Mad Mariner - News Stories

Arctic Sea Ice Drops to 2nd Lowest Level

Dan Joling — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:08 -0500

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) -- Arctic Ocean sea ice has melted to the second lowest minimum since satellite observations began, according to scientists at the National Snow and Ice Data Center.

Sea ice melt recorded on Monday exceeded the low recorded in 2005, which had held second place.

With several weeks left in the melt season, ice in summer 2008 has a chance to diminish below the record low set last year, according to scientists at the National Snow and Ice Data Center.

Environmental groups said the ice melt was another alarm bell warning of global warming.

Wanted: Home for 6 Million Dead Carp

Mike Stark — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:12 -0500

PROVO, Utah (AP) -- Psst. Hey buddy, wanna buy 6 million carp?

You'd be doing Utah a big favor. Ditto for a rare, funny-looking fish called the June sucker that's trying to mount a comeback in the state's largest natural freshwater lake.

When carp feed along the lake bottom, they rip out the weeds, which provide important hiding places for young June suckers. Without them, the suckers are easy pickings for hungry predators such as bass and walleye.

2008 Olympic Sailing Results

Paul Oberjuerge — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0400

BEIJING -- Dean Brenner knows the reaction from some quarters of the U.S. sailing community.

"We've gotten some e-mails and seen stuff on web sites," the chairman of the U.S. Olympic Sailing Program said Saturday. "A lot of people are really anxious, saying the U.S. team failed."

Settlement in Deadly Staten Island Ferry Crash

Associated Press — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:08 -0500

NEW YORK (AP) -- Lawyers say the widow of a man killed in the 2003 Staten Island ferry crash has settled a wrongful death claim against New York City for $8.7 million.

The lawyers made the announcement on behalf of Kathy Healy and her four children.

Healy's husband, John, was killed in 2003 when the ferry crashed into a dock at full speed.

A trial on Kathy Healy's lawsuit had been scheduled to start Monday in federal court.

The city's corporation counsel did not immediately return a call seeking comment Monday.

Bering Sea Bottom Trawling Curtailed

Mary Pemberton — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:12 -0500

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) -- Large areas of the Bering Sea off Alaska's coast will soon be off-limits to bottom trawling, a practice involving fishing vessels that drag huge, weighted nets across the ocean floor.

Come Monday, nearly 180,000 square miles of the Bering Sea will be closed to bottom trawling, bringing the total protected space in the Pacific Ocean to 830,000 square miles -- an area more than five times the size of California. Other newly-restricted areas are off Washington, Oregon and California.

Bush Ponders Ocean Conservation

Dina Cappiello — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:12 -0500

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Bush next week will seek formal comment from his Cabinet agencies on a plan that could make three of the world's most remote and pristine island chains off limits to commercial fishing and mineral exploration.

The action, which could be completed before Bush leaves office, would rank as one of the largest marine conservation efforts in history.

Arctic Ice is Disappearing

Rachel D'Oro — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:08 -0500

BARROW, Alaska (AP) -- Rapidly melting ice on Alaska's Arctic is opening up a new navigable ocean in the extreme north, allowing oil tankers, fishing vessels and even cruise ships to venture into a realm once trolled mostly by indigenous hunters.

The Coast Guard expects so much traffic that it opened two temporary stations on the nation's northernmost waters, anticipating the day when an ocean the size of the contiguous United States could be ice-free for most of the summer.

Spain and Britain Take Home Olympic Sailing Gold

Associated Press — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:12 -0500

QINGDAO, China (AP) -- Spain and Britain have won sailing gold.

Spain's Fernando Echavarri and Anton Paz picked up the Olympic sailing gold medal in the fast Tornado catamaran class, while Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson of Britain have won the gold medal in sailing's Star class.

Australians Darren Bundock and Glenn Ashby, also racing in the Tornado class, took the silver in the wind and rain Thursday. Argentina's Santiago Lange and Carlos Espinola won the bronze.

China, New Zealand Take Gold in Olympic Windsurfing

Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:08 -0500

QINGDAO, China (AP) -- Chinese windsurfer Yin Jian has won the host nation's first-ever Olympic sailing gold medal with a win in the women's RS:X class. Italy's Alessandra Sensini won the silver and Britain's Bryony Shaw scored bronze.

Meanwhile, New Zealand windsurfer Tom Ashley has won the gold medal in the men's RS:X class, while France's Julien Bontemps has taken the silver and Israel's Shahar Zubari the bronze.

Situation Still Fragile in Grand Canyon

Chris Kahn — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:08 -0500

PHOENIX (AP)-- Crews were waiting for floodwaters to recede so they can begin restoring washed-out trails and footbridges to a remote village near the Grand Canyon hit by flooding, authorities said.

Some evacuated residents of the American Indian village of Supai were allowed to return Tuesday. Authorities planned to fly them in by helicopter after creeks overflowing with runoff from severe thunderstorms washed away trails during the weekend.