Maritime News

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — No one will be allowed to fish out any of the nearly 100 bottles of 19th-century Champagne and mineral water nestled in a shipwreck off southern Sweden without proper authorization, officials said Wednesday. Though the wreck’s location has been known since 2016 and is registered in Sweden’s National Antiquities Office’s cultural environment, it was only on July 11 that Polish scuba divers found the precious cargo. The wreck, which sits at about 58 meters (190 feet) deep off the coast of the southern Sweden county of Blekinge, was found by the divers while they were checking spots of interest about 37 kilometers (20 nautical miles) south of the Swedish Baltic Sea island of Oeland. Read the complete AP article.

The Carolina Maritime Model Society is meeting today, 28 October 2023 at the North Carolina Maritime Museums in Beaufort, North Carolina. The Carolina Maritime Model Society exists to promote the production of high-quality ship models and encourage members and the public to participate in a craft that is as old as shipbuilding itself. The group will meet in the museum auditorium. Meetings are open to the public. Click this link for more information on this recurring meeting.

The Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission (PHMC) and the Flagship Niagara League (FNL) regretfully announce that the remainder of the U.S. Brig Niagara’s 2023 sailing schedule is officially cancelled due to unforeseen propeller issues requiring a lengthy repair time. While the propellers are being fabricated and before the ship travels to shipyard in Cleveland for repairs, the U.S. Brig Niagara will be open for deck tours at the Erie Maritime Museum Wednesday through Saturday, 9:30 am to 5:00 pm, and Sundays, 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm. To experience Erie’s rich maritime history from the water, the Schooner Lettie G. Howard is operating daily as scheduled, weather permitting. For more information, call 833-FNL- SAIL (833-365-7245) or book online at sailfnl.org/sail.

Linda Dianto, Executive Director of The National Lighthouse Museum in Staten Island, New York is seeking experienced maritime-themed musicians for a new program that she would like to begin. She is offering their waterfront venue in the heart of New York Harbor on Staten Island with the Staten Island Ferries as a backdrop! Their facility is a two-minute walk from the SI Ferry in St. George. If you want to be a part of this new waterside, sea shanty program and the location is manageable for you, please connect with Ms. Dianto by email at ldianto@lighthousemuseum.org. Please be sure to send a one-sheet or a link to your EPK.

On May 20, 2023 the Bark Europa severely heeled over in dry dock while being returned to the water during scheduled maintenance. Damage to the ship is still being assessed; one crew member was injured during the incident, but is in stable condition. The ship was being serviced in Cape Town, South Africa. The 112 year-old ship was schedule to resume sailing toward the end of June for a 53 day cruise. The ship owners and dock facility managers are working to resolve the situation to minimize any schedule delays. The Bark Europa is active in tall ship events all over the world, and is of a class of ships that represent what sea shanties were written for. You can discover more about this magnificent vessel on their website.

March 16 – Nov 6, 2023 Experience spectacular Great Lakes shipwrecks brought to life by world-renowned underwater photographer, Becky Schott and Liquid Productions. Through Becky’s vivid photography, viewers are submerged into a world few can access while diving deeper with 3D shipwreck models and interactives. Numerous artifacts from these shipwrecks will also be exhibited for the first time at the Wisconsin Maritime Museum. The Wisconsin Maritime Museum is located at 75 Maritime Drive, Manitowoc, WI 54220 USA. Phone number +1 920-684 0218. The facility is currently open Thu-Mon 10am – 4pm.