Skip to main content

DISAPPOINTING - AN EDITORIAL

There are quite a few of us who write maritime themed Blogs.  We vary from persons just interested in the sea, professional mariners, maritime instructors to retired professional seafarers with an activist approach.  Some time ago NAUTICAL LOG asked the maritime Blog community to put a note after each entry drawing attention to the seafarers held captive by pirates and those harassed by pirates.  We mentioned it again in the Post "AGAINST ALL" on Tuesday, August 09, 2011.  The sea areas most particularly mentioned as pirate infested are the Horn of Africa and the Coast of West Africa.


To date NAUTICAL LOG seems to remain the only maritime Blog that is actually doing this and we shall continue - unbroken - until each and every seafarer both professional and amateur is safely returned home to their respective family.


It has been very disappointing to see no response whatsoever to our suggestion. 


It is felt that the least persons who are writing about maritime affairs, in some cases using their Blogs for advertising, should feel it a duty to help free those captive seafarers.  So as a small protest to the prevailing attitude NAUTICAL LOG is not writing comments - as you may or may not have noticed - to the other maritime Blogs regarding their Posts.  It is probable that you could care less if this ancient mariner - with perhaps values from another generation - spouts off on your Blog about things but NAUTICAL LOG feels better about it!!


On this Blog we shall continue to try and write interesting informative Posts on maritime affairs and when the occasion warrants it we shall be activist - as we are here.  So being just a little pissed-off this morning, for now as usual 'Good Watch'.

Captain the Count D. Peter Boucher, Kt.SMOM, Dip.LA., MN (Ret)

Please remember the 800 of our fellow seafarers held captive by pirates both ashore and off the coast of Somalia.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

PAINT LOCKER FIRES

The photographs above are revealing in several ways, lets have a look. Clearly the Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) vessel JS "Kurama" impacted the Korean container ship MS "Carina Star" just aft of the turn of the fo'cs'le on the Starboard side. Please note that's the Starboard side, thus it appears JS "Kurama" would have shown "Carina Star" the red port sidelight and "Carina Star" would have shown JS "Kurama" the green starboard sidelight. This impact point would tend to suggest that JS "Kurama" was the 'stand-on' vessel and the MS "Carina Star" is the 'giving-way' vessel. Until there is a complete plot of the tracks made good of both these vessels and the position in the Kanmon Strait of the point of collision no determination can actually be made. As a result of this impact there was severe bow damage to JS "Kurama" and in addition a massive f...

HOW TO WEAR A LIFEJACKET

A popular U.S.-based cruise ship style A popular European ferry style Several times during the year NAUTICAL LOG has had visitors searching for lifejacket instructions. With two just over Christmas we decided to publish something for everybody to see and read. Choose a Coast Guard approved life-jacket and make sure it is undamaged. Make sure life-jackets are readily accessible, never locked away. Check the fit, there are adult, child and infant sizes, the correct one MUST be used. Choose bright colour life-jackets so as to be seen easily by Search and Rescue (SAR). Put your life-jacket ON BEFORE you leave the berth. Make sure you have a light and whistle attached AND they BOTH WORK. Good Watch

CYCLONES AND SENTINELS

USCG Sentinel-class which are based on the Netherlands Damen Stan-class USCGC opened hull view USCG Sentinel-class interior layout USN Cyclone-class In the NAUTICAL LOG Press Release folder comes news of Bollinger Shipyards in Lockport, LA. The United States Coast Guard has awarded a $166.1 million option to start production of four ' Sentinel-class' Fast Response Cutters (FRCs). This latest award brings a total of eight FRCs under production at Bollinger with a value of $410.7 million. The current FRC contract contains options for up to 34 cutters and is worth $1.5 billion if they are all exercised. Recently the United States Navy limited operation of its 'Cyclone-class' coastal patrol boats stationed in Bahrain and Norfolk, VA. Any vessel operation would depend on sea state and speed restrictions. This was due to structural damage as the vessels reach the 15 year mark which is considered close to the operational limit. This is apparently not a design fault but ...