The Wave Glider of 2011 and Matthew Fontaine Maury of 1850

Posted on by July 8, 2020

Matthew Fontaine Maury

The New York Times recently featured an article, Catching a Wave, and Measuring It, about a project to send a “fleet of robots that move out in the ocean to measure everything from weather to oil slicks, sharply reducing many of the costs of ocean-related businesses.” The Wave Glider robots, developed by James Gosling’s Liquid Robotics, are a marvel of technology. “Using a wave-based propulsion system and two solar panels to fuel its computers, the robots travel slowly over the ocean, recording data. The sensor data is crunched onboard by low-power cellphone chips, and then shipped by satellite or cellphone to big onshore computers that do complex analysis.”

The first sentence of the New York Times article reads, “James Gosling wants to network the world’s oceans.”   The truth is that Matthew Fontaine Maury beat him to it and he did so in the 1850s.
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Exploding Reefer Containers? 8,000 Boxes Serviced in Vietnam Believed at Risk

Posted on by November 3, 2011

Two workers in Vietnam and one in Brazil have died recently in explosions of refrigerated containers.  Faulty coolant is believed to have caused the explosions.  The containers were among an estimated 8,000 reefer boxes serviced in 2011 in Vietnam. The explosions have caused worldwide concern and have disrupted cargo operations on the US West coast.  Longshoremen at Seattle, WA’s Harbor Island terminal are refusing to handle reefer containers.   Likewise, longshoremen at the port of Oakland, CA have refused to work on vessels calling at the TraPac and SSA Marine terminals after concerns that refrigerated containers could explode.  So far no explosions or injuries have been reported at US ports.  The concern with the reefer containers serviced in Vietnam is that local workers used adulterated coolant in recharging the containers.   Thanks to Irwin Bryan for passing the story along.

Explosive container danger halts Port of Oakland

The fear of exploding containers may be the least of the Port of Oakland’s problems. Yesterday Occupy Wall Street protesters shut down the port, the fifth-busiest port in the nation.

Occupy Rally Shuts Down Shipping Port Indefinitely

The Alexander von Humboldt II – First New German Tall Ship Since 1958

Posted on by November 2, 2011

In late September, the Alexander von Humboldt II was christened in Bremerhaven. She is the first German tall ship newbuilding since 1958. She recently made her first shakedown day cruise. Thanks to Phil Leon for passing along the story.

Alexander von Humboldt II’ Christened in Bremerhaven, First Voyage in October

The Alexander von Humboldt II Tall Ship

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Too Much of an Ocean View? Caravans Left Hanging Over A Cliff in Wales

Posted on by November 1, 2011

The Porthkerry Leisure Park, a caravan park in the Vale of Glamorgan in Wales, (what would be called a trailer park in the United States), must have had lovely ocean views even before 40 feet of cliff fell into the ocean near the mouth of the Severin River, leaving 13 caravans hanging over the edge of the cliff.   Fortunately none of the caravans fell off the cliff and no one was reported injured.   Thanks to Alaric Bond for passing the story along.

Caravans left hanging over sheer drop after large chunk of cliff falls to beach below

The Haunted Point Lookout Lighthouse

Posted on by October 31, 2020

Point Lookout Lighthouse

In honor of Halloween, it seems appropriate to post about the Point Lookout Lighthouse of St. Mary’s County, Md., at the junction of the Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay, which is said to be the most haunted lighthouse in the United States. The lighthouse was built in 1830 and the area surrounding it was initially a summer resort.

All that changed with the Civil War, when the largest camp for Confederate prisoners was built just North of the lighthouse. Between 1863 and 1865, 52,000 prisoners were held in the camp and 4,000 reportedly died.  The lighthouse was closest to the camp hospital building and parts of the lighthouse may have been commandeered by the Union troops.  In addition to ghosts of lighthouse keepers and of Civil War soldiers, there have been reports of ghosts from several shipwrecks just offshore.  For photographs and recording of ghostly appearances and voices check out Paranormal Happenings at Point Lookout Lighthouse. The lighthouse has made its way into popular culture, appearing in the action, rollplay video game, Fallout 3.

Ghosts of Point Lookout Maryland and the Most Haunted Lighthouse in the USA
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Seventy Years Ago Today: The Sinking of the U.S.S. Reuben James – October 31, 1941

Posted on by October 31, 2024

USS Reuben James

The first American Naval ship lost in World War II was not sunk in the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941.  Over a month before, on October 31, 1941, the destroyer USS Reuben James, escorting a convoy bound for Britain, was sunk by a torpedo from a German submarine, U552 near Iceland.  Of the 159-man crew, only 44 survived.  This was the third attack by German submarines on US destroyers.   On September 1941, the destroyer USS Greer exchanged fire with a German submarine, but was not hit.  Then, on October 17th, the destroyer USS Kearny was hit by a German torpedo but survived. Eleven crew members were killed and 22 injured in the attack.

The sinking of the Reuben James was memorialized by the American folk singer Woody Guthrie: Continue reading →

Five Sailors Saved by Cruise Ship Norwegian Gem in Coast Guard AMVER Rescue

Posted on by October 30, 2011

On Saturday morning, the 39′ sailboat, Sanctuary, in heavy weather 256 miles northeast of Bermuda, was hit by several breaking waves, lost power and began slowly taking on water. The crew of five, four men and one woman, called for help.   The US Coast Guard launched a C130 Hercules plane from Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City to help locate the sailboat.  They also vectored the cruise ship, Norwegian Gem, part of the AMVER network, to the distressed sailboat.   In 40 knot winds and large swells, the five crew sailors were rescued and taken aboard the cruise ship.  The Norwegian Gem, which was on its way back from Bermuda when they rescued the sailors, arrived back in New York, this morning.  The Norwegian Gem is one of roughly 20,000 ships enrolled in the AMVER program.  The rescue of the five sailors from the Sanctuary is just another example of how AMVER saves lives.  But what is AMVER?
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How Not to Dispose of a Dead Whale

Posted on by October 30, 2011

So what do you do if you find a dead gray whale on your beach? It is too large to bury, too heavy to drag away and too stinky to cut into pieces. I am not sure that I have the answer but I can say what not to do. Don’t pack it with dynamite and try to blow it up. The video clip below dates back to 1970 when a dead gray whale washed up on a beach in Florence, Washington. The highway department tried to blow up the whale with a half ton of dynamite. It seemed like a good idea at the time. It wasn’t.

Exploding Whale

Armed Guards on Merchant Ships, the New Norm in Pirate Waters?

Posted on by October 30, 2011

British Prime Minister David Cameron recently announced that armed guards would be allowed to be carried on British merchant ships transiting off the coast of Somalia.   Shipping firms will now be able to apply for a license to carry guards armed with automatic weapons, which previously had been illegal. It was an open secret that many shipping firms have been carrying armed guards with or without government approval.
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Update: MV Rena Salvage Ongoing, A Second Container Ship Runs Aground, HMAS Broome Averts Disaster

Posted on by October 29, 2011

Attempts to pump out the residual fuel of from the MV Rena, stranded on Astrolabe Reef off New Zealand continue with mixed results.  New focus for Rena salvagers

Today, a second container ship, the Schelder Trader, lost power and drifted onto the north-west rocks at the entrance to Tauranga Harbour not far from where the MV Rena ran aground.   The Schelder Trader was freed without incident.  (Thanks to Dirk Bal for the heads up.)  Another container ship in trouble off Tauranga, refloated after hitting rocks

In the same hemisphere but a considerable distance away, this week, the Royal Australian Navy Patrol Boat, HMAS Broome, is being credited with preventing an environmental and maritime catastrophe off Papua New Guinea overnight by providing assistance to the container ship, MV Vega Fynen, which had lost power and was drifting towards Ragelapra Reef, 100 nautical miles south-east of Port Moresby.  HMAS Broome averts maritime disaster

Party in the Harbor for Lady Liberty & Liberty Enlightening the World Wide Web

Posted on by October 29, 2011

Today is the 125th anniversary of the dedication of the Statue of Liberty.   The colossal neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island in New York harbor was designed by Frédéric Bartholdi and dedicated on October 28, 1886 as a gift to America from the people of France.  In addition to the ceremonies on Liberty Island there will be a parade of ships this morning around 10:30 which will will travel down the Hudson River from 42nd St. to the Statue of Liberty where they will sound their horns. (Thanks to Bowsprite for the heads-up.)   Fireworks are scheduled for this evening.

While the statue is typically referred to as the “Statue of Liberty” or “Lady Llberty,” its  given name is “Liberty Enlightening the World.”  The National Parks service suggests that on her 125th anniversary that she should be referred to as “Liberty Enlightening the World Wide Web.”  They have installed an array of web cams in the statue’s torch which will soon be providing a 24/7 view of New York harbor and the New York City skyline.  Click here to see the live Harbor cam, Torch cam, Crown cam, Lady Liberty cam and an Interactive Panorama.

CHARLOTTE – A Wooden Boat Story

Posted on by October 28, 2011

The Gannon & Benjamin Marine Railway, located on the island of Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, must be a pretty amazing place. In July of 2010, we reviewed Schooner – Building a Wooden Boat on Martha’s Vineyard, which was about building a schooner at the Gannon & Benjamin yard. Now we have learned of a documentary about another wooden boat built at Gannon & Benjamin. The documentary is decribed as “a meditation on tradition, craftsmanship, family, community, our relationship to nature, and the love of the sea.” The trailer for Charlotte – A Wooden Boat Story:

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Trailer for the documentary film “Charlotte: A Wooden Boat Story“, directed and produced by Jeffrey Kusama-Hinte.  To watch the entire documentary on-line, click here.

Cradle for Clipper Ship City of Adelaide to Set Sail For Scotland

Posted on by October 28, 2011

The City of Adelaide, built in 1864, is the oldest composite clipper ship in the world and is currently sitting on a slipway in Scotland waiting to be brought home to its namesake city.  The plan is for a steel cradle to be assembled beneath the ship so that it may be moved onto a barge and then an oceangoing ship and be carried to Australia.  On Friday at Gillman, South Australia, a ceremony will mark the completion of the base of the cradle, which has been pre-assembled for inspection and will be shipped to Scotland in about a week.

Adelaide firms Aztec Analysis and Bown Contracting and Drafting have designed the cradle so that it can be built over multiple South Australian sites, and then shipped to Glasgow in shipping containers for assembly underneath the City of Adelaide.  In 2010, the Scottish Maritime Museum in Irvine, Scotland had announced plans scrap the ship. In August of 2010 a proposal by the City of Adelaide Preservation Trust was accepted by the Scottish Culture Ministry to allow the ship to return to the city that bears her name.

 

Halloween Haunted Ship Round-Up 2011

Posted on by October 28, 2011

Who needs a haunted house if you can have a haunted ship? Around this time of year, historic and modern ships suddenly become haunted and ghostly. (To be fair, some are reported to be haunted all year round.) Here is a round-up of a lucky thirteen haunted or ghostly ships open to the public around Halloween. Check the links for dates, times and locations.
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Racing Square Riggers – Exy Johnson vs Irving Johnson

Posted on by October 25, 2011

Last September we posted about The Great Brigantine Race of 2011 off Newport Beach, CA, between two identical 90′ brigantines, the Irving Johnson and the Exy Johnson .  Launched in 2002, they are part of the Los Angeles Maritime Institute’s “TopSail Youth Program,” a sail training “education and adventure” program. A video of the race:

Racing Square Riggers- Exy Johnson vs Irving Johnson

Lost Dutch World War II Sub Located off Borneo

Posted on by October 25, 2011

Photo: http://warshipsresearch.blogspot.com/

The Dutch submarine Hr Ms KXVI was part of an Allied fleet attempting to stop the Japanese invasion of the Dutch East Indies, when it was sunk by a Japanese submarine on the day after Christmas, 1941. Since then the wreck of the submarine has been lost.  She had a crew of 36.  Now a group of Australasian and Singaporean divers have locate the wreck of Hr Ms KXVI off the north coast of Borneo after having been lost for 70 years.

Missing Dutch WWII sub found off Borneo

Ron van Maanen’s blog, War Ship Research, has a detailed history of the lost sub.

Wreck of the Dutch submarine Hr.Ms. K XVI (1930-1941) discovered in 2011

70th Anniversary Celebration of the Charles W Morgan at Mystic Seaport

Posted on by October 25, 2011

Sail the Morgan 2014 is hosting a week-long celebration of the arrival of the last American wooden whaleship, the Charles W. Morgan, in Mystic, Connecticut.  The celebration running from  “October 28 to November 5 will feature a restaurant week, shopping events, evening concerts, and art and photography exhibits focusing on 1941, the year the Morgan came upriver to the Marine Historical Association, which later became Mystic Seaport. Additionally, the Museum will offer free admission on Saturday, November 5.”  A free fireworks display on the evening of  October 28th will kick off the event.

Sail the Morgan 2014 is a Mystic community group dedicated to raising $1.5 million to help Mystic Seaport restore and sail the 1841 whaleship.

The Charles W. Morgan 70th Anniversary Celebration
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Jack Tar: Life in Nelson’s Navy by Roy & Leslie Adkins – A Review

Posted on by October 24, 2011

Over the next several weeks, we will be reviewing a series of books about what life was like in Nelson’s navy.  The first is Jack Tar: Life in Nelson’s Navy by Roy & Leslie Adkins, subtitled “the extraordinary lives of ordinary seamen in Nelson’s navy.”  A fascinating and well written book.

One of the criticism of many books addressing Nelson’s time are that they either romanticize or are overly harsh is their descriptions of conditions aboard the ships of the Royal Navy.  Jack Tar does neither.  It provides a wealth of detail and description, which neither glorifies nor vilifies the complexity and contradiction of life aboard a man of war.  The image that emerges is full and nuanced, sketching the mix of culture and rank in the teeming and cramped society that was a King’s ship.
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Moby Dick in Space ?

Posted on by October 24, 2011

Herman Melville’s Moby Dick  was not a commercial success when published in 1851. Nevertheless, the story of the great white whale remains powerful and timeless, for good or ill.  Last December, we posted about the straight to DVD movie, 2010: Moby Dick, a “re-imagined” telling of the novel featuring Captain Ahab in a nuclear submarine.   Last September, we posted about the movie, Age of Dragons, a retelling of the tale with dragons instead of whales.  Now we hear that movie director, Lynne Ramsay, will be directing a sci-fi version of Moby Dick – sort of a Moby Dick in Space.  We recommend just reading, or re-reading, the book.

Lynne Ramsay on directing “Moby Dick in space”

Sailrocket vs. Hydroptère

Posted on by October 23, 2011

We have posted previously about the world’s fasted sailboat, the hydrofoil trimaran, Hydroptère, which in November 2009, sailed for one nautical mile at speed of 50.17 knots in Hyères, France. He also has achieved a sustained speed of 52.86 knots for 500m.  Now a very different boat, the Vestas Sailrocket is attempting to challenge the flying trimaran for the record.

Sailrocket vs. Hydroptère

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