Cutty Sark Restoration: 2012 Carbuncle Cup Winner – Worst New Building Design in Britain

Posted on by September 13, 2012

In April, we posted about a scathing review of the Cutty Sark restoration by Andrew Gilligan, the Telegraph‘s London Editor.  He referred to the restoration as “a clucking, Grade A … turkey.”   I have not seen the ship but I share many of Gilligan’s concerns. (I will be visiting the composite clipper ship in a few weeks when I attend the Historical Novel Society Conference in London, so I will have the opportunity to see for myself.)  Mr. Gilligan is not alone in his dislike of the Cutty Sark restoration.  The British architectural trade journal, Building Design, has announced that the restoration of the historic tea clipper is the 2012 winner of the Carbuncle Cup for the worst new building design in Britain.

Carbuncle Cup winner 2012: Ship in a throttle

Grimshaw’s disastrously conceived restoration of the Cutty Sark is winner of this year’s BD Carbuncle Cup, tragically defiling the very thing it sets out to save.

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World’s Oldest Message in a Bottle Bobs to the Surface

Posted on by September 12, 2012

Last year around this time, we posted about Harold Hackett of Prince Edward Island, who since 1996 has cast 4,800 bottles containing messages into the sea and has received 3,100 responses. Harold may hold the record for the most bottle borne responses, but recently we learned of a Scottish fisherman who found the world’s oldest message in a bottle.  The bottle was cast into the sea 98 years old by Captain C. Hunter Brown, a scientist at the Glasgow School of Navigation, who was studying the currents in the North Sea. It was one of 1,890 bottles released on June 10, 1914, and the 315th to be entered into Captain Brown’s log, which is still kept and updated by Marine Scotland Science in Aberdeen.

Found: World’s Oldest Message in a Bottle, Part of 1914 Citizen-Science Experiment

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Two Wounded in Mock Sea Battle at Toshiba Tall Ship Festival

Posted on by September 12, 2012

On Saturday, a passenger and a crew member on the schooner Bill of Rights were wounded by bird shot apparently fired from the topsail schooner Amazing Grace during a mock sea battle at the Tobisha Tall Ship Festival at Dana Point, CA.  Neither the passenger or crew member were seriously injured.

“Battle cruises,” or mock sea battle where tall ships fire their guns at each other are very popular of the tall ship circuit. But where do the ships get their powder? Apparently, in this case at least, from 12 gauge shotgun shells which are fired from their small deck guns.  Unfortunately the blank shells, containing powder but without pellets, look quite it a bit like the shells with pellets. The incident is being investigated as an accident.

2 People Injured By Live Ammo At Tall Ships Festival

The Two Most Important Naval Victories of the War of 1812 – Part 2 : The Battle of Plattsburg – the “False Nile”

Posted on by September 24, 2012

Battle of Plattsburgh

One year and one day after the Battle of Lake Erie, an American squadron, under the command of Master Commandant Thomas Macdonough, defeated the Royal Navy on Lake Champlain in a bloody battle at Plattsburgh Bay.  The Battle of Plattsburgh turned back an invasion force of 11,000 British troops which was intended to do nothing less than redraw the map of the United States. Like the Battle of Lake Erie, the Battle of Plattsburg was fought in fresh water hundreds of miles from the ocean.  It was not a large fleet battle, and yet, was probably the most important naval victory of the war.

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The Two Most Important Naval Victories of the War of 1812 – Part 1: Battle of Lake Erie

Posted on by September 10, 2012

The best known naval battles of the War of 1812 were single ship duels between US Navy frigates and ships of the Royal Navy.  Nevertheless, the two most important American naval victories of the War of 1812 were fought in fresh water, hundreds of  miles from the ocean. Neither involved large fleets of ships, yet each was critical to the outcome of the war.

One hundred and ninety nine years ago today, on September 10, 1813, in what has become known as the Battle of Lake Erie,  five schooners, three brigs and a sloop, under the command of Oliver Hazard Perry defeated and captured two ships, two schooners, a brig and a sloop of the Royal Navy at Put-in-Bay in Lake Erie off the coast of Ohio.  The victory gave the Americans control of Lake Erie for the rest of the war, denying the British and Canadians a key supply line and allowing the Americans to retake Detroit and win the Battle of the Thames to break the Indian confederation of Tecumseh.

A commemoration of the 199th anniversary of the Battle of Lake Erie is being held today at 5:30 PM at the Perry monument at Presque Isle State Park in Pennsylvania.

Shackleton Epic Expedition: Berths Available on Supporting Ship T/S Pelican

Posted on by September 10, 2012

Shackleton Epic Expeditions has announced the availability of 10 berths on T/S Pelican when it serves as a support vessel for the upcoming re-enactment of an epic lifeboat voyage undertaken by Ernest Shackleton and five sailors in 1916. The Pelican is a 148ft long three-masted barquentine.  See our previous post for a video of the Pelican under sail in the Thamse Estuary at the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee last May.

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Update: Venezuela Drops Arms Trafficking Charges Against Captain and Crew of MV Ocean Atlas

Posted on by September 10, 2012

Good news.  On Friday, we posted that the captain of the U.S. flag heavy lift ship, MV Ocean Atlas, had been arrested in Maracaibo, Venezuela after three rifles were found aboard the ship. The rifles had reportedly been listed in the ship’s manifest.  Reports are that Venezuelan authorities had raided the ship, acting on a tip that illegal drugs were onboard.  When no drugs were found,  Captain Jeffrey Raider was arrested for arms trafficking based on the three locked-away rifles. There were reports that the rest of the 14 man crew would also be charged.  A U.S. State Department official confirmed Sunday that the charges had been dropped.  The ship is expected to sail today or tomorrow.

The M/V Ocean Atlas is an 8,000 DWT multipurpose ship with a 400 tonne lifting capacity. One of four heavy-lift vessels of Intermarine’s U.S.-flag heavy-lift affiliate, U.S. Ocean, the ship is operated by Crowley.

Venezuela drops arms trafficking charges against U.S. ship crew

Container Ship Amsterdam Bridge Catches Fire Off Mumbai

Posted on by September 10, 2012

The 4,380 TEU container ship  Amsterdam Bridge caught fire on a voyage between Mumbai to Colombo. The ship returned to Mumbai and is now at an outer anchorage.  Recent reports suggests that the fire is contained if not necessarily completely extinguished. VesselTracker.com is reporting that Coast Guard officials suspect that the fire erupted in the engine room of the vessel.  Other sources say that the fire spread to the mid portion of the ship, which is said to be carrying approximately 112 containers loaded with hazardous cargoes.   No injuries have been recorded.  Thanks to Phil Leon for passing along the news. (Note: the original post misstated the container capacity of the ship. Thanks to Terra for pointing out the error.)

In related news, the container ship MSC Flaminia, which caught fire and was abandoned in the mid-Atlantic on July 14th, has finally arrived at the German port of Wilhelmshaven.

Fire breaks out in merchant ship off Mumbai coast

http://youtu.be/re1C8Orqp6w

Sculptures Beneath the Sea : Part II – Sculpture to Help Save the Reefs of Cancun

Posted on by September 9, 2012

Snorkelers and divers swimming south of Isla Mujeres and off Punta Nizuc off Cancun will now find themselves in a monumental underwater sculpture garden of life-sized human statues rising up from the sandy bottom in crystal tropical clear waters.  The 450 sculptures are the work of British artist Jason deCaires Taylor and are part of MUSA  (Museo Subacuático de Arte,) a vast underwater museum in the in the waters surrounding Cancun, Isla Mujeres and Punta Nizuc.

The Great Mayan Reef is the second largest barrier reef in the world.  In addition to being threatened by pollution, over-fishing and ocean warming, the reef is also threatened by its popularity.  The section of the reef adjacent to the resort islands of Cancun and Isla Mujeres attracts 750,000 people each year. One of the stated objective of the museum is to take pressure off the natural reef by drawing visitors to the sculpture reef.

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Sculptures Beneath the Sea: Part 1 – Art as Reef or Horseshoe Crab as Wreck

Posted on by September 8, 2012

The plan for a new artificial reef was wonderful, and beautifully executed until the very last minute. Artist Chris Wojcik had constructed a 47-foot-long, 25,000-pound concrete sculpture of a horseshoe crab, which was welded to two barges and was to be sunk in the Atlantic off the New Jersey shore as a new artificial reef, providing both a new habitat for sea life and a destination for recreational divers. The project was dubbed “Art as Reef.” (See our previous post here.)

The crab sculpture was towed out to the reef site in the Atlantic on Axel Carlson Reef, in 80 feet of water, 4.4 miles from the Manasquan Inlet.. The plan was to flood the barges while stabilizing them with straps from a crane barge to ensure that the barges sank on an even keel. Everything went well until the after crane strap broke. Instead of a level sinking, the barge dove unexpectedly, cracking and crushing the concrete sculpture.  As reported by the Asbury Park Press: “It’s cut in pieces and unrecognizable,” artist Chris Wojcik said early Friday morning, after making dives Thursday on the artificial reef structure intended to be the sculpture’s home. “I’m devastated, is a pretty accurate way to put it,” Wojcik said.

While it may not be the work of art intended, the broken crab and barge will still serve as an artificial reef, providing an new habitat for marine life.

Home is the Sailor … Naval Officer and Pioneering Astronaut Neil Armstrong to be Buried at Sea

Posted on by September 7, 2012

Armstrong from 1969

Neil Armstrong, the first man to set foot on the moon, best known for navigating the Sea of Tranquility, began his career as a Navy aviator.  Armstrong, who died on August 25, at the age of 82, will be buried at sea as per his wishes. NASA has scheduled a public memorial service to be held Sept. 13 at Washington National Cathedral.   No date has been set for the burial at sea which will be performed by the US Navy.

Neil Armstrong, who stood on moon’s Sea of Tranquility, to be buried at sea

Venezuela Holds U.S. Flag Cargo Ship, M/V Ocean Atlas, Arrests Captain and Detains Crew

Posted on by September 7, 2012

Photo: Intermarine

On August 29, the multipurpose US flag cargo ship, M/V Ocean Atlas, arrived in Maracaibo, Venezuela. Not long after, the ship was detained by Venezuelan security forces and was repeatedly searched by agents from Interpol and the Venezuelan drug enforcement agency, reportedly based on a tip that illegal drugs were being carried aboard the ship. When no drugs were apparently found, the Venezuelan authorities arrested the captain of the ship on charges of arms trafficking, after finding three rifles on board. The rifles were apparently listed in the ship’s manifest.  The US crew were initially detained aboard, though there are reports that warrants have been issued for their arrest as well and that some or all have been taken ashore for questioning.

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Edmund ‘Ned’ Cabot, Boston Brahmin Scion and Avid Yachtsman, Drowns off Newfoundland

Posted on by September 6, 2012

Sad news. Dr. Edmund ‘Ned’ Cabot, 69, a retired surgeon and a lifelong sailor, drowned on Saturday off the coast of Newfoundland when his sloop  Cielita was knocked down by a “rogue wave” and he was lost overboard.

Edmund ‘Ned’ Cabot, Boston Brahmin scion and avid yachtsman, drowns off Newfoundland

Cabot and his two friends set out along the Newfoundland coast in winds that neared gale force Saturday morning, Ellis said, and the winds increased during the day. Ellis said that from what he understood, around midday, with winds coming from the rear of the boat from about a 45-degree angle, Cabot came from below deck to relieve the helmsman. A wave struck with such force that the boat was knocked on its side, spilling Cabot and the helmsman into the water.

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Shipwrecks, Mysterious and Otherwise, Uncovered by Hurricane & Drought

Posted on by September 6, 2012

Schooner Rachel makes another appearance Photo: MEYER VACATION RENTALS

The first reports spoke of a “mystery shipwreck” uncovered by Hurricane Isaac on an Alabama beach about six miles from Fort Morgan.   It turns out the wooden vessel is not so mysterious after all. Local historians identified her as the 150 feet long, three masted, lumber schooner Rachel built in 1918, which came ashore in a storm in 1923.  This is not even the first time that the wreck has made an appearance. She was also uncovered from  beneath the beach by Hurricane Camille in 1969, then again in 2004 after Hurricane Ivan, and again in 2008 after Hurricane Ike.  The only thing mysterious about the schooner is her cargo on the night of her demise. Legend has it that she was carrying bootleg alcohol instead of lumber when she ran aground during the Prohibition.

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Sailboats in the Arctic – Belzebub II Completes Northwest Passage & Scorpius Breaks Free From the Ice

Posted on by September 5, 2012

The sea ice in the Arctic has melted to a record low this year. Yachts are not voyaging where once only large icebreakers could travel. Recently, the three man crew of the Belzebub II, a 1976 built Hallberg-Rassy Monsun 31 sloop, successfully completed a three month transit of the fabled Canadian Northwest Passage, including becoming the first sailboat to cross the infamous M’Clure strait, which normally would be icebound. From the expedition web site:

Photo: Belzebub II crew

“The Arctic is melting at an alarming rate and is clear proof of our disharmony with the planet. By sailing this newly opened route we hope that our expedition will play a small part in bringing further attention to climate change and contributing to a larger shift in attitudes. Our approach to sail across a historical stretch of water that has traditionally been frozen is meant to be a clear visual example of the extent of declining polar ice.”

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2012 Waterford Tugboat Roundup

Posted on by September 4, 2012

The 20th Annual Great North River Tugboat Race & Competition was again a great success. For full and complete coverage check out Will’s Tugster blog. Great photographs and commentary.

For those in the area who still haven’t had your fill of tugboats, you may want to head upriver to Waterford, NY. for  the 2012 Waterford Tugboat Roundup.   Waterford is 12 miles north of Albany at the junction of the Hudson and Mohawk Rivers, and the junction of the Erie and Champlain Canals. It is the home of the “Waterford Flight”, the highest set of lift locks in the world.  Almost every year since 1999, the town of Waterford and the Waterford Maritime Historical Society has hosted the roundup, attracting tugs from all over the region. Last year the roundup was canceled due to the arrival of Hurricane Irene, but this year it is back and promising to be one of the best ever.  The festivities are held  from Friday to Sunday, September 7th – 9th.

2012 Tugboat Roundup

The Oyster – Environmental Hero in New York and a Criminal in New Jersey

Posted on by September 3, 2012

Hero or criminal?

Recently a number of newspapers have run an Associated Press article  titled, “New York’s new environmental ‘hero’ – the oyster.”  The article describes how researchers are reseeding oysters in New York harbor   Each oyster can filter about 50 gallons of water a day, removing toxins and suspended silt from the water.   The oysters may play a big role in cleaning up America’s polluted urban maritime environment.   The Oyster Restoration Research Partnership and others have begun seeding new oyster beds at Hastings On Hudson, Soundview Park, Governors Island, Bay Ridge Flats, the Bronx River, Gowanus Canal and Staten Island.  High school student’s at New York’s  Harbor  School are cultivating oysters for academic credit.

The one place that you will not find new oyster cultivation in New York harbor is on the New Jersey side.  The border between the two states runs right down the center of the Hudson River. While New Yorkers are working to reestablish the “environmental  hero,” on their side of the harbor, oysters are criminals on the New Jersey side.  Well, not the oysters themselves, but anyone doing oyster research.  Under Governor Chris Christie,  New Jersey banned oyster restoration in 2010 in waters classified as contaminated for shellfish, citing public health concerns.  The research oyster beds that existed in New Jersey were shut down. From the NY/NJ Baykeeper web site:

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Greenheart Project Crowdfunding – Help Build the First Greenheart Ship

Posted on by September 2, 2012

The Greenheart Project is now raising money to build a 32 meter sailing cargo ship for small ports and lesser developed countries. The design is extremely impressive. It is low-cost,  has zero-emissions and is also efficient to load and unload.  Cargo operations may seem a touch prosaic as compared to sails and sailing, but the truth is if you can’t load and unload a ship quickly and efficiently, it is very difficult to make the economics work.

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The Patriot’s Fate by Alaric Bond – A Review

Posted on by September 1, 2012

Alaric Bond’s The Patriot’s Fate, the fifth in his Fighting Sail series, is an exciting nautical adventure that is also a rich and fascinating voyage through the history, politics and complex divided loyalties of Britain at the end of the eighteenth century.

Many novels in the genre follow the model used by C.S. Forester, Patrick O’Brian and so many others, where the focus is the career of a single Royal Navy officer. The Patriot’s Fate, like the other books in Bond’s Fighting Sail series, is told through multiple perspectives, ranging from the ship’s captain, to the junior officers and warrants, to Jack Tars and the ship’s boys. The approach gives a much broader sense of what is going on aboard ship. It works particularly well in The Patriot’s Fate because it allows parallel and overlapping story lines that keep the novel moving along briskly.

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