The ocean sunfish or mola is found in most of the world’s oceans and is not unusual in Boston waters. Nevertheless, seeing one was obviously a shock to Michael Bergin and his friend Jason “Jay” Foster who came across one … Continue reading
Rick Spilman
We recently posted about PortSide NewYork’s Norwegian Water Stories & a Night of Bluegrass, an event being held tomorrow, Thursday, September 24, 2015 from 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM at Atelier Roquette, 63 Commerce Street, Red Hook, Brooklyn, NY 11231. The event … Continue reading
In August we wrote about Dream Symphony, which, for a brief period, looked as if it would be the largest sailing sailing in the world at 463 feet (141m) long. Now a slightly larger sailing yacht at 147 meters has emerged … Continue reading
Myint Naing, a Burmese man, recently made it home 22 years after being taken aboard a Thai fishing trawler, where he worked as little more than a slave. In the last six months an estimated 2,000 enslaved fishermen have been … Continue reading
However your Monday may be going, this over one minute video can’t but help make it better. Beautiful Orcas and Humpback Whales Breach in Front on The Explore Camera – Live Camera Highlight To see more go to Explore.org. … Continue reading
This is one of those great “only in New York” events. Next Thursday, PortSide NewYork and the historic tanker Mary A. Whalen are hosting the NYC premier of the Norwegian bluegrass band, the Paradise Mountain Boys, as well as a multimedia presentation of Norwegian WaterStories. … Continue reading
JPK Composites, a boat builder from Brittany, is helping to redefine performance cruising sailboats. In 2013, the father and son team of Pascal and Alexis Loison won the biannual Fastnet Race on corrected time, sailing their 33′ Night and Day, a JPK … Continue reading
The coastal cargo ketch Nordlys is making ready to sail. She is either the newest sailing cargo venture or the oldest sailing cargo ship depending on how you look at it. Built in 1873 in the Isle of Wight, this 141 … Continue reading
In the summer of 1995, a group of lovers of the music of the sea got together on the deck of the windjammer Peking at the South Street Seaport Museum on the East River in New York to sing sea shanties. … Continue reading
For several years we have followed; virtually, if not literally; the travels of Migaloo, an albino humpback whale that has migrated off Australia’s Queensland’s coast since at least 1991. In August we posted about a new young albino humpback which some … Continue reading
For the past fifteen years, the three masted barquentine motorsailer Peacemaker has been owned by the Twelve Tribes, a religious community, often referred to as a cult. The 158′ Class A “tall ship” served as floating ambassador for the fundamentalist group, which … Continue reading
I recently watched Maidentrip, a wonderful, award winning documentary by Jillian Schlesinger about 14 year old Laura Dekker‘s almost two year solo circumnavigation on her Jeaneau Gin Fizz ketch, Guppy. It is a fascinating tale about young sailor’s coming of age … Continue reading
I have a definite love-hate relationship with Portuguese Man o’ War. They are beautiful, delicate, exotic and extremely painful. I still remember being stung twice as a child over a half century ago. What I only came to understand recently … Continue reading
When Matt Brooks and his wife Pam Rorke Levy bought the 52ft yawl Dorade in 2010, they decided to attempt to repeat all of the races the S&S designed yacht had won in the 1930s, including the Transpac, Rolex Fastnet and the … Continue reading
This morning was overcast and threatening rain on the West bank of the Hudson River. Fourteen years ago, on September 11, 2001, it was a sunny, clear day. A Nor’westerly wind was blowing and the air was cool and crisp. … Continue reading
Last Sunday, a fire broke out in the engine room of the 3,299 passenger Carnival Liberty after docking in Saint Thomas. The passengers were disembarked and the fire was extinguished with the ship’s automated fire fighting system. No injuries were reported. The damage was … Continue reading
In her long and varied career, the historic cutter Lilac has had many jobs. She served as a lighthouse and buoy tender — bringing supplies to lighthouse and maintaining aids to navigation. She also fought ship fires and rescued the keepers on … Continue reading
One hundred and fifteen years ago today, on September 8, 1900, the city of Galveston Texas was struck by what today would be classified as a Category 4 hurricane, with winds of 145 mph and a storm surge of 14 feet. Somewhere … Continue reading
A short video of the Parade of Sail in the 31st Annual Gloucester Schooner Festival. Annual Gloucester Schooner Festival 2015 … Continue reading
This weekend, the 31st Annual Gloucester Schooner Festival was held, culminating in the Mayor’s Cup Schooner Race. The Esperanto Cup, representing the large schooners, was won by the schooner Columbia, built in 2014, a steel replica of the W. Starling Burgess designed … Continue reading