We’ve Taken Our Eyes off the Ball. Jones Act issues are clouding the cleanup effort in the U.S. Gulf at the worst possible moment. The drama is less than helpful and the side battles meaningless.
I'm home now after five days on the Theresa Wood riding up the Upper Mississippi and three days on the Thomas E. Erickson riding down the Illinois. I couldn't have learned as much as I did in those eight days if I'd spent a year on phone interviews with towboat companies.
On July 6th I left the Theresa Wood at the locks in Guttenberg, Wisconsin and crossed the state of Illinois by car. At Pekin, Illinois I boarded the Thomas E. Erickson headed down the Illinois River.
Rearranging the tow is more than playing a game of Tetris. Sometimes it's like playing chess with Bobby Fischer.
The Captain ordered groceries for the boat this morning and at about 1700 hours an aluminum skiff from S&S Boat Store out of Burlington Iowa, tied up alongside the Theresa Wood and delivered food.
I climbed aboard the M/V Theresa Wood, owned and operated by Marquette Transportation and on charter to AEP River Operations, on July 1 at about 1500 hours.
The recent change-of-command ceremony at the U.S. Coast Guard signaled more than just a routine change of leadership. ADM Robert J. Papp’s term as Commandant will probably involve much more than that. That’s not necessarily good news for everyone, but it could mean real change within the most visible division within the DHS.
With great sadness we report that marine photographer and writer Don Sutherland died at home on May 24, 2010 of cancer. Don covered the working waterfront like no other with an adoring eye, passionate voice and sharp wit.
The most intrepid naval officer that you probably have never heard of
The new Maritime Technology Training Taskforce (M3T) is the product of input from the Maritime Industry, Government and Regulatory sectors, Maritime Training Institutions and Technology Providers. Goal of the Strategic Alliance is to improve mariner training outcomes using existing and future technologies.