Bounty Hearings Streaming Live

Posted on by February 14, 2013
Photo:Petty Officer 2nd Class Tim Kuklewski /U.S. Coast Guard

Photo:Petty Officer 2nd Class Tim Kuklewski /U.S. Coast Guard

Today is third day of hearings by the US Coast Guard on the sinking of the HMS Bounty on October 29, 2012, with loss of crew member Claudene Christian and Captain Robin Walbridge.  The hearings will continue in Portsmouth VA through February 21st.  Highlights of the hearings so far include the owner of the ship, Robert Hansen’s refusal to testify by invoking his Fifth Amendment rights on Tuesday.  Yesterday, Todd Kosakowski, a project manager at Boothbay Harbor Shipyard in Maine, testified that d\rot was found on some of the ship’s framing while replacing planks. The extent of the rot in rest of the hull frames could not be determined with removing more planking which was not done.

Bounty Hearings Streaming Live

Starbucks Returns to Sea on USS Boxer

Posted on by February 14, 2013

boxerstarbucksThere is virtually no place on earth beyond its reach. No, not the US Navy. Starbucks. The coffee seller is now even opening a store on a navy warship, the amphibious assault ship, USS Boxer. The “Starboxer” is the first “fully functioning coffee shop” serving Starbucks coffee on a US Navy ship.  It is only fitting that Starbucks has gone to sea.  The company was named after the chief mate of the Pequod in Herman Melville’s novel “Moby Dick.”  Melville in turn used the name of a prominent whaling family in Nantucket for Ahab’s second in command.  In a very real sense, Starbucks has been at sea for quite some time. Thanks to Linda Collison for point out the new source of floating caffeine.

Starbucks has now opened a store aboard this Navy warship

Carnival Triumph – Another Blacked-out Drifting Cruise Ship – Why Again?

Posted on by February 13, 2013

Nightmare CruiseThere is a fire in one of two engine rooms on a cruise ship.  The fire is extinguished but the damage has been done. The cruise ship blacks out – losing power and most electricity. The ship is adrift in the ocean.  There is so hot food, hot water, or air conditioning for the several thousand passengers and crew aboard the ship.  Conditions aboard become extremely uncomfortable as sewage systems back up, food in refrigerators rot, and the temperatures below decks become sweltering.  Finally, tugs are hired to tow the ship into the nearest port.

This could be a description of what is currently happening on the Carnival Triumph, which is now being towed to Mobile, Alabama.  It could also equally be an account of what happened on the Carnival Spendor in the Pacific in late 2010, or the Ocean Star Pacific off Mexico in April 2011, or the MSC Opera in the Baltic in June of 2011 or the Costa Allure off the Seychelles in February of 2012.  The same thing almost happened on the Azamara Quest off the Philipines in March of 2012.  After drifting for 24 hours, the crew was able to restore partial power and electricity and  the Azamara Quest was able to make it to port on its own.

The design of each of these cruise ships should make the complete loss of propulsion and main generators due to a single engine fire impossible, yet with six ships disabled in just over two years, the failures are not only possible but apparently chronic.

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Update: Grim Conditions Aboard Carnival Triumph Under Tow to Mobile

Posted on by February 12, 2013

Conditions aboard the Carnival Triumph are reported to be growing increasingly grim. Since the ship was disabled by an engine room fire on Sunday off the coast of Mexico with over 4,000 passengers and crew aboard, there has no hot food, no hot water, sweltering indoor temperatures, and few working toilets. Passengers have complained of toilets overflowing inside cabins and the smell of rotting food due to the lack of refrigeration. Access to fresh water is limited and lines for food are very long. Many passengers are reported to be sleeping on deck to avoid the heat and the smells.  The ship was approximately 150 miles from the Mexican port of Progreso when the fire occurred, but apparently drifted 90 miles northward on the Yucatan Current. Originally the company announced that the ship was to be towed to Mexico, but the decision was then made to made to tow the ship to Mobile, Alabama. This will simply the arranging travel for the disembarking passengers but has added an additional day’s time in getting the ship to port.   Thanks to Bobbi Sheffield for contributing to this post.

Passengers on Crippled Carnival Cruise Ship Describe Worsening Conditions

Congratulations to Matt Rutherford – Ocean Cruising Club Jester Medal Winner

Posted on by February 11, 2013

Congratulations to Matt Rutherford who was recently awarded the Ocean Cruising Club’s Jester Medal, for an outstanding contribution to the art of single-handed sailing. In April of last year, Matt completed a record breaking 309 day, more than 27,000 mile, non-stop circumnavigation of the Americas. He made this incredible voyage, which included singlehanded non-stop passages through the Northwest Passage and around Cape Horn, in St. Brendan, a 27’ Albin-Vega sailboat. In addition to completing the voyage itself Matt has raised over $100,000 for the Chesapeake Regional Accessible Boating (CRAB.) A documentary is in production about Matt’s voyage – Red Dot on the Ocean.

Red Dot on the Ocean – Trailer

Engine Room Fire Strands Carnival Triumph in the Gulf of Mexico, Will be Towed to Mexico

Posted on by February 11, 2013

ctriumphAn engine room fire has knocked out the propulsion and the primary electrical system on the cruise ship Carnival Triumph in the Gulf of Mexico off the Yucatan Peninsula.  Emergency generators are providing limited power to the passenger areas.  The ship will be towed to to Progreso, Mexico and is expected to arrive on Wednesday. There have been no reported injuries among the 4,000 passengers and crew reported to be aboard the ship.  Carnival Triumph is a post-Panamax Destiny/Triumph-class cruise ship, built in 1999, operated by Carnival Cruise Lines, sailing on 4 and 5 day voyages from Galveston, Texas to the Western Caribbean.  Thanks to Phil Leon for contributing to the post.

Carnival Triumph cruise ship stranded in Gulf of Mexico

Deadly Lifeboat – Five Crew Dead and Three Injured in Falling Lifeboat on Thomson Majesty

Posted on by February 10, 2013

tmajestylifeboatFive crew members on the cruise ship Thomson Majesty are reported to have died and three others were injured after a lifeboat fell 65 feet into the water during a safety drill at the port of Santa Cruz in La Palma, in Spain’s Canary Islands.  The liefeboat flipped and trapped the eight men inside.  Three of the dead were Indonesian, one was Filipino and another was from Ghana. All the dead and injured to reported to be male.  None of the 1,400 passengers aboard the ship were involved in the accident.  An investigation is underway to determine the cuase of the accident.  Thanks to Miroslav and Phil Leon for passing along the news.

Five killed and three injured after lifeboat falls into sea off Canary Islands cruise ship

Happy Birthday Samuel Plimsoll, the Sailor’s Friend – a Man Who Truly Left His Mark on Shipping

Posted on by February 10, 2013

samuel_plimsollToday is Samuel Plimsoll‘s birthday. Born on February 10, 1824,  Plimsoll, a British politician and social reformer  fought for reasonable loading of cargo ships, which lead the adoption of the first modern loadline, which became known as the Plimsoll mark or Line.  In his book, Our seamen : an appeal, (available for free in various Archive.org), he pointed out that close to 1,000 sailors a year were being drowned on ships around British shores, often due to poor maintenance and overloading.  In 1876, through Plimsoll’s efforts, the Merchant Shipping Act was amended to provide for marking of a line on a ship’s sides which would disappear below the water line if the ship was overloaded. A further amendment in 1877 imposed a limit on the weight of cargo which vessels were permitted to carry and created rules governing the engagement of seamen and their accommodation on board ship.

Sam Plimsoll sounds like a fascinating character.  He was a friend to sailors, miners and beer drinkers.  In addition to his tireless labor for the safety of sailors, he was also involved in mine safety.  Early in his career he had been the manager of a brewery and is credited with finding a new way of straining impurities from beer.   Nicolette Jones wrote a critically acclaimed biography of Plimsoll, The Plimsoll Sensation, which was published in 2006.   From a review in the Guardian:

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Last Chance to Get A Free Kindle Edition of Hell Around the Horn

Posted on by February 10, 2013

The Kindle Edition of Hell Around the Horn will be free today through Monday, February 9 – 11th.  Click here to download a copy. This is the second and last Kindle free promotion for the book. For those who have asked for Nook, iPad, Sony Reader and Kobo editions, they should all be available early next month. For those interested in the paperback edition, it is available online on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books-A-Million, Powell’s Books and other online booksellers.

Fulfilling a Legacy – The Essex Shipbuilding Museum

Posted on by February 8, 2013

A fascinating video about the legacy of shipbuilders of Essex, Massachussets being carried on by the Essex Historical Society and Shipbuilding Museum.   Thanks to Peter Lane for pointing it out.  See also our previous posts, The Shipbuilders of Essex and Launching the Schooner Ardelle – Essex Side Launch.

Fulfilling a Legacy – The Essex Shipbuilding Museum

Final Block for Aircraft Carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth Leaves Portsmouth

Posted on by February 7, 2013
Upper Block 07

Upper Block 07

Remember when ships were built from the keel up and launched by sliding down the building ways into the water with a satisfying splash?  OK, maybe I am showing my age. These days ships are built like LEGOs, massive LEGOs, of course, but still large blocks to be welded together to finally float gently for the first time in a drydock.  The massive blocks don’t have to even be built in the same place.

This came to mind on seeing that the last structural block for the Royal Navy’s new aircraft carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth, is being moved from the building yard to the assembly yard.  The massive chunk of steel, piping and electronics is prosaically named, Upper Block 07, and contains the main bridge of the ship.  The block will move by barge from the BAE Systems shipyard in Portsmouth, where it was fabricated, to the Rosyth Dockyard on the Firth of Forth in Scotland, for the final assembly with the rest of the ship.  HMS Queen Elizabeth will be the first of the Royal Navy’s two new Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers and is scheduled for sea trials in 2017 and flight trials in 2017.  Thanks to Alaric Bond for passing along the news.

HMS Queen Elizabeth final section leaves Portsmouth

Solomon Islands Earthquake Triggers Tsunami

Posted on by February 6, 2013

A powerful magnitude 8.0 earthquake off the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific triggered a tsunami of up to 5 feet high, damaging several villages and leaving several people missing, presumed dead.   Five villages on Santa Cruz and neighboring islands were reported to have been struck, two or three of which were severely damaged. Thanks to Alaric Bond and Phil Leon for contributing to this post.

Earthquake and Tsunami Hits Solomon Islands

Solomon Islands earthquake triggers tsunami

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Be Careful What You Fish For – Marlin Capsizes Fishing Boat

Posted on by February 6, 2013

Perhaps the old adage, “be careful what you wish for” should be “be careful what you fish for.”  That was the lesson learned recently by a group of marlin fisherman off the coast of Panama after their intended catch capsized their boat. Thanks to Phil Leon and Cynthia Drew for contributing to this post.

Giant Marlin Manages to Capsize a Fishing Boat Off the Coast of Panama

Marlin Sinks Fishing Boat? Vessel Capsizes After Hooking Huge Fish

Shackleton Epic Expedition Lands on South Georgia Island – An Ocean Crossed, A Mountain Yet to Climb

Posted on by February 5, 2013

shackletonepicIn late January we posted about the “Shackleton Epic Expedition,” led by Australian Tim Jarvis, shoving off from Elephant Island in the lifeboat Alexandra Shackleton, in an attempt to reenact the incredible 1916 voyage of Ernest Shackleton and his six man crew in a decked-over lifeboat, across 800 miles of the Southern Ocean to South Georgia Island.  On Sunday, Jarvis and his crew hauled the Alexandra Shackleton ashore on the beach at Peggotty Bluff, South Georgia Island, the same location where Shackleton and his men landed nearly 100 years ago.  The reenactors will now attempt to climb mountainous ridge that runs the length of the island to reach the site of the whaling station where Shackleton sought help for his stranded expedition. Video of the landing after the jump.

Shackleton explorers reach landfall in expedition recreation

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Broken Keels in the Vendée Globe – Javier Sanso Capsizes, Keel-less Jean-Pierre Dick Takes Fourth Place

Posted on by February 4, 2013
Acciona - Upside Down without a Keel

Acciona – Upside Down without a Keel

The high-tech canting keels on the Vendée Globe Open 60 racing sailboats continue to be problematic, at best.  On Sunday, Javier Sanso’s boat, Acciona, capsized, when his keel broke off.  Sanso was rescued today.  Also today, Jean-Pierre Dick crossed the finish line despite having lost his keel toward the end of January.  Dick was fortunate enough to avoid capsizing and sailed close to 1,000 NM without a keel to finish the race.  Mike Golding currently in sixth place is also having keel problems.  His keel has not broken off but the has lost a forward fairing causing his keel box to leak.

Capsize leaves Javier Sanso drifting in liferaft awaiting rescue in Vendée Globe

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Topsail Schooner Kathleen and May Leaving Liverpool for New Owners?

Posted on by February 4, 2013

The 113 years old topsail schooner Kathleen and May, now berthed in Liverpool, may be on her way Asia, unless money can be raised from a local source to keep the retired merchant schooner in Great Britain. The schooner was the first ship to be listed on the National Historic Ships Register.  There is currently a bid on the old ship by an unnamed Asian source for £ 2.3 million.  The owner, Steve Clarke, has been forced to sell the schooner due to declining health.

Historic schooner could be ‘gone for good’

Kathleen and May ~ Wooden Hull Three Masted Top Sail Schooner

Saving Robbins Reef Light – a Noble Effort

Posted on by February 4, 2013
1

Photo: Brian DeForest

In November we posted about the Old Orchard Shoals Light, off Staten Island, NY, which was completely destroyed on October 30th by Hurricane Sandy.  The 130-year-old Robbins Reef Lighthouse, on the other side of the island   survived the storm, but still suffered significant damage.  As reported by the Staten Island Advance:  The back door of the 46-feet-tall “sparkplug” or “bug light” was blown in and the door frame and moldings were lost. Several feet of seawater sloshed into the first floor, destroying tools and other material; railings were bent and heavy granite paving stones were shifted.  The Noble Maritime Collection, which acquired the unmanned lighthouse in 2011, is seeking help to raise around $20,000 to repair the lighthouse.

More about the lighthouse from the  Noble Maritime Collection:

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Flyboard Zapata Racing – A New Sport?

Posted on by February 3, 2013

In December of 2011, we posted about the Zapata Water-Jet Flyboard, a sort of personal jetpack connected to a powerful jet ski. Now, just over a year later, we learn that the Flyboard World Cup competition took place in Doha, Qatar on the third weekend of October attracting 50 competitors from 17 countries. it appears that a new fringe sport may be developing.

Flyboard® World Cup Qatar

Drama in the Suez Canal – Engine Room Flooding on the Emma Mærsk

Posted on by February 2, 2013
emmamaerskportsaid

Emma Mærsk in Port Said 2/213

On Friday night, the Emma Mærsk, one of the world’s largest container ships, suffered flooding in the engine room and lost power as it was in the northern end of the Suez Canal.  Tugs were dispatched and the 1,300 foot long 14,700 TEU container ship was safely towed to a berth in Port Said.  Reports suggest that the flooding was caused by damage to a port side stern thruster.  The ship is single screw with both bow and stern thrusters.

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TOTE Orders New LNG Powered Container Ships and Conversions – Largest LNG Powered Ships in the World

Posted on by February 2, 2013

tote_lng_700In December, Totem Ocean Transport Express (TOTE) ordered two new LNG powered container ships from NASSCO shipyard in San Diego.   Late last month they also signed a contract with NASSCO to convert two existing roll-on/roll-off ships to LNG fuel.   These ships will be the largest ships in the world powered primarily by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).  The contracts raise the question – is LNG the fuel of the future for shipping?

For roughly the past hundred years, since shifting over from coal, most ships have burned “residual fuel.”  Known by various names; 6 Oil, Bunker C, and heavy oil; it is dirty and cheap. Well, over the past few years, it has no longer been as cheap but it has gotten no cleaner.  A few years ago, a headline appeared in  US and international newspapers  – “How 16 ships create as much pollution as all the cars in the world.”  The headline was an overstatement but was accurate in at least one regard – residual fuel is very dirty and ships that burn residual fuel produce a lot of sulfur dioxide and particulate pollution.

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