HMS BOUNTY SINKING: Coast Guard Hearing Gets Underway

I'M NOT TOO UNHAPPY about the fact that I'll be spending next week at the Miami International Boat Show (you can look for reports right here, of course), but if I wasn't, I'm thinking I might be in Portsmouth, Virginia, instead. I've been very interested in the many questions raised by the sinking of HMS Bounty during Hurricane Sandy last fall--particularly why she went to sea when she did, and why she was taking on so much water--and I'm hoping the official U.S. Coast Guard investigation into the incident will ultimately provide some answers. The Coasties are making an important part of the process public at formal hearings, which are scheduled to run nine days, starting February 12 at the Renaissance Portsmouth Hotel at 425 Water Street.

You can check out the official dance card and witness list here. If you are media like me, you can apply for credentials, but my understanding is that members of the general public will also be seated on a first-come-first-serve basis.

Since I can't go, here's an invitation: any semi-literate types out there who do attend and want to write something will be welcome to publish their account here on WaveTrain. Just push one of them there contact buttons to get in touch with me.

UPDATE: Here's an excellent story on the Bounty sinking just published by Outside. Revelations include: Bounty was always leaking too much; the reason she needed to get to Florida so bad. Check it out!