Delta Queen, National Historic Landmark, Refused Exemption from SOLA
The Delta Queen, a steamboat operated by Majestic America Line, will be retired after nearly eighty years of service. While the “Safety of Life at Sea Act” classified boats with wooden superstructures as fire hazards in 1966, the Delta Queen had been operating with an exemption from congress. Without the temporary exemption that expired [...]
Odyssey Marine Exploration Salvages the SS Ancona Shipwreck
Few know exactly what occurred on November 7, 1915 between the German U-boat and the Italian-American passenger ship, the SS Ancona. All we know is that the U-boat sunk the vessel – sending 83 passengers, 12 barrels of gold and a silver shipment to their watery grave near Sardinia.
Until now, the site remained undisturbed at [...]
Ft. Morgan Civil War Ship Uncovered During Hurricane Ike
Reader ‘Angie’ wrote in with questions about the ‘Mystery ship’ uncovered during recent hurricane, “Ike”. Angie asked the following:
“I was just watching the video from NBC news about the mystery ship that was uncovered from hurricane Ike. I wonder who has ownership in a case like that? the state? federal govt? what if it really [...]
SS Morro Castle catalyst for Merchant Marine Act of 1936
A nor’easter turned the Atlantic into an angry ocean on the night of September 8, 1934. The SS Morro Castle, all 508 feet and 11,000 pounds of her, chugged hard through the high winds and pounding waves on her way to New York from Havana. The weather was mean and cruel, but nature wouldn’t deal [...]
