June 2024
BEYOND THE HORIZON
BOAT STUFF
For several centuries sailors, a highly superstitious lot, considered bananas on a boat as bad luck, and there are a couple of reasons for such fear, as is usual in superstitions. Many ships went down in stormy weather or hull failure or God knows. When vessels plying the Pacific or Caribbean came across wreckage of a deceased ship, crews noticed that often bananas were afloat, and soon the superstition that the fruit caused the sinking became widespread. Who said sailors are logical and rational? They wouldn’t be sailors if they were!
Fisherman also detested the idea of this tasty fruit that, so they claimed, drove away fish causing limited catches and financial difficulties. A modest truth lies in this concept. Bananas emit ethylene gas that makes nearby fruit ripen faster than normal. Betty Crocker and Martha Stewart would tell housewives to put bananas away from other fruits and to hang them rather than lie them on their side. They may also say to wash the bananas. Again, it is the ethylene gas that is the issue. Banana peels or even uneaten bananas may indeed drive fish away from the noxious gas.
In his book CROOKED OLD RIVER, about a journey from Lake Itasca, the headwaters of the Mississippi River, to the mouth of the giant stream, Trapper Haskins mentions eating a banana on his boat which aroused his partner about bad luck. The author, being an intelligent and rational person, laughed it off as childish. You know what happened. He immediately faced several difficult problems including breaking his rudder, broaching large waves, and darn near being run over by a barge.
Wait a minute— a young newly-wed and his bride with no money or experience decide to take a yawl from the little stream at Lake Itasca (he used a canoe above Minneapolis) to the saltwater of the Gulf of Mexico, and he thinks he is intelligent and rational!? Yes, that IS a sailor.
Iowa’s sailing opportunities are complicated supposedly due to climate change that makes weather more intense. The warm is warmer, the cold is colder, and the wind is windier, etc. Sailing is usually best in the Spring or Fall when breezes are appropriate because the Midwest summers are hot, humid, and still. This is great for corn but not sailors. Unfortunately, in recent years it seems that the Spring wind is very strong and more than small boats can handle. Worse, the temperatures tend to be on the chilly side due to cloud cover and wind direction. Last year’s weather was less than fun.
When teased about his inability to predict the weather as accurately as Grandma’s bunions, a TV Weatherman was about ready to kill his adversary until the smart-aleck added that it probably was because of all the different statistical models predicting alternative patterns based on the same data. He confessed that this was true. It is a bit like 5 people watching the same incident but seeing it differently from each other.
Meteorology is an incredibly difficult study, demanding significant scholarly determination, great learning skills, and a solid foundation of pre-collegiate knowledge. A brief examination of a typical meteorologist from Iowa State University notes some of the required courses: engineering problems, physics (4 semesters), aerodynamics, gas dynamics, geology, Agronomy, Oceanic and Atmospheric Engineering, Environmental Biophysics, Hydrology, applied geological statistics, environmental biochemistry, and Climate modeling. Yup, and a lot of computer science. This is not a field for dummies.
The recent notice of the closing of GOOD OLD BOAT magazine stirred elevated levels of depression due to the loss of another great boating magazine. Over the last 20 years, we have seen the demise of SHALLOW WATER SAILING, MESSING ABOUT IN BOATS, SMALL CRAFT ADVISOR, and now GOB. For those of us who prefer sailboats or small boats in general, we now face very little in literary content for our reading pleasure. I have looked forward to the arrival of these tomes and my desk is piled with back issues awaiting re-reading. I don’t know whether it is the cost of printing and mailing or if it is simply that people don’t read magazines much anymore; however, I find myself surfing the web to satiate my hunger for good writing and interesting adventures of other boaters.
GRAY FLEET
The Senate Armed Services Committee erupted in an election-year outburst because the Navy is not producing submarines quickly enough. Of course, nothing was said by the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition that part of the blame lies with the Senate for not providing adequate funding exchanging made-for-television dramatic comments, excuses, and blarney.
One example is the backlog of commissioning of both VIRGINIA-class and COLUMBIA-class subs is the USS IOWA (SSN-797) that was a year late in Christening and her Commissioning has been put back yet another year. She should have been on-mission a year ago, but it will be 2025 before she is accepted.
The problems are extensive. Supply chain delays, lack of equipment, paucity of trained engineers and workers, logistics, finances, politics, and limited qualified Navy Officers and crew. The list goes on and on and on. To add to everyone’s misery is technology growth. The technology surpasses the ability to implement it, as prognosticated by Alvin Toffler in his seminal work, FUTURE SHOCK, published in 1970!!
The USS HERSHEL “WOODY” WILLAMS (ESB-04), an oil tanker, operating with ships from 30 other nations off the coast of Arica in OPERATION OBANGAME, a set of drills for practice against piracy, smuggling, and warfare, made a soft grounding that took 4 hours to become unstuck. The usual investigation is underway; however, the lack of immediate disciplinary action is a surprise. The ship is based in Greece as an element of forward-deployed ships.
The grounding took place as the ship was leaving Libreville, Gabon. Her captain noted that there were no injuries or damage to the vessel. We shall see about his career.
USS HERSHAL “WOODY” WILLIAMS
ALLISIONS AND COLLISIONS
Oops, someone messed up. Russia was testing one of her anti-ship missiles and accidentally hit one of her own fishing trawlers. KAPITAN LOBANOV exploded and sank taking three of her 7 crew with her. Maybe it wasn’t a good idea to aim at one of your own while testing.
Russia’s, AZOV and sister landing ship, YAMAL, were sunk this spring by Ukrainian missiles. Meanwhile, KOMMUNA was also sunk. Serving aboard a Russian boat doesn’t seem particularly safe.
The Central Africa Republic experienced a sinking ferry that killed 58.
COURAGE, a 110-meter cargo ship managed to break in half and sink in the Waal River near Deest Netherlands.
Who says that Nature doesn’t like what humans are doing to her? ALBORAN COGNAC, a Spanish yacht was attacked by several orcas breaching her hull forcing her passengers to abandon ship. Evidently, the whales were satisfied merely destroying a boat so they left the humans to live unharmed. A tanker eventually rescued the sailors.
COAST GUARD NEWS
A man aboard the research vessel, REM ANDES, experienced severe neurological issues that required immediate hospitalization. The ship was about 165 miles South of Louisiana and requested help. A Coast Guard MH-60 chopper was dispatched and the patient hoisted aboard. He was stable at the last report.
A woman aboard the CARNIVAL DREAM cruise ship experienced kidney failure that also demanded immediate assistance. Again, a MH-60 helicopter hoisted the woman and got her to the hospital where she was listed as in fair condition.
A man radioed the Coast Guard that he was aground off Smith Point, VA. The Coast Guard immediately sent a 45’ Response Boat that quickly discovered that the shallow water made rescue at sea impossible, and the captain requested air assistance. The Jayhawk MH-60 was flown in from Elizabeth City Station and rescued the man. The Coast Guard constantly monitors Channel 16 VHF radio and can render aid quickly.
MH-60 JAYHAWK
45-FOOT RESPONSE BOAT
INLAND WATERWAYS
The American Commercial Barge Line and C&C Marine are building a “groundbreaking” new towboat that will provide 11,000 hp on a boat 50×12 and a Pilot House 47’ above the waterline. Both companies and blowing hard about this new tow and rivermen are all talking about it.
Rendering of the new 11,000 hp towboat to be built by AMCB and C&C.
American Cruise Lines originally purchased AMERICAN QUEEN for $2.15 million, AMERICAN EMPRESS for$1.6 million, AMERICAN DUCHESS, and AMERICAN COUNTESS for $200,000 each. Unfortunately, the life of all boats ultimately end, and ACL is in the process of “recycling” the last two because they no longer meet minimum standards. The AMERICAN QUEEN is on hiatus awaiting some decision by management who would love to donate the boat to someone to use as a museum or restaurant. The boats were originally used as casinos or tourist boats.
ISLE OF CAPRI was an Iowa-based gambling spot that for a short spell pumped thousands of dollars into neighboring communities because Iowa law demanded that a certain percentage of earnings had to be donated to the adjacent county. Gambling died in the state for the simple reason that cities believed that if one town made a ton of money from horse tracks, dog tracks, and riverboat casinos, then everyone should have some sort of gambling entity. Spread too thin, virtually all the establishments went bankrupt. The ISLE OF CAPRI was sold and became the AMERICAN DUCHESS.
AMERICAN DUCHESS (as the ISLE of CAPRI) in Iowa
A major safety concern in the barge business revolves around people on the lids of barges while loading or unloading since they can be slippery and they are curved creating a dangerous environment where a misstep can lead to a watery landing between ship and dock. Barge lids slide along the length of the raft but Chuck Gifford used old-fashioned technology to develop a Claw Lid Lifter that does exactly what it says. It is a large claw that simply lifts the lids off the barge.
The claw, with a 3000-pound lift capacity, can fit either 8 or nine covers. The success of this machinery is overwhelming and in use from Iowa to New Orleans with Gifford as the sole distributor. The only downside to this is the cost which smaller ports find difficult. Nevertheless, most operators maintain that the safety and efficiency of the Claw deem it worthwhile.
WHITE FLEET
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings announced another quarter of profits sending stockbrokers into a buying splurge. The company has seen two consecutive quarterly profits beating the Wall Street expectations. NCLH states that record bookings despite inflation are rocking their boat…so to speak.
New ships are being built around the globe and are scheduled to hit the seas in 2024. According to GLOBAL OUTLOOK, Princess will launch their $75 million SUN PRINCESS for the Caribbean market during the early part of 2024. This vessel is being built by Fincantieri who is also building a QUEEN ANN for Cunard at a mere $600 million and EXPLORA JOURNEYS, another $600 million cruise liner.
Life can be a bitch when your identity gets stolen but Tiffany Banks got hammered by someone. She booked the best suite on the CARNIVAL CELEBRITY for over $14,000. Unfortunately, her husband posted the trip on FACEBOOK including the cabin suite number, dates, etc. The day before the grand vacation, someone canceled her booking. Worse, she had already pre-paid everything but neglected to buy the insurance on the trip; thus, she is out of the $14,000! CARNIVAL offered her an interior room for that voyage, but she declined. CARNIVAL, from the goodness of its heart, offered her a large coupon for a future trip, but that too was declined.
Captain James McDonald, skipper of the ROYAL CARIBBEAN HARMONY OF THE SEAS, was flown from Cozumel to Miami after he suffered a heart attack while on the bridge of his ship. Captain McDonald died in Florida. ROYAL CARIBBEAN are flying all their ships’ flags at half-mast.
T
Merchant Marine Academy
Captain Edward Lundquist (USN-ret.) wrote a powerful article in SEAPOWER, the official journal of the Navy League of the United States. He maintains that the Merchant Fleet and the Military Sealift Command are drastically short on qualified mariners, especially in middle and upper management, as well as licensed mariners such as Chief Mates. He specifically points to the Merchant Marine Academy and state Marine Academies that graduate appropriately trained individuals but many of them go into other military services. He proffers the suggestion that MSC and the merchant companies provide ample educational opportunities to work their way “up the hawsepipe” from deck positions to management or captaincy.
The issue is real and serious. Unfortunately, outside of the profession, no one is listening. A Cedar Rapids student graduated this year from the Merchant Marine Academy but instead of going into the merchant fleet or MSC or even surface warfare Navy, he decided to become a Marine Corps officer. Nothing against the Marines (Dad served with the 9th Marines, 3rd Marine Division in World War II in the Pacific) but here is a well-trained and knowledgeable officer going into a military service that is not in his bailiwick and ignoring his training and education that is badly needed elsewhere. I am disappointed. As a lifelong educator, I get frustrated when people disregard their extensive talents and potential.
BOOKS
Of course, next to Shakespeare, no one compares to Doc Regan and his delightfully humorous book THE WORLD’S WORST SAILOR. Again, Barnes and Noble or Amazon are the places to order this incredible tome that will be a collector’s item housed in the Folger Library someday. Or maybe not.
If you haven’t already taken my advice and started the Rick Waters series by Eric Chance Stone, you are missing some great light reading. These are perfect summer reading while lounging by the pool, smoking a cigar, and drinking a beer. At least that’s what I do. Except I have no pool.
