The letter you posted is not dated. It merely claims that a previous letter was dated January 21, 2008.
That’s right, but her post is dated January 14, 2009, 01:34am
Whether the claims in the letter are true or not, starting a FOIA request by accusing Congress of creating a black market in illegal drugs, accusing Customs of planting illegal drugs on their ship and then stealing it is not best way to go about it. More correspondence here but it doesn’t provide information about the ship: https://www.scribd.com/document/14342508/F-O-I-A-Agencies
Former agent Victor Thompson is now a private consultant in Tampa. He can probably clear the air if you ask him nicely.
This old beauty was in Aalesund to take onboard a flock of youths.
Confirming the name:
Boat deck:
Wheel house:
I don’t know where she was going, or the purpose of the trip, but it appeared to be a mixed group boarding:
The event was recorded for posterity:
I took a video of her departure, but that will heve to wait until I can do some editing.
Link to her home page: http://www.mshindholmen.no/
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Here is a veteran coastal passenger boat that traded between Aalesund - Molde and the rail head at Aandalsnes from 1950 - 1962. I travelled many times with this one as she was the lifeline for Aalesund until Vigra airport opened in 1962. Seen here as she looked back then:
She was sold to an American company for trade between Florida and Bahamas as the Grand Bahama. Converted at Ulstein Shipyard to look like this:
She continued in that trade for many years looking like this:
Here is her history and further names:
62 GRAND BAHAMA - 78 LEONARDO - 80 MARDI GRAS I - 90 ADRIA
She ended her days on 18.03.1990 when she had a fire, capsized & sank in pos.; 26.50N/84.55W on a voyage from Jacksonville to Pensacola, Fl.
Here is some details of the vessel:
Anybody here have any knowledge of this vessel from her many years under US flag??
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I like the conversion. The raked openings make the house look like part of the vessel instead of an afterthought.
Is this the oldest active tug in the world?? Ruggen, built 1874:
http://www.tugboatlars.se/Mellos.htm
I don’t know how much of the original steam tug is left.
The present Engine is an Alpha Diesel installed in 1972:
Does anybody know of an older tug in active service somewhere??
The same owner has what is probably the second oldest tug, at least in Norway, the Lars:
http://www.tugboatlars.se/LarsBB.htm
I remember this one from the Gullfax C “Out of dock” operation in Stavanger in 1987. As part of the MWS team I spent several days on board Lars to check water depth for the tow-out from the building dock.
Royal Yacht Norge called at Aalesund today, on her way from Svalbard to Maaloy:
A little detail; the royal launch situated over side and being launched/recovered by old style davits and block n’ tackle:
No Royalty on board, since she did not fly any Royal Standards from the masts.
This was confirmed by a article in smp.no:
https://www.smp.no/nyheter/2018/08/2…n-17368551.ece
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Excellent! Where is she?
In drydock, apparently. 
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In the basement of the Marine Institute in St. John’s.
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That sounds like the right place for her. I’ll go have a look the next time I’m up there.
I assume you are doing your STCW courses at Memorial.
Indeed. Impressed with the quality of instruction and facilities. The city’s not bad, either. I do want to complain about how terrible a job they are doing at remembering Marconi. Not even a plaque or a marker where the building was that he set up his receiver.
Memorial is certainly a world class maritime research university.
I was shocked the last time I was in St. John’s that it had urbanized to the point of having rush hour traffic jams. Big change from the 80’s.
When do you go back to Vancouver?
Unknown at this time.
Drillship Glomar Pacific, built Livingston 1977:
Before:
After:
Now being re-engined and upgraded for another xx years of service:
http://gcaptain.com/wartsila-to-repower-de-beers-diamond-mining-vessel-debmar-pacific/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Gcaptain+(gCaptain.com)&goal=0_f50174ef03-5c79d2d2ae-169863069&mc_cid=5c79d2d2ae&mc_eid=4674ba0fbe
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In another thread Tengineer1 posted this:
Yes the old cranes where working still when I was there last, which was in 2015.
But did you notice their floating crane? It is a true relic of a time long gone, but still being kept certified and operational.
Built in the UK before WWII, disassembled, transported to Singapore in pieces and re-assembled at the yard:
Here she is as seen in 2015:
