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He Spent 34 Years on the Bering Sea. His Escape Pod Is Now Priced at $169,000 – Loose Cannon
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He Spent 34 Years on the Bering Sea. His Escape Pod Is Now Priced at $169,000
Designed by William Garden, JoAhna K Is a 1952 Fellows & Stewart Masterpiece
∙Guest post
The author writes a Substack newsletter that profiles all sorts of interesting boats. This one was published on May 29, 2026 and is reprinted here with permission. (More about the author at the end of the story.)
Captain Jack Molan and his wife Joanne had been living out of a Sprinter van, crossing the deserts of the American Southwest, when they pulled up alongside a 58-foot wooden trawler in Puget Sound and Jack recognised immediately what he was looking at. Not a weekend cruiser. Not a marina ornament. An escape pod.
He filled her with 3,200 gallons of diesel and 800 gallons of fresh water.
“Her robust, simple systems were perfect to sustain us,” he told me. “The ability to voyage to Japan without reprovisioning was key. I had my eye on her going to the Aleutian Islands if the world crashed. I spent 34 years fishing the Bering Sea. As remote and wild as anywhere on the planet.”
Jack Molan is not a casual boater making a romantic claim. He commanded the F/V Columbia, a 123-foot commercial fishing vessel, for 28 years in the Bering Sea. He helmed vessels that appeared on Discovery Channel’s Deadliest Catch. He has been at sea in conditions most boaters would not choose to think about, across four decades and some of the most demanding waters on earth.
And after all of that, here is what he told me about JoAhna K: “After 40 years as a mariner, she is the quietest, smoothest boat I have ever driven. Almost zero wake at 8 knots.”
That is a statement worth sitting with. And it is where this story begins.
Father of the Character Boat
Before we get to JoAhna K herself, we need to talk about the man who drew her lines.
William Garden was born in Calgary in 1918 and raised in Seattle. He was designing working boats, tugs, trollers and fishing vessels before he was out of his twenties, and by the time he was formally licensed as a naval architect in 1947, he had already built more than 50 vessels with his own hands.
He spent decades working from a succession of offices overlooking Seattle’s ship canal, eventually retreating to his own private island, Toad’s Landing, where he continued drawing boats until the end of his life. He passed away in 2011, aged 92. In 2006, Canada made him a Member of the Order of Canada for a lifetime’s achievement in naval architecture and marine engineering.
His archive lives at Mystic Seaport Museum in Connecticut. Researchers and owners still travel there to obtain his original drawings.
Bob Perry, one of the most respected naval architects working today, described Garden as “the father of the character boat”, meaning the idea that a vessel could transcend its engineering specification and become something with genuine personality and purpose. Perry told Captain Jack, in person, that JoAhna K was his dream retirement boat. His exact words: “Absolutely the pinnacle of Bill Garden genius.”
Yard With a War Record
Garden’s genius needed a yard worthy of it. He found one in Fellows & Stewart, based at Terminal Island, San Pedro, California.
The yard had been building wooden vessels since 1896, incorporated formally in 1917, and by the time JoAhna K’s keel was laid in 1951, it had just completed a wartime contract building wooden PT attack boats for the United States Navy. It was one of the last yards on the West Coast still working exclusively in wood, and it was regarded as the finest of its kind: meticulous craftsmanship, traditional construction, vessels built to endure rather than to sell.
Fellows & Stewart closed in 1967, sold to Harbor Boatbuilding as wooden construction gave way to fibreglass and aluminium across the industry. In 73 years of operation, they built relatively few yachts. The ones they did build have lasted.
Named After Darwin’s Ship
JoAhna K was not built on speculation. She was commissioned by George Mitchell, an Academy Award-winning camera designer from Pasadena, California, for a specific purpose: a non-stop ocean passage from Southern California to the Galapagos Islands, carrying his family and two additional people.
To achieve this, he engaged William Garden. Garden based her hull on the 58-foot Alaska fishing vessels he had designed by the hundred, vessels proven in all seasons and in all weathers across the roughest commercial fishing grounds in the world. The design specification reflects the ambition precisely: 3,200 gallons of fuel across two tanks, 800 gallons of fresh water, a full-displacement hull capable of covering the best part of 5,000 nautical miles without reprovisioning.
Mitchell named her Beagle, after HMS Beagle, the Royal Navy brig-sloop that carried Charles Darwin on his 1831 to 1836 voyage of discovery. There was intention in that name.
While Beagle was under construction at the Fellows & Stewart yard, Mitchell was at the height of his career as a camera designer. He was a Pasadena-based designer of cinematographic equipment, and in 1952, the same year JoAhna K was completed, he received an Academy Award Honorary recognition for his contributions to camera development.
The African Queen, the Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn picture, was filmed in Africa that same year, and Mitchell’s standing in Hollywood’s technical circles was considerable. There is a story, passed down through the vessel’s ownership history, that Bogart and Hepburn were present at her christening party. I cannot verify that with certainty. It may well be the kind of story that attaches itself to remarkable vessels over time. But as vessel provenance goes, it is quite some start.
Mitchell never made the Galapagos voyage. He sold Beagle, and she passed into what would become one of the most remarkable chains of ownership I have come across in years of writing about and filming boats.
Beagle’s next owner was Bob White, a Seattle dentist. For 20 consecutive summers, he sailed her north to the remote communities of coastal Alaska.
He had converted the master cabin into a dental clinic. Village by village, up the Alaskan coast, JoAhna K became a familiar and welcome presence, a floating surgery offering free care. In return, over those two decades, he received gifts of indigenous artwork, building what became one of the most significant private collections of native Alaskan art in the region.
She was warmly welcomed wherever she went in the Pacific Northwest.
Rebuild Changes Everything
After White’s ownership, she went through a transformation. Rechristened Katherine Jane, she received a refit that lasted nearly a year and cost over $750,000, equivalent to approximately $1.3 million in today’s money.
The project manager was brought in from the large factory trawler fleet in Seattle. JoAhna K was the only private yacht he ever agreed to work on. Every system was removed, assessed and replaced or upgraded to a commercial-grade standard. New Lugger diesel engines. New electrical systems top to bottom. A new fir deck. New masts. Rebuilt anchor gear, rated for commercial use.
Aluminium bulwarks with teak cap rails and custom-cast bronze handrails. Hydraulic steering. Full hydronic heating throughout every compartment.
When she emerged from that year, she was essentially a new vessel wearing a 50-year-old wooden hull.
She entered charter service through Anacortes Charters in Washington State. One of her regular charterers was a man named Loten Hooley. Hooley chartered her repeatedly, fell completely in love, and made offer after offer to buy her. When he finally succeeded, he took a step that tells you everything you need to know about the hold she had on people: he obtained the original William Garden drawings from the Mystic Seaport archive and commissioned a replica, at an estimated cost of $1.5 million.
A fire broke out on board, extinguished improbably by water from a melting hot tub. Hooley and his father spent 18 months on the restoration. She left, by their account, in better condition than she had arrived.
Then, in 2020, Captain Jack Molan found her.
The Captain Who Came Home
Jack and Joanne renamed her JoAhna K, combining their names. They moved aboard. They have been there ever since.
Jack stocked her for a long deployment. The plan was Alaska, eventually. He knew those waters better than most people alive, and he knew exactly what a vessel like this could do in them. “We initially planned to charter her in Alaska,” he told me. “I have world-class bald eagle and nature photographer friends as guides, and the vessel is perfect. She sleeps 10 in four private staterooms with three full heads. With massive anchor gear, we are snug in the hidden bays and inlets that are endless in Alaska.”
The Alaska plan has not yet happened. Life goes its own way. And now she is listed for sale with Dave Carlson, Waterline Boats, at $169,000 (contact details below), because the right life sometimes turns in a direction you did not quite expect. Personally, I think this is an incredible price for such a capable boat that has such a rich heritage.
“I have enjoyed so many moments on the water where she just seems to sit so perfectly balanced, with strength, beauty, and utility,” Jack told me. “Look how they did that. I’m so often amazed when I see the tricks of her construction from another era.”
A vessel that inspires that kind of language in a man who has spent 40 years at sea is not a vessel you ignore.
What $169,000 Buys
Before I take you into premium section of this article, let me be clear about what the asking price represents. This is a full-displacement ocean-capable trawler, designed by one of the most important naval architects of the 20th century, built at one of the finest wooden boat yards in American history, and rebuilt to commercial trawler standards at a cost that now equates to $1.3 million. She is asking $169,000 and is currently listed for sale with Boatshed Seattle.
The questions a serious buyer needs answered are not about her pedigree. Her pedigree is beyond dispute. The questions are about her hull, her machinery, her survey, her running costs, and what realistic ownership looks like in 2026 for a 73-year-old wooden vessel.
Those are the questions I cover below…. Along with the Lugger diesel hours and what they mean, the 2020 survey and what needs updating, and a realistic annual cost model for a vessel of this type. After all, it is my paying members who make this kind of research possible. A subscription to the premium section of my blog costs less than one hour of marina fees.
John Johnson joined the Royal Navy (EW) at 16, travelling the world on three frigates and an aircraft carrier. After six years, he served in London’s 999 services and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. Later, he built two successful insurance brokering businesses. Now Johnson writes about boats. As is typical for his Substack newsletter, the story above is available for free, but only paid subscribers can access the his detailed cost analysis for the vessel:
The asking price is the “easy” number. The harder question is what she could cost to own, and that is what we will work through here, based on my own estimations and research for someone like me, who has no deep understanding of marine engineering.
LOOSE CANNON covers hard news, technical issues and nautical history. Every so often he tries to be funny. Subscribe for free to support the work. If you’ve been reading for a while—and you like it—consider upgrading to paid.
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Fishermen’s Village June 2026 Calendars, Punta Gorda, FL
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Fishermen’s Village JUNE Calendars of Entertainment/Events
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8 Florida West Marine Stores Closing (Nationwide List) – Loose Cannon
Cruisers Net publishes Loose Cannon articles with Captain Swanson’s permission in hopes that mariners with saltwater in their veins will subscribe. $7 per month or $56 for the year; you may cancel at any time.
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8 Florida West Marine Stores Closing (Nationwide List)
Five Each in Michigan, Washington and California; Bonuses for Execs
Florida got hit the worst as a bankrupt West Marine closes 56 stores nationwide. As the headline says, Michigan, Washington and California followed with five closings in each.
Additionally four stores each in Maryland and South Carolina, and three stores in Ohio and New Jersey. In all, 23 states lost at least one store. (List below)
Meanwhile Trade Only Today is reporting that company’s former chief executive officer received a $1.2 million bonus and that current CEO Paulee Day received an undisclosed amount of “retention bonus” money 16 days before the company filed for bankruptcy in mid-May.
List of Stores To Close
LOOSE CANNON covers hard news, technical issues and nautical history. Sometimes he tries to be funny. Subscribe for free to support the work. If you’ve been reading for a while—and you like it—consider upgrading to paid.
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NOAA Declares Official El Niño Advisory – Fred Pickhardt
Fred Pickhardt’s Substack is free today. But if you enjoyed this post, you can tell Fred Pickhardt’s Substack that their writing is valuable by pledging a future subscription. You won’t be charged unless they enable payments.
Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for moreOn June 11, 2026, the NOAA Climate Prediction Center officially declared an El Niño Advisory.
Continue reading this post for free in the Substack app
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ROSE-COLORED GLASSES – Janice Anne Wheeler, Sparring With Mother Nature
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YOU. Yes, YOU are my motivation to send these little commentaries into the world. Thank you for being my outlet and my window. ~J
If you just dove into our very engaging little community, please read SPARS & SPARRING, .….it introduces my wonders and my wanders. & THANK YOU!
Listen to post · 4:39 I’d gotten used to not having them, not using them, not relying on them, and then stumbled across my only pair the other day, scratched and forgotten, dusty, deserted, with flecks of epoxy marring the mirrored surfaces.
I reminisced briefly about how these came to be mine, cheap, splashy pink metallic frames and those powerful, magical lenses I won at a Breast Cancer Awareness fundraiser with some of my favorite people on the planet, four of whom are survivors. That cause has woven its way through my entire life. We had heavy hearts back then, too, as Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) forced my father into nursing home care. Here the two of us are definitely enjoying a rosy, sunny moment outside, he in my hat and me in my hard-won glasses.
I felt a distinct twinge of regret at their condition. I was surprised, frankly, that I had pulled them out and used them for safety glasses on a dirty boatyard project instead of keeping these symbols of strength tucked away with the memories they held. Sometimes we disregard the importance of those connections to our past and it bothered me enough to think it was almost disrespectful. Was it? Or did they resurface just when I needed them instead of being tucked away in some drawer for safekeeping? I believe in the weirdness of things like that. I truly do.
After wiping away layers of construction detritus with the cleanest dirty rag I could find, I slid them on to discover that the right earpiece was askew, in a couple of directions. With some gentle persuasion they stayed perched on my ample nose and I peered out into the sunshine beyond the tool shed, beyond the scratches. Pretty glorious stuff all on its own and now, a shade better, even, than it had been. Maybe more than one shade. Brighter, with a touch more joy, perhaps.
The perspective was startling. I mean, it’s a marked difference, rose colored-glasses. You cannot pretend that you don’t see the joy, that your day is just going to continue on in its grumbling inability to make you happy. This pair of inexpensive, priceless, optics lightens my load, every time.
Sometimes I peer above them to see the real tint of the world, but that can be disappointing. Other times I disregard them altogether, but I can assure you that this was the perfect week to rediscover the tinted point of view I had both underestimated and missed. I don’t think any of us always remember that we may have a rosier option. ~J
Let me know if you find your pair, if you already had them on or if you’re still on the fence about utilizing such an tool.
Share SPARRING WITH MOTHER NATURE
STEADFAST’s tremendous path has taken us to THE BRONZE AGE, I think I’ve promised the sharing of those amazing pictures and this transformation for a few weeks now. Since EVERYTHING else has taken months longer than I anticipated, I’m wagering that not one of you is surprised that our new anchor system is darn near installed, but not quite…
If you’re not sure launch is imminent, take a look at this: We’re close.
Custom vinyl application makes me think we must be almost done…If you think my ROSE COLORED GLASSES are worth sharing, do that please. And then hit that restack button, wouldya? It helps other interesting folks find our Secret Sparring Society.
Thanks!
Any interest in learning why Breast Cancer is such an important cause for me? Not too surprisingly, there is loss involved…and heredity which I hope I ended. wrote my first-ever book about my preventive double mastectomy & THE NEW GIRLS“THE NEW GIRLS” which is what I call my now cancer-resistant breasts.
The second memoir I penned was about the days I picture here with my dad, in his wheelchair, making sure we got out to enjoy Mother Nature every moment that we could. SAY WHAT NEEDS TO BE SAID seemed like the best title, and it stuck. It’s about living life without regret, which I hope I have done. Now, put those glasses on and GET OUTSIDE! Cheers. ~J
I so appreciate your support of my work. Have a wonderful week!
© 2026 Janice Anne Wheeler
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What’s in your ditch bag? – Southern Boating & Yachting
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South Carolina Wildlife magazine, “Behind the Scenes” – SCDNR
SCW June 2026
South Carolina Wildlife magazine…
behind the scenes!
Here’s a sneak peek of the July-August 2026 cover of South Carolina Wildlife magazine. A scenic avenue at Donnelley Wildlife Management Area photographed by SCW Editor Cindy Thompson
Don’t miss the July-August edition
of South Carolina Wildlife magazine!
In this edition of SCW’s “Palmetto Portraits,” photographer Phillip Jones captures breathtaking images along picturesque side roads that weave all the way from the capital city of Columbia to the Atlantic Ocean. At the end of the trip, Jones enjoyed this glorious sunset at Cherry Grove Pier! Photo by Phillip Jones
The summer issue of South Carolina Wildlife magazine is geared toward all ages and outdoor interests! Articles featured in this issue:
- “Reconnecting”
College students reconnect with nature on the Palmetto Trail - “Fishing with a Ghost”
An angler witnesses a unique blue ghost firefly display after a day of fly fishing - “Lake Wylie’s Black Bass Battle”
Working to protect South Carolina’s native black bass population, as the non-native Alabama bass species threatens to overtake local aquatic habitats. - “When the Rain Stops”
State Climatology Staff explain different types of drought - “Conserving South Carolina’s Crayfishes”
Our state is home to a large number of crayfish species, and their habitats are of critical importance. - “Palmetto Portraits”
Side Road to Paradise - “Dabbling”
Reflections on dabbling for fish - “Wildlife on Your Land: Changes”
A surprising then-and-now look at a Carolina landscape - “Beauty within the Beast”
The beauty of wildlife in a flower garden - “Wilds and Waters: the Bluegill”
- “Conservation Corner”
Local farmers reflect on their connections to the Conservation Districts of S.C.
. . . and more!
“Lake Wylie’s Black Bass Battle,” featured in the summer issue of SCW magazine, focuses on the importance of protecting populations of our state’s native black bass species and breaks down the approach to support native populations.
Protecting South Carolina’s Native Bass
The following is an excerpt from the article “Lake Wylie’s Black Bass Battle,” written by Terry Madewell. The full article will be featured in the South Carolina Wildlife July-August issue.
If you are not already a subscriber, please subscribe before July 1 to receive your copy. Visit GoOutdoorsSouthCarolina.com or SCWildlife.com to subscribe today.
Click to view the documentary video “Protecting Our Native Bass,” which accompanies this article. (Produced by SCDNR photographer Allison DeVore; featured on SCNaturalResources YouTube)
Lake Wylie’s Black Bass Battle by Terry Madewell. Photos by Danielle Kent.
Lake Wylie’s Black Bass Battle
SCW feature article by Terry Madewell
Photos and documentary video by Allison DeVore and Danielle KentDuring the early 2000s, an elite bass fishery found at Lake Wylie lured the Bassmaster Classic to host leading tournament bass anglers to battle for the title of Champion. The lake hosted a thrilling tournament in 2004, and all was well in this bass-fishing world.
Concurrently, during those years, a nonnative species of bass was being illegally transported under the radar from Alabama waters into South Carolina river systems and lakes. Astounding disruptions within South Carolina’s native aquatic ecosystems would soon follow.
SCDNR freshwater fisheries staff sample and survey lake reservoirs to monitor populations of bass species that are present. Photo by Allison DeVore
Upsetting the Balance of a Native Ecosystem
Lake Wylie is the uppermost lake in the Catawba River system in South Carolina. First created in 1904 by a dam near Fort Mill, Lake Wylie is one of the oldest reservoirs in South Carolina. The SCDNR manages the lake for recreational fishing and maintains multiple fish attractors. Popular sport fish of Lake Wylie include largemouth bass, crappie and catfish. The SCDNR monitors these species on a regular basis to maintain a healthy population.
Healthy populations of largemouth bass once existed at Lake Wylie, producing an elite-level fishery for decades, until illegal transportation of fish occurred, sabotaging the native black bass fishery and the natural harmony of this ecosystem. Lake Wylie was invaded by an aggressive predator that now sits at the top of the chain: the Alabama bass.
Alabama bass are quickly overtaking Lake Wylie waters, resulting in increased competition with native largemouth bass. Photos by Danielle Kent
Preston Chrisman is the Freshwater Fisheries Coordinator for Region Two of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) and Chairman of the Black Bass Working Group. He and this SCDNR team are leading efforts to combat the unwelcome spread of this species into the Catawba River system.
“Often referred to by anglers as Spotted bass, the Alabama bass became a specific, named species of black bass in 2008,” Chrisman said. “When introduced into non-native fisheries, the invasive species rapidly overruns the native bass population to the point of dominance. At Lake Wylie, the native largemouth are losing the battle.”
According to Chrisman, “Alabama bass are typically smaller than the largemouth bass, seldom reaching trophy sizes. Over time, their population explodes, and their growth rates decline when their numbers stabilize,” he said. “Eventually, competition and pressure on forage produce smaller versions of the invasive species, with most in the one-to-three-pound class.”
SCDNR Freshwater fisheries staff encourage anglers to learn characteristics of native black bass vs. Alabama bass. Native largemouth bass (top) compared to non-native Alabama bass (bottom). Photo courtesy SCDNR
In his article, “Lake Wylie’s Black Bass Battle,” Terry Madewell underscores that the SCDNR will not allow the native black bass fisheries to slip quietly into the night without a fight, but it is an ongoing, long-term battle.
“We’re initiating an experimental black bass stocking program on Lake Wylie in 2027,” Chrisman said. “The goal is to stock 150,000 fingerling largemouth bass into Lake Wylie, and to repeat the stockings for at least three consecutive years.” … “Our goal is that anglers will catch more five-pound largemouth rather than three-pounders.”
“Lake Wylie’s Black Bass Battle” by Terry Madewell will be featured in the July-August 2026 edition of South Carolina Wildlife magazine.
South Carolina’s native black bass
vs. non-native Alabama bassby Preston Chrisman,
Freshwater Fisheries Coordinator for Region Two of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR)
and Chairman of the Black Bass Working GroupAlabama Bass (Micropterus henshalli) are native to the Mobile River Basin of Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi, but have been introduced into waters across the Southeast outside their native range. In South Carolina, Alabama Bass have been illegally introduced into nearly every major river basin in state. The unauthorized spread of invasive Alabama Bass has become a growing conservation concern because they compete with native black bass species for food and habitat and can hybridize with closely related bass, reducing the genetic integrity of native populations. Research from several southeastern states, South Carolina included, has documented declines in Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, and Bartram’s (Redeye) Bass populations following Alabama Bass introductions, making prevention of further spread an important fisheries management priority.
South Carolina’s native largemouth bass; Photo by Preston Chrisman
(non-native) Alabama bass; Photo by Preston Chrisman
Most anglers believe they are catching the closely related Spotted Bass (Micropterus punctulatus), but all the “spotted” bass in South Carolina have been genetically confirmed to be Alabama Bass. Although Alabama Bass (Micropterus henshalli) and Largemouth Bass (Micropterus nigricans) can appear similar, several key features help distinguish the two species. The most noticeable difference is the size of the mouth. In Largemouth Bass, the upper jaw extends well beyond the rear edge of the eye when the mouth is closed, while in Alabama Bass the jaw typically ends near the middle or rear margin of the eye. Alabama Bass also tend to have a broken, blotchy dark stripe along their sides with rows of small dark spots below the lateral line, whereas Largemouth Bass usually display a more solid, continuous horizontal stripe. Another useful characteristic is the tongue: Alabama Bass generally have a small rough tooth patch on the tongue, while Largemouth Bass usually lack this feature. Because coloration can vary among individuals, multiple characteristics should be used together when identifying these species. Additionally, Alabama Bass will hybridize with Smallmouth Bass and Bartram’s Bass, and to a lesser extent with Largemouth Bass, making visual identification even more difficult for anglers of all experience levels.
If you would like to learn more about recreational fishing and the native fish species of South Carolina, please visit https://www.dnr.sc.gov/
fishing.html To purchase a fishing license, visit GoOutdoorsSouthCarolina.
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Thank you for supporting South Carolina Wildlife magazine, the flagship publication of the S.C. Department of Natural Resources.
If you are not already a subscriber, please visit GoOutdoorsSouthCarolina.com or SCWildlife.com to receive bi-monthly editions of this award-winning magazine.
If you have questions, comments or suggestions for the staff of South Carolina Wildlife magazine, please email SCWildlifeMagazine@dnr.sc.gov
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- “Reconnecting”
Analysis of North Atlantic Sea Surface Temperatures – Fred Pickhardt
Fred Pickhardt’s Substack is free today. But if you enjoyed this post, you can tell Fred Pickhardt’s Substack that their writing is valuable by pledging a future subscription. You won’t be charged unless they enable payments.
Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for moreThere is a basin-wide cooling trend is occuring across different latitudes of the North Atlantic from mid-March to June 9.
North Atlantic Trend (45N to 65 N)
There has been a steep drop into negative territory since March when it was slightly warmer than normal. Currently the North Atlantic is in negative territory at about -0.23°C.
Central Atlantic Trend (25N to 45 N)
The trend in the central North Atlantic has steadily declined and currently is near the longer-term normal. The mid-latitudes started at a high anomaly of about +0.55°C in mid-March, experiencing various fluctuations before dropping sharply in late May. The latest value is +0.08°C, barely hovering above the long-term climatological baseline.
Main Development Region (10-20 N, 20W to 85W)
The overall trend of the Sea Surface Temperature (SST) anomaly in the Atlantic Main Development Region (MDR) is consistently downward. In Mid-March into April, the anomaly was slightly below neutral (about -0.2°C). A temporary warming occurred in April to early May followed by a significant drop down to -0.7°C around May 26. Currently the anomaly sits firmly in negative territory at -0.44°C as of June 9.
Hurricane Implications
Integrating the Central and Far North Atlantic data alongside the Main Development Region (MDR) data strengthens the outlook for a significanly suppressed hurricane season.
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Unmanned Ship to the Rescue – Loose Cannon
Cruisers Net publishes Loose Cannon articles with Captain Swanson’s permission in hopes that mariners with saltwater in their veins will subscribe. $7 per month or $56 for the year; you may cancel at any time.
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Equipped with a diesel engine, the Corsair 24 that rescued two downed U.S. airmen can travel at 35 knots with a range of more than 1,000 nautical miles and a 1,000-pound payload capacity. We have just seen the future of search and rescue at sea. “Proof of concept,” as one retired Coast Guard rescue swimmer just said.
Yesterday, a Saronic Corsair 24 “uncrewed surface vessel” rescued the two-man crew of a U.S. Army Apache helicopter downed in the Gulf of Oman, marking the first known use of a drone boat in a search-and-rescue mission.
The surface drone—aka an unmanned surface vessel—is part of the U.S. Navy’s Task Force 59, which is operating various uncrewed platforms, including the Corsair, during its Iran War deployment. When the Iranians shot down the Apache, a sister ship of the boat above was sent to the survivors’ known location.
The former commander of Task Force 59 told the Telegraph news outlet that the unit had trained for this kind of thing. “We thought it was possible, and we practiced in benign situations,” Michael Brasseur said. “But to execute in a contested environment like that, it’s a very fulfilling moment for me personally.”
The unanswered question is: How did the men get up onto the superstructure for their ride to safety? News descriptions were conclusory. The men “scrambled onto” or clambered up onto” the slab-sided vessel. As anyone who has tried to get onto anything steeper than a canoe—absent a ladder or swim platform—would testify, scrambling and clambering takes a fair bit of athleticism.
We can assume the pilots were fit, but they had probably been shaken up by their crash into the sea, and their inflatable PFDs would have made the ascension nigh impossible without first being deflated, as SAR demos have shown.
There are no obvious steps or handholds on the publicity photos distributed by
Saronic Technologies, the Austin-based manufacturer or the Corsair and two other drone boats used by the Navy. Search and rescue is just one of several warfighting missions these boats have been designed to perform.Saronic itself did not answer an email asking how the men would have been expected to board the boat.
Uninjured and highly motivated, the two men had undoubtedly been trained on how the Corsair operates and how to board one of them, according to Mario Vittone, a veteran Coast Guard rescue swimmer, now retired.
What works with uninjured military people may not succeed with wounded individuals or a retired couple who have just abandoned their sinking sailboat, but give it time. The addition of steps, handholds and robotic lifts will come.
Even at this early stage, the benefit of unmanned rescue has justified future improvements. Even without refinement, the Corsair already has greater range than most rescue helicopters and can be deployed from all manner of ships.
“They just had a lovely proof of concept, and they’ll be on cruise ships and commercial ships after that,” Vittone said. “I think all offshore searching will be done by fully autonomous drone (airborne) at around the same time. Give it a decade. Max.”
Each Corsair costs $1 to $1.2 million. According to Saronic, the Corsair is designed for multiple missions, including combat:
- Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR)
- Maritime patrol
- Search-and-rescue operations
- Delivery of supplies
- Electronic warfare missions
- Force protection for larger naval vessels
- Potential deployment of both kinetic and non-kinetic payloads
This Corsairs appears to be equipped primarily for surveillance and reconnaissance missions, with a camera turret on top of a central mast-like frame. Radar and additional sensors provide extra situational awareness. LOOSE CANNON covers hard news, technical issues and nautical history. Sometimes he tries to be funny. Subscribe for free to support the work. If you’ve been reading for a while—and you like it—consider upgrading to paid.
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Cruisers’ Net Weekly Newsletter – June 12, 2026
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“Jazz on the Harbor” TOMORROW Saturday June 13, Fishermen’s Village, Punta Gorda, FL
There is always plenty to do around Charlotte Harbor! While berthed at Fishermen’s Village Marina, A CRUISERS NET SPONSOR, you are certain to enjoy visiting Western Florida’s beautiful Charlotte Harbor/Peace River.
Special Events & Community Relations941.639.8721
Click Here To View the Western Florida Cruisers Net Marina Directory Listing For Fishermen’s Village
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window Zoomed To the Location of Fishermen’s Village
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What’s Happening At the Sea Pines Resort (June 2026), Harbour Town Yacht Basin, SC AICW MM 565
Harbour Town Yacht Basin, A CRUISERS NET SPONSOR, is ready for your reservation with newly renovated docks, upgraded electrical service and onSpot WiFi, also a CRUISERS NET SPONSOR. And, as always, numerous activities at the Sea Pines Resort are offered for your enjoyment, as you will see in the Event Schedule below. Hilton Head Island is absolutely marvelous any time of year.
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SCDNR Conservation Education June 2026 Newsletter – SCDNR
June 2026
June is the beginning of the summer season in South Carolina with the summer solstice happening on June 21st. The summer solstice marks the longest day, or hours of sunlight during a day, that the Northern Hemisphere will receive in the year. The exact number of hours experienced will depend on the viewer’s exact location, but if you are located within South Carolina you should expect to have just over 14 hours of daylight from sunup to sundown.
We will get to observe some thrilling and exciting changes in wildlife activity this month. Aves, or birds, are active during this time of year. Along the coast, shorebirds may be seen sitting on nests. In places like Botany Bay Heritage Preserve, it may be possible to spot an American oystercatcher in the distance by scanning the dunes for its bright orange beak. Nesting areas may be marked by similarly-colored bright orange tape. Observing shorebirds from a distance, especially during nesting season, is encouraged. This time of year, species like brown pelicans, royal terns, sandwich terns, least terns, black skimmers, and American oystercatchers are settling down atop their nests. These nesting colonies will often be behind some type of barrier where they are being protected as well as monitored by scientists. To get a closer look, I would recommend a good pair of 10 x 42 binoculars or your favorite camera, or even phone with a zoom lens attached. Report your findings to iNaturalist or eBird as well to contribute valuable citizen science data! Maybe if you find a passion in reporting birds you can become one of the famous “listers” — a person who meticulously reports and seeks out different species of birds, or maybe you might find a new “lifer” — or a bird seen by you for the first time in your life.
Nature photography day is June 15th! This day was created by the North American Nature Photography association and highlights the importance of photos in telling a conservation story and in research, as well as the value of it as a nature-based activity that can be enjoyed but all people, equipment and skill level aside. Get outside and explore a new public land, with a camera of any type in hand.
A note from Allison DeVore SCDNR Photographer and Videographer. “Every shoot brings something new, whether that’s a species I’ve never encountered or a person I’ve never met, and that’s what keeps it interesting. I love getting to tell the stories of SCDNR.” The photo of the red-winged blackbird was taken at Donnelley WMA and is one of Allison’s favorite photos that she has taken.
American Oystercatcher
American Oystercatcher, Photo by Kaitlyn HackathornThe American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus), found in South Carolina, is a shorebird species with a remarkable conservation success story. In 2008, the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf coast’s population estimate was 10,000 individuals. Surveys in 2023 counted 14,000 oystercatchers, an increase of 43 percent! As its name suggests, the American oystercatcher primarily feeds on oysters, mussels, clams and other marine invertebrates. Its bill, that is shaped like an oyster knife, allows it to access food sources unavailable to many other shorebirds that lack this specialized oyster opening adaptation. Habitat loss and alteration have long been major challenges for the species. American oystercatchers show strong site fidelity, often returning to the same nesting beach season after season, despite changes to those habitats over time. Conservation efforts that have contributed to the species’ recovery include habitat management for invasive species, restrictions on disturbance from domestic pets, protective buffers around nesting sites, and the creation and restoration of oyster reefs. This recovery effort has been a collaborative initiative involving state agencies, nonprofit organizations, and individuals along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Although the population has increased, the species still faces ongoing threats such as storms, nest disturbance, and beach erosion and loss. The story of the American oystercatcher, like that of South Carolina’s wildlife as a whole, remains an ongoing one that requires continued attention, collaboration, and support from both environmental institutions and the public.
Looking for a fun activity geared toward kids or a school group? Learn how to make a pinhole camera!
Deveaux Bank Seabird Sanctuary
Please be aware that The S.C. Department of Natural Resources’ (SCDNR) Deveaux Bank Seabird Sanctuary is completely closed March 15-October 15 to protect coastal birds during the nesting season.
Deveaux Bank Seabird Sanctuary was established to protect significant nesting habitat of sea and shorebirds. Located at the mouth of the North Edisto River in Charleston County, Deveaux Bank Seabird Sanctuary encompasses approximately 215 acres of sandy beaches, vegetated dunes, broad marshes and intertidal shoals. The size of this sanctuary varies, and it may sometimes disappear entirely. The location of Deveaux Bank as an estuarine island was first documented in 1921, and it was documented as a seabird rookery in the 1930s. During World War II, nesting was temporarily interrupted due to the island’s use as a bombing range. Deveaux Bank is part of a dynamic system; it completely subsided in 1980 due to erosion from Hurricane David and then slowly reemerged to provide seabird nesting habitat again in 1983.
Deveaux Bank’s maritime grassland community lives on unstable sand dunes elevated above the highest flood mark. The grassland community is dominated by Russian thistle and marsh hay, which grow along with camphorweed, beach elder, beach tea and dog fennel.
Deveaux Bank supports colonies of nesting waterbirds because of its isolated nature and lack of mammalian predators. Although all species may not nest on the island each year, examples of species that have used the island include brown pelican, least tern, royal tern, black skimmer, gull-billed tern, sandwich tern, common tern, laughing gull, Wilson’s plover, American oystercatcher, willet, great egret, snowy egret, tricolored heron and white ibis.
The colonial nesting behavior of these birds makes them very susceptible to disturbance. Birds are densely packed into breeding sites during the nesting season, rendering the entire rookery susceptible to disruption or destruction. In addition, migratory and wintering shorebirds and seabirds need periods of rest and foraging free from disturbance to survive long journeys and inclement weather. The sand flats and mud flats located in the interior of the island provide feeding and loafing habitat for numerous shorebird species including red knot (federally threatened), piping plover (federally threatened), sanderling, dunlin, short-billed dowitcher, marbled godwits and many others.
In recent years, Deveaux Bank made national headlines as SCDNR biologists discovered the largest known concentration of Hudsonian whimbrels, a rare curlew species, using the site as a nocturnal roost on their spring migration. Due to its critical importance for whimbrels, as well as other migrating shorebirds, Deveaux Bank was designated as a Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network site of international importance in 2024.
SCDNR events often require pre-registration to attend. Please click on the respective links and ensure you are signed up before attending.Saltwater Fishing Clinics
Many dates and locations are available this month!
These clinics will teach you how to tie knots, rig your rod, how to cast, what bait to use, and what fish you can catch in saltwater! Find all dates and other events at the SCDNR Fishing Outreach Eventbrite.
Freshwater Fishing Clinics
Many dates and locations are available this month!
These clinics will teach you how to tie knots, rig your rod, how to cast, what bait to use, and what fish you can catch in freshwater! Find all dates and other events at the SCDNR Aquatic Education Eventbrite.
Ironclad Anglers Fishing Rodeo, Colonial Lake, Charleston County
Saturday, June 6th, 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Come join SCDNR and the City of Charleston for a hero-themed saltwater fishing rodeo at Colonial Lake. Youth 15 and under. Register here
Hikes with a Naturalist, Ashmore HP & WMA, Greenville County
Saturday, June 20th, 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Hikes with a Naturalist are introductory explorations into the natural world around us. These hikes will cover topics ranging from local wildlife and fishes to best hiking practices and land management. Register here
Red Snapper 101- Charleston County
Monday, June 29th, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Red Snapper 101 will be taught by SCDNR staff, fishing professionals, and Shimano staff. We will go over the new updates, fish ID, and more.
The Red Snapper class goes over the new regulations, reporting system, season, fishing techniques, and fish ID. This class will teach you everything you would want to know about red snapper. Kids from ages 6 to adults are welcome, so come out to Shimano’s classroom and enjoy the class! Register here
About Us:
Conservation Education is a section within SCDNR’s Office of Education, Outreach, and Information. Our goal is to connect South Carolinians and visitors to public lands to help them live life outdoors. Our educational programs offer lessons on wildlife, fisheries, forestry, land management, watersheds, and environmental history.
Contact:
Conservation Education Section
Email: ConservationED@dnr.sc.gov
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T Electronic Flares vs Pyrotechnic Flares: What Boaters Need to Know – Southern Boating & Yachting
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DEATH ROW – Janice Anne Wheeler, Sparring With Mother Nature
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YOU. Yes, YOU are my motivation to send these little commentaries into the world. Thank you for being my outlet and my window. ~J
If you just dove into our very engaging little community, please read SPARS & SPARRING, .….it introduces my wonders and my wanders. & THANK YOU!
Along with boatowners who are diligent about SPARRING WITH MOTHER NATURE and her amazing ability to deteriorate, there are dozens of derelict, abandoned vessels in this particular boatyard, one of thousands worldwide. If you wander about and contemplate the peeling coatings, rusted metal, sunken jackstands, and tattered coverings, you can feel the neglect, black mold covers interior surfaces and the exterior cracks and dries in penetrating sun, you know they will never again touch the water. We call it DEATH ROW.
The bright green one in the middle may launch again…others? Well, no. 
All shapes & sizes to be pondered, revered and pitied.Here at Yacht Maintenance Company, Cambridge, Maryland, the most notable and most fascinating, are in the row closest to the boatyard entrance, farthest from the water, appropriately enough. They sit perched on the highest point of land around, six now-decrepit vessels who, in their glory days, were glorious indeed. Places of celebration and joy, rest and recuperation, indulgence and intrigue, prestige and prosperity. Well-tended and well-loved, for certain. How, I ask myself, did all these souls end up here, on a long, winding river off the swampy eastern side of the Chesapeake Bay? A boat is internationally required to have both a name and a Hailing Port conspicuously posted to indicate where she originated, and if cleverly captured, what she personified. Sometimes you can then guess at a tiny part of her history, and the imagination can run quite wild. This gold-embossed, hand-carved name plate, though faded, catches the eye.
I had to look this one up…BACCHANTE(Google) “‘a woman who completely lets loose and enjoys partying with wild abandon.’ Some luxuries still intact… 
MAESTRA of Washinton, DC really makes you wonder. This vessel is a Baglietto, “…historic and highly prestigious Italian luxury shipyard opened in 1854…” This is a 16M, they now start at 26M and go to 80+. *UNSUSTAINED DREAMS. Or shall I say UNSUSTAINABLE, or UNTENABLE? Except to a very small percentage of individuals who have the means and the desire. These vessels have a life span; we’ve talked about the biodegradability of wood, the rusting of iron, the insidious leaks that start anywhere and then catch sailors dangerously unaware, the corrosive nature of aluminum when it touches salt water. The volatility.
There are an assortment of reasons, of course, that these vessels were simply abandoned. We never want to underestimate the pure power of money or how it is spent, but let’s face it, many probably come down to finances. the bigger your hobby the more of a commitment it becomes; financially, emotionally, personally, and time, oh, that bandit time. Time and Mother Nature are allies, hand-in-hand, skipping down the slippery-ass boat ramp of life encrusted with the ordinary and the unexpected, the soft and the slicing. Hard to defeat. Harder to estimate. The leaving behind happens on the water, too, and has caused a ruckus about anchoring and timing and living aboard in places that liveaboard Cruisers used to be welcome. One bad apple…
This society is far from perfect and we all make our choices. Some of those choices are most certainly what we leave behind.
In a perfect world, our piece of history named STEADFAST would be welcome and revered rather than devalued. I understand how disheartening it can be to keep investing in something that does not gain value except to oneself. I love my old wooden girl, but there is always something else that needs investment of time and resources. To possess something that other people cannot relate to, insurance companies won’t insure and fancy new marinas won’t let dock is a difficult thing indeed. If and when one does take the resisted path, it can be messy. I’ve wandered down a fun and shit-strewn trail for years and it made me better, frankly. Stronger, faster, smarter (like a superhero but NOT AT ALL like a superhero).
How you dispose of what you no longer want, in that ideal scenario, should not become someone else’s problem.
MIST OF AVALON, a unique blue-water wooden schooner from Nova Scotia, Canada, was a well-recognized tall ship at Canadian and US festivals as recently as 2018. She was undergoing refit during COVID and when the crew was finally allowed to leave, the story goes that they never returned. Her two massive steel spars were removed just a few weeks ago, the pile of lines and rigging amounting to almost a dump truck load in itself. There is a sadness that emanates now, from that hull. Occasionally, she sinks beneath the surface of her slip and, uncompensated, the boatyard crew pumps her out yet again, wary to spend the resources to dispose of her properly. Boats that are cleaned and become underwater reefs are most certainly a brilliant idea, but that, too, takes resources, permissions, and time.
31M MIST OF AVALON of Nova Scotia met her demise here when she was abandoned in 2021. Our innovative and fearless Boatyard Manager (on lift) overcomes another challenge as her masts are removed; hull, interior remain afloat.Have you been forced to or chosen to leave something behind that became someone else’s burden? We probably all have. Let’s hope our dreams don’t end up on DEATH ROW. Until next week I plan to dream big regardless. — ~J
Substack keeps me up past my bedtime every Saturday night and it’s a mission that I love, to create something that you can enjoy, learn from and consider. If you think it’s share-able, please pass it along via traditional methods or the re-stack button. THX!
Perhaps we are secretly (or not) at the helm of something similar to this working girl?
REFERENCE:
* BAGLIETTO Yachts These are impressive~~ !
I so appreciate your support of my work. Have a wonderful week!
© 2026 Janice Anne Wheeler
Living aboard Sailing Yacht STEADFAST again soon!
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Weather Alert, Looking Toward Midmonth – SCDNR
Weather Alert – June 5, 2026
Looking Toward Midmonth
We remain in a tranquil weather pattern across the Atlantic tropics for now. We have a disturbance in the Gulf that won’t develop before moving into Louisiana, but will bring some rain to the lower and middle Mississippi Valley this weekend. We also have four tropical waves to track. One is over the Caribbean Sea and Colombia (along 75° west), one is near the Lesser Antilles (at 60° west), and the other two are over the tropical Atlantic (near 53° west and near 27° west).
A loop of visible satellite imagery showing the features of interest across the Atlantic tropics. A storm centered northeast of Bermuda will not turn into a tropical cyclone as it moves eastward across the Atlantic.
Image Source: University of Wisconsin RealEarth
The Madden-Julian Oscillation is favorable for tropical cyclone formation over the Atlantic. However, other factors, such as widespread strong vertical wind shear (blame the developing El Niño in the Pacific for that), make further development in the Atlantic unlikely over the next seven days.
Starting about a week from now, the shear may relax enough over the western Caribbean Sea and Gulf that one of the waves now drifting westward over the tropical Atlantic has a chance to develop further once it reaches the area. It’s also possible that a Central American Gyre forms, and we get a development from that, or that the gyre and a tropical wave come together and spawn a tropical cyclone. Everyone’s favorite computer model, “The Euro”, has jumped on the bandwagon of showing a possible development around mid-month. However, it can only be said at this time that development is a reasonable possibility in a week or so. Until a storm develops or we’re sure one is imminent, we can’t say whether South Carolina will be affected.
This is output from the ECMWF Ensemble model indicating the percent chance for a tropical cyclone to be within 300 kilometers (about 186 miles) of a point on the map through the 15-day model run (starting at 8 p.m. Thursday EDT). It gives a user an idea of where tropical cyclones could form and track over the next 15 days. It does not indicate how strong a potential storm could be.
Image Source: WeatherBELL
An alternate scenario is that one of the storms we’ll see develop in the far East Pacific might cross Central America into the Atlantic in a week or so. That’s rare but not unheard of.
The bottom line is that you should be sure you’re ready for anything the hurricane season might throw at you. There’s a chance we’ll have to deal with a storm sooner rather than later. So, get those hurricane kits stocked and have your plan ready. As always, your best source for preparedness information is hurricane.sc.
South Carolina weather highlights for the next week:
- High pressure currently overhead keeps us warm to hot and rain-free through this weekend. Humidity will increase as the high shifts eastward and the wind becomes southeasterly. Highs will be mainly in the upper 80s to lower 90s on Saturday, then mainly in the low- to-mid 90s on Sunday.
- Along comes a ‘backdoor front’ (moving in from the northeast) on Monday, which will likely become stationary over South Carolina into Tuesday. That will generate mainly afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms, which could be spotty. That will ease the heat somewhat, with highs mainly in the upper 80s to lower 90s on Monday, then mid-to-upper 80s on Tuesday.
- The front retreats northward after that, putting us in a hot and humid air mass for the end of next week. Afternoon thunderstorms can’t be ruled out, but will be isolated and mainly confined to the Upstate and Coastal Plain. Highs trend up to the low 90s for most of the state by Thursday.
- Early signs suggest it could be quite hot next Friday and next weekend, with some 95°+ temperatures possible for our state’s usual hot spots.
Frank Strait
Severe Weather Liaison
S.C. State Climate Office
South Carolina Department of Natural Resources
260 D. Epting Lane
West Columbia, SC, 29172Stay Connected with SCDNR: 
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Cruisers’ Net Weekly Newsletter – June 5, 2026
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