BoatU.S. - August-September 2012

AS THE CENTENARY of the Titanic maritime tragedy has come and gone, another iconic vessel marked 100 years on a far happier note, when African Queen fired up her new steam boiler in Key Largo, Florida. Yes, it’s the original 30-foot vessel from John Huston’s classic 1951 film of the same name, starring Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn. Registered as a national historic site, steel-hulled African Queen underwent a $70,000 restoration for structural, mechanical, and cosmetic repairs. Its African mahogany gunnels, rails, and other woodwork are all original and still solid.

Built in 1912 in England and named Livingstone, the boat shuttled cargo, hunting parties, and mercenaries on the Ruki River in what is now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo until 1968. It then passed through owners in California; Oregon; and finally Ocala, Florida, where she languished in a horse pasture until 1982. Her current captain, Lance Holmquist, and his wife Suzanne restored the boat to appear as she did in the movie, and held a “relaunch” party on April 12, with special guest, “Bogie’s” son Stephen (shown at the helm). African Queen now offers 90-minute canal cruises several times daily, and dinner cruises on selected nights. Information at www.calypsosailing.com — R.L.

Sea Floor Mapping Better, Atlantis Still Lost THE NEW ONLINE VIEWER from NOAA allows would-be submariners to explore ocean depths from the comfort of their computer. At www.maps.ngdc.noaa.gov/view- ers/bathymetry, boaters can access sophisticated sea-floor maps that previously required a Ph.D. to understand, or a James Cameron level of investment to see firsthand. However, the high-resolution sea floor mapping has seen an uptick in “discoveries” of the lost city of Atlantis. In one case, a grid pattern on the sea floor near the Canary Islands, off northwest Africa, that appeared to be man-made (streets of the mythical metropolis, perhaps?) turned out to be ship tracks captured as remnants of sonar imaging from towed submersibles. No, says NOAA, Atlantis hasn’t been found. Yet. — CHRIS LANDERS

16 | BoatU.S. Magazine
CALIFORNIA SEA SCOUTS
EARN FLAGSHIP AWARD
WHILE SEA SCOUTING CONTIN- UES its 2012 celebration of 100 years of getting young people
on the water, BoatU.S. commemorated
the hallmark year by awarding its 10th
National Sea Scout Flagship Award.
Recognition for top-performing Sea
Scout unit in the nation went to Ship 72,
Albatross, home port Martinez, California,
in the San Francisco Bay/California Delta.
Like all Sea Scout units, Ship 72 uses
boats, seamanship, and nautical skills to
develop character and leadership qualities
in young people, both male and female.
Ship 72 operates the 65-foot ex-Navy
torpedo retriever Albatross, based at the
Martinez Marina, and several other
small boats.
To earn Flagship recognition, the ship
and its crew of 23 Sea Scouts compiled
an impressive record of accomplishments
last year, logging 50 days of on-water
activities, including a 10-day summer
cruise, plus six community-service proj-
ects. For a timeline of Sea Scouting over
the past century, go to
www.BoatUS.com/Magazine/SeaScouting
— R.L.