Are There Whales Alive Today Who Were Born Before Moby Dick Was Written ?

Posted on by January 14, 2013
Bowhead Whale Photo:Martha Holmes/arkive.org

Bowhead Whale Photo:
Martha Holmes/arkive.org

A recent article in the Alaska Dispatch celebrated the recent population rebound of bowhead whales off Alaska’s North Slope.  The bowheads had been hunted to near extinction. A whale count in 1978 estimated that only 1,200 bowhead whales remained in the region. The most recent count estimates the population to be between 14,000 to 15,000.  The Smithsonian magazine blog picked up on one statement in the article: “the creatures can live longer than 200 years” with the realization that some of these whales might have been alive when Herman Melville penned his classic novel “Moby Dick.”

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One Year Ago Today, the Sinking of the Costa Concordia – What Has Changed and What Hasn’t ?

Posted on by January 13, 2013

costa-concordia-e1326646133On the island of Giglio in Italy’s Tyrrhenian Sea, relatives of the 32 passengers and crew who died when the Costa Concordia crashed into rocks last year gathered today to mark the one-year anniversary of the tragedy.

One year ago today, the cruise ship Costa Concordia was steered perilously close to the island, sideswiped Le Scole reef and ripped open a 150′ gash in the port side of the hull.  The ship lost power, drifted and then grounded on a rocky ledge near shore. Because only the bow and the stern of the ship were in contact with the ledge, the ship rolled on its side as it grounded.  The abandon ship order was not given for over an hour. Thirty two passengers and crew died as the ship rolled over to more than 80 degrees.

What has changed in a year’s time?

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One Way to Win a Bass Fishing Tournament – Steal Your Own Bass

Posted on by January 12, 2013

stoelnbassLast summer, 29 year old Matthew Clark almost won the latest Bailiwick Bass Club Open Challenge in Guernsey.  The almost 14 pound fish that he presented at the weigh in should have the won the the £800 first prize if one of the judges had not recognized the fish, which had two distinctive markings on its head. The fish had apparently been stolen from the local Guernsey Aquarium where Clark was an employee.  The fish thief was taken into police custody.  The bass, unfortunately, died before it could be returned to the aquarium.  The case came to court last week and as reported by the BBC, Clark “was sentenced at Guernsey Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, for theft and fraud.”  Thanks to Alaric Bond for passing on this felonious fish story.

Stolen Bass Used in Competition

Fishing Trawler:1, Nuclear Sub:0 – USS Jacksonville Loses Periscope in Persian Gulf

Posted on by January 11, 2013

USS_JacksonvilleAt around 5:00 AM local time, the officer on watch of the nuclear submarine, USS Jacksonville, cruising in the Persian Gulf heard a noise and felt the submarine shudder. When he went to look out the periscope to see what had happened, he noticed that the periscope was missing, apparently sheared off by a collision with a surface vessel.  When the Los Angeles-class attack submarine surfaced to see if the other vessel was damaged, the crew observed a fishing trawler proceeding away from them. The fishing vessel did not appear to be damaged and gave no indication that anyone aboard was even aware of the event.   The USS Jacksonville has two periscopes, of which the second was undamaged.  The submarine is reported to have been diverted to Bahrain to complete a damage assessment.  Thanks to Phil Leon for passing along the news.

The Navy has had problems with collisions in the crowded water ways of the Persian Gulf and the Straits of Hormuz.  Last August, the guided missile destroyer, USS Porter collided with the Japanese owned Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC)  M/VOtowasan in the the Strait of Hormuz.  In March of 2009, the Los Angeles-class submarine USS Hartford also collided with the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock USS New Orleans in the Straits of Hormuz.

Beyond Reality TV Farce, Addressing the Real Threats to Endangered Whales

Posted on by January 11, 2013

The New York Times, this morning, features in their “Room for Debate” section, a worthwhile discussion on the real threats to the survival of whale species, entitled, Did We Save the Whales?   In the discussion, Junichi Sato of Greenpeace Japan notes that “Our appetite for fish is exceeding the oceans’ ecological limits, and all this fishing kills 300,000 cetaceans a year.”  Darlene R. Ketten of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution discusses the complexities of noise pollution on whale populations.  Douglas P. Nowacek of Duke University discusses the impact of global warming on whales and acknowledges that “we don’t know yet whether … threats [of climate change] will be more dangerous than a harpoon.”  FInally, Felix Marx of the University of Otago in New Zealand discusses “deciding which species to save.”  Well worth reading.

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Update: New York Ferry Crash – A Focus on the New Propulsion System

Posted on by January 10, 2013
Photo: AP / AP

Photo: AP / AP

The captain of the Seastreak Wall Street ferry which hit the Pier 11 in New York yesterday morning, injuring more than 70 passengers, told investigators that the ferry suffered a mechanical failure.  Captain Jason Reimer said that the engines would not go into reverse when he attempted to dock the ferry.

When it was built in 2003, the ferry was powered by four diesel engines powering four water jets, giving the ferry a speed in excess of 38 knots. The ducted water jets also made the ferry highly maneuverable, though not necessarily very energy efficient. In August of this year the ferry was taken out of service for a major refit of its propulsion system. The four engines were replaced by two and the water jets were replaced by controllable pitch propellers and rudders. The new propulsion system made the ferry 15 tons lighter, 20% more fuel efficient  and cut per-passenger CO2 emissions by half.

Unfortunately, the new propulsion system made the ferry less maneuverable than it was with the older waterjet system. There were also reports of problems in the new gear that were being worked out. The National Transportation Safety Board investigators will, no doubt, be looking closely at the new engines and propeller control system.

Giant Squid Filmed for First Time in the Deep Sea

Posted on by January 10, 2013

giantsquid1They are the subject of myth and legend, the giant squid who battle massive sperms whales and leave battle scars on the whales’ flesh. Now for the first time in history, a living giant squid has been recorded in its own habitat, nearly a third of a mile below the surface. Dead giant squids have been found washed up on shore or caught in nets but this is the first time that one has been seen live on video. Thanks to Alaric Bond for passing the news along.

Giant squid filmed alive in deep sea for first time

“The giant squid was so beautiful that it seemed to sparkle,” Tsunemi Kubodera, one of the lead scientists on the expedition, told reporters. “I was so thrilled when I saw it first hand, but I was confident we would because we rigorously researched the areas we might find it, based on past data.”

Using a manned submarine, Kubodera and his colleagues took 100 trips below the surface to spot the stealthy squid. The team used a specially designed camera to capture high definition images in deep water.

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At Least 50 Injured as Seastreak Commuter Ferry Slams East River Dock in Lower Manhattan

Posted on by January 9, 2013
Photo: The Independent

Photo: The Independent

This morning around 8:45 local time, a Seastreak catamaran ferry carrying approximately 300 commuters slammed into a loading barge at Pier 11 in New York City’s East River, in Lower Manhattan, injuring at least 50 passengers. At least one was reported to be in critical condition.  The 140 feet long and 30 feet wide ferry was operating on scheduled service from Atlantic Highlands and Conners Highlands in New Jersey to Lower Manhattan. Emergency workers are now reporting that at least 57 have been injured.

Dozens Injured in Ferry Accident in Lower Manhattan

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Classic Liner Queen Elizabeth 2 – Bound for the Scrapyard or the Thames?

Posted on by January 9, 2013

RMSQueenElizabeth2Just before Christmas we posted about reports that the Queen Elizabeth 2 had been sold to Chinese scrappers for £20m after plans to convert the ship to a luxury hotel in Dubai fell through. Now there is an eleventh hour proposal to bring the iconic ship to London to be moored on the Thames. The plan being discussed would permanently place the ship alongside Carlsberg Wharf – opposite the O2 Arena, and near the Emirates Cable Car, Excel Conference Centre, and Canary Wharf.  Like the previous plan in Dubai, the ship would be converted to a luxury hotel. Whether the new scheme will be able to attract sufficient funding in time to save the ship is not yet clear.

Could the QE2 be setting sail for the Thames? Plan to save iconic cruise liner from Chinese scrap yard by turning it into floating luxury hotel

‘Tsunami Bomb’ Tested Off New Zealand Coast During WWII

Posted on by January 8, 2013
tbomb

Photo: ALAMY

During World War II, the United States worked to develop a “bat bomb” that consisted of an air dropped canister containing Mexican free-tailed bats with a small timed incendiary bombs attached to their tails. Work on the bat bomb was cancelled due to the development of the atomic bomb.  Almost as strange as the “bat bomb” was a top secret operation, code-named “Project Seal“, which apparently came close to developing a “tsunami bomb.”   The goal was to destroy coastal Japanese cities with man-made tsunamis. Testing was carried out in waters around New Caledonia and Auckland and showed that the weapon may have been feasible. A series of 10 large offshore blasts could potentially create a 33-foot tsunami capable of inundating a small city.

‘Tsunami bomb’ tested off New Zealand coast

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Shell Drilling Rig Kulluk Refloated

Posted on by January 7, 2013

The Shell drilling rig, Kulluck, which broke its towline and was blown aground off Alaska’s Sitkalidak Island on New Year’s Eve, is reported to have been refloated and made ready for a thirty mile tow to the sheltered waters of Kodiak Island’s Kiliuda Bay.  So far, there has been no indication that the hull has been breached or that any of the 150,000 gallons of fuel and petroleum products aboard have leaked from the rig. Once the condition and stability of the rig has been assessed, the tow will be attempted by the Aiviq, the same tug that lost control of the rig prior to the grounding.

Kulluk Towing Plan Animation

Shell oil drilling ship Kulluk refloated near Alaska

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CBC’s Land & Sea – One Last Schooner

Posted on by January 9, 2013

At the age of 79, Newfoundland master wooden boat builder Henry Vokey decided to build one last schooner. He finished her and she was launched this summer, a few months after his 82nd birthday. CBC’s Land & Sea has produced a wonderful twenty minute feature on Henry Vokey and the Leah Caroline, the two masted 44 foot long schooner that will be his legacy.

One Last Schooner

Shell’s Alaska Drilling Rigs – Towlines, Taxes and Engine Failures

Posted on by January 5, 2013

kulluk1The plan was to move Shell’s two drilling rigs from Alaska to Seattle Washington for maintenance and repair.  Shell’s tax bill, however, may have also played a role in the timing of the move. Things have definitely not gone according to plan. The drilling ship Noble Discover is still tied up in Seward, Alaska and the drill rig Kulluk is hard aground near Kodiak Island.   As reported by the Alaska Dispatch:

Shell hoped to save millions in taxes by moving now-grounded drill rig out of Alaska

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Composite Clipper Ship City of Adelaide’s Rudder Arrives in Australia

Posted on by January 4, 2013

The composite clipper ship is still in Scotland but her rudder is in Australia

The rudder for the composite clipper ship, City of Adelaide, arrived in Australia the week before Christmas   Typically, when a ship comes into port, the rudder arrives last. Very little has been typical, however, about the struggle to save the oldest composite clipper ship, the City of Adelaide, built in 1864.

City of Adelaide: Export row rudder arrives in Australia

Last August, we posted about news reports that the ship, which has been sitting on a Scottish slipway since 1992, had been fumigated and was waiting on a barge to take her to Rotterdam, where she would be loaded onto a container ship for her return trip to Australia.  Her scheduled departure was October of 2012.  The ship had previously been expected to depart the prior March, but was delayed.  It turned out that virtually nothing in the news story that we posted about turned out to be accurate.  As Alan Mackie was kind enough to point out to us in his comments to the post, the ship had not been fumigated and had not been loaded on a barge.

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Soldini’s Maserati Sails on New Year’s Eve in Quest to Break New York to San Francisco Record

Posted on by January 3, 2013

soldiniLast May, we posted about Giovanni Soldini and the Maserati Sailing Team’s attempt to break the monohull sailing record from the Ambrose Lighthouse in New York to Lizard Point off the south west coast of England. That attempt was stymied by light winds.  On New Year’s Eve, Soldini and his eight man Maserati crew slipped their moorings in New York’s North Cove and quietly embarked on an attempt to break the record for sailing the 13,225 nautical miles between New York and San Francisco. In 1854, the clipper ship, Flying Cloud, reached San Francisco in 89 days and 21 hours, setting a record that stood for more than 130 years. The current record was set in 1998 by Yves Parlier sailing Aquitaine Innovations, sailing from New York to San Francisco by way of Cape Horn in 57 days, 3 hours, 2 minutes.

Soldini’s Maserati crew leave New York before the ball drops

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Shell Oil Drilling Rig Kulluk Aground on Sitkalidak Island – US Coast Guard Video

Posted on by January 2, 2013

So far, the Shell Oil drilling rig Kulluk is reported to have remained intact with no observed leaks of diesel fuel, lube or hydraulic oil, after grounding on Alaska’s Sitkalidak Island on Monday night. The video below was taken yesterday by Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Sara Francis from a Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter. The weather conditions were reported to be 40 mph winds and 20 foot seas.

Waves crash on grounded Shell drilling ship in Alaska

Engine-less Merchant Sailing Ship Tres Hombres Rescues 70 Year Old German Sailor in Rudderless Sailboat

Posted on by January 2, 2013
Photo: Hajo Olij

Photo: Hajo Olij

The Dutch merchant sailing ship, Tres Hombres, rescued a 70 year old German sailor who had been adrift in the Atlantic for two weeks after the rudder broke on his sailboat, Fidel.  The German sailor was exhausted and dehydrated and was incapable of taking the tow line, so one of the Tres Hombres‘ fifteen member crew swam the line across to the disable sailboat.  Tres Hombres took the sailboat under tow bound for Barbados and should arrive in a  day or two. As the Tres Hombres has no engine, it is serving as a very unusual tugboat. The German sailor asked Tres Hombres’ Captain Van der Veen what the cost would be for the tow. Captain Van der Veen is reported to have replied that, “a beer in the Caribbean would be sufficient.”  To read more, read the ship’s log:

Tres Hombres saves rudderless sailing on the Atlantic ocean by Leo trainee

The 32 meter brigantine Tres Hombres, in service since December 2009, maintains a sustainable freight service between: Europe, the Atlantic islands, the Caribbean and America. In addition to a 35 ton cargo capacity, she has accommodations for 5 crew members and 10 trainees / passengers.

See also: Carrier rescues exhausted German

Shell Drilling Rig, Kulluk, Loaded with Fuel, Aground on Sitkalidak Island in Gulf of Alaska

Posted on by March 1, 2013
RIG-popup

Photo: Petty Officer 1St Class Sara Francis/United States Coast Guard, via Associated Press

On Monday night, the Shell Oil drilling rig, the Kulluk, broke free from its towlines during heavy weather and ran aground on the east coast of Sitkalidak Island in the Gulf of Alaska.  Sitkalidak Island is an uninhabited island separated by the Sitkalidak Strait from Kodiak Island to the west. The rig has approximately 3,600 barrels of diesel fuel, lube oil and hydraulic fluid aboard.  Thus far, there are no reports of oil leaks from the grounded rig.  The Kulluk is one of two rigs that Shell is using to drill test wells off the North Slope of Alaska as part of the company’s ambitious and expensive effort to open Arctic waters to oil production.

Seas are expected to be up to 33 feet by Tuesday, with the potential for 40-foot waves as a large storm system delivers moisture from as far south as California. Satellite imagery shows the bulk of the storm headed right for Kodiak.

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Rescue Helicopter Crashes off Rio’s Copacabana Beach

Posted on by January 1, 2013

From time to time, it is worth being reminded just how difficult it is to pilot a helicopter over wind and waves.  Despite signs warning of dangerous conditions, a swimmer got into trouble in the ocean off Rio de Janeiro ‘s popular Copacabana Beach.  A rescue helicopter was dispatched to assist the swimmer in distress, only to crash due to an unspecified mechanical failure, just offshore from where hundreds frolicked in the surf or walked the beach,  One beach-goer captured the crash on video on his cell phone.  Fortunately, the four aboard the helicopter all escaped without serious injury, as did the swimmer in distress who was picked up by a surfer.  Thanks to Alaric Bond for passing along the news.

Rescue helicopter crashes off Rio’s Copacabana beach