The historic tanker Mary A. Whalen is turning 80 on May 21st. As part of a month-long celebration, Portside NewYork and the Mary A. Whalen is hosting an Art Inspiration Day and Birthday Tanker Tours. The events take place tomorrow, Sunday, May 20th, from … Continue reading
Rick Spilman
As the song goes, “What do you do with a drunken sailor?” The answer for the police in Newport, RI early last Tuesday morning, when a group of sailors associated with the Volvo Ocean Race got rowdy, was to arrest … Continue reading
A human foot in a hiking boot recently washed ashore on the banks of the Salish Sea in British Columbia. It is the 14th “disarticulated” foot that has washed ashore in a shoe or boot on the Salish Sea in Canada since … Continue reading
After almost a decade, the Queen Elizabeth 2 has finally opened as a luxury hotel in Dubai. There was a “soft opening” in the middle of April and the hotel will have its formal opening around October of this year. So far seven of … Continue reading
We were saddened to learn that John Harland has died. He passed away peacefully on May 11th, a few days after his ninety-fifth birthday. After a career in medicine, Dr. Harland became known as a researcher and author on maritime history. … Continue reading
This Thursday, the Working Harbor Committee is hosting a Hidden Harbor Tour of Port Newark. The tour is one is one of the best ways to see the mighty port hard at work. The tour features guest speakers Mitch Waxman of … Continue reading
A repost from three years ago that seems appropriate for today. Sailors choose their tattoos for various reasons. Among the most popular sailor tattoos are anchors, hearts and swallows. Not infrequently, “Mom” also made an appearance as a reminder of … Continue reading
If you are fond of songs of ships and the sea, you may already know Gordon Bok’s music. If not, you should definitely make his acquaintance. Bok is a particular favorite of mine — a sailor, songwriter, singer and a master … Continue reading
If you are around Annapolis tomorrow, May 12th, the 200-foot Class A Tall Ship, SSV Oliver Hazard Perry will be at the Naval Academy in Annapolis and will be open for public tours from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Dewey Seawall (Gate 1 … Continue reading
After posting about a terrible year for North Atlantic right whales, in which no new calves were spotted following breeding season, it is refreshing to see some good news about whales. Scientists have observed what is being described as a “baby-boom” among … Continue reading
The US Navy courts-martial of the officers of the USS Fitzgerald have begun. The Arleigh Burke-class destroyer collided with the Philippine-flagged container ship, ACX Crystal near Yokosuka, Japan on June 17, 2017, killing 9 US sailors. A Navy investigation concluded that the … Continue reading
Last October we posted about the Providence, a replica of a Revolutionary War sloop, which in the summer of 2019, will be moving to its new home port, Old Town Alexandria, VA. Old Town Alexandria is certainly no stranger to 18th-century ships. … Continue reading
The Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) are not the only small new Navy ships with serious operating deficiencies. Recently, the Department of Defense Office of the Inspector General released a report on the shortcomings of a new class of fast, shallow draft, transport ship, … Continue reading
Researchers have dated stone tools and bones from a butchered rhinoceros and other ancient fauna found in the Philippines’ northern island of Luzon, that date back over 700,000 years, or several hundred thousand years before modern man evolved. So far no human bones have … Continue reading
When the keel on the Cheeki Rafiki, a Beneteau 40.7 sailing yacht, broke off in a storm in the mid-Atlantic in May 2014, the yacht capsized and four UK sailors died. Why did the keel fall off and who was to blame … Continue reading