Taking the 132′ Victoria Clipper Passenger Ferry for a Joy Ride

What could be nicer than a boat ride on your birthday? Last Sunday, on his 33rd birthday, Samuel Kenneth McDonough allegedly took the Victoria Clipper, a 132′ high speed passenger ferry, for a several hour joy-ride in Seattle’s Elliot Bay. … Continue reading

Side Launching of New Sail Training Ship for Royal Navy of Oman — Nobody Panic

The Damen shipyard in Galati, Romania recently launched a new sail training ship for the Royal Navy of Oman. The three masted steel square masted ship will replace the current Omani sail training ship, Shabab Oman, a wooden three masted … Continue reading

Lifting the Clipper City of Adelaide Aboard Heavy-lift MV Palanpur For Her Voyage Home

According to the latest news on their website, the City of Adelaide, the oldest surviving composite clipper ship built in 1864, will be hoisted onto the deck of the heavy-lift ship MV Palanpur in the port of Rotterdam today.  The heavy-lift ship will … Continue reading

Long Delayed Refurbished Russian Aircraft Carrier Finally Commissioned by India as INS Vikramaditya

The Indian Navy has finally taken delivery of a modified the Kiev class aircraft carrier, which it purchased from the Russians in 2002.  The ship was actually given to the Indian Navy with the stipulation that the estimated $800 million in … Continue reading

USS Chancellorsville Hit By its Own Drone, Two Sailors Injured

This is not supposed to happen.  Two sailors on the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Chancellorsville were injured when the ship was struck by its own drone, during training exercises off Southern California on Saturday. The sailors were treated for minor burns. There was also … Continue reading

Statia, the First Salute, the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War & Admiral Rodney

On this day in 1776, Governor Johannes de Graaff of St. Eustatius returned the salute fired by the American brig Andrew Doria, which is considered to be the first international acknowledgment of the independence of the new republic of the United … Continue reading

USS George Washington Battle Group Steaming Toward the Philippines

The USS George Washington battle group has been ordered to depart from Hong Kong, where it had been making a port call, and to steam for the Philippines to support relief efforts in the aftermath of Super Typhoon Haiyan which … Continue reading

USS New York Calls in New York for Veterans Day – Are the San Antonio Class Problems Fixed?

The USS New York called in New York harbor over the weekend to help celebrate Veteran’s Week.  The ship is the fifth of the San Antonio class of amphibious transport dock ships.  The ship’s bow includes 7.5 tonnes of salvaged steel from … Continue reading

Fat Leonard, Prostitutes, & Lady Gaga Tickets — Third Officer Charged in Navy Bribery Scandal

It all sounds like a bad novel.  Bribes, prostitutes, and Lady Gaga tickets were allegedly handed out to US Navy officers by a Malaysian businessman known as “Fat Leonard” in exchange for classified information and directing business toward the Singapore-based … Continue reading