During Earth Day celebrations at Old Dominion University, the Ocean & Earth Science Department deployed an old Inflatable Buoyant Apparatus (IBA) from the R/V Fay Slover. IBAs are special lifesaving devices designed for abandon ship scenarios, where passengers must survive at sea while awaiting rescue. Watch the video here:
Tag: nautical
Scuba Diving in Nasty, Polluted Water
Deep, murky water. That’s something that instills fear in a lot of people. Normal, sane people stay far, far away from the gloomy depths. Not my younger self. You see, for a year or so, I had a side hustle diving underneath boats and inspecting them. I’d get a call that a boat wasn’t handling…
Tying a Bowline with One Hand
As a Captain and a Divemaster, I’ve had to study the bowline knot with almost religious fervor. Thus, it’s the primary knot I know and remember, and perhaps, the only knot I can tie one handed. Back in 2019, I filmed myself tying a bowline with one hand. You can watch it here: The video…
The Wreck of the SS Yongala
23 March 1911. The steamship SS Yongala is nearing the end of her 99th voyage in Australian waters. She departs the town of Mackay at 1340 (1:40 pm) en route to Townsville, Queensland. She’s carrying 49 passengers, 73 crew, and 617 tons of cargo, including the racehorse Moonshine and a Lincoln Red bull. As she…
My Top 5 Shark Encounters
I’m Tidewater Teddy, and I’ve spent a lot of time above and beneath the sea. In the deep, blue ocean, I’ve seen my share of sea creatures, but of all of them, sharks are my favorite. Over the years, I’ve had some incredible encounters with these toothy fish. Here are my top 5 shark encounters!…
This WW II Shipwreck is Home to 100 Sharks – SS Caribsea
11 March 1942. 0200 hours. The merchant ship SS Caribsea is steaming along the coast of North Carolina. She’s carrying 3,600 tons of manganese ore to Norfolk, Virginia from Santiago, Cuba. The night is cold and dark, but nothing is out of the ordinary. Suddenly, an explosion rocks the ship, and seawater starts flooding the…
My Life as a Tugboat Deckhand
Every sailor has a sea story, and I have my own tales from the sea. One of my most memorable tales took place in the summer of 2014 when I was hired as a deckhand at a tugboat company. Back then, I knew very little about boats, so I was green as grass. Little did…
Jamestown-Scotland Ferry Shanty
I’ve spent the past few years working the maritime industry, and the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry is one of the many “boat jobs” I’ve had over those years. One of the coolest things about working on the James River is that you can see the sun rise over the river in the east and set over the…
I Filmed Myself Docking a Car Ferry
Ever wondered what it’s like to captain a ferry? Here’s a glimpse into the pilothouse of the ferry Willamsburg that runs between Surry and Jamestown, Virginia. These ferries run 24/7 and run in all sorts of weather and conditions. Only hurricanes and other severe weather shyts them down. This is a “chill day”, but I…
Tidewater Teddy 