prinz Eugen Removed

Recently, teams of Navy specialists have successfully removed 230,000 gallons of fuel, or close to 800 tons, still aboard the Prinz Eugen when it sank at Kwajalein, 72 years ago. The bottom of the lagoon at the Kwajalein Atoll is … Continue reading

The Continuing Legacy of the Christmas Tree Ship

A report from a few years ago. A story well worth retelling. Today the Christmas Ship is Chicago’s largest all-volunteer charitable support program for inner-city youth and their families at Christmas time.  At the turn of the twentieth century, the “Christmas Tree … Continue reading

A Christmas Miracle — Cruise Ship Empress of the Seas Rescues Fishermen

Call it a miracle, serendipity, or just good luck, but two stranded Costa Rican fishermen were rescued by the Royal Caribbean cruise ship Empress of the Seas after the ship was rerouted because of a storm. If the ship had continued on … Continue reading

Visiting the Titanic in Person For the Cost of An Original First Class Ticket

OceanGate, a privately owned manned submersible and survey company, recently tested its newest submersible, Titan, at depths of 13,000 feet underwater in the Abacos. Next year, the company plans to use the sub to perform 3D laser surveys of RMS Titanic. For $105,129 … Continue reading

Brexit & the Scallop Wars May Save RN Patrol Vessels

The Royal Navy Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs), HMS Tyne, HMS Mersey, and HMS Severn had been scheduled to be decommissioned. Now, however, the three River Class patrol vessels, which support the Fishery Protection Squadron, have been given extended lives, potentially … Continue reading

Wreck of John Paul Jones’ Ship USS Bonhomme Richard Located Off Yorkshire

Researchers believe that wreckage found off the coast of Filey in Yorkshire is from the American warship USS Bonhomme Richard.  The ship, under the command of John Paul Jones, fought a four-hour battle with HMS Serapis off nearby Flamborough Head in … Continue reading

Drone Footage from Sultana Downrigging Weekend

Sultana Education Foundation‘s Downrigging Weekend Tall Ship and Wooden Boat Festival has evolved into one of the largest annual Tall Ship gatherings on the East Coast. Here is some lovely drone footage by Shore Studios from the 18th Sultana Downrigging … Continue reading

USS Arizona Memorial Remains Closed, Expected to Reopen Late March 2019

On National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, the iconic USS Arizona Memorial remains closed to the public. As we posted last June, the memorial close indefinitely after structural cracks in the memorial dock were reported in early May. The National Park Service (NPS) … Continue reading