Robot Dog Helps Christen NavyX’s “Maritime Sandbox” XV Patrick Blacket

Posted on by July 29, 2022

NavyX’s new maritime sandbox, XV Patrick Blacket, was christened today in Portsmouth, UK with the help of a robotic dog.

You might well ask, what is NavyX? What is a maritime sandbox? And what about the robotic dog?

Navy X

NavyX describes itself as “the Royal Navy’s Autonomy and Lethality Accelerator, which rapidly develops, tests, and trials cutting-edge equipment, with the aim of getting new technology off the drawing board and into the hands of our people on operations at a pace.”

NavyX has a new ship, the XV (Experimental Vessel) Patrick Blackett, that is described variously as a “maritime sandbox” and a “testbed ship,” intended to support trials of the latest tech and autonomous systems.
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UK to Phase Out Admiralty Paper Charts by 2026

Posted on by July 28, 2022

In 2019, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA ) announced that it was phasing out the production of traditional paper nautical charts over a five-year period. NOAA intends to focus on improving the fully electronic navigational charts (ENCs) that they provide.

Now, the UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) has announced it will stop producing Admiralty paper charts by late 2026 to likewise increase its focus on its digital navigation products and services. Admiralty charts are the most widely used paper charts globally.

Yachting Monthly reports that the UKHO will develop digital alternatives for sectors still using paper charts, in consultation with customers and stakeholders, including the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) as well as other regulatory bodies, hydrographic offices, industry partners, and distributors.

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The Summer of the Shark, Jersey Shore 1916

Posted on by July 26, 2022

sharknj

Yesterday was the start of the Discovery Channel’s ever-popular Shark Week. Along the coast of Long Island, NY and the New Jersey Shore, we are well into what could be called “Shark Month” with multiple shark sightings.  Since the unofficial start of summer during Memorial Day weekend, beach officials have used drones, helicopters and beach closures to prevent a potentially deadly shark encounter after at least five people have suffered shark bites. Fortunately, none of the attacks have been life-threatening.

Given the shark activity on local beaches, it seems like a good time to look at the horrific shark attacks of one hundred and six years ago this month, when Americans, for the first time, learned to be afraid of sharks. An updated repost.

On the evening of July 1, 1916, Charles Vansant, 25, of Philadelphia was on vacation with his family at the beach-side resort town of Beach Haven on the New Jersey Shore. He decided to go for a swim before dinner. Shortly after he dove into the surf, he was attacked by a large shark and died of loss of blood.

Worse was yet to come. Five days later and 45 miles to the north in the resort town of Spring Lake, New Jersey, Charles Bruder, 27, a Swiss bell captain at a local hotel, was attacked and killed by a shark while swimming. The shark bit him in the abdomen and severed both his legs.

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US Navy Tests Upgraded 3D Printer at Sea on USS Essex

Posted on by July 25, 2022

The USS Essex, a Wasp-class Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD), recently loaded a new 15,000-pound 3D printer, just prior to departing to participate in the multinational Rim of the Pacific exercise underway at Hawaii and California. The amphibious assault ship will be the first to test the new 3D printer during underway conditions at sea.

Unlike previous 3D printers tested by the Navy that print objects using polymers or metal powders, the Xerox ElemX 3D printer uses aluminum wire to create parts and tools. 

Lt. Cmdr. Nicolas Batista, the Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Department (AIMD) officer aboard Essex stated that the new 3D printer is one of the fastest printers on the market, capable of fabricating and printing aluminum up to 10” by 10”. Many common components may be created on the ship to include heat sinks, housings, fuel adapters, bleed air valves, valve covers and more.

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Flying Catamaran Demonstrates Generating Hydrogen From Wind Power

Posted on by July 24, 2022

The 18′ foiling catamaran seen recently flying over the waves off the coast of Essex in the UK, was a small boat testing a very big concept. As it flew during the two-hour sea trial, the boat drove an underwater turbine that generated electricity which then used electrolysis to split seawater into hydrogen and oxygen. 

During the test run, the generator filled a six-liter storage tank with clean, green hydrogen; the only by-product was oxygen, which was vented. The boat actually produced so much electricity that, if the tank had been bigger, it could have made 60 liters of hydrogen.

Drift Energy, the British startup behind the project, claims that the foiling sailboat is the first in the world to generate clean hydrogen using just the power of the wind while under sail. 

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Sailing on a Milky Sea — Sailboat & Satellites Confirm Sailors’ Glowing Ocean Lore

Posted on by July 22, 2022

Digital photography of the 2019 Java milky sea, captured by Ganesha’s crew, showing a view of (A) the ship’s prow and (B) a color-adjusted to human perception

For thousands of years, sailors have told of nighttime seas that mysteriously glowed a milky white or luminescent blue, stretching out to the horizon. Referred to as a “milky sea,” the tales date back at least to Greece and Roman times and may have provided inspiration for the “ocean of milk” from Hindu mythology.

As with so many sea stories, the challenge for scientists has been to document and study what sailors had observed far from land in remote stretches of the world’s oceans.

Now, scientists using light-sensing satellites have been able to track milky sea luminescence. And by happenstance, they now have sea level confirmation of their observations from a private sailing yacht that happened to find itself sailing in a glowing sea that coincided with the satellite observations. 

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As Europe & North America Broil, Greenland Melts

Posted on by July 21, 2022

As record-breaking heat waves have sent temperatures soaring across Western Europe and parts of North America, unusually warm weather in Greenland has triggered massive melting of glacial ice. CNN reports that the amount of ice that melted in Greenland between July 15 and 17 alone – 6 billion tons of water per day – would be enough to fill 7.2 million Olympic-sized swimming pools, according to data from the US National Snow and Ice Data Center.

Put another way, it was enough to cover the entire area of the state of West Virginia with a foot of water.

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Watching for Migaloo — White Whale Washed up on Australian Beach Not Famous Albino Whale

Posted on by July 19, 2022

A ten-meter-long white humpback whale carcass recently washed ashore on Australia’s Mallacoota beach raising fears that it could be the world-famous albino humpback nicknamed Migaloo.

A closer examination by Victoria’s Department of Environment, Land, Water, and Planning revealed, however, that the dead whale is a “sub-adult female.” Migaloo is an adult male humpback. Migaloo is also larger at around fifteen meters long. It is also unclear whether the dead whale is indeed white or whether the apparent lack of pigmentation is due to bleaching.

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US Navy Punishes Over Two Dozen Officers and Sailors Over Fire on USS Bonhomme Richard

Posted on by July 18, 2022

In July 2020 an explosion and fire broke out aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard dockside at the Naval Base San Diego. The fire would burn for four days, injuring 60 firefighters and ultimately resulting in the total loss of the ship, which was towed to a scrap yard in April 2021.  

Last Friday, the US Navy announced punishments for more than 20 officers and enlisted personnel for their actions and inaction in connection to the fire. The fire itself is believed to have been started by an act of arson. Navy Seaman Apprentice Ryan Sawyer Mays was charged with arson in the disaster. He faces a hearing on Aug. 17, with his trial expected to run Sept. 19 through Sept. 30.

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Repost: Sailing on the Schooner A.J. Meerwald in New York Harbor

Posted on by July 17, 2022

We recently posted about the A.J. Meerwald, a Delaware Bay oyster schooner launched in 1928, completing an extensive 10-month restoration and refurbishment in Maine. The Meerwald is also the “Official Tall Ship” of the State of New Jersey and was included in the National Register of Historic Places on November 7, 1995.

Here is a short video aboard the A.J. Meerwald sailing in New York harbor from 2009.

Sailing on the Schooner A.J. Meerwald in New York Harbour

UK Sea Forts for Sale: Fully Refurbished at £3,000,000 & a Fixer Upper Starting at £50,000

Posted on by July 16, 2022

Interested in social distancing?  Looking for a unique residence or hotel venue, preferably one with serious armor plating? Do you also have a substantial cache of cash? If so, there are at least two UK sea forts on the market that may meet your needs.

Spitbank Fort — Fully Refurbished

Spitbank Fort is listed by the agents as a “9 bed detached house for sale.”  Detached is an understatement. Located in the Solent, near Portsmouth, England, the 162′ diameter fort is one of four sea forts built in the estuary between 1867 and 1878.  The asking price is £3,000,000, not including boats.

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Captain of Container Ship Algeciras Express Missing at Sea

Posted on by July 15, 2022

The first officer of the 4,250 TEU container ship Algeciras Express, chartered by Hapag Lloyd, reported that the ship’s captain was missing on a voyage from Turkey to Spain. The crew had noticed the captain’s absence on July 3. They searched the vessel and reported that the captain could not be located.

Safety4Sea reports that the container ship arrived at Algeciras on July 7. Upon arrival, a new captain came on board, and the ship was authorized to moor at the TTI Algeciras terminal.

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The A.J. Meerwald, Official Tall Ship of the State of New Jersey, Completes 10-Month Restoration

Posted on by July 14, 2022

The A.J. Meerwald, a Delaware Bay oyster schooner launched in 1928, is back in the water after an extensive 10-month restoration and refurbishment at Clark & Eisele Traditional Boatbuilding of Lincolnville, Maine. The Meerwald is also the “Official Tall Ship” of the State of New Jersey and was included in the National Register of Historic Places on November 7, 1995.

The Bangor Daily News quotes Garett Eisele, co-owner of the boatyard, saying, “It feels good to get the Meerwald and make her really look brand-new.  We are really excited to see the boat in the water. We are really pleased with how it turned out.”

The schooner is owned by the non-profit Bayshore Center at Bivalve, an environmental history museum located on New Jersey’s Maurice River. It’s used as a traveling classroom to teach people about the historically rich oyster grounds of Delaware Bay and more.

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Tragedy on the Hudson — Two Die and Three Critically Injured After Chartered Boat Capsizes

Posted on by July 13, 2022

Yesterday just before 3 PM, a chartered powerboat with 12 passengers aboard, capsized in the Hudson River near Pier 86 in Midtown Manhattan.  The accident fatally trapped a 7-year-old boy and 50-year-old woman underneath the overturned boat. Three others were reported to be in critical condition. 

Two NY Waterway ferries were the first on the scene and rescued nine from the river. Both the NYPD and the city’s Fire Department dispatched crews in response to a 911 call at 2:46 PM. The NYPD Harbor Patrol arrived at Pier 86 at West 46th Street where they found the capsized boat and rescued two victims drifting by the boat. Scuba divers dove into the water, bringing out the woman and boy who were declared deceased. 

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Crab Trapper Whiskey — Fighting Mutant Green Crabs One Bottle at a Time

Posted on by July 12, 2022

In 2018, we posted “Mutant Green Crabs Invading Maine.” At the time we noted that it sounded like a low-budget horror/sci-fi flick, but that, sadly, an aggressive breed of green crab has indeed invaded Maine’s and neighboring states’ waters.

Now, New Hampshire’s Tamworth Distilling is doing its part to help eradicate the invasive European green crabs by making crab-infused whiskey. The limited-release House of Tamworth Crab Trapper whiskey is made from an aged bourbon and over 90 pounds of green crabs harvested from a local trapper.

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Maine Windjammer 2022 Great Schooner Race in Penobscot Bay

Posted on by July 11, 2022

Eleven schooners, many National Historic Landmarks, ranging in size from 57 to 135 feet, raced in the Maine Windjammer Association‘s 2022 Great Schooner Race in Penobscot Bay last week.

As reported by the Courier-Gazette:  The vessels sailed past the Rockland Breakwater on Thursday before things began in earnest on Friday, with a captains’ meeting aboard Victory Chimes early in the morning and the start of the race at 11 a.m. Between 2 and 3 p.m. vessels crossed the finish line and returned to Rockland Harbor. An awards ceremony was held at the conclusion of the event. 

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MV Mark W. Barker, First Great Lakes Bulk Carrier Built in 35 Years, on Sea Trials

Posted on by July 10, 2022

Two years ago, we posted about the keel laying of the Interlake Steamship Company‘s bulk carrier MV Mark W. Barker at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay, WI. The ship is now completing sea trials and is expected to enter service this summer.

The 639 ft-long, 26,000-tonne Lake-Class self-unloading bulker is the first US flag self-propelled bulk carrier to be built in the Great Lakes in 35 years and the first new-build for Interlake since 1981. 

Once in service, she will carry all types of cargo throughout the freshwater Lakes and River systems. The ship was specifically designed to navigate the tight bends of the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland. 

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After Third Shark Attack, NY/NJ Beaches on High Alert

Posted on by July 9, 2022

The bad news is that there have been three reported shark attacks off New York’s beaches in just over a week. The good news is that the injuries, so far, have been minor. Nevertheless, beaches in New York and along the Jersey Shore are on high alert, flying red flags near beach signs and purple flags in lifeguard areas to alert visitors of the potential danger.  Lifeguards are patrolling on paddle boards and jet skis, while overhead, helicopters and drones are helping to watch for sharks.

Last Thursday, a 17-year-old lifeguard was participating in a training exercise off Ocean Beach on Fire Island, when he was bitten around the ankle. The injury required stitches but was not life-threatening. Officials with the Town of Islip say experts told them it was most likely a sand tiger shark about three to five feet in length.

Last Sunday, another lifeguard, also in a training exercise, was bitten by a shark off Smith Point on Fire Island. 

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Russia Salvages Landing Ship Sunk by Ukraine Missiles

Posted on by July 8, 2022

Saratov in 2020

In March, we posted about the sinking of a Russian Alligator Class landing ship by a Ukrainian ballistic missile strike in the Ukrainian port city of Berdyansk, which Russia captured in late February. 

The Russians are now salvaging the landing ship. At the time of the attack, the Ukrainians identified the ship as the Orsk. It now appears that the ship being salvaged is a sister ship, the Saratov.

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Report: Navy Failed to Prevent & Respond to Hawaii’s Red Hill Fuel Leaks

Posted on by July 7, 2022

In December we posted Hawaii Deputy AG: Pearl Harbor Leaking Fuel Tanks a “Ticking Time Bomb” describing the fuel oil leaks in the massive World War II era fuel tanks into the island of Oahu’s water supply that forced over 1,000 military families from their homes.

Last week, the results of two investigations were released describing a string of extraordinary failures in maintenance, training and leadership at the Navy’s Red Hill fuel facility that resulted in fuel spewing from a broken pipeline for 30 hours, leaking petroleum into the military’s drinking water and sickening entire families last year, military officials.

The Honolulu Civil Beat reports that human errors and systemic negligence allowed two catastrophic leaks to occur within months of each other. 

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