Navy Christens New Virginia Class Submarine USS Hyman G. Rickover

Posted on by July 31, 2021

Virginia Class submarine

The US Navy christened one of its newest Virginia-class attack submarines, the USS Hyman G. Rickover (SSN 795), during a 9 a.m. EDT ceremony Saturday, July 31, 2021, at General Dynamics/Electric Boat, in Groton, Connecticut.

From the Navy press release:

The future USS Hyman G. Rickover (SSN 795) is the second nuclear-powered fast attack submarine in recognition of Adm. Rickover. The first Hyman G. Rickover (SSN 709) was commissioned at Submarine Base, New London, in Groton, on July 21, 1984. SSN 709 and its crew deployed 12 times until its decommissioning in December 2007. Over the years, its decorations included the Atlantic Fleet Golden Anchor Award, Submarine Squadron Eight’s anti-submarine warfare white “A” and engineering red “E” awards and the prestigious Sixth Fleet “Hook ‘Em” award for anti-submarine warfare excellence.

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Navy Charges Sailor With Arson in Fire That Destroyed USS Bonhomme Richard

Posted on by July 30, 2021

Last August we posted “Did an Arsonist Torch the USS Bonhomme Richard?” The Navy has concluded that the answer is yes, as it has charged a seaman apprentice with deliberately starting a fire last year that destroyed the amphibious assault USS Bonhomme Richard, one of the worst blazes to engulf an American warship outside of combat.

The sailor was a member of the crew when the fire broke out last July and faces a hearing that will determine whether there will be a court-martial.

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“Bubble Man” Reza Baluchi Tries One More Time, Quits After 25 Miles

Posted on by July 29, 2021

For almost a decade, Reza Baluchi has been trying to run across oceans in his hydro pod, a homemade bubble contraption with a metal frame that looks and is intended to function as a human hamster wheel.

As reported by the New York Times, a man popped out of the top hatch of the contraption, a makeshift human hamster wheel. He had made it only 25 miles on what was supposed to be a 1,000-plus-mile journey from St. Augustine, Fla., to New York, using the power of his two legs and, if all had gone according to plan, the Gulf Stream.

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Remembering Bruce Kirby — Designer, Three Time Olympian Sailor & Journalist

Posted on by July 28, 2021

Bruce Kirby died recently at the age of 92. He was a Canadian-born, self-taught yacht designer known for a range of projects from one-designs to America’s Cup yachts. He also was a three-time Olympian sailor. Kirby began his career as a journalist, becoming Editor of One-Design and Offshore Yachtsman, now Sailing World.

Bruce Kirby may be best remembered for his design of the Laser in 1970, which began as a sketch, described as a “doodle,” made while talking on the phone. More than 250,000 of the boats have been built worldwide since 1970, making Kirby’s creation one of the most influential sailboat designs of all time. The Laser, now called the ILCA, for the International Laser Class Association, is used for men’s and women’s single-handed events in the Olympics.

Sail-world comments that the Laser proved to be one of only three iconic designs in sailing history, which had a dramatic impact on the sport, the other two being the Windsurfer and Hobie Cat.

The New York Times notes that Mr. Kirby came to call his original legal pad drawing the “million dollar doodle.” The royalties he received allowed him to leave his day job, launching him into an eclectic boat-design career that touched every corner of the sport, from the America’s Cup to junior sailing to cruising craft for shallow estuaries, and established him as one of the world’s pre-eminent boat designers. 

Kirby died at his home in the village of Rowayton in Norwalk, Conn.  His wife, Margo Kirby, confirmed his death.

Thanks to Larry Witmer for contributing to this post.

Update: Bids to Dispose of 142-Year-Old Falls of Clyde Due By August 2nd

Posted on by July 27, 2021

The Hawaii Department of Transportation’s Harbors Division put out a second request for proposals (RFP) for the “removal of the derelict sailing vessel Falls of Clyde from Honolulu Harbor.” A previous RFP issued in late April was later canceled after a review had found “not all state processes were followed.” The new RFP requires that bids be submitted by August 2nd.

The Star Advertiser reports that the contractor will need to comply with any and all federal, state, and county laws, statutes, and regulations including, but not limited to environmental and historic preservation acts, as well as consultations with federal agencies and other requirements.

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Fighting Red Tide By Spraying a Clay Slurry

Posted on by July 22, 2021

We recently posted about the latest round of red tide to hit the Gulf Coast of Florida. Florida red tide is caused by the blooming of the dinoflagellate Karenia brevis. K. brevis produces neurotoxins that can cause respiratory problems in humans and attack the central nervous systems of fish and other wildlife. In the latest outbreak, over 1,200 tons of dead fish and other marine life have washed up on Florida’s Gulf Coast.

Now, scientists are testing a new and novel approach to battling the toxic algal bloom — spraying the red tide with a clay slurry.

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Five-Masted Barque Golden Horizon Sailing at Night

Posted on by July 19, 2021

A short video of Tradewind Voyages’ Golden Horizon sailing at night between Poole & Portland. Golden Horizon is the largest square-rigged sailing ship in the world. A 272 passenger, five-masted barque, she is 532 feet (162 meters) long, with a 60 foot (18.5 meter) beam and will have a sail area of 68,300 square feet (6,347 square meters). By comparison, the tea clipper Cutty Sark set less than half as much sail at around 3,000 square meters. The ship was inspired by the France II of 1912.

GOLDEN HORIZON Aboard under sail at night 12 Jul 2021

The Loneliest Whale — Search for 52 : A Review

Posted on by July 24, 2021

Joshua Zeman has directed a newly released documentary, The Loneliest Whale — the Search for 52. It is a fascinating muddle of a film, well worth watching if you can overlook the mix of myth, legend, and social media sentimentality that overlay an otherwise intriguing tale.

To start with the story — during the Cold War, the US deployed a vast array of hydrophones to listen for Russian submarines. In 1989, they picked up a sound at 52 Hz, which was originally suspected to be a submarine by default, because no known whale called at that frequency. Blue and fin whales typically call out at 10-30 Hz. It also didn’t sound anything like a humpback whale, known for its long and wide-ranging songs from 40-800 Hz.

Nevertheless, it was a whale as determined in 1992 by Dr. William A. Watkins, a pioneer in marine mammal acoustics. It was just like no whale that he had ever heard before.  He would spend the next twelve years tracking the unique whale’s calls in the North and Central Pacific until his death in 2004. He published a paper shortly before he died describing his research into the 52 Hz whale. 

At this point, the story took on a life of its own. Continue reading →

Bermuda to Celebrate Sea Venture Landing Day July 28th

Posted on by July 22, 2021

The Sea Venture was the flagship of the Third Supply mission to the Jamestown Colony that was wrecked in Bermuda in 1609. A 300-ton ship commissioned by the London Company, she was one of the first single timbered merchantmen built in England, and also the first dedicated emigration ship. Sea Venture‘s wreck is widely thought to have been the inspiration for William Shakespeare‘s play The Tempest.

The wreck of the Sea Venture on the uninhabited islands of Bermuda also led directly to Bermuda’s colonization. Now, Bermuda is celebrating the landing.

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Grays Harbor Announces Hawaiian Chieftain Sold, to Return to Hawaii

Posted on by July 22, 2021

Positive news from Grays Harbor Historical Seaport in Aberdeen, WA. The Hawaiian Chieftain, a 65′ on deck square topsail ketch,  has been sold and will eventually be returning to her home state of Hawai’i. Briefly known as the Spirit of Larinda. the steel-hulled ketch was built in 1988 in Lahaina on the island of Maui. 

From the Grays Harbor announcement:

Grays Harbor Historical Seaport — who has owned Hawaiian Chieftain since 2005 — made the difficult decision to put her up for sale in 2019 and dedicate their focus to Lady Washington and the Seaport Landing waterfront development.

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Queen Mary Update: Long Beach Weighs Expensive Alternatives

Posted on by July 21, 2021

Last month we posted that a recent Queen Mary inspection survey revealed that lack of maintenance and neglected repairs have left the converted Cunard passenger liner vulnerable to flooding or possibly even capsizing. 

In early June, the City of Long Beach, CA  regained full control of the Queen Mary for the first time in over 40 years, Now, the Long Beach City Council is considering what to do with the ship. All the options under consideration are very expensive.

The LA Times reports that the council was presented with three options to consider:

  • preserving the ship for the next 25 years at a cost of $150 million to $175 million;
  • preserving the ship for the next 100 years, which would require moving it to a dry dock for repairs at a total cost of $200 million to $500 million;
  • or retiring and dismantling or sinking the ship at a cost of $105 million to $190 million.

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Tradewind Voyages Golden Horizon Sails From Dover After Brief Delay

Posted on by July 20, 2021

Tradewind Voyages Golden Horizon has recently embarked on her maiden voyage, after a brief delay. As she set sail on a four-day voyage from Dover, UK, the ship was forced to turn around due to a financial dispute between the original owner, Star Clippers, and the Brodosplit shipyard in Croatia at which she was built. After a delay of almost 24 hours, the ship was allowed to sail.

The 272 passenger five-masted barque, setting 68,000 square feet of sail, or over twice the sail area of the clipper ship Cutty Sark, is the largest square-rigged sailing ship in the world.

Below is lovely drone footage of the Golden Horizon leaving Fowey, Cornwall on July 10, 2021. 

The largest sailing vessel in the world (Golden Horizon) leaves Fowey, Cornwall. 10th July 2021.

Thanks to David Rye for contributing to this post.

USNS John Lewis Christened in San Diego

Posted on by July 19, 2021

Last Saturday, USNS John Lewis (T-AO 205), the first in a new class of Navy oiler, was christened at NASSCO on the one-year anniversary of the congressman’s death.

It’s fitting that we honor John Lewis with this formidable ship, because John Lewis was a warrior. One of the mottos of the Navy is ‘Semper Fortis’ — ‘Always Courageous’ — and John Lewis was indeed always courageous,” said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who led a congressional delegation to the event on Saturday. “This ship will be a beacon to the world reminding all who see it of the persistence and courage of John Lewis.”

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The Moon’s Wobble Likely to Worsen Coastal Flooding

Posted on by July 18, 2021

The moon is wobbling. This is nothing new. First observed in 1728, the wobble is a cyclical shifting of the moon’s orbit around the earth that takes 18.6 years to complete.

In half of this lunar cycle, Earth’s regular daily tides are diminished, with high tides lower than usual and low tides higher than usual. In the cycle’s other half, the situation is reversed, with high tides higher and low tides lower.

The bad news is that we are about to enter the second half of the cycle, which, coupled with rising sea levels is likely to result in increased coastal flooding. A new study by NASA scientists suggests that U.S. coastlines will face increased flooding during high tides in the mid-2030s thanks to the wobble magnifying rising sea levels caused by climate change.

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Gray Whale Swims Over Half Way Around the World

Posted on by July 17, 2021

In 2013, a male gray whale was spotted in Walvis Bay off Namibia, which was odd, as no gray whale had ever been seen in the Southern Hemisphere. Where did he come from?

It took several years of research to determine that the whale originated in the North Pacific and had swum an estimated 16,000 miles, or more than halfway around the world, to reach Namibia. The findings were published recently in a study in the journal Biology Letters.

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Crowley’s eWolf — First Fully Electric US Tugboat

Posted on by July 16, 2021

Crowley Maritime Corporation has announced that it will build and operate eWolf, the first all-electric powered harbor tugboat in the United States. The electric ship assist and escort tug will be 200 GRT, 82 feet long, with a main propulsion battery of 6.2 MWh, and a bollard pull of 70 short tons. 

Over the first 10 years of its use, the operation of the new eTug will reduce 178 tons of nitrogen oxide (NOx), 2.5 tons of diesel particulate matter, and 3,100 metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) versus a conventional tug. The electric tug will replace one that consumes more than 30,000 gallons of diesel per year. The eWolf will operate at the Port of San Diego’s Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal and will be operational by mid-2023.

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Red Tide Hits Florida Gulf Coast Again

Posted on by July 15, 2021

A recent editorial headline in the Tampa Bay Times read “In St. Petersburg, climate change smells like rotting fish” and was subtitled “A massive fish kill reminds us how climate change can suddenly wash up on our shores.”

The latest round of red tide has returned to the waters of Florida’s Gulf Coast.

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Under Pressure, Italy Bans Large Cruise Ships from Venice Lagoon

Posted on by July 14, 2021

The Italian government is banning large cruise ships from calling on the Venice lagoon after declaring the lagoon a national monument. Italy had come under pressure from Unesco, the UN’s heritage agency, that threatened to put Venice on its endangered list unless the government permanently banned cruise ships from docking in the world heritage site. The ban is an attempt to protect the lagoon’s fragile ecosystem from the downsides of mass tourism. As of August 1, 2021, no passenger vessel above 25,000 register tonnes will be allowed to dock in the lagoon.

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American Cruise Lines Cancels Cruise After 3 Test Positive for COVID-19

Posted on by July 13, 2021

US Today reports that American Cruise Lines has canceled the next Alaska cruise on its American Constellation after three people tested positive for COVID-19.

The ship took off for a 10-night cruise from Juneau, Alaska on July 4, but the trip was cut short Saturday after two fully vaccinated passengers and one unvaccinated crew member tested positive. The 175-passenger ship had 162 passengers and 52 crew members on board. 

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Rowing Records Shattered in the Great Pacific Race

Posted on by July 12, 2021

The fourth rowing of the Great Pacific Race has shattered transPacific records. The race departed from the Golden Gate Bridge on May 30, bound for Honolulu. The teams are competing in identical boats, rowing entirely self-supported and unassisted across 2,400 miles of open ocean.

The first to complete the race was team Latitude 35, a four-man team, who arrived after 30 days, breaking the previous record for a crew of four men to row west across the mid-Pacific route by nine days. The team is made up of Jason Caldwell, Angus Collins, Duncan Roy, and Jordan Shuttleworth.

Arriving on July 6th, the team Ocean Sheroes broke the previous record for a women’s team in the race by a full 14 days. The Ocean Sheroes are also the first all British woman’s team to complete the race. The Ocean Sheroes are Bella Collins, Purusha Gordon, Mary Sutherland, and Lily Lower.

Since its launch in 2014, only 22 teams have ever completed the Great Pacific Race.