Tor Viking Rescues Bulk Carrier Golden Seas

Deadliest Catch - You have no doubt seen a few episodes of the fishing reality show highlighting the perils of crab fishing in the Bearing Sea north of Alaska's Dutch Harbor.

Over the weekend a rescue tug called Tor Viking had set out to catch something a little bigger than a crab pot. On Friday a distress call went out from a bulk carrier named Golden Seas as she was being pushed steadily south by gale force winds. The 738-foot ship had lost power and was adrift while battling 30 foots seas and winds in excess of 50 mph.


KODIAK, Alaska - The 738-foot tanker Golden Seas makes 3.5 mph through 20-foot seas 50 miles north of Adak Island Dec. 3, 2010. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Sara Francis.


KODIAK, Alaska - The tug Tor Viking II moving at 12 mph through 20 foot seas and 46 mph winds 48 miles from the 738-foot cargo vessel Golden Seas in the Bering Sea Dec. 4, 2010. The tug rendezvoused with the vessel Golden Seas about 5:30 p.m.Saturday and was able to begin towing the ship toward Dutch Harbor at 8:30 p.m. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Sara Francis.

The bulk carrier Golden Seas is towed through rough seas in the Bering Sea by the Tor Viking II Dec. 5, 2010. The vessels are en route to Dutch Harbor transiting about 8 mph and are expected to arrive Tuesday if they are able to maintain their current speed and weather conditions remain favorable. Photo courtesy of Tor Viking II

At last report the tug and ship were being escorted but the USCG Cutter Alex Haley in route to Dutch Harbor. More details at the Alaska Dispatch which is here.

Sector Charleston Rescues 2 Marine Pilots

Two Marine pilots returned safely Wednesday night to Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort less than two hours after their two-seat F/A-18 Hornet crashed into the Atlantic Ocean during a training mission.

The pilots, whose names were not released Wednesday, were about 30 miles east of the St. Helena Sound at about 5:30 p.m. when the fighter jet experienced dual engine failure, according to a news release Wednesday night from the air station.

The pilot and the jet’s weapons system officer ejected from the plane and were plucked from an inflatable survival raft less than an hour later by a search and rescue team from Coast Guard Station Charleston, said Gunnery Sgt. Chad McMeen, air station spokesman

Charleston Wine and Food Festival

Saturday brought clear skies and warm temperatures to the Charleston water front as yachts Southern Comfort and Eurilla hosted one of more than a dozen events all part of Charleston's 5th Annual Wine and Food Festival.


Nothing like 50 guests and red wine on a yacht to get the captain's attention.

Top chefs from the Daniel Island Club, Duvall and New Dream Catering complimented wines offered by MacMurray, Lolonis and Bodega Sur de los Andes wineries, as guests were invited to tour yachts, Southern Comfort, Eurilla and Jennifer Ann.


Phillip Lolonis was a hit with the girls.

As with most charity events success is often in the luck of the draw. Southern Comfort drew Kate MacMurray and New Dream Catering while Eurilla hosted Duvall Catering and Phillip Lolonis.


Kate MacMurry and the author's wife.

MacMurray, famous for a very highly rated Pinot Noir is now introducing an excellent Chardnoay, owner Kate MacMurray is the daughter of actor Fred MacMurray.

The two hour event brought out 150 guests who paid $100.00 per person with the proceeds benefiting Louie's Kids.

Louie's Kids is a non-profit dedicated to the mission of fighting childhood obesity. Louie's Kids provides support solutions in cases where a child is in desperate need of behavioral, nutritional or specific one-on-one intervention due to being clinically obese. Founded in 2001, Louie's Kids provide individualized solutions in the form of treatment for pediatric and adolescent obesity. Louie's Kids has developed an individualized program, Fit Club to address childhood obesity in Charleston and the surrounding communities. Fit Club was designed to provide a free obesity treatment program for low income youth who are already identified as obese.

Super Sized MSC Rita Calls on the Wando Terminal Thursday February 25, 2010

File this under go big or go home.

Thanks to a lot of work by the South Carolina Ports Authority and the US Army Corps of Engineers Charleston District a new contract was signed back in December to bring Mediterranean Shipping Company's MSC Rita to Charleston Harbor. Rita at 1065' LOA is the largest container ship yet to tie up on the U.S. South Atlantic Coast.

From the Post and Courier:

SPA chief executive officer Jim Newsome shared the news at a Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce membership breakfast meeting today. Showing a photograph of the MSC Rita on a projector screen, he said: “This is a picture of a ship, but it’s a very important ship.”



Newsome explained that the completion of the Panama Canal expansion in 2014 will change the container industry, as harbor depth becomes more important than ever. The Rita is set to arrive at the Port of Charleston, the deepest natural harbor along the U.S. South Atlantic coast, on Feb. 22, Newsome said.

The Rita can transport the equivalent of about 8,100 20-foot-long shipping containers.

The SPA announced just before Christmas that Charleston would receive a weekly call on MSC’s Golden Gate service from Asia by way of the Suez Canal. The Rita comes as part of that new service.

“This is the only port in the South Atlantic that this ship can call today,” Newsome said.

But none of this would be possible without the US Army Corps of Engineers who keep the channels deep enough to bring container ships the size of Rita to the Wando Terminal.

The above video courtesy of Army Corps of Engineers Charleston District.