Historic Shipwreck Discovered in Northern GOM
During a recent Gulf of Mexico expedition, NOAA, BOEM and partners discovered an historic wooden-hulled vessel which is believed to have sunk as long as 200 years ago. Scientists on board the NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer used underwater robots with lights and high definition cameras to view remnants of the ship laden with anchors, navigational instruments, glass bottles, ceramic plates, cannons, and boxes of muskets. Equipped with telepresence technology, Okeanos Explorer reached audiences around the world who participated in the expedition through live streaming Internet video. As members of the public ashore watched live video from the ocean bottom…
CG Photo: Oil Skimming
Crewmembers monitor the oil skimming set-up aboard Coast Guard Cutter Walnut, a 225-ft sea-going buoy tender based in Honolulu, while Coast Guard Cutter Resolute stands off nearby. The Walnut is skimming oil near the BP oil spill site after transiting the Panama Canal. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class John Masson.
Coast Guard Tests Oil Recovery System
The Coast Guard is scheduled to deploy its Vessel of Opportunity Skimming System Tuesday at 3 p.m. from the Coast Guard Cutter Maria Bray in the St. Johns River during a training exercise. VOSS is designed to be transported to an oil spill site and convert any suitable ship available (commercial, private or government-owned vessel) into a single ship, oil-recovery platform. The Coast Guard has 19 of these systems pre-positioned nationwide for pollution response. This VOSS deployment is part of Sector Jacksonville's three-day training program designed to better prepare Sector Jacksonville personnel for a hazardous materials spill on the First Coast. The training includes extensive classroom discussion and hands-on training for VOSS deployment. The Maria Bray is a 175-ft.
Coast Guard Rescues Three
A U.S. Coast Guard crew from Memphis, Tenn., rescued three men whose vessel sank on the Mississippi River, near Tunica, Miss., Thursday at about 10:15 a.m. Ron Nigg, Rick Howell and Tony Lippman were rescued after their 22-foot skiff sank as they were returing from an oil spill cleanup in Tunica. At the time of the accident, there were high winds and choppy conditions reported on the river. A Coast Guard inspection crew from Marine Safety Office Memphis was also at the Tunica oil spill site monitoring cleanup efforts when they were informed that the three men were in the water. The crew, Lt. Ted Lampton, Petty Officer 3rd Class Wyatt Ingram and Petty Officer 3rd Class Jacob Taylor…
