UPDATE:  If you want to see in real time developments from the waterfront in Giglio, click here and here for two webcams Giglio Porto Panoramica, each from a different perspective.   Thanks to David Hindin for these links.  David sent these fotos along last year from San Francisco.

Less than a half hour after waking up this morning, drinking coffee, reading the paper and wanting to find out who “James H. Thompson” and “Pridi Banomyong”  were, I encountered this page.  Countless times today I met it again.  I support wikipedia’s opposition to SOPA and PIPA and urge you to tell your congressfolk too.   Or at least find out about the issue.

But of course, I’m not darkening this blog.  Especially when I can share such colorful fotos of Sand Master yesterday before the rain.

Sand Master looks a lot like Greenland Sea and Na’Hoku, but  . . .  surprise, each comes from a different shipyard although all at one time belong to Otto Candies.

Sand Master was built by Swift Ships in Pass Christian, MS in 1983.

Amboy Aggregates uses Sand Master in their sand mining activties, and as such, she spends most of its time off Sandy Hook, a presence on AIS but not so commonly seen.

John P. Brown is always a delight to see, as

is Thomas J. and yesterday

was no exception.  It was worth my while to get my feet wet taking this foto.

As I said yeasterday, I got the sense that the flag raising on Mount Hope was a signal for all manner of activity to commence.   Capt. Fred Bouchard moved into the notch of B. No. 275 and  Barbara McAllister (ex-Bouchard Boys) (see the upper wheelhouse on the far side) added her 4000 hp to

Capt. Fred‘s 5750 . . . and the waters started to churn.

Meanwhile, what or who can make the slack waters of the KVK rise up like this?

Barbara E. . . . with her 6140 hp.

Some minutes later, Barbara E. and Capt. Fred Bouchard round the bend to exit the KVK.   Interesting guy, the original Cap. Fred.

All fotos yesterday by Will Van Dorp during less than a one-hour party.

Please do something about SOPA and PIPA.

Unrelated:  Click here for the “hugest” set of links to cruise vessels that I’ve ever soon.  I’m lamenting the loss of life, but I’m not speculating about what transpired off Giglio.  But for an eerie foto of the Costa Concordia appearing to  “float in clouds,”  click here.  Here’s a portentious video from the vessel’s launch.