Photo: AP / Richard Drew
Update: Dolphin Dies in Gowanus Canal
Crowds of onlookers gathered today in the bitter cold on the Union Street Bridge to see an apparently injured dolphin stuck in shallow water in New York’s Gowanus Canal. The canal is one of the most polluted areas in New York harbor due to a combination of industrial and sewage discharges, including heavy metals and other toxins. The canal has recently been declared a Superfund Site. NYPD Harbor and Emergency Service units are on the scene as are marine biologists from the Riverhead Foundation. Right now they are waiting for high tide at 7PM this evening in hopes that the dolphin is capable of swimming out of the canal on its own. Thanks to Phil Leon for contributing to the post.
Only on rare occasional does one find a boat that would be significantly improved if run hard aground. Here is one example, however. Many large yachts have hot tubs onboard. This 16′ boat, however, is simply a floating hot tub with a diesel-powered boiler to keep the water hot, an electric motor for propulsion, a sound system and four coolers for beverages (of course.) I wonder where the PFDs are stored. Why this nautical accident-waiting-to-happen is in any way superior to a dock-side hot tub is not clear to me. With luck it would never leave the dock. Available at
This Friday, January 25th, from 8 to 10PM, a waterfront tradition will be returning to Brooklyn. The first of planned monthly shanty sings will be held at the
The three masted iron barque 
Recent winter storms have washed ashore four large, barrel-shaped pieces of lard onto the beach at St.Cyrus nature reserve in Scotland. They are believed to be from the wreck of a merchant vessel that was bombed in WW II. Therese Alampo, St Cyrus reserve manager, said, “The depth of the swell during the storms we had over the holidays must have broke apart the shipwreck some more and caused the lard to escape….The lard was covered in the largest barnacles I’ve ever seen. Animals, including my dog, have certainly enjoyed the lard, and it still looks and smells good enough to have a fry up with.” Personally, I would prefer to avoid “fry ups” with barnacle covered lard, but perhaps I am being too picky. Thanks to Niall Sinclair for passing the news along.
Four years ago, the luxury liner 
The minesweeper