Cruise Ships still popular?
It is perhaps the fate of the Titanic that has made the cruise ship popular, travelling in luxury more today holidaying in a self-contained environment? Cruising is a growing market that is popular world-wide despite accidents and losses and more new ships are coming on line for western operations!
But many other nations also operate their own versions, not all as big as these new queens but just as comfortable and suited for their own clientele? River and canal boats, along with great lakes are just as popular, some people want the peace and tranquillity while other want the fun, musicals and the casinos that mark these holiday vessels for what they are!
Adventures, despite the many incidents remains very attractive, Antarctica, volcanoes, sea-life and on-off shore short trips are all popular with all age groups! The vessels themselves are usually kept to a high standard and staff try their best to deal with difficult people?
The future will see the introduction of electrical powered vessels and one doubts that the cruise ships of today will be replaced by space flight for some time still to come?
Showing posts with label Seas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Seas. Show all posts
Tuesday, 17 December 2019
Wednesday, 5 September 2018
Cruising Along?
For how Long!
One wonders in the next one-hundred years, if space tourism will replace ships, sails and canal boats or will they just be as popular as ever? Space is enticing, but flying is not for everyone and we should not try to force things like this on people just let them be!
Cruising is popular because today ships are built as floating islands with nearly everything one would want and not need to make land fall, but they do and this to keep the tourists happy with and excursion while the ship is replenished with fresh food and fuel where needs be?
On the other hand river cruising and canal boats are more slower and have a rich historical and nature interest with them for a more gentle pace of life! Sailing will always be popular because of the challenges of keeping control of the weather and environment?
One wonders in the next one-hundred years, if space tourism will replace ships, sails and canal boats or will they just be as popular as ever? Space is enticing, but flying is not for everyone and we should not try to force things like this on people just let them be!
Cruising is popular because today ships are built as floating islands with nearly everything one would want and not need to make land fall, but they do and this to keep the tourists happy with and excursion while the ship is replenished with fresh food and fuel where needs be?
On the other hand river cruising and canal boats are more slower and have a rich historical and nature interest with them for a more gentle pace of life! Sailing will always be popular because of the challenges of keeping control of the weather and environment?
Tuesday, 24 July 2018
Search and Rescue! Part-Two.
Impressive Sikorsky S-92.
HM Coast guard use the Augusta-Westland AW-139, but when its compared to the S-92 its nothing in comparison! The S-92 looks like it can battle the high winds and seas and they will be really rough in a few weeks again after all this heatwave ends, but the ability to lift more than a small group of people is a great asset for the Coastguards?
Most nations around the world will have a variety of helicopters and aircraft to undertake air operations, including mountain rescue and other incidents where several people need to be removed or the terrain is remote, isolated or rough?
Having this ability is vital in the field of SAR and the British Isles I think is well covered now with what it needs? It is not clear if the AW-101 Merlin has been adopted for this role or is just an RAF transport helicopter?
HM Coast guard use the Augusta-Westland AW-139, but when its compared to the S-92 its nothing in comparison! The S-92 looks like it can battle the high winds and seas and they will be really rough in a few weeks again after all this heatwave ends, but the ability to lift more than a small group of people is a great asset for the Coastguards?
Most nations around the world will have a variety of helicopters and aircraft to undertake air operations, including mountain rescue and other incidents where several people need to be removed or the terrain is remote, isolated or rough?
Having this ability is vital in the field of SAR and the British Isles I think is well covered now with what it needs? It is not clear if the AW-101 Merlin has been adopted for this role or is just an RAF transport helicopter?
Friday, 15 June 2018
Submarine Drones.
With Advanced Technology?
Conventional submarines will still continue in design and operation for some time yet, but with the ever increasing speed of computer chip, Nano-chip technology one has to wonder what the future holds?
Currently most subs need to be manned, the human mind is still more advanced than the logical thinking of a man-made machine and tactics is still in the psyche of humanity to outwit the other side!
But just like aircraft and Space, the underwater world is starting to introduce drone technology to go where it is not safe to send humans and submarines! It is believed that many torpedoes in the future will be similar to the Reaper drones identifying target accusation on their own?
What we do not know is if the militaries of the world have as yet built underwater bases, and this might be a clue as to why civil investigation and research remains limited to the deeps of our Oceans and Seas?
Conventional submarines will still continue in design and operation for some time yet, but with the ever increasing speed of computer chip, Nano-chip technology one has to wonder what the future holds?
Currently most subs need to be manned, the human mind is still more advanced than the logical thinking of a man-made machine and tactics is still in the psyche of humanity to outwit the other side!
But just like aircraft and Space, the underwater world is starting to introduce drone technology to go where it is not safe to send humans and submarines! It is believed that many torpedoes in the future will be similar to the Reaper drones identifying target accusation on their own?
What we do not know is if the militaries of the world have as yet built underwater bases, and this might be a clue as to why civil investigation and research remains limited to the deeps of our Oceans and Seas?
Tuesday, 9 January 2018
The Super Tanker!
Vulnerability at Sea?
This week we are seeing the results of an accident off Shanghai involving a Iranian Super Tanker carrying an extremely flammable fuel and a Chinese cargo ship! This incident occurred one-hundred and sixty miles from the Chinese coastline, but as yet the cost of the ecological damage is unknown?
Bulk carriers, container ships and Super tankers are now some of the largest vessels at sea, they are followed by the Aircraft carriers of the worlds powers and the giant cruise liners. All of them create hazards in the worlds shipping lanes because of their huge size, and the length it takes them to slow down!
The world has many busy straights, where shipping moves along in various lanes such as traffic on a motorway. They may be miles apart, but bad weather and trying to avoid or time other smaller vessels crossing your lane will from time to time be missed and a collision is likely?
There is no real way of controlling individuals who choose to flout the laws of the seas, monitoring unfortunately is becoming more electronic and less visual with the closing down of various Coast-guard stations and lighthouses/ships!
This week we are seeing the results of an accident off Shanghai involving a Iranian Super Tanker carrying an extremely flammable fuel and a Chinese cargo ship! This incident occurred one-hundred and sixty miles from the Chinese coastline, but as yet the cost of the ecological damage is unknown?
Bulk carriers, container ships and Super tankers are now some of the largest vessels at sea, they are followed by the Aircraft carriers of the worlds powers and the giant cruise liners. All of them create hazards in the worlds shipping lanes because of their huge size, and the length it takes them to slow down!
The world has many busy straights, where shipping moves along in various lanes such as traffic on a motorway. They may be miles apart, but bad weather and trying to avoid or time other smaller vessels crossing your lane will from time to time be missed and a collision is likely?
There is no real way of controlling individuals who choose to flout the laws of the seas, monitoring unfortunately is becoming more electronic and less visual with the closing down of various Coast-guard stations and lighthouses/ships!
Tuesday, 26 April 2016
Sea power in the Med. Part-Two.
HDMS Absalon Visits Swansea Bay.
This Danish (Denmark) Command Vessel L-16 came to Swansea Bay southern-Wales, United Kingdom on the Queen Elizabeth's 90th Birthday. She is one of a number of European Warships that are tasked with working in the Mediterranian sea to pick up immigrints fleeing current conflicts in North-Africa and Syria.
Her other role within the N.A.T.O. and the E.U. Armed forces is to protect International shipping, as it passes through the Gulf of Aden, between the Red Sea and the Arabian sea.
Shipping here face daily Somali Pirate attacks, mostly for kiddnapping and ransome demands.
The HDMS Absalon is quite a modern vessel with the capability to carry more than two medium transport helicopters and an array of other weaponary, from guns to missiles. She is based at Frederikshavn in Denmark and arrived in Swansea Bay from Glasgow, Alba-Scotland.
This Danish (Denmark) Command Vessel L-16 came to Swansea Bay southern-Wales, United Kingdom on the Queen Elizabeth's 90th Birthday. She is one of a number of European Warships that are tasked with working in the Mediterranian sea to pick up immigrints fleeing current conflicts in North-Africa and Syria.
Her other role within the N.A.T.O. and the E.U. Armed forces is to protect International shipping, as it passes through the Gulf of Aden, between the Red Sea and the Arabian sea.
Shipping here face daily Somali Pirate attacks, mostly for kiddnapping and ransome demands.
The HDMS Absalon is quite a modern vessel with the capability to carry more than two medium transport helicopters and an array of other weaponary, from guns to missiles. She is based at Frederikshavn in Denmark and arrived in Swansea Bay from Glasgow, Alba-Scotland.
Tuesday, 21 July 2015
Tugboats. Part-Two.
A different kind of Life.
It takes a certain kind of person to work on the tugboat, 'Hours and hours of boredom, interrupted by moments of sheer terror.' It is not a job for the faint hearted, crews are expected to go out in all weathers and work on the outside of the boat with the chains even in very rough seas.
The tugboat is designed with a glass tower for the crew to see all around them at all times. In 1900 two classes of tugboats were introduced and improved paddle and a steamer and these were no real changes until 1950. In the war years 1939-45 there were some adaptions made to handle larger warships and older boats started to be withdrawn.
In 1950 boats went from steam to the diesel and so ended the 'days of the 'Puffing Billy.' With post war shipping and the introduction of the Super Tankers new designs had to made to handle these huge sea vessels. It has been a slow history for the tugboat, because there were no big changes in the shipping world until the late 1950s.
It takes a certain kind of person to work on the tugboat, 'Hours and hours of boredom, interrupted by moments of sheer terror.' It is not a job for the faint hearted, crews are expected to go out in all weathers and work on the outside of the boat with the chains even in very rough seas.
The tugboat is designed with a glass tower for the crew to see all around them at all times. In 1900 two classes of tugboats were introduced and improved paddle and a steamer and these were no real changes until 1950. In the war years 1939-45 there were some adaptions made to handle larger warships and older boats started to be withdrawn.
In 1950 boats went from steam to the diesel and so ended the 'days of the 'Puffing Billy.' With post war shipping and the introduction of the Super Tankers new designs had to made to handle these huge sea vessels. It has been a slow history for the tugboat, because there were no big changes in the shipping world until the late 1950s.
Tuesday, 7 April 2015
Warships. Part-One.
The need For!
Every nation that has a coast, even a lake border needs some kind of Navy. Armed vessels from little patrol boats to the ocean plying aircraft carriers or deep water submarines.
The British Royal navy has been shrinking over the last seventy years from being a world power, 'Britannia Rules the Waves.'
Today the United States of America, the Russian Federation and the Republic of China, with France are the biggest navies of the world. Britain is part of N.A.T.O. (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) and is also a member of the European Union which is building its own joint forces programme.
EU Warships now patrol the Suez Canal in northern-Egypt, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, between war struck Yemen and Somalia. they are involved in protection oil and gas tankers travelling from the Persian Gulf to Europe.
Meanwhile apart from local waters, some ships may be assigned from time to time to the Mediterranean to counter illegal seafaring immigration to southern-Europe.
Every nation that has a coast, even a lake border needs some kind of Navy. Armed vessels from little patrol boats to the ocean plying aircraft carriers or deep water submarines.
The British Royal navy has been shrinking over the last seventy years from being a world power, 'Britannia Rules the Waves.'
Today the United States of America, the Russian Federation and the Republic of China, with France are the biggest navies of the world. Britain is part of N.A.T.O. (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) and is also a member of the European Union which is building its own joint forces programme.
EU Warships now patrol the Suez Canal in northern-Egypt, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, between war struck Yemen and Somalia. they are involved in protection oil and gas tankers travelling from the Persian Gulf to Europe.
Meanwhile apart from local waters, some ships may be assigned from time to time to the Mediterranean to counter illegal seafaring immigration to southern-Europe.
Tuesday, 6 January 2015
Blue Sky M.
Abandoned Ships.
This has now been under way for some time with various boats crossing the Mediterranean Sea to Italy or to the Island of Lampadusa. These migrants were generally from Libya, Somalia, Eritrea and various other north-African countries, were life is not really worth living.
Now it seems that the phenomena has moved to the Adriatic Sea and these are mostly Iraqis and Syrians. This form of purchasing cheap vessels is nothing new, enough money can be made from the extortion of desperate people to buy more and more ships, fishing boats and other rickety vessels for the one way trips.
The sad fact about the whole world of the shipping industry as we are starting to see, is that it can sometimes be very hard to find who actually owns a vessel. The flags of registration do not really tell us much about the origin of the vessel and who makes up the syndicates that share the profits. Meanwhile many of the crews of these ships are paid pittance or never paid at that.
This has now been under way for some time with various boats crossing the Mediterranean Sea to Italy or to the Island of Lampadusa. These migrants were generally from Libya, Somalia, Eritrea and various other north-African countries, were life is not really worth living.
Now it seems that the phenomena has moved to the Adriatic Sea and these are mostly Iraqis and Syrians. This form of purchasing cheap vessels is nothing new, enough money can be made from the extortion of desperate people to buy more and more ships, fishing boats and other rickety vessels for the one way trips.
The sad fact about the whole world of the shipping industry as we are starting to see, is that it can sometimes be very hard to find who actually owns a vessel. The flags of registration do not really tell us much about the origin of the vessel and who makes up the syndicates that share the profits. Meanwhile many of the crews of these ships are paid pittance or never paid at that.
Tuesday, 27 May 2014
Trawlers. Part-Two.
Issues.
When we talk about the fishing industry today many people get upset about the lack of stocks and the problems of overfishing. Yet every nation that has a coast or large lakes will have fishing families that rely on the industry in one form or another.
People need to sit back and do some research into the history of the industry, one hundred years ago the traditional fish supper fed the masses of the working classes in Britain and Ireland and perhaps in a few other countries too.
The word sustainable is big amongst those who know very little about livelihoods and the dangers of working the seas and lakes with any kind of boats. Many fisher people have been drowned on a lake with a line and hook, apart from severe weather at sea.
When we talk about the fishing industry today many people get upset about the lack of stocks and the problems of overfishing. Yet every nation that has a coast or large lakes will have fishing families that rely on the industry in one form or another.
People need to sit back and do some research into the history of the industry, one hundred years ago the traditional fish supper fed the masses of the working classes in Britain and Ireland and perhaps in a few other countries too.
The word sustainable is big amongst those who know very little about livelihoods and the dangers of working the seas and lakes with any kind of boats. Many fisher people have been drowned on a lake with a line and hook, apart from severe weather at sea.
Tuesday, 20 May 2014
Trawlers. Part-One.
Reapers of the Seas.
Many people today are against the idea of mass fishing and the work of the Trawler men, they have accused them of 'Raping the Oceans of fish and destroying natural habitat and fish stocks. In this three part series we will look at the machine that was created to use trawler netting, the international laws being implemented on net sizes and fish quotas and then move on to look at the counter debate and their ideas.
The Trawler began life in the Bristol Channel, off the North-Coast of Devon, U.K. These wooden boats used larger nets and weights to keep them being dragged along the sea bottom. Prior to this it was a process of hit and miss. There reason for being created, was the demand in fresh fish.
Today with the invention of the engine and many new designs of hulls, these boats are able to handle most difficult conditions at sea.
Fishermen or Fisherfolk have gone to sea for generations and this applies across the globe. The knowledge of knowing where the shoals of fish are, at certain times of the year has been traditionally handed down from Father to son. Whole communities have suffered severe tragedy over the centuries with losses to the cruel sea's.
Many people today are against the idea of mass fishing and the work of the Trawler men, they have accused them of 'Raping the Oceans of fish and destroying natural habitat and fish stocks. In this three part series we will look at the machine that was created to use trawler netting, the international laws being implemented on net sizes and fish quotas and then move on to look at the counter debate and their ideas.
The Trawler began life in the Bristol Channel, off the North-Coast of Devon, U.K. These wooden boats used larger nets and weights to keep them being dragged along the sea bottom. Prior to this it was a process of hit and miss. There reason for being created, was the demand in fresh fish.
Today with the invention of the engine and many new designs of hulls, these boats are able to handle most difficult conditions at sea.
Fishermen or Fisherfolk have gone to sea for generations and this applies across the globe. The knowledge of knowing where the shoals of fish are, at certain times of the year has been traditionally handed down from Father to son. Whole communities have suffered severe tragedy over the centuries with losses to the cruel sea's.
Tuesday, 24 December 2013
The R.N.L.I. Part-One.
Life boat search and rescue.
The RNLI is a shared service in both Britain and Ireland, it has a long history of saving life at sea and saving people stranded in difficult places. From its orgins and basic open rowing boats it has developed into a high tec' service, which is now an invaluable assit to these islands.
Life boats, inflatables and hovercraft are manned by volunteers, who are supported by donations and annual subscriptions from the general public.
The RNLI work with the Coastguard and Military/Police search and rescue, on my You tube site I have filmed various life boats and helicopters. Some are on call, while others are on training exercises.
Please remember them this special season and with out recent and forthcoming horrible weather.
The RNLI is a shared service in both Britain and Ireland, it has a long history of saving life at sea and saving people stranded in difficult places. From its orgins and basic open rowing boats it has developed into a high tec' service, which is now an invaluable assit to these islands.
Life boats, inflatables and hovercraft are manned by volunteers, who are supported by donations and annual subscriptions from the general public.
The RNLI work with the Coastguard and Military/Police search and rescue, on my You tube site I have filmed various life boats and helicopters. Some are on call, while others are on training exercises.
Please remember them this special season and with out recent and forthcoming horrible weather.
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