I have been interested in the history of the Confederate submarine the Hunley. it was the first submarine to sink an enemy ship. It rammed an explosive on the end of a long spar into the USS Housatonic sinking it. The Hunley was lost after the attack and recovered in 2000. Nobody knew what caused the sub to be lost. Now it appears that the blast killed the crew also. Above is a link to a recent video with evidence for the claim. a.s.
gcaptain.com/top-10-reasons-why-the-us-merchant-marine-is-failing/
read this interesting article by gcaptain’s john konrad
On the upcoming Boattalk June 12 we will be talking about many things and probably won’t have time to talk about restoring old boats. It is a visual thing anyway, so here is a good one.  www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/document.do?docId=1217&campaign=email060718&trk_msg=978I571JCLBKD22GNPTMKQUBQ4&trk_contact=1NSMMGLNAADV7B0NIF5LJ2HDNS&trk_sid=S7TUFBR0335K84FMPLUVRTHN8S&espm=9C22D149653346578850BE7B6A6BCBD1&espc=426BF90D52B7F39BAC1793CB598A2DBF&utm_source=listrak&utm_medium=email&utm_term=Main+Read+More+Button&utm_campaign=Weekly+Feature+-+April+2018&utm_content=Classic+Boat+Article#.WxlI-nBjHuk.email
The annual Boattalk Cruise wil happen on Saturday June 23 this year. We ship-out on the Sea Princess leaving the Northeast Harbor Town Dock at 6:15 pm returning about 8:30 pm. Many thanks to Bar Harbor Cruises for again donating the Sea Princess barharborcruises.com  We will check-out the boats in Northeast and Southwest Harbors plus Hinckleys, Jock William’s, Abel’s, and Mt. Desert Yacht Yards. And all the natural beauty that is Somes Sound: Man-o-war brook made before the days of bottled water, the mountain that was donated by Rev. Smith and his wife, probably see eagles, peregrines, osprey, seals, and dying red pines.  Adding to the excitement is the pot-luck dining. We put finger food on the engine box to share and probably exchange recipes. It is BYOB and don’t forget to bring your binoculars and camera too. Tickets are just $20 per person with children under 12 free. Call WERU during regular business hours at 469-6600 to purchase your tickets. Tickets go on sale Monday June 4th. The cruise usually sells out, so it is best to buy your tickets early. The boat is fully covered and we go rain or shine. It’s a real sound venture.
Just out, here is an “uptown” version of the final report on the El Faro sinking. Sixteen pages, it’s not that short. a.s.el faro sinking short report
It’s a long article, but goes in depth (couldn’t resist) to the many facets of a complex situation.
www.vanityfair.com/news/2018/04/inside-el-faro-the-worst-us-maritime-disaster-in-decades
Hurricanes Irma and Marie both hit St. John USVI as category 5 storms last fall. An eye witness account from a survivor in Hurricane Hole said there must have been a hundred boats tied/anchored/moored in Hurricane Hole before Hurricane Maria hit. After the the storm there were six still on their anchors. These pictures were taken in March 2018 after many boats had been salvaged.
Most insurance policies don’t cover wind damage anywhere south of Virginia. Lots of sad stories. Additional comments welcome and will be added. a.s.
The Father’s Day Boattalk Cruise is a go inspite of the weather. The boat is fully covered and quite stable. Besides, my wife made some incredible, superedible, mini-whoopie pies with chocolate chip cookies and very tasty cinnamon chocolate filling. Rain won’t dampen our appetites. Seas the day.
This is the tanker mentioned by David Irvin in the Panama Canal. This and several other good stories of sailing from Maine to New Zealand.
Mission launched to Save Somes Sound
Often referred to as “America’s only East Coast Fiord,†Somes Sound was declassified from fiord to fiard by the Maine Geological Survey in November 1998. Historically called a fiord, Somes Sound seemed doomed to go the way of the former planet Pluto, until the Boattalk Guys from WERU-fm, the local community radio station, decided to attempt to rescue the situation. A mission to preserve the historical classification of Somes Sound will be launched on board Diver Ed’s boat, the “Starfish Enterprise,†on September 14th at 1:30 pm.
WERU’s Alan Sprague says, “The geologists say that Somes Sound does not have any anoxic sediment, which is a criteria for a true fiord. Anoxic sediments contain little to no oxygen and are found in what most people call dead zones.†Sprague continued, “So we’re going to fix that. On September 14th we’re going to drop overboard a granite plaque inscribed with ‘Long live the Grateful Dead,’ thereby creating a “Dead Zone†on the bottom of Somes Sound.â€
To raise funds, the plaque to be placed at the bottom of Somes Sound will have the names of “Bottom Liners†etched into it also. Bottom Liners are individuals or organizations who, for a fifty dollar donation, will have their name engraved on the stone and receive a certificate verifying their participation in creating the dead zone and preserving history, along with Somes Sound’s respect. Spectator seating will be available for twenty dollars each to witness the dropping of the plaque from the Starfish Enterprise. Called the “2014 Boattalk Save Our Sound Cruise,†it will leave at 1:30 Sunday Afternoon September 14th from the Northeast Harbor Town Dock for a two hour Cruise on the fantastic Starfish Enterprise.
The creation of a “Dead Zone†in Somes Sound should reinstate the sound to “Fiord†category and save the description “Only Fiord in the Lower Forty-Eight States.†Persons or organizations wishing to become a “Bottom Liner of the Dead Zone Project†by having their name engraved on the stone plaque, will receive a Certificate of Recognition that their name is part of the Dead Zone Creation and a photograph of the stone. Maximum number of letters per name is twenty. Bottom Liner membership is $50 and sign-up ends September 10, 4:00pm. Bottom Liners do not need to be on the cruise. Cruise seating is twenty dollars, with children under 12 free, accompanied by an adult. Tickets may be had by calling WERU during regular business hours at 469-6600.
All people on board will not only have a boat ride up beautiful Somes Sound, but also be witnesses to the tossing of the plaque into fiord preservation history. The media will be on board to record the event, as will an official representative of the Mount Desert Historical Society to document the historical occasion. The Starfish Enterprise is handicapped accessible, but we need to know in advance. Bottom Liners can sign-up, and tickets are available by calling WERU during regular business hours at 207 469-6600. WERU and the Mount Desert Historical Society are non-profit organizations. Diver Ed has donated his boat for this event and Freshwater Stone of Orland has donated the plaque and engraving. People, groups, and businesses who become Bottom Liners should consider it a sound investment.
