The U.S. Coast Guard, as a public service to holiday gift shoppers has announced its recommended USCG Approved gifts for 12 nautical days of Christmas... and while they forgot to mention the new tools & toys in the gCaptain store... there are lots of important items on the list. "Nothing says 'I love you' to a mariner like the gift of a marine GPS navigation, a Coast Guard … [Read more...]
What is Seasickness? And 50 Ways Professional Mariners Tackle It!
What is the definition of misery? Answer: Seasickness One of the first questions I get asked when a landlubber finds out I work at sea is, "Do you get seasick?" In truth I have, just once. I was cooking lasagna in the galley of a 37 foot sailboat racing upwind in 20 foot swells when the kerosene lamp broke. Taken separately, the confined space, heavy … [Read more...]
3D Printing Aboard Ships? How One Technology Is Changing the Future.
Will 3D Printing Change The World As We Know It? by Brad Hart Imagine you're steaming across the Pacific Ocean on a container ship on a great circle course to the San Francisco sea buoy. The sea is confused and you've run the ship's slow speed diesel engine hard to meet your ETA. The vibration reverberating through the hull gently trembling you to sleep when, … [Read more...]
WATCH Ten Things I Have Learned About The Sea [VIDEO]
This video, shot by Lorenzo Fonda and titled "ten things I have learned about the sea", shows footage he shot while on the vessel "Portland Senator" en route from Lost Angeles to Shanghai, and is captioned with 10 things he learned about the sea while on the voyage. The video is beautifully done (be sure to get the HD on and go Full Screen) with cinematography reminiscent of … [Read more...]
Ship of The Week – Space Ships – NASA’s (former) Space Rocket Booster Recovery Ship M/V Liberty Star
Photo courtesy NASA Note: This week's interesting ships are reposted and updated from gCaptain's archives. When one thinks of a NASA ship, it's generally not the seagoing type that pops into ones head. However, NASA does in fact have two vessels made for the high seas - MV Liberty Star and the MV Freedom Star - that assist with a shuttle launch. Both vessels are tasked … [Read more...]