More than a year ago, my office-mate Kevin introduced me to the world of Science Blogging. Behind the bit-thin veneer of a Google search lay a sprawling and vibrant community of scientists, educators, and communicators. A community I had been completely unaware. After a year on the inside, I’ve come to understand just how powerful these communities can be.
Many of you have heard about the Concordia, the sailing vessel that capsized last week with a classroom-at-sea aboard. While exploring the reports and blogs about the incident, I realized that another, equally awesome network of bloggers exists out there. A network that marine biologists should be engaged in just as much as Science Blogs. These are the Maritime Blogs.
I found the Sea-Fever blog first, through the author’s twitter @petermello. His rapid and voracious accumulation of information regarding the sinking was truly impressive. Be sure to check out the interview with the Captain of the Concordia and a discussion on AMVER and EPIRBS – something all our vessels carry, yet we almost never think about.
That led me to AMVERS’s own blog, where they discuss all things related to the Automated Mutual Assistance Vessel Rescue System, one of the single most important developments in International sea safety. If you’re packing an EPIRB and have the vessel, you should be part of the AMVER safety network.
http://www.uscg.mil/comdt/photo.asp
If you’re interested in finding out what the US Coast Guard is up to, check out Admiral Thad Allen’s blog – iCommandant. I haven’t done an exhaustive search, but he may very well be the highest ranking military blogger in the US. Check out his post on World Maritime Day and the Impacts of Global Climate Change.
If that’s not enough of a Guardian fix for you, check out the USCG National Strike Force blog, where you can find out everything you’d want to know about “The World’s Best Responders”. If you want to see what happens within the first day of a massive petroleum fire, check out National Strike Force Responds to Gulf Facility Fire in Puerto Rico. There’s also an Unofficial Coast Guard Blog,if you’re looking for a different point of view.
Check out the BitterEnd, where they cover just about everything maritime, Maritime Compass for news on maritime studies, The StarboardRail for an MBA’s take on the maritime world.
And since I’m obviously pretty enthralled by Admiral Allen’s blog, I’ll leave you with the Commandant’s view on social media:
~Southern Fried Scientist
Wonderful collection of blogs. I had not heard about the Concordia sinking, so thanks for steering me towards this news. While in grad school I was a TA for a marine field course in Baja Mexico. We had one scary incident heading back to the station in small flat bottomed pangas as the winds kicked up coming down the mountains bordering our small town. We made it back just fine, but a couple year’s later a number of researchers (a PI and several students) drowned when their boats where flipped by high winds.
On a lighter note, it has been lots of fun to watch your blog over the past year. Do you still have your undergrad students shoot videos? I am having a class shoot 60 second science videos this semester and could use any advice you are willing to give.
Hi Mason, Thanks! This year I tried something new and had my students write their own grant proposals with their own original broader impact statements that they have to implement. I’ll post the results of those near the end of the semester.