Review of ‘Hell Around the Horn’ in the Navy Fiction Blog

Posted on by January 26, 2013

A wonderful review of ‘Hell Around the Horn‘ in the Navy Fiction blog.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel by Rick Spilman – actually his debut novel! Spilman knows ships and the sea. He has worked as a naval architect and is an avid sailor. He has also sailed as volunteer crew on the replica square-riggers “HMS Rose” and “HMS Bounty,” and much more. Even though he doesn’t overstate it, his vast knowledge shows. Hell Around the Horn is also very well written; the characters are interesting and very much alive; and the story is based on historical facts. Hell Around the Horn had me racing through the story. Even without naval battles and taller-than-life naval heroes, this book really is a page turner. It is highly recommended!

Read the entire review on the Navy Fiction blog.

‘I’d Go Faster if I Had a Keel’ – Dramatic Dash to the Finish in the Vendée Globe

Posted on by January 25, 2013

virbac-paprec-jean-pierre-dick-r-645-184François Gabart sailing MCIF in the Vendée Globe is less than 700 miles from the finish line, 76 days after setting out in the singled-handed around-the-world race. Armel Le Cléac´h sailing Banque Populaire is roughly one hundred miles behind Gabart.  The third place contender, Jean-Pierre Dick on Virbac Paprec 3, is still determining whether or not he will be able to finish the race. Three days ago, the articulating keel on his boat broke off and since then he has been relying on water ballast for stability.  On a recent video broadcast he commented, ‘I’d go faster if I had a keel.’   Alex Thomson sailing Hugo Black in fourth place is standing by to assist Dick is necessary.

Update: Dolphin Dies in New York’s Gowanus Canal

Posted on by January 25, 2013
dolphingowanus

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.

Dolphin Swimming in Gowanus Canal

Brooklyn Lyceum Shanty Sing Cancelled Due to Frigid Weather

Posted on by January 24, 2013

The continued frigid weather has compelled the folks at the Brooklyn Lyceum to cancel the first shanty sing scheduled for tomorrow night.  Apparently the heating system in the 3,600-square-foot brick-lined theater with cavernous ceilings, is not up to the bitterly cold weather that we are experiencing here in New York.  The shanty sing will be rescheduled.

Recreation of Shackleton’s Epic Lifeboat Voyage Gets Underway

Posted on by January 24, 2013
Photo: Shackleton Epic

Photo: Shackleton Epic

In the Antarctic winter of 1916, Ernest Shackleton and a crew of five sailed in a decked over lifeboat from Elephant Island to South Georgia. They were on a desperate rescue mission across 800 miles of the roughest ocean in the world, seeking help for the rest of the crew of the Shackleton’s expedition, which had spent two years on the Antarctic ice. Now almost 100 years later, the Shackleton Epic Expedition led by Tim Jarvis has set off from near Point Wild on Elephant Island to recreate the extraordinary voyage in a replica lifeboat, named the Alexandra Shackleton, in honor of the explorer’s granddaughter. See our previous post from last March.

Adventurers recreate ‘greatest survival story’ of the Antarctic

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A Really, Really Bad Idea – The Hot Tub Boat

Posted on by January 27, 2013

hottubboatOnly 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 Hammacher Schlemmer for a price of $42,000.

All You Need in a Boat: An 8-Foot Hot Tub and Four Coolers

Time Running Out for Salvaging USS Guardian? Monsoon Winds Expected to Worsen

Posted on by January 23, 2013
guardian800

Photo:ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES

The minesweeper USS Guardian ran aground on a reef at the Tubbataha  marine park in the Sula Sea last Thursday.  The ship is still there. So far there has been no reported leaks of fuel leaks though the Navy has confirmed that multiple spaces aboard the ship have been flooded.  The worsen weather may threaten the salvage of the ship. The north east monsoon winds known as the Amihan are expected to worsen over the next few days.

As reported by GMA News: “The strong northeasterly wind and the associated big waves could affect any operation to rescue the US vessel. One thing to consider is there is another surge of the northeast monsoon this week, so expect stronger winds and heavier seas,” GMA News’ resident meteorologist Nathaniel “Mang Tani” Cruz said.

Time running out for USS Guardian in Tubbataha as Amihan winds intensify

Happy Bounty Day! Barque Picton Castles Arrives at Pitcairn Island

Posted on by January 23, 2013
Barque Picton Castle

Barque Picton Castle

Happy Bounty Day! On Pitcairn Island, Bounty Day is celebrated yearly on January 23, in commemoration of the burning of the HMS Bounty by the mutineers in 1790.  The sail training ship Picton Castle arrived just in time to partake in the celebrations. From the Captain’s Log/Facebook:

All hands were woken at 0700 to sail past Adamstown, Pitcairn Island. At 0810 we anchored off Tedside in light conditions, with 3 shots of chain out in 10 fathoms of water, concluding a 25 day passage from the Galapagos. Hello Pitcairn! We made it to Pitcairn just in time to celebrate Bounty Day – looking forward to sharing in the festivities! Happy Bounty Day to all!

The Picton Castle is a three masted steel barque operating as sail training vessel currently on a South Pacific voyage.  After transiting the Panama canal the Picton Castle sailed for the Galapagos and then on to Pitcairn. The  voyage will take the ship to French Polynesia, onward through the Cook islands with stops in Tonga and Samoa before ending in Rarotonga.

New Shanty Sing at the Brooklyn Lyceum

Posted on by January 22, 2013

shantybrookyn1This 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 Brooklyn Lyceum.  All lovers of the music of the sea are welcome.  This Friday’s session is being held in memory of Howie Leifer, who recently died of cancer.  Howie was long-time member of the sea shanty community in New York, as well as a wonderful entertainer and gifted puppeteer.

The Brooklyn Lyceum is at 227 4th Avenue on the corner of President Street, in Brooklyn, New York. Accessible by subway on the R train to Union Street.   Hot chocolate and mulled wine will be served to help keep away the cold.  Cost: $5.00

The Tall Ship Elissa is Back! Hull Repairs Completed, Returning to Texas Seaport Museum

Posted on by January 22, 2013

elissaThe three masted iron barque Elissa, built in 1877, will be returning to her pier this Saturday at the Texas Seaport Museum in Galveston after completing a $3 million repair and replacement of hull plating.  Congratulations to Jamie White and all the staff, partners and volunteers who tirelessly raised funds and worked to bring the ship back from near disaster.   As we posted in August of 2011, the Elissa was a a victim of stray current electrolysis due to electrical cables breaking and falling into the water during Hurricane Ike in September 2008. The damage was found at the next drydocking when it was discovered that 16% of the hull plating had suffered from the electrolytic corrosion.  After a period of intensive planning and fundraising, the grand old ship was put on dock four and a half months ago at Bollinger Shipyard.  With new and repaired plating, the Elissa is expected to arrive back at her berth around 1PM and will be open to the public from 3 – 5PM.

ELISSA Homecoming to Texas Seaport Museum

Navy’s Scary Anti-Bath Salts PSA – How Serious is the Navy’s Designer Drug Problem?

Posted on by January 21, 2013

In February 2001, we posted about the problem that the US Navy has been having with the “synthetic marijuana” often referred to as “spice.”  Since then the Navy has discharged over 200 sailors for use of the “spice.”  Earlier this month, the Navy issued a rather disturbing public service announcement warning about the danger of another, but very different, designer drug – “bath salts.”  Thanks to Phil Leon for contributing to the post.

Navy Launches Disturbing Anti-Bath Salts PSA

BATH SALTS: It’s not a fad…It’s a NIGHTMARE

World War II Lard “Good Enough to Have a Fry Up With” Washes Ashore in Scotland

Posted on by January 21, 2013

stcyruslardsnhRecent 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.

WWII lard washes up on beach at St Cyrus nature reserve

Video for a Sunday Morning – Below Koh Tao 2012 – HD Underwater Video

Posted on by January 20, 2013

It is a cold winter’s morning here on the western shore of New York Harbor. On such a morning, it is great to just sit back and get lost in images of a crystal clear ocean teaming with sea life. Here is a video by Liquid Media filmed around Koh Tao in the Gulf of Thailand. (Click on the icon in the lower right corner to open it to full screen.)

Below Koh Tao 2012 – HD Underwater Video

USS Guardian & Rainbow Warrior – Did Bad Charts Lead to Two Groundings on Tubbataha Reef ?

Posted on by January 19, 2013

USS Guardian on Tubbataha Reef Photo:AP

In 2005, when the Greenpeace flagship, Rainbow Warrior, ran aground on Tubbataha Reef in the Sulu Sea, the captain claimed that the reef was incorrectly plotted on his charts. As reported by the UK’s Guardian in November 1, 2005:

Red Constantino of Greenpeace Southeast Asia blamed the incident on a maritime chart that showed that the Rainbow Warrior was supposed to be 1 ½ miles away from the reef when it ran aground. He said within minutes of the incident, Greenpeace contacted the marine park ranger station. “This accident could have been avoided if the chart was accurate,” he said. “We feel responsible, however.”

It appears that the charts may not have been corrected in the intervening seven years, as the US Navy is now also blaming the Thursday morning grounding of the USS Guardian on Tubbataha Reef on inaccurate charts.

US Navy: Ship stuck in Philippines used faulty map

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Human Sushi – Interpretive Sushi Dances Sponsored by the Norwegian Seafood Council

Posted on by January 18, 2013

We should probably add a new category to the blog, something along the lines of  “You Can’t Make This Stuff Up.”  This post would certainly fit. The Norwegian Seafood Council has sponsored Human Sushi, a series of  dances to interpret sushi and sashimi recipes.  From their website:

The Human Sushi is a performance group that interprets sushi recipes in their own way. This cheerful gang is led by Arthur, an energetic Norwegian speaking Frenchman. Together they dance until both maki, nigiri and sashimi. Which dance performance do you like best? 

The Human Sushi – Nigiri

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