Florida is renowned for its pristine beaches with fabulous resorts and hotels. These resorts often offer the opportunity for a Jet Ski rental for some pre-determined amount of time. As with renting anything, there are some do’s and don’ts associated with Jet Ski rentals that all tourists should be aware of:

Do’s

1. DO ask around your hotel or resort for a reputable Jet Ski rental company (best to ask the concierge if available). 
2. DO ask if the rental company is affiliated with the hotel or resort you are staying at. If it’s a third-party vendor, ask about their reputation.
3. DO visually inspect the rental operation, including friendliness and professionalism of the staff, cleanliness and condition of the equipment, and if the staff offers the proper safety equipment and instructions.
4. DO ask about the boundaries of where you may take the rented Jet Ski. 
5. Since most rentals are by the hour, DO ask how you will know when your time is up. 
6. DO ask if ALL the costs of the rental are included in the stated price (e.g. tax and fuel costs). 
7. DO communicate to your family and/or friends that you are renting a Jet Ski and how long you anticipate being gone.
8. DO carefully read the rental agreement, and ask if you do not understand any parts.
9. DO follow safety instructions such as wearing your life vest and keeping the emergency stop attached to the Jet Ski.
10. DO look out for obstructions, other vessels and other people while on the water.

Don’ts

1. DO NOT operate the Jet Ski under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
2. DO NOT pay with a credit card if you are in a foreign country – disputes are hard to reconcile.
3. DO NOT handle or operate the Jet Ski rental beyond your experience. If you are new to using a Jet Ski, then do not attempt maneuvers outside of your comfort level or skill. 
4. DO NOT disregard safety instructions given by the rental company staff.

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Recently a Palm Beach County jury returned a verdict in an amount of just under $40 million for the families of one girl killed and another severely injured in a wave runner accident. The Plaintiffs alleged that Yamaha Motor Corporation was negligent for a design defect and failing to warn of the dangers of one of their personal watercrafts commonly referred to as a wave runner or jet ski. The accident happened in March of 2005 and two young girls under the age of sixteen took off on a borrowed 2001 Yamaha wave runner. They were driving the wave runner in the Intracoastal Waterway near West Palm Beach, Florida. One of the girls was killed and the other severely injured when the wave runner collided with a boat. It was the plaintiffs’ contention that the wave runner possessed a design defect that when the throttle is released the operator losses all navigation function of the watercraft. Evidently, Yamaha knew of this, failed to correct the problem and failed to warn of the defect. This had been an ongoing problem for Yamaha since 2001 and they had been sued multiple times for similar allegations. The problem has since been corrected, but at what price?

The case was a hard fought, contentious battle in Palm Beach County Circuit Court. At the end and after much deliberation, the jury found in favor of the plaintiffs but attributed some negligence to the parents of the girls but not enough to taint the victory.

The brave lawyers who took on this case against Yamaha must be commended. They expended considerable money and countless hours in the preparation and prosecution of their claim. They spent in excess of a million dollars to bring justice for the families. The two Plaintiffs lawyers went up against a very large corporation and their army of lawyers and justice prevailed. Plaintiff attorneys over the years have gotten a bad name and have been called everything from ambulance chasers to parasites but if not for the plaintiff’s lawyers, who is going to keep these profiteers and corporations, lacking social conscious, in check.

There are multiple instances where corporations have taken advantage of the public at large and have only been found out by the litigation process from the brave lawyers who had the guts to take these companies into the courthouse to obtain justice on behalf of their clients. All lawyers, like those in the above wave runner case, need to be commended for their bravery, tenacity and commitment to justice. If not for the few, the many could continue to harm innocent victims in the name of profit.

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With the economy being what it is and people still interested in taking vacations, the cruise industry has taken off as an inexpensive alternative to traditional travel. Aside from the relative cost, the technology and size of the ships have made cruising very attractive for your average traveler. Twenty years ago these vessels were like small hotels, now they are like small cities. With the advent of technology and better design comes a presumably safer ship. Nevertheless, people do get injured on cruise ships and sometimes very seriously. Nothing can ruin a vacation on a cruise more than a significant personal injury.

Travelers can become injured aboard vessels for a variety of reasons not limited to slipping and falling in the buffet line, by the pool, down the stairs, or on a wet deck. Tripping and falling and slipping and falling are the most common forms of becoming injured aboard a cruise ship and can be avoided by keeping an eye out and wearing sensible foot wear. Notwithstanding, accidents do happen and travelers can become injured through no fault of their own and often times through negligence of the ship for failing to correct or warn of a known dangerous condition.

When a traveler’s cruise vacation has been cut short or ruined by an injury, often times they seek legal assistance in obtaining compensation for the ruined cruise and their injuries. In this instance, the traveler must be acutely aware of the limitations placed on the time to bring a lawsuit and the place the lawsuit can be brought.  Typically, the cruise lines operate out of Miami and the ticket contains conditions that a lawsuit must be brought against the cruise line within one year of the date of the injury after appropriate warning has been given to the line and must be brought in federal court in Dade County, Florida.  Other cruise lines have venue and jurisdiction restrictions limiting the lawsuits to be brought in California and Washington State. This area of the law is highly specialized and lawyers not familiar with the venue and time limitations placed upon the passenger commonly commit malpractice by failing to file the case in a timely fashion and in a jurisdiction required by the cruise line ticket. Lawyers have attempted to argue that these restrictions are unfair but the courts have routinely upheld these conditions as an arm’s length transaction between the cruise line and the passenger.  Concurrently, the courts have discussed the necessity of having a uniform venue and time limitation against the cruise lines in order to keep operating costs in check for the cruise line industry.

Aside from becoming injured aboard a ship through a slip and fall accident or some other type of injury, passengers often feel they have been mistreated or misdiagnosed by the ships doctors and claim medical malpractice against the cruise line. However, these claims are not sustainable in a court of law under the current status of legislation and the law in the United States. Courts have decided that doctors are independent contractors of the cruise line and that the cruise lines are not responsible for the medical negligence of the doctor or the nursing staff. There appears to be an approaching shift in this thought process but until the courts take a firm stand in favor of medical malpractice being attributed to the carrier, the status of the law will require the passenger suffering from the medical negligence of the ship’s doctor to proceed directly against the doctor and staff.

Therefore, if a passenger is injured aboard a ship, the first thing they should look to after obtaining appropriate medical care is to the terms and conditions of the travel ticket contract for passage and hire an attorney who is well versed in the area of cruise line law. Otherwise, the passenger may lose valuable rights and possibly the ability to receive compensation which would lead to further insult to injury. 

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A gravely ill passenger aboard a cruise ship was recently dropped overboard into the frigid waters of the North Sea during an emergency medical transport. According to published reports, the cruise ship accident occurred as emergency medical personnel transferred the victim from the Ocean Countess cruise ship to a Norwegian rescue vessel.

The cruise ship accident was witnessed by a couple traveling to Norway. According to the husband, personnel from both ships were holding opposite ends of the stretcher when the two vessels  suddenly drifted apart. At a certain point, control of the stretcher could no longer be maintained, and the woman plunged into the sea.  The two ships apparently were not properly latched together in preparation for the transfer.

According to a cruise line spokesman, after several attempts, the crew of the search and rescue vehicle was finally able to retrieve the woman from the freezing ocean water and transfer her to a local hospital. It is estimated that the critically injured passenger, spent nearly eight minutes floundering in the North Sea while rescue efforts were organized and executed.

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There was a recent of a Disney cruise ship crew member missing at sea off the western coast of Mexico. On Tuesday, the female crew member failed to report for shift on the Disney Wonder, according to Disney spokesperson.

Cruises can be fun and exciting, to work and for vacation. As our Florida Maritime Attorney, Mark R. Hanson, can attest, it is serious business when things go wrong at sea. Maritime cases are different and have specific rules and statute of limitations. 

If you are a passenger or a crewmember  on a cruise vessel, boat or personal water craft, we encourage you to have fun, but also exercise care and caution while at sea. Enjoy the water, and be safe.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of the missing female crew member and hope that she is found safe and sound.

Click on the following link to read more on the Disney Cruise member missing at sea

Disney cruise reports crewmember missing at sea - Palm Beach Post

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No one heads out on a cruise with the intention of getting hurt, becoming ill or dying. Fortunately, such problems are exceedingly rare; the vast majority of people who embark on cruises return home with nothing more than fond memories and great tans. If you or a loved one is injured while on a cruise, though, it is critical to note that there is a strict statute of limitations in place with most cruise lines. Typically, adults only have one year from the time of their injury to file lawsuits. That's just one reason why it's important to consult with a maritime lawyer.

A Special Note about Minors

Cruise lines are able to impose a one-year statute of limitations because of the Federal Limitation of Liability Statute. However, there are exceptions involved. As every maritime lawyer knows, special exceptions exist regarding minors. The statue of limitations for minors who are involved in accidents or who are injured while on cruises is three years - and the clock doesn't start ticking until they have hired a maritime law firm. However, that maritime law firm must be hired within one year of the incident; furthermore, if they turn 18 in the year after the incident, the three year limit goes into effect at that point.

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In a report just released by the National Transportation Safety Board, phone records show that the first mate on lookout was on a cellphone during the tugboat and barge collision in Philadelphia in July 2010. He made or received over 20 calls from noon until the accident occurred at 2:37pm per the 4,400 page NTSB report.

The accident in the Delaware River last summer, claimed the lives of two tourists and injured 26 other passengers.

It is important to point out that the safety board report is only a factual finding in an ongoing investigation and does not offer a conclusion as to what caused the accident. The investigation is ongoing.  However, it is not a stretch to conclude that negligence on the part of this first mate by talking on his cellphone instead of doing his job, which was to be on lookout, will be looked at very closely.

Distracted Boating is as Dangerous as Distracted Driving in a motor vehicle.  If you are operating a vessel or a vehicle, pay attention to the seas and what is around you. Most accidents that involve distracted driving while on a cellphone can be avoided, if the parties involved, used common sense. 

Pay attention to the seas while you are operating a vessel, it could save a life.

Click on the following link to read more on Tugboat lookout on phone during fatal collision - CNN.com

NTSB: Tug pilot in crash was on cell - Associated Press - Washington Post,com

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While DUI arrests and convictions get a lot of attention in the state of Florida, BUI - or boating under the influence - arrests don't. The interesting thing about that fact is that Florida has the highest number of registered vessels in the country. In 2009, 982,470 vessels were registered in the state of Florida - that's according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, or FWC. With so many boats out on the water at any given time, it's surprising to learn that BUIs don't occur at much higher rates. 

Boating Accidents in Florida

In the year 2009, there were 620 reported boating accidents in the state of Florida. In terms of fatalities, falls overboard were the biggest culprits. 20 of the fatal accidents, or 39% of them, were caused by falls overboard; 69% of all fatal accidents involved drowning. Out of all of those numbers, only 18.5% of reported fatalities were directly linked to drugs or alcohol. Still, there is no question that mixing drinking, drugs and boating is never a good idea. Fortunately, law enforcement around the state puts forth diligent efforts to keep such incidents at bay.

BUIs in Florida

Over the July 4 holiday in 2010 in Palm Beach County, the FWC checked approximately 400 vessels out on the water. At the same time, they interviewed around 1,000 people, Despite their careful investigation, they didn't make a single arrest. In 2009, only four arrests were made across the state for BUI; in 2010, the number was only seven. Is the surprisingly low number of BUI arrests due to the diligent efforts of law enforcement, or is it because people are somehow better able to get away with it?

How BUIs are Handled

BUIs are handled in a manner that is quite similar to their DUI counterparts. If an officer is patrolling the water and suspects a boater of being intoxicated, a preliminary sobriety test on the boat, may be administered. If further cause for investigation is warranted, the suspect will be given another set of field sobriety tests on land. From there, the process is quite similar to that of a DUI arrest. The number of BUI incidents in the state of Florida, could lower.

As a Florida Maritme Law Firm, we encourage you to remember, when you are out on the water in your boat, safety should always come first.

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Boating season has officially started and we know that because of the first tragic accident that occurred this past Saturday near the Juno pier. As many accidents, this could have been avoided if the captain understood boating safety. Apparently, a fourteen year old girl attempted to board a 22 foot boat in shallow water near the beach.

The seas were choppy and the wind up. This idea was doomed to fail from the beginning and any captain with half a brain would have never agreed to engage in this dangerous activity. As the boat pitched, the captain engaged the engine and revved the motor, the prop spun and chopped up the girl's legs. Then the nitwit captain left the girl bleeding in the water.

The boat was eventually found and the cowardly captain identified. Hopefully criminal charges will follow and the captain should feel blessed the girl did not die. Sadly, this could have all been avoided by using a little common sense and some boating safety knowledge.

Click on the following link to read more on the Teen Injured in the Juno Boating Accident:

14-Year-Old Girl's Leg Cut By Boat Propeller

Gardens girl hit by boat propeller lost part of left leg

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This past week Disney Cruise Lines opted to skip Mazatlán Mexico citing the escalating crime in the Mexican city. Princess and Holland America quickly followed suit. Now the cruise industry’s giants are slated to meet this coming week to discuss Mexico’s ongoing violent crime problem and cruise line tourists being caught in the cross-fire of the Mexican drug wars.

Recently NCL and RCL have removed certain Mexican ports from their itineraries claiming lack of interest or health concerns. It seems now that the real problem has been crime. We applaud the cruise industry’s concern for passenger safety off the ship. It seems as though Mexico cannot bridle its crime problems and until they do, the cruise industry has decided to take its business elsewhere. Kudos!

It may not seem like much but the economic impact to these Mexican tourist ports and their surrounding areas will send a loud message to Mexican officials. Hopefully the message will be heard. Mexico has many beautiful sites and it’s a shame that the criminal element has to ruin the opportunity for the rest of the world to enjoy.

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 Recently it was reported in newspapers across South Florida that a Royal Caribbean Cruise Line employee was using her job position to ascertain the names and addresses of people for whom she had booked vacations. She would pass the names of the customers, their addresses and vacation dates along to her husband and his conspirators so that the RCL customers’ homes could be broken into and burglarized. Bethsaida Sandoval and her husband were recently arrested on multiple counts of conspiracy, grand theft and burglary.

Royal Caribbean has denied any knowledge of Bethsaida Sandoval’s prior criminal history. However, I was able to simply run her name through the Miami-Dade County Clerk’s office to learn that she had been previously arrested for grand theft and forgery. Royal Caribbean has claimed that they performed an appropriate background check and even if that were so, RCL decided to hire Ms. Sandoval and place her in a position of trust and give her the fiduciary duty of protecting Royal Caribbean’s customer’s identity. What a big mistake.

I now have the pleasure of representing someone victimized by Royal Caribbean’s failure to properly investigate their employee and thereafter, supervise her. RCL has continued to deny responsibility and have offered a ridiculously low offer of compensation to these passengers who have been victimized by their own employee. We have recently filed suit and we will let a jury decide whether or not Royal Caribbean’s conduct was acceptable. What do you think?
 
Click on the following link to read more on the former Royal Caribbean employee charged with burglarizing passengers.

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A water taxi slammed into a pier Sunday in Seattle, Washington, injuring at least seven people. According to the U.S. Coast Guard rescue workers responded to the boating accident that happened shortly before noon on Sunday. The vessel slammed into historic Pier 50, also known as the Washington Street Public Boat Landing Facility. Reportedly, seven people were taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

There were about 78 passengers and crew were aboard the water taxi – most of which were Seahawks fans heading for the big game with the San Diego Chargers - at the time of the crash.

In the 2009 report on Boating Accident Statistics from the U.S. Coast Guard, approximately 4,730 accidents caused 736 deaths and over 3,300 injuries occurred in 2009.The fatality rate, which compares the number of annual deaths against the number of registered boats, increased to 5.8 deaths per 100,000 registered boats in 2009.

The top five contributing factors to the accidents included boat operator inattention and inexperience, excessive speed, improper lookout and alcohol consumption. The U.S. Coast Guard report states that alcohol consumption "continues to be of major concern" in fatal accidents, and was the leading factor in 16 percent of deaths. Approximately 86 percent of boat operators involved in fatal accidents had not received boat safety instruction.

The state of Florida led the nation in boating accidents with 610 total boating accidents in 2009. This was a decrease from 2008, which had 616 boating accidents in Florida. The number of fatal accidents in Florida increased in 2009 to 53 fatal boating accidents from 50 fatal boating accidents in 2008. The number of deaths in boating accidents increased in 2009 to 67 boating deaths up from 55 boating deaths in 2008.

The State of California came in second place with 478 boating accidents in 2009. This was a decrease from 2008 which had 520 boating accidents in California. The number of fatal accidents in California increased in 2009 to 42 fatal boating accidents from 39 fatal boating accidents in 2008. The number of deaths increased in 2009 to 47 boating deaths up from 45 boating deaths in 2008

Click on the following link to read more on the Seattle Water Taxi Accident that injured Seven

Click on the following link to read more on Boating Injury Statistics from the U.S. Coast Guard

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Florida Maritime Attorney, Mark. R. Hanson, discusses admiralty & maritime law,  passenger's rights, cruise injuries, and boating safety with South Florida Business Report producer David Weir.

As a Maritime Attorney with many years of experience handling cruise industry issues, Mr. Hanson shares how a maritime case involving a crew member differs from a case involving a passenger aboard a cruise ship.

Mr. Hanson also outlines how a boat owner should exercise reasonable care for the safety of passengers and others at sea. According to Attorney Hanson “Every owner/operator of a boat should take the U.S. Coast Guard Safety Course.”

Due to our climate, Florida has more recreational boats and yachts registered than the most other 50 states. The seaports of Florida account for the largest amount of cargo and cruise ship passengers than other states.

Click on the following link to view the video of  Florida Maritime Attorney Mark R. Hanson discussing
Maritime & Admiralty Law, Cruise Injuries, Boating Safety and Passenger's Rights on South Florida Business Report

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In the past several year cruises have become a popular, affordable and a fun way to travel. It seems that you cannot watch television for a half hour without seeing at least one commercial for a cruise line.  In fact there are approximately two hundred (200) over night, ocean going cruise vessels world- wide averaging two-thousand (2,000) passengers and a crew of almost a thousand (1,000) crew members. In 2007 alone approximately twelve-million (12,000,000) passengers took cruises. Even with these numbers, vacationers fail to fully appreciate their potential vulnerability to crime even on the ship itself. Additionally, many passengers are victims of crime on foreign soil. The victims often do not know their legal rights or whom to contact for help in the immediate aftermath of a crime either at sea or on foreign soil. 

Recently passed, and waiting for the President’s signature, is H.R.1485.IH which is commonly referred to as the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act of 2009. This law is designed to fully inform all of the passengers of their rights if they become victims of crime while on a cruise. Additionally, it requires the vessel to have certain equipment and modifications which further ensure the safety of its passengers. The equipment and modifications include railings that are located on each deck that are not less than four and a half feet (4 ½) above the deck, the staterooms shall be equipped with entry doors that include peep holes, security latches and time sensitive key technology. Also, the cruise shall have restrictive access to passenger state rooms. Fire codes shall be implemented. The vessel shall integrate technology that can be used for detecting passengers who have fallen over board.     Also, the ship is to keep a log of all reported deaths, missing individuals and significant crimes alleged to be committed on the vessel including, but not limited to, complaints of theft, sexual harassment and assault. These log books will be made available upon request to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Coast Guard and any law enforcement officer in any jurisdiction. 

The ships shall also be equipped with rape kits and crime investigation tools. The cruise shall undergo crime investigation training and at least one (1) crew member aboard the vessel shall be certified as successfully completing a crime scene evidence and investigation course subscribed to by the F.B.I. They shall also be required to carry surveillance and keep all the recordings. These policies and procedures are subject to periodic review.

Until now all of the aforementioned requirements were strictly voluntary and implemented by the cruise line at their own election. This made it very difficult for passengers to report crimes and obtain appropriate follow up by law enforcement. This legislation makes it mandatory for the ships to carry certain safety equipment, employ personnel educated in crime scene investigation and over all improve the safety of the ship. Each passenger will be informed of their rights. It is the desired goal of this legislation to ensure the enhanced safety of the passengers and the ships. These changes will obviously instill a certain a certain peace of mind in each and every passenger. As cruising grows, so do the modifications and improvements to safety and the overall comfort and pleasure of each and every passenger. 

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Intoxication while operating a boat is never acceptable under any circumstances. On Friday two boaters on separate water crafts went out for an early Fourth of July celebration. Unfortunately for 30-year old Puthuvamkunnath, he will never get this opportunity again. He was killed after a 30-foot boat rammed into his 17-foot boat that was anchored off Liberty Island in New York

Drinking and taking drugs while operating a boat can be a deadly combination in the water, especially if one is intoxicated. On Friday evening, Aquilone’s judgment was impaired due to drinking while operating his 30-foot boat and as a result, caused a fatal boat crash with a 17-foot boat carrying 30-year old Puthuvamkunnath and his friends.

The police arrested 39 year old Aquilone and charged with him with manslaughter. According to reports Aquiline was operating the vessel under the influence of alcohol and drugs while his wife and two small children were on board.

According to the police, Puthuvamkunnath was taken to Jersey City Medical Center with his two friends and was pronounced dead due to head injuries. The two friends were treated for minor injuries and was released from the hospital.
 
Click on the following link to read more on the fatal boating crash near the statue of liberty. - CBS News

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The Appellate court ruled that a shore town's law requiring personal watercraft operators to complete an approved boat safety course does not hold a city liable in the death of Jet ski User.

In the wrongful death action on behalf of a 16-year-old girl who perished when her Jet Ski hit an Ocean City, N.J., dock, the appeals court upheld the dismissal of the suit.

One would have thought that the wrongful death suit was a slam dunk for negligent supervision. The attendant for the city's boat ramp did not check whether the 16 year old Jet Ski User had the necessary skills before the ski launch. The court ruled that the Torts Claims Act, at N.J.S.A. 59:2-4, provides immunity for the city. Sadly, the appellate court sided with the trial judge that the facts in the case before the court did not support a negligent-supervision claim under another section of the act, 59:3-11.

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BP is being asked to establish a $20 billion fund to provide relief for the victims of the oil disaster!  Can you believe it?  $20 Billion!  That is about one tenth of the damages they have caused.  That is only one year of profit for the company.  They can pay $20 Billion like I am able to pay $20.00. 

Then to make matters so much worse, today when BP CEO Tony Hayward testified to Congress there were actually US Representatives who felt BAD FOR BP! That is correct, BAD FOR BP!  They thought that $20 Billion dollars was not fair.  They felt that the BP should not be “FLEECED” into paying for unnecessary damages! 

I am not gonna eat Tuna Fish for the rest of my life because this company lied about their ability to handle this disaster and somehow, now that they have caused one of the greatest man made disasters in the history of the world, our own legislators FEEL BAD FOR BP? Thousands of businesses and families will forever struggle to put their lives back together because their ways of making a living has been TAKEN AWAY FROM THEM.  How do you tell someone that has supported their families with a particular industry that "you may never be able to do this again" because of the damage the oil has caused to the waters? What does the business owner tell their employees when they can no longer pay them because the oil spill has destroyed the industry as they know it and they can't support their customers?

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Did you hear BP Chariman Carl Henric Svanberg's  recent remarks on the people affected by the oil spill? In a press conference after a four hour meeting at the White House, Svanberg said tthat that BP cares about the “SMALL” people. They had a real feeling for the “SMALL” people! In the statement that I heard, he called us “SMALL” people about 4 times. We Americans are the “SMALL” people. How cute.  We are small. Like puppies. His assertion what that BP was like a kind hearted multi-billion dollar, worldwide oil company who, like a good friend is looking out for the “SMALL” people. Aren’t they just sweet as shoo fly pie! Imagine how nice and heartwarming it was to hear the Chairman Svanberg, with his thick, authoritarian sounding, Swedish accent, trying to relate his concern for the “SMALL” people.

This marks the second high-ranking BP official making an inappropriate statement in response to the BP oil spill. The first comment came from BP CEO Tony Hayward. I hope that the superior sounding English accented BP CEO, who told us that he just wants to “get (his) life back”, gets his wish. As a consolation prize, I am sure that he is enjoying spending the money he made selling his stock options after BP’s $6 billion plus dollars of profit just last quarter!

BP should take the necessary steps to address the problems facing them quickly. Stop Key BP executives from making ridiculous comments on the oil spill and their sentiments.  Spend the money and do what is right to the innocent victims BP has harmed because of the Deep Horizon oil spill in the Gulf.

Video of BP Chairmaan on the SMALL PEOPLE 

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The Florida Pan Handle beaches are threatened as the BP oil slick moves closer. The latest attempt to control the seafloor gusher is risky. Even if it works, the current mission to cut a major pipe and cap it would not stop the oil flow. If it fails, it could make the Deepwater Horizon oil spill even worse. The new maneuver, called a top kill, failed Saturday, when engineers were unable to plug it with heavy mud. A permanent fix is not expected until August. 

Investors are not giving the Oil Giant BP a second chance, as the BP stock declined a second day after reactions to the top kill failure and the Justice Department's announcement of  criminal and civil probes into the spill, although no specific targets for prosecution were named.

Since the Oil Spill Started after the April 20th explosion, BP has lost $75 billion in market value and are expected to lose billions as the damage claims escalate. There are no sympathies for this corporation. The impact and the devastation on the lives and environment that this oil spill tragedy has caused is heart breaking.  

Officials in Florida, officials confirmed an oil sheen about nine miles from Pensacola beach, where the summer tourism season was just getting started. Emergency crews scoured the beaches for oil and shoring up miles of boom. County officials will try and block oil from reaching inland waterways but plan to leave beaches unprotected because they are too difficult to protect and easier to clean up.

According to Keith Wilkins, deputy chief of neighborhood and community services for Escambia County "It's inevitable that we will see it on the beaches,"

The oil has been spreading in the Gulf since the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded on April 20th,  killing 11 workers and eventually sinking. BP, the largest oil and gas producer in the Gulf operated the rig. 

Click on the following link to read more from the Associated Press  - Oil nears Fla. beaches as BP tries risky cap move
 

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A blog series from a maritime lawyer and boating enthusiast.

The Navigator explores various topics in the boating world; including safety issues and an in-depth look into the cruise industry. In this inaugural issue, I share my experience aboard Costa Atlantica by Costa cruise lines and provide essential tips on cruise safety and cruise etiquette.

 
The Ship

My family and I took a seven-day cruise aboard the Costa Atlantica sailing  out of Fort Lauderdale this past Spring. Our Itinerary included stops in St. Thomas, San Juan and Nassau. We are experienced cruisers and have been on many different cruise lines. This was our first time on Costa cruise lines. We were looking forward to this trip since we heard many good things about the accommodations, food, excursions and staff. We boarded the vessel in Fort Lauderdale at Port Everglades. This is a rather simple port and very sparse in its construction. However, it was a smooth transition and we boarded quickly without any wait.

Once aboard the vessel, we noted that the décor was clearly of Italian influence with ornate trim and sculptures. While the Atlantica is over ten years old, it was well kept, clean and neat. Traversing the ship was relatively easy even though there were few deck plans available in places that you would most expect them. They were noticeably absent near the stairwells and elevators. In spite of that, we found our way around the ship rather easily after our initial orientation.

We booked a balcony room and found it to be exactly what we expected, a double bed and two bunks with ample storage space for our clothes and luggage. The bathroom was of typical design with a shower, head (maritime term for toilet) and sink located in a singular room. The room was also outfitted with a television and small refrigerator stocked with a mini bar.  

A word of caution: Costa cruises, does not warn passengers on their website or in any other informational materials that smoking is allowed in the cabins. We are non-smokers and our son is hyper sensitive to cigarette smoke. Unfortunately, we were sandwiched between two rooms of heavy smokers. Our room smelled like a saloon most of the trip. We complained to the front desk several times, but guest services were not accommodating and unresponsive.

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The sad news of a sinking Greek cruise ship owned by Louis Cruise Lines caught everyone by surprise.  It is hard to believe that a ship, with over $26 million in refurbishments, could sink with modern day technology.

Click here to read more about this modern day sinking cruise vessel: Sea Diamond

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