Remembering the Five Sullivan Brothers of the USS Juneau

Posted on by March 21, 2018

Yesterday we posted about the discovery of the wreckage of the USS Juneau by the Paul Allen’s RV Petrel.  The Juneau was sunk by Japanese torpedoes during the Battle of Guadalcanal in November of 1942. Of the 687 men who died when the ship sank, the best remembered are the five Sullivan brothers, George, Frank, Red, Matt, and Al.

The five brothers all enlisted together and insisted that they should all serve together. Navy policy had been to separate siblings but exceptions were allowed. George, the oldest brother, said “When we go in, we want to go in together. If the worst comes to the worst, why, we’ll all have gone down together.”

Continue reading →

Wreck of Five Sullivans’ Cruiser USS Juneau Discovered on St. Patrick’s Day

Posted on by March 20, 2018

The latest news from Paul Allen’s research vessel Petrel:

Wreckage from the USS Juneau (CL-52) was discovered on March 17, 2018, by the expedition crew of Research Vessel (R/V) Petrel. The Juneau was sunk by a Japanese torpedo during the Battle of Guadalcanal, ultimately killing 687 men including all five of the Sullivan brothers. The Atlanta-class light cruiser was found 4,200 meters (about 2.6 miles) below the surface, resting on the floor of the South Pacific off the coast of the Solomon Islands.

“We certainly didn’t plan to find the Juneau on St. Patrick’s Day. The variables of these searches are just too great,” said Robert Kraft, director of subsea operations for Paul Allen. “But finding the USS Juneau on Saint Patrick’s Day is an unexpected coincidence to the Sullivan brothers and all the service members who were lost 76 years ago.” Continue reading →

Planking Underway on Ernestina-Morrissey Restoration

Posted on by March 19, 2018

Ernestina-Morrissey shear plank

Wooden vessels can be a bit like the ax that doesn’t wear out as long as you keep replacing the head and the handle.  Such is very nearly the case with the Ernestina-Morrissey, a 124-year-old schooner now being restored by Bristol Marine at Boothbay Harbor Shipyard.  They have now reached an important milestone. With framing, beams and related structure completed, the planking has begun.

About almost a month ago, the first plank in the garboard strake was fastened. The garboard strake will be 5 inches thick at the mid-ship frames and tapered to 3 inches thick toward the sternpost.  The first broad strake (the next planks above the garboard strake) will be tapered until the planks are all 3 inches thick and the rest of the planking will be 3 inches thick.  The planks are of Danish oak.

Continue reading →

Roboats in the Canals of Amsterdam

Posted on by March 19, 2018

Autonomous barges may soon be carrying cargo and passengers on Amsterdam’s 100 km of canals. Referred to as roboats (as in robot boats, not rowboats) they can also be linked together to create bridges and performance stages and platforms. The roboats are a pilot project led by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Metropolitan Solutions (AMS).

In addition to carrying cargo and being linked up as temporary structures, researchers also see the potential for monitoring water quality and cleaning up floating garbage. Arjan van Timmeren, AMS Institute’s scientific director, told the Global Construction Review: “We could, for instance, do further research on underwater robots that can detect diseases or use Roboats to rid the canals of floating waste and find a more efficient way to handle the 12,000 bicycles that end up in the city’s canals each year.”

The project which has $25 million in funding is expected to last five years.

Continue reading →

Update: Alabama Shipwreck Not Schooner Clotilda, the Last Slave Ship

Posted on by March 17, 2018

Insurance document for slave schooner Clotilda

At the end of January, we posted about a shipwreck that was suspected to be the remains of the schooner Clotilda, the last vessel to carry slaves to the United States. The wreck was roughly in the right place on Mobile River just off Twelvemile Island. From what could be seen from above the river mud, the vessel was about the right size, and at one point appeared to have been burned, as was the Clotilda before she was abandoned. Now however after further research and excavation, the Alabama Historical Commission has issued a report concluding that the newly discovered wreck is not that of the infamous slave schooner.

The commission report concluded that the wreck was that of a ship which was too large, built of the wrong species of wood, with the wrong rig, and probably newer than the Clotilda.

Continue reading →

Viking Ship Draken Harald Hårfagre — East Coast Tour 2018

Posted on by March 16, 2018

The Draken Harald Hårfagre, the largest Viking longship built in modern times, will be touring the East Coast of the United States this summer.  From the Draken website:

Beginning in June through October, plans for East Coast Tour 2018 currently consist of 15-18 stopovers spanning from Maine to South Carolina. Potential stopover locations to include major cities such as Boston, New York, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C., as well as many top seasonal tourist destinations.

…Stay tuned for future updates as and when confirmed. Continue reading →

Kick ’em Jenny Kicking Up Again

Posted on by March 15, 2018

My favorite underwater volcano is getting frisky again. Kick’em Jenny, is located off the northern coast of Grenada, in the Lesser Antilles. It rises almost a mile from the ocean floor and is roughly 600 feet below the surface. Recently, the government of Grenada has raised the alert level to orange and has imposed a 5km vessel exclusion zone around the volcano, suggesting an imminent eruption. Operators of boats and ship are advised to stay clear. The volcano is on the shipping route from St Vincent to Grenada. 

Kick ’em Jenny has erupted at least a dozen times since its first recorded eruption in 1939. The last eruption was in 2015. The 1939 eruption caused a 900′ high ash cloud to shot up from the sea’s surface. Most eruptions since then have been much smaller.  Nevertheless, these smaller eruptions can be dangerous as they pump large quantities of volcanic gasses into the water above the volcano, reducing the buoyancy of the sea water, which could cause vessels to sink.  

Continue reading →

The Execution of Admiral Byng

Posted on by March 14, 2018

On this day, March 14th, in 1757, Admiral John Byng was executed by firing squad on the quarterdeck of HMS Monarch in the Solent for the crime of failing to “do his utmost against the enemy.” Byng was the first and last admiral ever executed by the Royal Navy.

Near the onset of the Seven Years’ War, Admiral Byng was dispatched from Gibraltar with a fleet of ten ships and 700 soldiers to relieve the British garrison on the island of Minorca. Before sailing, Byng expressed his doubts about the success of the mission. He told his superiors he had neither the ships nor men for the mission, but he was refused reinforcements. It is often said that he sailed expecting to fail.

Continue reading →

Groundbreaking Captain Paul Cuffe Park March 26, New Bedford

Posted on by March 13, 2018

Captain Paul Cuffee

In the beginning of February, we posted about Paul Cuffee, one of the first African-American ship captains and ship owners.  In honor of Captain Cuffee, the New Bedford Whaling Museum will be breaking ground on the Captain Paul Cuffe Park, on March 26, from 11 am – 12 noon at the corner of Johnny Cake Hill and Union Street in New Bedford, MA. From their press release: 

One of maritime New England’s most remarkable figures, Captain Paul Cuffe (1759-1817) was a Quaker businessman, sea captain, patriot, and abolitionist that lived on the South Coast. Born on Cuttyhunk Island, he was of Wampanoag and Ashanti descent and helped colonize Sierra Leone. Cuffe built a lucrative shipping empire and established the first racially integrated school in Westport, Mass. He rose to prominence to become one of the wealthiest men of color in the nation. His petition to protest taxation of people of color while withholding the right to vote was an important step in granting full citizenship rights in Massachusetts and he was one of the first black men to have a formal meeting with a sitting U.S. president. Continue reading →

DOJ Arrests $260 Million Superyacht “Equanimity” as Bizarre 1MDB Scandal Rolls On

Posted on by March 13, 2018

On February 28th, Indonesian police seized the superyacht Equanimity, moored in Bali, at the request of the United States Department of Justice (DOJ). Equanimity is a 300′ luxury yacht owned by Malaysian financier Jho Low. The yacht, which is reported to have cost $260 million, was built in the Netherlands by Oceanco and delivered in 2014.  

The arrest was part of the unfolding, convoluted, and downright bizarre scandal centered on the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB.) The corruption scandal involves money laundering, movie production, art, real estate, rappers, movie stars, investment bankers, and most recently, the possible involvement of a Trump fundraising official. And, of course, Jho Low’s lovely yacht.  

Continue reading →

Secrets of a Frozen Ocean Wins Best Documentary at New York City International Film Festival

Posted on by March 11, 2018

Congratulations to Neil and Ariel Weisbrod. Their documentary, Secrets of a Frozen Ocean, won Best Documentary at the New York City International Film Festival. 

I was fortunate enough to see the world premiere of this fascinating documentary last Wednesday. The premiere, fittingly enough, coincided with a nor’easter and blinding snow. Very appropriate for a documentary about the Arctic. (Truth be told, the weather was not nearly as bad as had been predicted.) Extremely atmospheric, nevertheless. 

About the documentary: Continue reading →

WhalingHistory.org — Most Comprehensive Whaling History Database

Posted on by March 9, 2018

This looks fascinating. The New Bedford Whaling Museum has announced that, in partnership with Mystic Seaport Museum, they have developed the world’s most comprehensive whaling history database which is now available online for everyone to use at WhalingHistory.org. 

In their announcement, they say that “researchers, genealogists, students, teachers, and history buffs alike will find the site to be the most robust and useful repository of whaling history documentation and scholarship. Users will be able to find and trace whaling voyages and ships to specific logbooks, as well as the list of crewmembers aboard most of the voyages. The foundational fabric of Whaling History features three databases that have been stitched together – the American Offshore Whaling Voyage (AOWV) database, the American Offshore Whaling Log database, and an extensive whaling crew list database.”

The New Newest Oldest Message in a Bottle Found in Australia

Posted on by March 9, 2018

Photograph: Kym Illman.com

There is a new newest oldest message in a bottle. In 2014, we posted about a German fisherman who found a 101-year-old message in a bottle, making it the oldest message ever found in a bottle at that time. Then in 2015, we posted about a bottle which washed up on the German island of Amrum which was at least 109 years old, which then became the newest oldest message in a bottle. Now, a message in a bottle has been found by a couple on a beach in Western Australia which is 132 years old, making it the new newest-oldest.

The Guardian reports that Tonya Illman found the 132-year-old gin bottle in the dunes near Wedge Island in January. Her husband, Kym Illman, told Guardian Australia she initially thought it was rubbish but picked it up because it had distinct, raised lettering and would be at home on their bookshelf. Inside, she found a roll of paper printed in German and dated to 12 June 1886, which was authenticated by the Western Australian Museum. 

Continue reading →

On International Women’s Day — Remembering Mary Patten, Clipper Ship Captain

Posted on by March 8, 2018

On International Women’s Day, it seems a good time to remember Mary Ann Brown Patten, the first woman to command an American merchant ship. The year was 1856. The ship was the clipper ship Neptune’s Car, bound for San Francisco from New York City. Mary’s husband Captain Joshua had collapsed, suffering from “brain fever.”  For 56 days, Mary took over the command and navigation of the ship. She faced down a mutiny and successfully brought the clipper into San Francisco. On her arrival, Mary was 19 years old and pregnant with her first child.

Mary was 16 when she married Captain Joshua Patten in 1853. He was 25 and a captain in the coastwise trade. The next year he was offered the captain’s berth on the clipper ship Neptune’s Car after the previous captain fell ill. He asked and was granted permission to bring his young wife on the voyage. With Mary at this side, Captain Patten made a fast passage from New York to San Francisco, then onward to China, London and back to New York.

Continue reading →

When USS Lexington & USS Saratoga Attacked Pearl Harbor in 1932

Posted on by March 7, 2018

When was the first surprise attack by carrier aircraft on the US naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii? The obvious answer is the Japanese carrier attack of December 7th, 1941. But what about February 7th, 1932? 

We posted yesterday about the recent discovery of the wreck of the USS Lexington. Here is a fascinating bit of forgotten history about the “Lady Lex” and her sister carrier, USS Saratoga.

Early on the Sunday morning of February 7, 1932, the aircraft carriers USS Saratoga and USS Lexington launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. Instead of high explosive bombs, they dropped sacks of flower and scored direct hits on the airfields and all the ships in the harbor.

Continue reading →

World War II Aircraft Carrier USS Lexington Found in Coral Sea After 76 Years

Posted on by March 6, 2018

The wreckage of the USS Lexington, sunk in the Battle of the Coral Sea during World War II, has been located by the expedition crew of research vessel (R/V) Petrel, owned by billionaire-explorer Paul Allen. The ship was found roughly 500 miles off the eastern coast of Australia in water almost 2 miles deep. 

“To pay tribute to the USS Lexington and the brave men that served on her is an honor,” said billionaire and Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. “As Americans, all of us owe a debt of gratitude to everyone who served and who continue to serve our country for their courage, persistence, and sacrifice.”

Continue reading →

Norwegian Billionaire Kjell Inge Røkke Giving Back to Help Save the Oceans

Posted on by March 6, 2018

Norwegian Billionaire Kjell Inge Røkke has pledged to give away a substantial portion of his US$ 3.8 billion fortune to fund efforts to help save the world’s oceans. Last May, he announced the construction of a 596′ long state-of-the-art ice-strengthened oceanographic research expedition vessel, which will be operated in partnership with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF.) The ship is scheduled to be launched in the summer of 2020.  Reportedly, the ship will be the world’s largest of its type, able to carry 60 scientists and 40 crew, and will have the ability to remove up to five tons of plastic daily from the ocean and melt it down for recycling.

In February, his organization announced a plan to build a World Ocean Headquarters at Fornebu, Norway. The goal in establishing the facility is to “bring together knowledge-based institutions related to such as sustainable fisheries and ocean management, shipping, marine technology, aquaculture, laboratories, science, research and NGOs to improve the state of our ocean.” 

Continue reading →

Update: How Great a Threat to Mariners are Overboard Shipping Containers?

Posted on by March 4, 2018

As if the waters off North Carolina’s Outer Banks aren’t dangerous enough, this morning the US Coast Guard released an announcement that “70 stray cargo containers pose a threat to mariners off North Carolina.”

The Maersk Shanghai lost approximately 70 to 73 cargo containers due to high winds and heavy seas on Saturday. The over 10,000 TEU ship was the largest container ship to ever call on a Florida deep-water port on its first port call to South Florida, this summer.

The problem with shipping containers is that some do not sink, but can float mostly submerged for an extended period of time. They can be a real threat to small or moderate-sized vessels. There is solid evidence that the Irish sail-training ship Asgard II sank after hitting a floating container in 2010. Last year, Thomas Ruyant sailing in the Vendee Globe race, had his boat almost torn in half in a collision with what was believed to be a shipping container.  

Estimates of how many containers go overboard vary widely. Continue reading →

The Cooperage at the Mystic Seaport Museum

Posted on by March 3, 2018

The first time I visited Mystic Seaport Museum, in addition to spending time on the historic ships, I recall spending quite a while talking to the docent in the village cooperage. The production of barrels, for the storage of oil on whalers, as well as for the storage of water and other provisions, is one of the crucial but often overlooked skills and technologies that made whaling, and indeed life at sea possible. Here is a short video about the cooperage at Mystic Seaport. 

Status-6 — Putin’s Autonomous “Doomsday” Torpedo

Posted on by March 2, 2018

In a speech yesterday, Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened the United States with a new generation of nuclear weapons. Putin showed video animations of nuclear warheads raining down on Florida from a new design of an intercontinental cruise missile that he described as  “invincible.” Perhaps even more disturbing was the presentation of a “doomsday” torpedo designed to create a 500-meter tsunami that could contaminate a large section of coastline with radiation, making the area unlivable for up to a century.

The new weapon, called Status-6 by the Russians and dubbed Kanyon by the CIA, is described as an unmanned nuclear-powered and nuclear-armed underwater vehicle able to deliver a thermonuclear cobalt bomb of up to 100 megatonnes. It is said to have a top speed of 100 km/h (54 kn), with a range of 10,000 km (5,400 NM.)  Russian Oscar Class submarines are said to be capable of carrying up to four of the torpedoes secured externally.

Continue reading →