You forget just how unbelievably destructive the Beirut explosion was. Here's satellite photography taken one month apart. One side of the port completely gone, with everything in the surrounding area completely levelled.
You can see the former MV Hascosay on her side.
Interestingly, visible in those screenshots are another ship that was capsized during the explosion - the 'Orient Queen'. At the moment it looks like she is being slowly dismantled.
My love for unusual vehicles was definitely kick-started by Jacques Cousteau's amazing exploration vessel the Calypso. A wonderful, unique ship with so much history.
I recently made a documentary about her and it's almost crossed a half a million views! 🤯
I think the most surprising thing to most people is that the Calypso is American! She was launched in 1942 at Ballard Marine near Seattle as a YMS-class minesweeper.
YMS's were sturdy, adaptable wee ships built in their hundreds throughout the war.
Interestingly they were built with a wooden hull (to protect against magnetic naval mines) and tended to be built at smaller yacht-building yards around the US. Hence the name YMS or 'Yard-class' Motor Minesweeper.