Shipwrecks of September

SHIPWRECKS OF SEPTEMBER

Beware the piracy of your privacy
Beware the mysteries of the high seas
Be watchful of the warship
Be careful whom you worship
Be wary of the leadership
Do not spite the hand of friendship
You have interdependent relationships
Your fellow men are your shipmates
And you all share the same fate


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Tomorrow Sept. 11 we VOTE NO ON ISSUE 1
From: taxpayer
Date: 10 Sep 2001
Time: 09:42:18


Comments

Tomorrow you will be given the opportunity to show Carty and his
enablers YOU will be the one who controls what the politicians
will and won't do with YOUR money.They have been acting like a
bunch of drunken sailers and want to shipwreck and bankrupt
TOLEDO,OHIO. We as a city can't spend ourselves out of decline
anymore than a family that is bankrupt can spend themselves into
prosperity.Show them tomorrow Tuesday,Sept.11, VOTE NO ON ISSUE #1.

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http://kenneke.com/~jon/oct/

Day 1, Sept 8, 2001, Bandon to New River (7 mi)
Day 2, Sept 9, 2001, New River to Floras Lake (10 mi)
Day 3, Sept 10, 2001, Floras Lake (0 mi)
Day 4, Sept 11, 2001, Floras Lake (0 mi)
Day 5, Sept 12, 2001, Floras Lake to Cape Blanco (and the shipwreck) (7 mi)

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http://homepage.ntlworld.com/pernod/12.html


Despite being constructed of iron, the Avalanche did not stand a
chance and sank almost immediately. There was no hope at all for
any of the passengers, most of whom were asleep below decks, and
only three members of the crew - the third mate and two seamen -
escaped by jumping on to the Forest as it backed away. In
minutes the Avalanche had become a terrible shipping tragedy -
103 people were drowned.

Sailing towards the Avalanche was a slightly larger wooden
sailing vessel, the Forest, built in Nova Scotia, in ballast and
bound for Sandy Hook, New York. It had a crew of 21 men under
the command of Captain Lockhart.

The Forest itself was also in serious difficulties; it had
suffered badly in the collision and water was pouring into its
holds. Within 15 minutes Captain Lockhart decided to abandon
ship, and its three boats were launched after great difficulty.
One was quickly overwhelmed in the heavy seas and the second was
later washed ashore but with no survivors. The third boat
contained the Captain and 11 seamen, including the three men who
had escaped from the Avalanche.

The battered Forrest eventually grounded near Chesil Cove and it
was decided to blow up the remains of the vessel. The task was
given up to a Naval vessel HMS Defense but unfortunately the
Naval men experienced considerable difficulties, and their
abortive attempts created much public interest - even the local
coast paddle steamers ran special excursions to view 'the fun'!
The captain of the Defense became so embarrassed about the whole
affair that he towed the Forest out into the Channel and finally
sank it away from prying eyes.

The Times newspaper picked up the story and roundly condemned
the authorities for 'the hasty and shameful treatment of the
dead'

This small church - St Andrew's - was consecrated and opened for
worship in 1879. The church still stands high above the sea and
was, for a long time, known as the Avalanche church. It is, to
my knowledge, the only church in this country built to the
memory of the poor and unfortunate victims of a shipwreck.

Walter Savill was stunned by the dreadful news - not only at the
high loss of life but the destruction of one of his finest and
newest ships. But he wrote quite simply in his Sailings Book '
Foundered off Portland - Sept 11'.

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http://www.vvdailypress.com/travel/wet/

When it's hot enough outside to fry an egg on the sidewalk, all
one can think about is how to cool off. And who wants to just
sit inside with the air-conditioner turned on high - boring!

As the coolest spot in the desert outside Barstow, Rock-A-Hoola
Waterpark at Lake Dolores Resort is surrounded by the
picturesque Calico mountains and overlooks historic Route 66.

Decorated in the nostalgia of Americana with red, white and blue
water slides, vintage cars, and old-time billboards,
Rock-A-Hoola has 18 aqua attractions.

Designed with the latest in water park technology, thrill rides
include The Big Bopper, the world's largest family raft ride.
Seating six people (with combined weight of no more than 1,000
pounds), the ride meanders along a river before depositing
guests into a large pool.

Thrillseekers will love the high-speed action and free fall
sensations at Blueberry Hill Thrill, the Roaster Coaster and the
Doo Wop Super Drop.

Rock-A-Hoola Waterpark at Lake Dolores, 20 miles east of Barstow
along Interstate 15. Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a
week through Sept. 6; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Sept. 11; then
weekends only through Oct. 3. General admission is $17.95; $12.
95 juniors (under 3 free); $10.95 seniors; $9.95 evenings (5 to
9 p.m.). For more information, call 257-1233 or www.lakedolores.
com

Alpine Slide at Magic Mountain. This Magic Mountain is located
in the mountain community of Big Bear. Guests can beat the heat
on the park's double water slide. Each twisting, turning flume
is filled with cool cascading water to take guests on a wet
downhill ride and into the pool below. The park also offers
miniature golf, bobsleds, go-karts and more.

The first ride, The Dark Chamber, is a two person, enclosed
slide where riders can reach speeds of 35 mph through its 420-
foot slide.

Tut's Tomb is a one person slide providing riders with a
thrilling feet first or head first experience.

Other thrill rides include the A-nile-ator, a 90 foot tall,
enclosed water slide

Aside from the water attractions, Pharaoh's also offers a large
video arcade, miniature golf, go-cart racing and amusement park
rides.

Pharaoh's Lost Kingdom Pharaoh's Water World at Pharaoh's Lost
Kingdom, 1101 N. California Street, Redlands. Hours 10 a.m. to 9
p.m. daily. Discounts for 10 or more guests. General admission
$16.95 ages 11 & up; $10.95 ages 2-10; $6.96 water park
spectators (non-sliders, chaperones, sitters, parents, etc.)
After 4 p.m. $8.95 all guests. Tube rentals - $5 single, $7.50
double. Private cabanas: weekdays $10-$40; weekend $15-$60. (909)
335-PARK or

While in San Diego, be sure to visit SeaWorld and its first
adventure ride, Shipwreck Rapids. Although not a traditional
water park, this ride is a two-part attraction located on five
acres inside SeaWorld. Become a castaway as you raft through
themed obstacles including rapids, waterfalls and the interior
of a ship. At the end of the journey, you can relax at the
Shipwreck Reef Cafe, an interactive dining experience offering
fresh, grilled seafood, veggies and meat. Guests can then visit
the five themed areas of Shipwreck Island, with close-up
encounters with a variety of animals.

Located next to Six Flags Magic Mountain, Hurricane Harbor is
where guests can enjoy thrilling speed slides including the
terrifying 75-foot-tall, almost vertical plunge down Venom Drop
at Black Snake Summit, the park's newest attraction

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http://www.cargolaw.com/presentation_casualties.01.html#Sept01

Cypriot bulker M/V Christopher, with coal & 27 crew, last heard
of N. of Azores islands in Atlantic -- owners raised alarm Dec.
22 when Christopher failed to answer radio calls after reporting
vessel taking water. Portuguese navy searched in vain Dec. 23 in
rough seas. French ship involved in hunt spotted patch of oil.
Air & sea search suspended for night. Believed vessel sank. (Sun.
Dec. 23 2001)

South Korean registered tug Boo Kwang sank Dec. 23, off Fukuoka
Prefecture, SW Japan -- its 3 crew members rescued. Boo Kwang
departed Kure, Hiroshima Prefecture, on Dec. 21, bound for Pusan.
(Sun. Dec. 23 2001)

Firefight >> 240 miles off Japanese island of Amami Oshima -- 
after trading machine gun fire with Japanese coast guard vessels &
2 Japanese Navy destroyers in 6-hour chase -- crew reportedly
fired submachine guns & RPG rockets at Japanese vessels, hitting
2 sailors. Japanese vessels shot back, & vessel sank within
minutes -- likely scuttled. Coast guard & defense officials said
unidentified fishing boat might have been spying for North Korea, &
some officials suggested the boat's 15 crew members may have
killed themselves to avoid capture. Boat said "closely resembled"
vessels believed by Japanese authorities to have conducted
surveillance activities for North Korea in past. Independent
military analyst Kensuke Ebata told NHK television vessel
appeared to be equipped with satellite dish & surveillance gear.
North Korean marking found on liferafts. Two bodies found. (Sat.
Dec. 22 2001) UPDATE: High-quality North Korean cigarettes &
confectionery package with Korean letters reading ''Korea'' and ''
Pyongyang'' have been recovered from area where "unidentified"
ship sank -- this is only one point of evidence thus far
recovered to esablish vessel identity as North Korean. Are we
now all OK that the vessel was North Korean? (Wed. Jan. 9 2002)

Waste carrier that collects spent nuclear fuel M/V Imandra in
collision with mothballed Russian Northern Fleet submarine in
Arctic Kola Bay. Rssia would not say what type of submarine or
when the accident happened -- Russian T.V. says Dec. 13.
Radiation experts rushed to scene, but inspection showed neither
vessel leaked radiation. Russia has more than 180 decommissioned
nuclear subs -- most of them afloat with nuclear fuel onboard,
raising risk of nuclear accident. Some have languished dockside
for 10-15 years, hulls rusting through. Officials said they
lacked funds to build dismantling & storage facilities. (Fri.
Dec. 21 2001)

Russia launched construction of its 1st newly designed warship --
330 ft. corvette Stereguschyii (means "On Guard") can displace 2,
200 tons and uses stealth technology -- since the Soviet
collapse a decade ago, Russian Navy has struggled to find funds
to maintain its ships & had to scale back plans to modernize the
fleet. Estimated 70% of fleet needs overhauling, & the Navy
cannot afford to send ships on long voyages. Decline underlined
by Aug. 2000 explosion & sinking of nuclear submarine Kursk<<
webfeature -- when the public learned that Navy got rid of
rescue equipment to cut costs. (Fri. Dec. 21 2001)

ALERT >> St Vincent registered M/V Nisha, Mauritius for London
with 26,000 tons of raw sugar, seizured by British anti-
terrorist police off S. coast of England Dec. 21 in major
security alert -- involving customs officers & Royal Navy,
following intelligence that the ship could pose a serious threat.
According to Scotland Yard, there is no specific evidence to
suggest ship carrying anthrax, but is thought carrying terrorist
material. Vessel had stopped in Durban for fuel -- due to arrive
on Dec. 22 at British sugar company Tate & Lyle Plc's Newham
refinery in east London, next to Thames Flood Barrier. Seizure
sparked media speculation that London could be target of a
Christmas attack. Officers said they could not take risk of the
ship sailing up Thames river to heart of the British capital.
Ship taken to mooring near Isle of Wight for thorough search.
Boarded in Int'l waters by Special Boat Service (SBS) commandos
in biological warfare gear from inflatable dinghies from Royal
Navy frigate HMS Sutherland. Customs officers & anti-terrorist
police also took part. (Fri. Dec. 21 2001) UPDATE >> Vessel
cleared & released. (Mon. Dec. 24 2001)


Rogue "Coast Guard" Vessel >> Light gray 20-footer with "US
COAST GUARD" on side & light bar atop cabin. Charleston area
chemical plants warned to take extra precautions after boat
masquerading as U.S. Coast Guard vessel spotted on Kanawha River.
"They should do whatever necessary to protect facility if boat
approaches at high speed," said Lt. Renee Kern, chief of port
operations for Coast Guard's Huntington office. "We left the
decision entirely up to them whether to move vessels in the way,
or to shoot, or to use a crane, or whatever," Kern said. Coast
Guard warned area's 5 largest chemical & energy plants on Oct. 5
that rogue spotted near Charleston. Of more than 30 chemicals
with potential for mass destruction when in large containers, 28
manufactured in West Virginia. Phony Coast Guard boat spotted at
least 4 times on Kanawha River from Oct. 5 to Oct. 20, moving at
high speeds or "lurking around power plants & chemical
facilities." State trooper saw the boat on trailer on Oct. 18 -- 
did not know then it was suspicious (dah!). Vessel matching
description seen in late Sept. on Ohio River near Cincinnati.
(Sat. Nov. 3 2001)


29 Oct. 2001 at 0403 UTC 5.5 NM from S. mole signal station,
Lagos anchorage, Nigeria. Six pirates in small boats boarded
general cargo ship. Anti piracy watch spotted & alerted crew.
Pirates jumped overboard & escaped with ship's stores & safety
equipment. (Fri. Nov. 2 2001)

28 Oct. 2001 at 1040 LT in position: 02:20N - 046:23E, Somalia.
Two boats with pirates spotted about 3-4 miles from chemical
tanker underway. When boats got closer, they saw alert crew on
deck, turned around & fired 4 shots, which did not hit vessel.
Vessel changed course & sailed further away from Somali coast.
(Fri. Nov. 2 2001)

25 Oct. 2001 at 0500 LT in position: 06:04N - 126:12.4E,
Philippines. Whilst navigating in busy fishing ground, duty
officer on bulk carrier noticed movements at forecastle. When
floodlights switched on, 2 pirates jumped in small boat & fled
at high speed -- stole life raft. (Fri. Nov. 2 2001)

21 Oct. 2001 at 0430 LT at Belem, Brazil. Three pirates armed
with knives boarded general cargo ship from small boat -- broke
into storeroom & stole ship's stores. Duty watchmen challenged &
they jumped overboard and escaped. (Fri. Nov. 2 2001)

Ukranian 1,020-foot Varyag, bound for South China Sea on voyage
of 2 months -- tugs hauled half-built aircraft carrier through
Istanbul's narrow Bosporus strait Nov. 1, forcing Turkey to
temporarily shut down world's busiest waterway. Traffic through
Bosporus - sole passage between Black Sea & Mediterranean -
resumed by mid-afternoon after Varyag completed 6 hour passage.
Normal oil tanker would make trip in 1.5 hours. After clearing
strait, Varyag headed across Marmara Sea toward Dardanelles
strait, then to Aegean Sea. Total of 11 ships in convoy,
including hospital ships, firefighters & rescue vessels. The 21-
mile strait is world's most dangerous waterway, where some 200
accidents have occurred. Oil spills sometimes closed it for days.
Russian-flagged tug at back of Varyag, acting as brake. 6 tugs
towed engineless, rudderless Varyag through strait. "They'll
never see anything like this again," said teacher as 100 primary
school students watched excitedly from Kandilli harbor, strait's
narrowest point. Varyag & skeleton crew had circled for 16
months in Black Sea waiting clearance from Turkey. Ukraine
inherited flat top when Soviet Union fell in 1991, but couldn't
afford to complete. Company in Macau, China, bought ship & plans
to convert into floating leisure center. The Mysterious Sale of
An Aircraft Carrier<<webfeature, Ukraine Flat Top<<webfeature.
(Thurs. Nov. 1 2001)

Turkish cargo M/V Mehmet Haslaman, with 1400 tons bauxite &
diesel -- Greek port of Itea for Istanbul -- sank 16 km N. off
the eastern Greek island of Lesvos Nov. 1. Turkish coastguard
Istanbul received distress call early morning & asked Greek
coastguard for help -- Greek coastguard vessel picked up 10
member Turkish crew

860-foot liquefied natural gas tanker M/T Matthew, loaded to
capacity, escorted into Boston Harbor Oct. 30 by two dozen
gunboats under cover of darkness, watched over by police divers,
sharpshooters, bomb squads, & helicopters -- enough flashing
police lights on shore to give harbor an almost festive look -- 
unprecedented level of security included halting flights at
Logan Int'l Airport & stopping traffic on Tobin Bridge as ship
passed below. Operation cost US$47,856 in police & fire overtime.
(Wed. Oct. 31 2001)

Cargo M/V Ikan Tanda (1979)<<webfeature, scuttled 200 miles W.
of Cape Town, sinking at 2000 LT Oct. 27. Followed declaration
of by Owners Oct. 3 as a constructive total loss. Salvage tug
Wolraad Woltemade<<webfeature remained on station overnight to
monitor oil & debris. Salavge Hopes Had Been High Oct. 17<<
webfeature. Current Feature<<webfeature. Last hatch cover
finally sank Oct. 31 -- goodbye callsign 9VJX. (Wed. Oct. 31
2001)

Sri Lankan fuel ship M/T Silk Pride, with 660 tons of fuel for
Jaffna, rammed by 5 suicide Tamil Tiger rebel explosive laden
boats sparking fire & sinking vessel off port of Point Pedro -- 
on N. Jaffna peninsula -- 3 missing & 25 rescued by Sri Lankan
Navy -- 10 rebels killed. Jaffna Peninsula reached only by sea
or air since road connecting to mainland controlled by
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam fighting for homeland for Sri
Lanka's minority Tamils. OUR OCT. 27 REPORT OF EVENT<<webfeature
(Tues. Oct. 30 2001)

31,372 dwt Liberian-registered M/T Formosa One impounded after
Sept. 7 collision in Vung Tau Bay 75 miles SE of Ho Chi Minh
City resulted in spill of 700 to several thousand tons of diesel
oil which washed up on tourist beaches & shrimp farms -- 
released by Vietnam court in S. Province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau
after Taiwanese owners provided a financial guarantee to cover
damages -- Taiwan's Formosa Plastics provided damage guarantee
through Vietnam Bank for Foreign Trade. Petrolimex, Vietnamese
owner of stationary 22,651 dwt. M/T Petrolimex 01, with which
Formosa One collided, seeking US$2.38M for damage. OUR SEPT. 7
REPORT OF EVENT<<webfeature (Tues. Oct. 30 2001)

Panamanian-flagged 3,500gt M/T Sealion aground off Bubiyan
island N. of Kuwait but no longer leaking crude oil into Gulf.
Amounts leaked at beginning of incident were intentional to
reduce shipment & move ship -- slick covering area 1 X 3
nautical miles (10 square kms) (Monday Oct. 29 2001)

Fire during training exercise on mine countermeasures command &
control ship USS Inchon MCS-12<<webfeature, with 675 crew,
killed one sailor -- injured 7 others. Petty Officer 3rd Class
Ronnie Joe Palm Jr. of Houston. Palm, 21, died. Inchon returned
to Naval Station Ingleside, TX on Sept. 1 after 5 months at sea.
Fire likely fueled by petroleum. (Sat. Oct. 20 2001)

M/S Patriot<<webfeature & S/S Independence<<webfeature (vessel
Independence<<webfeature) have ended sailing cruise passengers
around Hawaiian Islands. Hundreds of cruise ship workers are
unemployed while hundreds of passengers are out of money & out
of a cruise --American Classic Voyages<<webfeature, filed for
bankruptcy Oct. 19. Vacationers thought they would start their
cruise Oct. 20 -- found they would not be boarding & company not
giving refunds. All passengers, including Mississippi River
voyages --stuck & stranded. SEE OCT. 19. (Sat. Oct. 20 2001)

Dramatic Salvage Success >> 16,916gwt Singapore registered 147
meter Pacific Carriers Ltd.<<webfeature, "Freedom Mark II"class
(callsign 9VJX ) cargo M/V Ikan Tanda (1979)<<webfeature, Chile
for Cape Town (crew change point) & Singapore with nitrates,
which ran aground Sept. 5 near the Slangkop lighthouse<<
webfeature, S. of Cape Town after after being battered by 10
meter swells -- WAS REFLOATED at 1 am LT 17th Oct. She has been
towed to position 9 miles offshore -- by vessels - M/V Pentow
Skua<<webfeature & salvage tug Wolraad Woltemade<<webfeature -- 
where marine surveyors will decide if safe to stand to Far East
for scrapping. If not, scuttling here. Sad end for great
"Freedom Mark II" class ship. Successful conclusion to operation'
s refloating phase marks end of 6 week effort -- oil aboard
removed & 12,000 tons of cargo discharged, including potassium
nitrate, potassium sulphate & potassium chloride. Oct. 16
removal of sea water taken on to stabilize during cargo
discharge operation phase hampered by ship taking 25 degree list
to starboard -- caused generators & hydraulic power packs to
trip & interrupted deballasting. Despite this -- with aid of
Wolraad Woltemade -- vessel moved 30 degrees to starboard on Oct.
16 afternoon's high tide & to distance of 40 meters further away
from Scarborough beach. Once situation stabilized, deballasting
continued throughout night -- refloated successfully on next
high tide. Dramatic Photos & Full Story from Eugene L. Griessel<<
webfeature. Our Original Story With Photos From Sept. 5 <<
webfeature. BRAVO ZULU! (Wed. Oct. 17 2001)

Turkish-registered M/V Gulser Ana suffered overboard incident
0930 LT -- 3 sailors carrying out safety test on lifeboat when
line snapped, plunging them 40 feet into water at Belfast Docks.
Rescued by Harbor Pilot boat -- 1 suffered serious head injuries &
other 2 thought to be being treated for hypothermia. 4th man to
hospital suffering shock. (Wed. Oct. 17 2001)

M/V Tracer<<webfeature - hero ship we overlooked when reporting
the M/V Modern Drive disaster to you! Sept. 2001. Please review
the Captains Log. (Wed. Oct. 17 2001)

Piracy Alert >> New trend emerged among pirates along Malacca
Strait to hijack ships & demand ransom, Int'l Maritime Bureau
(IMB) reported Oct. 16. ''Fight against piracy threatened by new
trend that has seen pirates demanding ransom for release of
kidnapped crew members,'' the IMB said. According to IMB's Kuala
Lumpur-based Piracy Reporting Center, within 60 days 2 similar
cases reported near Aceh Province off N. Sumatra Island in
Indonesia. Between June & August, Indonesian tanker M/T Tirta
Niaga 4<<webfeature & Honduran-flagged M/V TB Ocean Silver<<
webfeature hijacked & crews held hostage. Pirates demanded
ransom from ship owners for releases. Master of Tirta Niaga &
some crew of Ocean Silver still being held. IMB believed might
be more cases gone unreported due to owners being threatened &
warned not to report. Previously, hijack-for-ransom cases
usually occurred in Somali waters. IMB suspects Free Aceh
Movement<<webfeature (GAM) behind incidences based on public
threat issued by GAM recently to disrupt shipping in Malacca
Strait as part of fight for independent Aceh. (Tues. Oct. 16
2001)

There have been many monitored & interesting movements of U.S. &
British warships today -- but we will not report them. Gods
Speed. (Sun. Oct. 7 2001) 3 Oct. 2001 at 2000 LT at Sebuku
anchorage, Indonesia. Three pirates boarded general cargo ship
loading cargo from barges. Stole life raft & escaped down &
anchor chain -- crew suspected stevedore labor assisted pirates
to gain access. (Fri. Oct. 5 2001)

3 Oct. 2001 at 0120 LT at Senakin anchorage, Kota Baru,
Indonesia. Three pirates boarded bulk carrier & stole 2 life
rafts. Alert crew raised alarm. Pirates escaped in speedboat.
(Fri. Oct. 5 2001)

27 Sept. 2001 at 0730 LT in position: 20:25N - 071:21E, Gulf of
Cambay, India. Twenty pirates in 6 fishing boats boarde general
cargo ship under tow & stole ship's stores. This is 2nd ship
attacked in this position within a week. (Fri. Oct. 5 2001)

26 Sept. 2001 at 0400 LT at Balikpapan anchorage, Indonesia.
During transhipment operations watchman on VLCC spotted 2
pirates on forecastle removing ship's stores from forward locker.
When pirates realized their presence discovered -- escaped down
anchor chain. (Fri. Oct. 5 2001)

25 Sept. 2001 at 0300 LT at Deer Draft Southern Pier, Kakinada
port, India. While berthed, duty A/B on chemical tanker spotted
2 pirates lowering ship's stores. Alarm raised & crew alerted.
Pirates jumped overboard & escaped in motorboat. (Fri. Oct. 5
2001)

18.09.2001 at 2345 LT off Subi Besar, Indonesia Between 12 to 17
pirates armed with guns in speedboat boarded Malaysian-
registered tug Mayang Sari towing a barge. Tied & blindfolded
all 10 crewm & transferred them to their speedboat. Crew taken
to mangrove swamp near Tg Berakit off Tg Ubin/Batam & held there
until the night of 25 Sept. 2001. IMB sent out alert to all
ports & authorities in the region and as a result the tug was
located at Pulau Kembang. The barge is still missing. UPDATE >>
Harbor Master's office at Banjarmasin, Indonesia has recovered
hijacked Malaysian-registered tug Mayang Sari in dockyard -- 
scheduled to be sold. Pirates escaped. Tug was boarded by armed
pirates off Pulau Subi Besar, S. of Natuna Island in South China
Sea, Kota Kinabalu for Batam towing a barge on Sept 18.
Indonesian crew of 10 held hostage until Sept 25 on pirate's
vessel -- subsequently released in mangrove forest on Batam
Island. Singapore-flagged barge Daiho 88 still missing. (Sun.
Sept. 30 2001)

14 Sept. 2001 at 2200 LT in position 09:11.3N - 014:31.3W,
Conakry, Guinea. Pirates in 2 fast speedboats attempted to board
bulk carrier from stern. Duty officer raised alarm, sounded
whistle & ship's crew fired rocket flares at boat. Attempted
boarding aborted. (Fri. Sept. 21 2001)

11 Sept. 2001 at 0115 LT at pilot station, Douala, Cameroon.
While at anchor, duty a/b on general cargo ship noticed 3
pirates armed with long knives lowering mooring ropes into water.
He challenged & pirates threatened him. Duty officer raised
alarm. Pirates jumped overboard & escaped with the ropes. (Fri.
Sept. 21 2001)

U.S. military has secured oil tankers -- M/T Sea Witch 1, for U.
S. Military Sealift Command -- marine diesel from Kuwait to
Diego Garcia & M/T Torm Anne to South Korea. This information on
widely circulated public wires from Rueters & AP. We will not
post closely held info. (Mon. Sept. 17 2001)

Sri Lankan M/V The Pride of the South, with more than 1,200
government troops, surrounded by more than 20 Tamil Tiger
guerrilla vessels, some packed with explosives, 26 miles off N.
Port of Point Pedro. Fierce sea battle erupted. Air force &
naval units have moved in 7 at least 2 rebel boats have been
blown up in heavy fighting. (Sun. Sept. 16 2001) UPDATE: Attack
repelled. Ten rebels killed, 47 soldiers wounded. (Sun. Sept. 16
2001)

Tug Brown Water V & four barges, with steel coils & phosphate,
struck the 2.37-mile-long Queen Isabella Causeway -- only bridge
leading to popular South Padre Island, Texas. -- dropping 2
adjacent 80-foot segments of the bridge. At least 4 people died
after their vehicles plunged into water 85 feet below. Five
vehicles located in 50-foot-deep water by early afternoon &
divers took pictures of license plates for identification. (Sat.
Sept. 15 2001) Photo below found by our correspondent Fred
McCague

09 Sept. 2001 at 0510 LT at Douala port, Cameroon. While berthed
discharging cargo stevedores went ashore. Almost immediately
about 8-10 pirates armed with knives entered general cargo ship,
threatened duty officer & 2 crew & robbed their wristwatches

08 Sept. 2001 at 0720 LT in position 12:48N - 043:15E, Bab-El-
Mandeb, Gulf of Aden. While underway, several speed crafts with
5-8 persons in each attempted to board general cargo ship. Ship'
s crew alerted & mustered on deck. Some boats approached very
close but did not board after observing alert crew on deck. (Fri.
Sept. 14 2001)

08 Sept. 2001 at Jakarta anchorage, Indonesia. While at anchor,
4 pirates boarded general cargo ship & broke open store &stole
ship's equipment. When challenged by crew, they assaulted one
crew & escaped in their boat. (Fri. Sept. 14 2001)

05 Sept. 2001 at 0400 LT at Lagos Roads, Nigeria. Soon after
dropping anchor, armed pirates boarded general cargo ship.
Pirates stole crew's property & ship's stores. (Fri. Sept. 14
2001)

Unmanned MetLife Airship<<webfeature, broke 20-foot mooring mast
Sept. 7 night & floated away from Kansas City Airport on 50 mph
winds 75 miles during thunderstorm -- came to rest on top of
truck on Minnis Burial Vault Co. property. No injured. FAA said
blimp will automatically deflate if goes too far with no one at
controls. Blimp returned to Kansas City Sept. 8. (Mon. Sept. 10
2001)

Menards Home Improvement Centers<<webfeature, of Wisconsin
ordered Italian ceramic tiles -- but the 1 x 20' container
brought two apparent stowaway --decomposed bodies -- they got
into container voluntarily-- shipment left port of Livorno,
Italy Aug. 10 -- transported through 3 Canadian cities & on to
Detroit, Chicago, Milwaukee & Minneapolis before arriving at
Menards, Wisconsin. No way for people to exit container by
themselves. We usually don't cover refugee stories unless there
is a vessel story, but this sad tale was contributed by our
Richard R. Bruce. This flood of humanity begs to fill our hearts
because there is inhumanity "out there" -- Afghanistan, the
Balkans, Sudan & more -- the solutions are at the sources -- not
in more boats. (Mon. Sept. 10 2001)

Mark Ashton-Smith's kayak capsized in treacherous seas off Isle
of Wight -- but Cambridge University lecturer with a PhD in
psychology did not think to dial 999, the emergency police/fire
number. Clinging to upturned kayak in 6ft waves, Dr Ashton-Smith
telephoned his father 4,000 miles away in Dubai in search of
rescuer. WHAT?! Coastguards, based less than a mile away, were
alerted by his father. Coastguard watch manager said his team
had been bewildered by the lecturer's action. After being
rescued Dr Ashton-Smith, 33, who was on 1st day of 4 day solo
circumnavigation of island, said: "I simply didn't think to dial
999." He had sounded his foghorn but passing vessels did not
hear it. This guy is a foghorn. (Mon. Sept. 10 2001)

M/V Giovania Dmaio, United States for Brazil with coal, suffered
container explosion -- Ukrainian crewman killed when thrown into
the air & struck a metal wall. Arrived Barbados Sept. 7. (Sept.
10 2001)

Crew of Cambodian cargo M/V Lynn, Cypriot port of Limassol for
Corinth, Greecewith with 650 tons of copper sheeting, abandoned
ship -- listing in heavy seas Sept. 7. Cypriot coastguard picked
up the 7 crew members from lifeboat 12 miles W. of Cyprus at 9 a.
m. LT. Lynn sank several hours later. (Mon. Sept. 10 2001)

343-foot Honduran-flagged M/V Khalid 1, with 5,800 tons of
smuggled Iraqi fuel oil, caught fire Sept. 8 at N. end of
Persian Gulf, 54 miles W. of Iran & 76 miles from Kuwait -- 
threatened to capsize or sink. Crew adandoneed -- USS Nicholson
DD-982 <<wefeature rescued all 16. Fire dying out Sept. 9. (Sun.
Sept. 9 2001)

119-meter Cambodian-flagged freezer M/V Avior, out of
Vladivostok, Sea of Okhotsk for Pusan with fish, sent up
distress signal Sept. 9 LT when water started pouring into
engine room. Japanese patrol boats rescued 29 crew. (Sat. Sept.
8 2001) UPDATE: Avior sunk Sept. 9)

31,372 Liberian M/T Formosa 01, with 146,600 barrels of diesel
oil, in collision with stationary 22,651 dwt. Vietnamese M/T
Petrolimex 01 while entering an anchorage 1.9 miles off Vung Tau
on Vietnam's S. coast early Sept. 7, causing spill of several
thousand tons of diesel oil-- affected Vung Tau beach & hit
shrimp farms along the coast. Environmental disaster?. (Sept. 8
2001)

WEEEKLY IMB PIRATE REPORTS ___

02 Sept. 2001 at 0142 LT anchored 2 miles NW of Cochin port,
India. Pirates in boats attempted to board tanker. Anti piracy
watch on deck spotted & raised alarm. Perpetrators abandoned
attempt. (Sat. Sept. 8 2001)

Big Day For Casualty Updates >> Structural repairs now complete
at Mississippi drydock, where USS Cole is being rebuilt at an
estimated cost of US$247M >> Russian divers have cut away bow of
the Kursk in preparation for raising. >> 830-ton F/V Ehime Maru
had been lifted 24 feet off ocean floor before steel strap split
late Aug. Sept. 4, for 3rd time in 2 weeks. See our previous
postings for details of these now well known stories. (Thurs.
Sept. 6 2001)

F/V First Adventure caught fire & sank out of Galveston. U.S.
Coast Guard helicopter on training flight rescued crew -- in
stable condition at the University of Texas Medical Branch in
Galveston with severe burns and smoke inhalation. (Thurs. Sept.
6 2001)

For more than half a century, U.S. Navy said boiler to blame for
explosion that sank USS Eagle PE-56 within sight of Maine coast,
killing 49 sailors -- now Navy is rewriting Eagle's record to
reflect what survivors said all along: torpedo from German
submarine sank ship. New evidence presented to Navy Secretary
Gordon England, who in June ruled the sinking due to enemy
attack. Change means those who died or were seriously injured
will get Purple Hearts. Eagle sank April 23, 1945 -- 2 weeks
before Germany surrendered. The 200-foot sub chaser was off
Portland, Maine, when blast broke it apart & sent water 300 feet
into the air. (Wed. Aug. 29 2001)

More Trouble For USS Greenvile >>> Heavy weather as Pearl Harbor-
based fast-attack submarine approached port at Saipan Aug. 28.
New commander, Cmdr. David Bogdan, decided unsafe to enter port,
but as vessel attempted to back out, hull scraped bottom.
Greeneville proceeded Guam after accident -- divers spotted
damage rudder, acoustic tiles along keel & to outboard motor
fairing, piece of navigation equipment. U.S. Navy launched
investigation because believed no reason for accident happening
in 1st regular W. Pacific deployment since repairs following
collision with 499gwt Japanese F/V Ehime Maru 9 miles off Oahu,
Hawaii, on Feb. 9 -- 9 men & boys aboard killed. (correspondent
Fred McCague) FOLLOW OUR REPORTS: MOST RECENT ON AUG. 3 <<
webfeature (Wed. 29 Aug. 2001) UPDATE: Stern of the Japanese
fisheries training ship lifted from Hawaii seabed Aug. 30
afternoon, U.S. Navy said. (Wed. Aug. 30 2001)

San Diego-based amphibious assault ship USS Boxer, bound for
Hawaii, then San Diego, after 6 month deployment in the Pacific &
Arabian Gulf, received distress call 3 a.m. Aug. 26 from
Taiwanese F/V Ji Moon Chun 21. Trawler didn't have life vests &
some of the vessel's 8 crew didn't know how to swim. Boxer
helicopter crews were sent ahead to assess situation -- 
determined that on-deck recovery too risky in heavy rain & rough
seas -- dropped life raft. Boxer launched inflatable with rigid
hull to accommodate rescue -- search-and-rescue swimmer (SAR)
helped successful rescue. (Mon. Aug. 27 2001)

Tall S/V Pride of Baltimore II, Cleveland for Detroit Yacht Club,
ran aground in shallow water 150-200 yards from the Detroit
Yacht Club, Aug. 26. Two tugs worked for 5 hours to free vessel.
(Mon. Aug. 27 2001)

Norwegian-registered cargo M/V Tampa, Fremantle for Singapore,
hijacked near Indonesia to Christmas Island by 369 men, 43
children & 26 women asylum seekers from several Islamic
countries in sinking vessel. On Aug. 25, Tampa received "SOS" &
altered course to rescue asylum seekers. Over past 11 days, more
than 1,500 people, mainly from Afghanistan, Iraq & Iran, have
arrived in Australia -- seeking asylum. Local media reported on
Aug. 21, guards at Woomera in S. Australia on riot alert for 10
days. After rescue from leaking vessel -- 5 asylum seekers
entered Tampa's bridge & forced change in course from Indonesia
to Christmas Island -- 930 miles W. of Australia -- closer to
Indonesia's Java island than to Australia. Refugees refused to
go back to Indonesia -- threatening to jump overboard. The 434
asylum seekers -- most Afghani -- not armed & did not threaten
crew of 27. "This would have turned into a very ugly situation
if we had headed into Indonesian waters," Capt. Arne Rinnan said.
Rinnan said situation settled down once he changed course &
asylum seekers had breakfast of boiled eggs & bread. Men
entering bridge said: "We have left everything behind. The
situation is very bad. We do not want to go to Singapore or
Indonesia. Remember, we have nothing to lose." No Entry >> "It
(Tampa) does not have permission to enter Australian territorial
waters & it will not be given permission to land in Australia,"
Australian Prime Minister John Howard told Aug. 27 news
conference. Tough stance received bipartisan support from
Australia's opposition Labor party. Australia battling growing
numbers of Middle East asylum seekers who reach its vast &
remote NW coast in rickety boats after paying smugglers in
Indonesia. (Sun. Aug. 26 2001) UPDATE: Indonesia, nearest port
of call, & Norway also refuse vessel. (Mon. Aug. 27 2001)

Over 200 armed men -- firing shots into the air -- April 26
seized a Panamanian cargo M/V Jubilee & took captive captain & a
pilot in the Calcutta Port Trust, in West Bengal's South 24-
Parganas district in east India. Men in 2 launches intercepted
Jubilee, 23 crew with 4,482 tons of logs, Rangoon for Calcutta, &
took captives after forcing it to drop anchor. Hijacked ship's
weary captain, Htun Win of Myanmar, taken ashore by armed men,
who set him free after an hour. Circumstances leading to his
freedom not clear. Police now arrested 70 people involved in
hijack and recovered some weapons & explosives. Reason? It
appears they wished to be stevedores for the logs -- demanding
jobs for unloading the vessel. Go figure. (Fri. April 27 2001)

Russian nuclear-powered Victor III Class Submarine towed to port
this month after an apparently "minor accident" in the Barents
Sea, where the Kursk sank last year with the loss of 118 lives.
Submarine had been trailing "smoke or exhaust...It could, for
instance, have been a problem with a diesel generator." said a
spokesman. The Soviet Union continues to disolve -- we need to
be concerned. (Wed. April 25 2001)

Police in east China' Wenzhou city detained cargo M/V Tongning 3
suspected of hit-and-run maritime accident, which caused M/V
Sitong 888, with full load of 900 tons of ceramic tiles, to sink
off Dapeng Gulf near Shenzhen 1:23 a.m. LT on April 18 -- 5 of 7
crew missing. Sitong 888 sank immediately, while Tongning 3 fled.
Border police at Bacao port of Cangnan county spotted Tongning 3
anchored April 21 morning. Crew of Tongning 3 fled after vessel
entered port -- also found obvious evidence of collision on bow.
Log book shows departure ex Daganwei port of Dongguan city,
Guangdong Province -- for Longgang port in Wenzhou city on April
16 -- passing area of Shenzhen on April 18. Tongning 3 ignored
distress calls from Sitong 888 -- & headed north. Indeed, these
guys are rightfully in a spot of trouble. (Tues. April 24 2001)

Container Peril >>> CMA CGM French container M/V Normandie
aground & refloated after hitting reef in Int'l waters in
Singapore Straits. Stricken vessel moved to safer waters to
survey damage & assess seaworthiness but no risk of pollution as
bunker fuel pumped out. A total of 1,150 containers of 1,950
removed by salvors using floating cranes & barges. Remains
unclear what cargo ship was carrying. A 1st batch of containers
sent to Port Tanjung Pelepas in Malaysia, but ship may sail to
CMA CGM regional hub Port Klang to unload remaining containers.
Vessel hit reef with considerable force, leaving the front 3rd
of vessel up on reef & out of the water. Five holds damaged on
grounding. French owners discounted that vessel will be declared
total constructive loss. Industry sources said unlikely the 1991-
built vessel would be written off. (Mon. April 23 2001)

About 110 tons of oil have spilled in English Channel after F/V
St Jacques II in collision with 32,000-ton Maltese tanker M/T
Gudermes at the South Foreland, 1 mile north of Dover, in Kent.
A 20ft by 6ft hole was ripped in the side of Gudermes, Dover for
Africa, with 26,000 tons of oil & 26 crew. (Mon. April 23 2001)

Crew of Greek-registered freighter M/V Makedonia I, for Limassol,
Cyprus with timber, were rescued by M/T Matilda in the eastern
Aegean, 102 NM southeast island of Rhodes on April 23 after they
were forced to abandon ship when it began listing in high winds.
Makedonia I made distress call early April 23. (Mon. April 23
2001)

50,000-ton Indian-registered container M/V Devprayag <<
webfeature- Devprayag named for rivers which form sacred Ganges -- 
aground off the coast of Victoria, Australia. Vessel arrived
from USA, unloaded a cargo of phosphate & anchored offshore on
April 21 night, waiting to load cargo of woodchip, when it
drifted onto sandbank. Incident blamed on heavy storms.
Australian Safety Authority spent April 22 trying to refloat
vessel, but decided, because of vessel's weight & strong local
currents, to send for heavy tugs from Melbourne. Some 40 crew
stranded aboard. Vessel carrying 960 tons of fuel oil, but oil-
spill equipment set up & no pollution reported. (Sun. April 22
2001)

NAVY ANTARTIC RESCUE CONTINUES >>> A rescue team in 2 eight-seat
Twin Otter planes took off at 1st light April 21 from Punta
Arenas, Chile's southernmost city 2,240 miles S. of the capital
of Santiago, en route to a British base on Antarctica. The team
has landed at Rothera base on Adelaide Island in Antarctica &
plans to head to the South Pole April 22 in the face of high
winds & near-total darkness on risky effort to evacuate ailing
American doctor working at the end of the world. Ronald S.
Shemenski, 59, is the only physician among 50 researchers
working at the Amundsen Scott-South Pole station in Antarctica.
He recently suffered a gall bladder attack & is diagnosed with
the potentially life-threatening condition known as pancreatitis.
On April 22, after changing landing gear to skis, one of the
Twin Otter will begin a daring 10-hour flight to the ice-covered &
wind-swept South Pole. The planes are outfitted with skis -- 
said only planes capable of reaching the Pole this time of year,
when approach of winter heralds continual darkness & freezing
temperatures of -103 degrees Fahrenheit. Larger cargo planes
used to fly in heavier payloads risk developing problems with
their hydraulic control systems in the deep subfreezing
conditions. SEE April 13. (Sat. April 21 2001)

A Russian plane opened fire April 19 on a South Korean trawler
that tried to escape after it was caught fishing off Russia's
Pacific coast. Russian coastguard discovered a total of 6 South
Korean trawlers fishing in the Okhotsk sea, near the Kurile
islands, & 3 of them sought to make a getaway instead of
submitting to an inspection of their cargo. Coastguard vessels
intercepted 2 of the trawlers without incident but a Russian
plane was "forced" to open fire on the 3rd before it surrendered
to inspection. (Fri. April 20 2001)

NAVY ANTARTIC RESCUE >>> Dr. Ronald S. Shemenski, 59, only
physician at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station in Antarctica,
recently passed gallstone & has the potentially life-threatening
condition known as pancreatitis. U.S. Navy preparing April 13
for daring mission to land ski-equipped LC-130 Hercules <<
webfeature, from Office of Polar Programs <<webfeature, cargo
plane at the bottom of the Earth to pick up the doctor.
Temperatures remain far too low for rescue, but are expected to
climb next week. If so, mission could go forward. This is 2nd
time in recent years that the South Pole station's lone
physician has developed serious illness. Oct. 1999, Dr. Jerri
Nielsen successfully evacuated after breast tumor was diagnosed
as cancerous. (Fri. April 13 2001)

UPDATES for the siezure of the U.S. Navy U.S. Navy EP-3E Aries
II <<webfeature, are just below, by date -- CRISIS ENDS! CREW
HOME ABOARD "SPRIIT OF BOB HOPE"! - Click Here. (Thurs. April 12
2001)

A spark from a paint gun on April 3 touched off a fire that
damaged 910-foot World War II era aircraft carrier USS Lexington
(CV-16) -- "The Blue Ghost", now a floating museum at Corpus
Christi Bay. Blaze burned so hot that it warped metal plates as
it raced through a section of the superstructure. Lexington,
commissioned 1943, was struck twice during World War II, once by
a Japanese torpedo & another by a kamikaze plane. Lexington
remained on active duty until 1991 when decommissioned & turned
over in 1992 to Corpus Christi. Used last year for filming of
the yet-to-be released block buster movie "Pearl Harbor." Damage
to Lexington's internal bridge area is extensive with buckled
deck plates. The area was scheduled to open to the public in 5
days time after an extensive overhaul. SEE photo of the minor
external damage <<webfeature. USS Lexington <<webfeature.
History of USS Lexington <<webfeature. (contributions from our
Fred McCague) (Wed. April 4 2001)

Libyan-registered freighter M/V Sabinez, with logs, Romania for
Sudan, sank in the Black Sea, 2 KM (1.2 miles) off the coast of
Kirklareli, NW Turkey. All 13 crew rescued. Vessel sank when
cargo shifted. (Wed. April 4 2001)

The 360 ft. Los Angeles-class submarine USS Greeneville left dry
dock Pearl Harbor on April 3, for 1st time since it collided
with & sank the 180-foot Japanese F/V Ehime Maru Feb. 9, with 9
of vessel's crew missing & presumed dead. Greeneville to be
commanded by new skipper following over US$2M in repairs to
rudder & rubber skin. Crew still includes XO Lt. Cmdr. Gerald
Pfeifer & Lt. j.g. Michael Coen -- both still face possible
courts-martial in connection with collision. (Tues. April 3 2001)

British M/V Bart 10 directed home from the Canadian port of
Quebec City April 3 with cargo only partially unloaded due to
fears of hoof-and-mouth disease. Bart 10 carrying military
equipment for 5,000 British soldiers on training exercises at
Suffield army base in the W. province of Alberta. Some equipment
unloaded but food inspectors said the presence of mud on some
military vehicles sufficient reason to fear contamination by
hoof-and-mouth disease, which is causing devastation of
livestock herds in Britain. The ship with crew of 25 stuck at
Quebec City since Mar. 27. NOTE: "Foot-and-Mouth" is the proper
American term. (Tues. April 3 2001)

The 92-foot F/V Arctic Rose with 15 crew disappeared in the
Bering Sea early April 2. Two bodies were later spotted in the
area, the U.S. Coast Guard said. Emergency Position Indication
Radio Beacon (EPIRB) from Arctic Rose began signaling at 3:30 a.
m. LT, about 200 miles NW of St. Paul Island. Coast Guard C-130
launched to search, arriving at 8:30 a.m. LT. Bodies, oily sheen,
an empty life raft, survival suits & other debris sighted. 20-
to 25-foot seas & 40 knot winds in the search area, about 775
miles SW of Anchorage. Not uncommon for fishing boats like
Arctic Rose to work in rough seas. No distress signal before the
locator beacon signaled. Sister ship F/V Alaskan Rose reported
to Coast Guard Command Center at Juneau that they last spoke
with Arctic Rose at about 10:30 p.m. LT. Coast Guard Cutter
USCGC Boutwell <<webfeature, (WHEC-719), based in Alameda, CA. &
the icebreaker USCGC Polar Star <<webfeature (WABG-10), home-
ported in Seattle, en route; expected on station about 12 hours.
Coast Guard Cutter USCGC Storis <<webfeature (WMEC-38) conducted
routine law enforcement & safety boarding on Arctic Rose Feb. 25.
Found no violations. Current on scene weather reported as 25
mile-an-hour winds & 6 to 8-foot seas. (contributions to us from
Fred McCague, Marine Digest) (Mon. April 2 2001 - 10 p.m. LAX LT)

APRIL 11 UPDATE >>> They're free ! Crew, called the "detainees,"
are returned via Guam to Hawaii today aboard U.S. Air Force C-17
Golbemaster III <<webfeature, appropriately named "The Spirit of
Bob Hope." Return of E-3 aircraft another question to be decided.
Situation was in its 2nd week. Crew received E-mail from home on
April 7. U.S. & China continued working on a joint letter
designed to describe the incident in a manner acceptable to both
sides -- this letter drating exercise is what ended the crisis.
China had demanded apology -- but all experts agree that slow U.
S. plane was not the cause of collison with jet fighter & no
reason for apology. Chinese propaganda machine had rolled on -
shades of the Cold War.

Details of U.S. Apology - as best we can determine the official
mood in Washington, D.C. [END OF SPECIAL REPORT.] SEE PREVIOUS
UPDATE below. (LAX - 9 a.m. LT - Wed. April 11 2001) FEATURE >>>
Was the U.S. searching for some new type of Chinese military
threat? Read the Asia Times story.

"Based on Chinese law, and In'tl practice, we have the right to
conduct an investigation," said Zhu Bangzao, spokesman of China'
s Foreign Ministry. Appearing to mock the American claim that
the plane is protected by Int'l law from outside observance
without its permission -- Zhu smiled & told the reporters: "If
this plane is sovereign American territory, how did it land in
China?" These actions of a nation which seeks entry to the World
Trade Organization are disappointing, but we remain dedicated to
the brave men & women of the United States Navy.


ALERT >>> At 9:15 a.m. Chinese time (0115 GMT) a U.S. Navy EP-3E
Aries II <<webfeature, maritime patrol aircraft of the VQ-1
Squadron was in collision with a fighter aircraft of People's
Republic of China . The incident caused sufficient damage for
the U.S. plane to issue a 'mayday' signal & divert for an
emergency landing at a military airfield at Lingshui on the
southern end of Hainan. One of 2 Chinese F-8 <<webfeature,
fighters on an interception mission crashed & it's pilot is
reported missing. The U.S. Pacific Command in Hawaii said the EP-
3 landed on the island province of Hainan after it was
intercepted by two Chinese fighters. There were no reports of
injuries among the 24 U.S. crew aboard (22 Navy, 1 Marine & 1
Air Force). The plane is attached to the VQ-1 detachment at U.S.
Naval Air Facility, Misawa <<webfeature, about 350 miles north
of Tokyo, Japan. The plane was flying out of the Kadena U.S. Air
Force Base on Okinawa. The EP-3E Aries II <<webfeature, an
upgraded version of the Aries I using modified P-3C airframe. A
provincial government official on the island of Hainan confirmed
a U.S. plane had landed on the island, but declined to give
further details. What's Next? Kadena Air Base <<webfeature. VQ-1
Fleet Air Recconnaissance Squadron One <<webfeature - The "World
Watchers" of VQ-1 which provides electronic reconnaissance from
the east coast of Africa to the west coast of the United States.
(Alternate VQ-1 Squadron <<webfeature) (Sun. April 1 2001)

Back To Year 2001 Reports A flotilla of rescue boats rushed to
the mouth of Halifax Harbor Mar. 23 night to assist Japanese
container M/V Kitano, New York for Halifax, with 22 people on
board fighting a dangerous chemical fire. Kitano was 27 km south
of the city Mar. 22, when crew members spotted smoke coming from
one of the containers lashed to its deck. The fire, involving
highly combustible camphene wax, spread to 3 other containers as
the dripping wax melted then re-ignited as it spread. Coast
guard ships, military aircraft & 2 warships with firefighters
aboard were dispatched. By 9 p.m., the ship was within sight of
Chebucto Head but 5 meter seas, strong winds & freezing rain
made the firefighting effort extremely difficult. Options such
as dropping the burning containers off the ship were deemed too
hazardous. A decision will be made today on how to get the
firefighters aboard the vessel. >>> SEE Thus. Mar. 22 2001 (Sat.
Mar. 24 2001)

The BP Amoco M/T British Valour, with 300,000 tons of crude oil,
Norway for Freeport, Texas remains stranded off Bermuda after an
engine room explosion Mar. 18. >>> SEE Mar. 19, below. UPDATE:
Rescue tug delayed by weather -- expected on station late
evening today. (Fri. Mar. 23 2001)


RECOVERY >>> The Philippine coastguard has detained a ship
suspected of being hijacked by pirates in Indonesian waters &
repainted to make it look like another vessel. The ship was
believed to be the 1,170-ton Indonesian M/V Inabukwa which
Indonesian authorities reported to have been taken by armed
pirates on March 15. The pirates later left MV Inabukwa's 22-man
all-Indonesian crew on a deserted island off Indonesia called
Pulau Sayap. On Mar. 25, the coastguard intercepted a ship
marked "M/V Chugsin" off the northern Philippine province of
Ilocos Sur and "discovered" that the marking 'M/V Chugsin' was
marely painted over the welded name 'M/V Inabukwa', the latter
painted black to match the color of the hull. Seven people
aboard the ship failed to present "pertinent vessel documents"
and have been detained. Inabukwa was bound for Singapore with
tin ingots slag when it was hijacked in Indonesia,.The
coastguard said it was seeking authority from the Indonesian
embassy in Manila to open the vessel's cargo hold. SEE OUR
REPORT OF Tues. Mar. 20 2001. (Mon. Mar. 26 2001)

Deorbit of Russian Space Station Mir In South Pacific: It is
reported that as many as 40 vessels were in the general splash
area of several thousand square Sout Pacific miles. As of 2000
Los Angeles LT there have been no reports of either incident or
damage. All but four of multiple tuna fishing vessels in the
area had reported in as this morning & there are no reports of
damage. (Fri. Mar. 23 2001)

The 22-member crew of 288-meter Japanese container M/V Kitano's
crew, ex-New York, battled fire early Mar. 22 morning off Canada'
s east coast as rough sea conditions delayed assistance. Kitano
notified Canadian Coast Guard one container was afire Mar. 22 at
approximately 4:30 p.m. Halifax time (2030 GMT). Helicopter on
scene shortly but harsh weather forced return. Fire reached 3
additional containers containing machinery but crew managed to
extinguish 2 of them. 5-meter swells & 45-knot wind conditions
eliminated chance of fire crews boarding vessel. Ship is
anchored off Chebucto Head, 20 km (12.4 miles) south of Halifax,
while 2 coastguard vessels stand by. Some of the containers on
the vessel are believed to be holding camphene wax, a highly
combustible substance which emits toxic odor when burned. No
reports of injuries. (Thus. Mar. 22 2001)

World's largest offshore oil rig has reportedly stopped sinking
4 days after massive blasts rocked the structure that killed 10
people on Mar. 15. Brazilian owners of the US$700M rig,
Petrobras, say the steeply listing 40-story platform is stable
despite sinking more than 4 meters after the explosions
threatened to send the rig to the ocean floor. Petrobras stepped
up efforts this weekend to save the rig, flying in American and
Dutch experts and 50-tons of European equipment to keep the deep-
sea platform afloat and prevent an oil spill. See our March 15
report, below. (Sun. Mar. 18 2001) March 20 UPDATE: The
Petrobras sank in heavy seas today. (Tues. March 20 2001)

The Syrian-registered 2,218 gt cargo M/V Qula Queen, Russia for
Syria with timber, sank 60 miles off the port of Sinop on Turkey'
s northern Black Sea coast at 0400 GMT on Mar. 16 & 3 crew
members are missing. Eight of 11 crew members were rescued &
coastguards were searching for missing. (Fri. Mar. 16 2001)

The M/V Pamela Dream, with lumber, sank about 28 miles east of
Wuchiu Island, which is held by Taiwan, although it is just a
few miles from the coast of Fujian province in China. on March 8,
with 3 Russian crew dead & 4 missing. Government-owned Radio
Hong Kong & Russia's ITAR-Tass news agency says 3 died when the
vessel sank. ITAR-Tass said 4 other sailors had gone missing but
some were rescued. A Hong Kong government spokeswoman confirmed
that trouble was reported by Pamela Dream during the afternoon &
another vessel bound for Hong Kong, M/V Prosperity No. 8, had
rescued one seaman. Government-run Radio Hong Kong says a cruise
ship bound for Hong Kong (M/V Aurora ?) was among the vessels
rescuing the sailors. (Thurs. Mar. 8 2001) >>> SEE FOLLOWING
POST (Fri. Mar 9 2001 -- Confirmed that vessel was M/V Pamela
Dream)

At least 10 seamen were have been rescued after an unidentified
Cambodian log carrier sank in the Taiwan Straits on March 8.
Survivors are being transferred to Hong Kong in a number of
vessels that took part in the rescue. Three were recued by
passenger M/V Aurora, currently on her maiden voyage around the
world. >>> Indeed, a rudder problem for M/V Aurora appears to
have been caused by striking submerged debris from the sunken
vessel -- which in turn slowed the cruise ship to the point
where it was in a position to notice the floating survivors.
Otherwise, M/V Aurora would have just steamed forward to Hong
Kong without notice of the problem.

Both God & the sea work in strange ways

Maltese freighter M/V Kristal, India for Rotterdam with molasses &
a crew of 35, broke in two and sank Feb. 27 off northwest Spain,
leaving 3 sailors dead & 8 missing. Other crew were rescued by
teams working from helicopters & ships, although 3 were
hospitalized in serious condition in the city of La Coruna with
hypothermia. Two crew were found dead in the water. (Wed. Feb.
28 2001)

>>>The Pakistan navy is planning to equip its submarines with
nuclear missiles for "defense purposes", as reported Feb. 22,
quoting a senior navy officer.

Russian coast guards on Feb. 22 fired on & sank the Russian
trawler F/V Albatros-101 while trying to flee from them for 23
hours off Russia's southern Kuril Islands. All 28 sailors were
safely rescued. Two patrol ships & a plane chased the vessel,
which refused the to answer the coast guards by radio. On Feb.
21, a plane pursuing fired 3 shots across the bow of another
trawler, but the ship proceeded into Japanese territorial waters,
where it surrendered to Japanese authorities. (Thurs. Feb. 22
2001)

An Israeli Air Force helicopter Feb. 21 night rescued entire
crew of Ukrainian cargo M/V Vladimir Vinto, in ballast for
Ashdod to load fruit, drifting in rough seas off Israeli
Mediterranean port of Ashdod. All 12 crew winched into Sikorski
CH-53 helicopter. Vladimir Vinto was later blown ashore on a
beach, south of Ashdod. The rescue was carried out by an
Isralaeli air force commando unit which specializes in rescuing
AF pilots. (Thurs. Feb. 22 2001)

A crewman was killed & one went missing when a thus far
unidentified cargo M/V exploded at sea near Shanghai, 0:45 LT,
Feb. 20 morning. The blast occurred in the engine room of the
500-ton vessel, belonging to a shipping company in Fujian
Province. There were 9 aboard at that time. The cause of the
explosion is still being investigated. (Wed. Feb. 21 2001)

A helicopter rolled over onto its side after landing aboard
USCGC Campbell, a 270-foot cutter from New Bedford, Mass.,
injuring 8 people. Campbell was conducting flight operations off
Honduras with an HH-65 Dolphin helicopter when the accident
occurred Jan. 30 evening. The helicopter was from the Coast
Guard Air Station Houston. A large wave hit the ship just after
the helicopter landed, causing the helicopter to tip & strike
the flight deck with its rotor blades. (Tues. Jan. 30 2001)

Two foundering fishing vessels were rescued off opposite ends of
Mass. Jan. 28 by U.S. Coast Guard. The most imperiled were 5
crew aboard New Bedford's F/V Lucky 80 NM south of Martha's
Vineyard, which shortly after midnight began taking on water in
its engine room & stalled near a major traffic lane for large
ships. Coast Guard launched an HU-25 Falcon jet to assist the
210-foot cutter USCGC Reliance, which was patrolling near the
Lucky. The fishing crew located the hole in their boat about 6:
50 a.m. & patched the damage. But as they were limping home to
New Bedford, the boat re-sprung its leak. The crew pushed on
toward port aided by a pump the Coast Guard provided. At 1:45 a.
m. Jan. 28, the 270-foot cutter USCGC Spencer took the 45-foot F/
V Lady Shannon in tow after that F/V's screw broke down 80 NM
southeast of Gloucester. (Tues. Jan. 30 2001)

The 88-meter (290-feet) Barbados-registered M/V Holly Trader,
Tunisia for London with fertilizer, sank off the Portuguese
coast Jan. 29 after taking on water in its engine room in heavy
seas. Holly Trader's crew of 5 Ukrainians & one Russian was
rescued by a merchant ship late Jan. 28 about 80 km (50 miles)
southwest of Lisbon. Waves were up to 7 meters (23 feet) high at
the time. (Tues. Jan. 30 2001)

Coastguards recovered 22 corpses off Ukraine on Jan. 28 after M/
V Pamyat Mercuria (1,200 gwt), Istanbul for Yevpatoria port in
Ukraine's Crimea sank on Jan. 27 evening. A life raft from
Pamyat Mercuria had been found off Ukraine's coast in the Black
Sea. Six people survived, including the captain. The ship had
been ferrying 51 people, including crew. The ship was formerly
used for surveying but had been converted into a ferry for
traders shuttling between Istanbul & Crimea. The bodies
werefound off the southernmost tip of Crimea. (Sun. Jan. 28 2001)

The Panamanian 663 ft. freighter M/V Friendly Ocean with 50,000
tons of potash, Ventspils, Latvia for China, ran aground in a
narrow shipping area between the coast of Germany & Denmark Jan.
27, but has not posed an environmental danger. (Sat. Jan. 27
2001)

The Georgian registered cargo M/V Al Hufoof 1, UAE on Sept. 2
for Massawa, Eritrea, with a cargo 3,241 tons of wheat flour &
sugar apparently stolen by its own crew after leaving Sharjah in
Sept. -- has been recovered in Vietnam. The M/V Hong Heing,
purported to be registered in Honduras, was boarded by the port
authorities in Ho Chi Minh City last month following an alert
from the Int'l Maritime Bureau (IMB) Piracy Reporting Center in
Kuala Lumpur. Confirmed that the vessel is the missing Al Hufoof
1. It has also been confirmed that the crew that brought the
ship into Ho Chi Minh was the same as those onboard when it left
Sharjah in Sept. The IMB warns all owners that they should
conduct detailed background checks into the certification &
history of crew members, particularly senior officers, before
employing them. (Fri. Jan. 26 2001)

An undersea explorer team has discovered what is believed to be
the wrecks of 2 pirate ships, including Capt. Kidd's S/V
Adventure Galley, near an island off the coast of Madagascar in
the Indian Ocean. The 2nd ship is believed to be Capt. Billy One-
Hand's S/V Fiery Dragon. The ships were found in shallow water
within 50 feet of each other in a sandy graveyard at Ile Ste.
Marie, known in the 17th and 18th centuries as a haven for
pirates. The team of explorers was from the Discovery Channel
were led to the island by old English & French Admiralty charts,
and have made 3 expeditions to the site. (Fri. Jan. 19 2001)

Dutch M/V MISSISSIPPIBORG (6,540 gt, built 2000), bound Brevik,
was reported adrift in lat 57 47N, long 08 39E, Jan 18 following
a fire in her engine room. Vessel awaiting arrival of a tug.
(Fri. Jan. 19 2001)

The South Korean Navy rescued all 77 people aboard 396gt South
Korean ferry M/V Democracy 2 that caught fire & sank off the
northwestern coast. A fire started in the engine room early in
the morning while it was carrying passengers between two islands
off the western coast. Sixty-nine passengers & 8 crew were
rescued by two patrol boats. (Thurs. Jan. 18 2001)

Crippled Iranian bulk carrier M/V Iran Ghafari (25,000 gt) with
coal was towed into Cape Town harbor on Jan. 11 morning after it
broke down off the South African coast. The ship from Richard's
Bay on the east coast for South America, broke down 500 NM
northwest of Cape Town. Bolts on her prop-shaft sheered off &
the engines had to be shut down. (Fri. Jan 12 2001)

Greek bulk carrier/container vessel M/V DORA (19,968 gt, built
1978), Venezuala for Russia fully laden with 25,200 tons of
alumina grounded at Km 36.5, River Orinoco. The local salvage
master arrived on scene with 2 tugs. Attempts to refloat were
made at high water. According to the owners, no damage was
sustained. The vessel was refloated. (Thurs. Jan. 11 2001)

Both God & the sea work in strange ways


=========================================

Bayarea.com - The Bay Area's Home Page

... Bush leads America through Sept. 11 anniversary. One year
after America's day of horror, President Bush visited ... oil
may never be removed Golden Gate shipwreck - 11:34 AM PDT ...
http://www.contracostatimes.com/svtech/news/special/wealth/d...

  Sept-Journal
... they are just the sweetest cats out there....and we plan to
all go to Shipwreck next month! ... care and be careful! Peace!!!
Sept. 22nd 2001. 11:50pm. hey gang! ...
http://www.geocities.com/lor4u2luv/Sept-Journal.html

Hampshire and Dorset Shipwrecks
... SHIPWRECK SITE NAVIGATION (dropdown menu). STORY 12:
Foundered off Portland - Sept 11 ...
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/pernod/12.html

44.  Travel Guide
... to 5 p.m. through Sept. 11; then weekends only through Oct.
3. ... to visit SeaWorld and its first adventure ride, Shipwreck
Rapids. Although not a traditional water park, this ...
http://www.vvdailypress.com/travel/wet


==========================================

http://www.eraoftheclipperships.com/page20web3.html

The Witch of the Wave

Following an inspection of the ship by Ephraim F. Miller,
Collector of the Port of Salem, he offered up a toast:

Success to the newest and youngest of the Salem Witches. She,
perhaps, includes in her composition an equal amount of craft
with her unfortunate predecessors. Had they possessed a
proportional share of her beauty, we are confident that the
sternest tribunal before which any of them were arraigned would
never have had the heart to subject a single one to the trial to
which their successor is designed, the 'Trial by Water.'


At eleven o'clock on May 2nd, all was ready and the Witch of the
Wave, with colors flying, was towed down the river while the
Boston Cadet Band played "The Star Spangled Banner," as the
crowds that thronged along the waterfront wharves and shipyards
cheered on

Later on in May, the Witch sailed to Boston and began loading
1900 tons of mixed cargo for San Francisco. The Witch cleared
Boston on May 20, 1851, and was off on her maiden voyage, to
chase after the Southern Cross that had left Boston the day
before, so heavily loaded down with cargo that she barely seemed
afloat. Still, she made it through the Golden Gate in 123 days
and was the rare exception that year for she was not dismasted
over the voyage

The Witch of the Wave had been received into East India dock
from Canton, having made one of the most rapid voyages on record
and brought one of the most valuable cargoes of tea that has
ever entered London-19,000 chests of the first quality. She was
built at Salem, near the port of New York, last year

The Southern Cross, 938-tons, was a medium clipper ship that had
both sharp clipper and New York packet characteristics. Her
figurehead was a gilded eagle of the wing. Seven days out of
Boston on her maiden voyage under the command of Captain Stevens,
she ran into a squall and lost all three topgallant masts. She
ran into similar misfortune off the Platte during a raging
pampero that lasted for nearly two days and sailed all the way
around the Horn without topgallant sails. The Southern Cross
arrived at San Francisco on September 22, 1851, after 136 days
at sea.

The Eureka sailed from New York around the same time as the
Witch and the Southern Cross sailed from Boston. The Eureka
appeared to be a very sharp ship, but proved to be a slow sailer
and did not live up to her owners expectations. She was battered
by westerly winds while rounding Cape Horn on her maiden voyage
and was forced to put into Valparaiso for repairs, and stayed at
that port for 45 days. She reached San Francisco after 129
sailing days.



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http://classiclit.about.com/library/bl-etexts/hcorson/bl-hcorson-
intro-poems.htm

All that I know
Of a certain star
Is, it can throw
(Like the angled spar)
Now a dart of red,
Now a dart of blue;
Till my friends have said
They would fain see, too,
My star that dartles the red and the blue!
Then it stops like a bird; like a flower, hangs furled:

You're my friend --
What a thing friendship is, world without end!
How it gives the heart and soul a stir-up
As if somebody broached you a glorious runlet,
And poured out, all lovelily, sparklingly, sunlit,
Our green Moldavia, the streaky syrup,
Cotnar as old as the time of the Druids --
Friendship may match with that monarch of fluids;
Each supples a dry brain, fills you its ins-and-outs,
Gives your life's hour-glass a shake when the thin sand doubts

And at last, as its haven some buffeted ship sees
(Come all the way from the north-parts with sperm oil),
I hope to get safely out of the turmoil
And arrive one day at the land of the gypsies,
And find my lady, or hear the last news of her
>>From some old thief and son of Lucifer, [890]

Whereat all stopped save one, a witch
That I knew, as she hobbled from the group,
By her gait directly and her stoop,

To let that same witch tell us our fortune.
As under its nose the old witch peered up
With her worn-out eyes, or rather eye-holes,
Of no use now but to gather brine,

The little lady your Queen befriended?"

To a world where will be no further throwing
Pearls before swine that can't value them. Amen!

To learn what was decorous and lawful;
And the mother smelt blood with a cat-like instinct,
As her cheek quick whitened through all its quince-tinct.
Oh, but the lady heard the whole truth at once!
What meant she? -- Who was she? -- Her duty and station,
The wisdom of age and the folly of youth, at once,
Its decent regard and its fitting relation --
In brief, my friends, set all the devils in hell free
And turn them out to carouse in a belfry
And treat the priests to a fifty-part canon,
And then you may guess how that tongue of hers ran on!


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