Carnival Splendor Arrives Home

The cruise liner Carnival Splendor has safely docked in San Diego,several hours ahead of schedule.The ship had been protected by the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Morgenthau(WHEC 722).The Morgenthau is homeported at Alameda,California.A Hamilton class high endurance cutter,the Morgenthau has a complement of 162.
Many of the Hamilton class cutters saw combat duty in Vietnam.They are heavily armed with several guns and a Phalanx Close-In Weapons System,and have long-range capability,with a range of 14,000 nautical miles at a speed of 15 knots.
A U.S. Navy corpsman aboard the cutter was available for any medical needs of the cruise liner's passengers and crew.Fortunately,it appears they suffered only varying degrees of discomfort and aggravation.
On this Veterans Day,America salutes you,our military men and women.
Carnival Corp(CCL)

Early Edition:Military Aid Arrives At Cruise Ship

Help has begun arriving off the coast of Baja California,Mexico,where the cruise liner Carnival Splendor was disabled by an aft engine room fire early Tuesday.The first of two tugboats had reached the liner as of Tuesday evening,a Carnival spokesperson said.
The fire left the huge ship without plumbing,air conditioning and cooking.Carnival said the Splendor should reach San Diego by late Thursday.The company is arranging for hotels and flights home for the passengers,and will provide full refunds plus a future cruise for them.
The Splendor had left Long Beach,California on Sunday with 3299 passengers and 1167 crew.The U.S. Navy responded to a request for aid.Sailors sent eight planeloads of food-including plenty of Spam-water and other supplies from an air station to the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan(CVN 76),which will in turn supply the Splendor by helicopter.
Navy personnel who have been delivering the supplies report that the passengers are in good spirits,taking photos of the Navy helicopters.
There have been no serious injuries reported,but two passengers and one crew member had panic attacks.A U.S. Coast Guard cutter is shadowing the Splendor.Security is a concern,given the disabled liner's vulnerability to drug traffickers and terrorists.
Update:Both tugboats are now pulling the Splendor,and the operation is proceeding without incident.The liner's crew got auxiliary power going last night,so cold water is now on tap.For some historical context,see this week's post in International Daybook,which you can reach from the link list in the right column.
Carnival Corp(CCL)

Predator B Surveys Maritime

The Predator B unmanned aircraft is currently serving the U.S. Navy on various missions,and will soon be helping the U.S. Coast Guard as well.A rare piece of video footage aired recently shows a silvery Predator streaking through a blue Southwest Asia sky.The Predator B flies long-endurance maritime surveillance and reconnaissance missions.It detects,identifies and tracks surface contacts,streaming real-time images to any location worldwide.The aircraft features a 360-degree multi-mode maritime radar,Automatic Identification System and high-resolution Electro-Optic/Infrared system.It is produced by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems.GA-ASI is based in San Diego,California.

Target Practice

The following Navy ships were sunk as targets during the RIMPAC 2008 exercises:David R. Ray(DD971) ON 12 July;Home(CG30) on 14 July;Cushing(DD985),also on 14 July;and Fletcher(DD992) on 16 July.On a brighter note,Dolphin(AGSS555) was transferred to the Maritime Museum of San Diego on 18 September,2008.