In honor the summer solstice today, Summer Solstice by Moonlit Sailor, a Swedish post-rock instrumental group. … Continue reading
Rick Spilman
I remember when I was quite young, I asked the question, “Why is the ocean salty?” We had just visited my grandparents in Florida and I had discovered first hand just how salty the seawater in the Gulf of Mexico could … Continue reading
Today is Juneteeth, a commemoration of the abolition of slavery in the state of Texas, in particular, and in the Confederate states in general, one hundred and fifty years ago today. On June 5, 1865, two Union Navy ships, USS Cornubia and … Continue reading
After five months, an abandoned catamaran has been sighted by a passing container ship. On January 30th of this year, Rainmaker, a brand new a $2.5 million carbon fiber Gunboat 55 catamaran, the first of its class, set off on a voyage … Continue reading
The tragic loss of an estimated 6,500 men, women and children on the Lancastria was covered up for more than seventy years. It was the greatest loss of life in the sinking of a single British ship, claiming more lives than … Continue reading
Today’s “Google Doodle,” the changing graphic that appears at the top of the Google search page, is a whimsical memorial to the arrival of the Statue of Liberty in New York. “Google is celebrating America’s most famous gift from France … Continue reading
Not quite two years so, we posted about the death of the British folk and shanty singer who as born as Louis Killen. The post title was “Lou Killen, British Folk Song and Shanty Singer, Dies at 79.” Now after the … Continue reading
Millions over budget and years behind schedule, the Canadian schooner Bluenose II finally set sail last week from Lunenberg, Nova Scotia on a training sail. Bluenose II is owned by the government of Nova Scotia and will serve as a … Continue reading
The headlines are great. CBS News reports: Terrifying “vampire fish” falling from the sky in Alaska. Huffington Post chimes in: Hellacious Eel-Like Fish Are Dropping From The Sky In Alaska. The Washington Post offered, Why these mysterious, blood-sucking fish fell from the Alaskan sky. … Continue reading
The Russian Sail Training Ship Kruzenshtern was maneuvering to depart the old harbor in Reykjavík, Iceland, yesterday, when she rammed two of the largest Icelandic Coast Guard vessels, Týr and Thor. Both ships suffered damage, although well above the waterline. … Continue reading
Alaric Bond’s latest novel, The Scent of Corruption, the seventh in the Fighting Sail series, is now available on Kindle and will soon be available in print. A great read. About the novel: Summer, 1803: the uneasy peace with France … Continue reading
The French frigate l‘Hermione was greeted by a dramatic fireworks display on its arrival at Mount Vernon, Virginia, George Washington’s plantation home. In 1780, the original frigate L’Hermione, carried the 23 year old Gilbert du Motier, better known as the Marquis … Continue reading
Toward the end of June, the 52′ yawl Dorade will be joining 40 other yachts to race 2,800 nautical miles in the Transatlantic Race 2015, which starts in Newport, R.I., and finishes off the southwestern coast of England. This is not the … Continue reading
It looked like a tsunami rolling in from the Atlantic toward the beach at Sea Girt on the Jersey Shore. Except that it wasn’t rolling in. It just hung there. It wasn’t a tsunami. It was merely a beautiful if … Continue reading
Happy World Oceans Day. June 8th has been celebrated, unofficially, as World Oceans Day since 1992, and has been officially recognized by the United Nations since 2008. This year the theme is “Healthy Oceans. Healthy Planet.” What does World Ocean Day mean, … Continue reading
Sounds like great summer sailing on the brand new tall ship Oliver Hazard Perryfor kids from 13-18. There are one and two week programs in July and August. Click here to learn more. … Continue reading
In 1780, the French frigate, l’Hermione carried the Marquis de Lafayette to America with the news of French support for the American revolution. Now a replica l’Hermione has arrived in Yorktown, VA, the first of twelve ports that the frigate will … Continue reading
If you are near New York harbor, the Working Harbor Committee Hidden Harbor Tours® has two great new tours coming up — “Made in Brooklyn” on Thursday, June 11th, and a “Family Fun Day Boat Tour” on Saturday, June 20th. … Continue reading
Recently, Gay Head lighthouse on Martha’s Vineyard, off the coast of Massachusetts, was very carefully jacked up and moved 135 feet inland, far enough away from the crumbling red clay cliffs of Gay Head to prevent it toppling into the ocean. … Continue reading
Was MV Dong Fang Zhi Xing (Oriental Star) unsafe and unstable or was she just at the wrong place at the wrong time? Should the captain have anchored, as did several other ships on the river, when he received warning … Continue reading