Scientists from Australia have just returned from a voyage of un-discovery. They have proven that Sandy Island, which appears on many nautical charts and on Google Earth and Google Maps, does no exist. The island which is depicted on Google Earth as a dark oval, … Continue reading
Rick Spilman
In the United States, today is celebrated as Thanksgiving, commermorating a 1621 feast of thanks-giving at the Plymouth colony in present-day Massachusetts. The year before in November of 1620 the ship Mayflower had carried a group of just over 100 English and Dutch Separatists, known as Pilgrims, across the … Continue reading
The six boats leading in the Vendée Globe non-stop round-the-world single-handed yacht race have all crossed the equator and are heading for the Southern Ocean. The leaders are, respectively – Armel Le Cléac´h, François Gabart, Bernard Stamm, Vincent Riou, Jean-Pierre Dick, and Alex Thomson. Meanwhile, Zbigniew Gutikowski, … Continue reading
HMS Astute, the first of seven new submarines, was delivered two years late, was well over budget and thus far is not yet in service, despite being delivered in 2009. Her career has been marked by elements of both comedy and tragedy. In … Continue reading
Update: On Sunday, the VESTAS Sailrocket 2 set a new speed record for 500M of 59.38 knots and a new one nautical mile record of an average of 55.32 knots. Both records are subject to confirmed by the WSSRC. The … Continue reading
A week ago last Sunday, 20 boats sailed by 20 sailors set off in the Vendée Globe non-stop round-the-world single-handed yacht race. Now only 15 remain in the race. Jérémie Beyou dropped out yesterday after the hydraulic ram on his articulating keel broke on his Open 60 class boat, Maître CoQ. Of the … Continue reading
John Fitzhugh Millar is a historian, author, tall ship captain and the force behind the construction of the replica HMS Rose. Here are his reminiscences of the HMS Bounty. Reposted with permission of the author. BOUNTY Reminiscences by John Fitzhugh … Continue reading
Like most of the historic vessels in and around New York harbor, the tanker Mary A. Whalen survived Superstorm Sandy Sandy better than her shore based neighbors. The tanker, which weathered Sandy at the inshore end of Pier 9B in … Continue reading
The last image of HMS Bounty was brutal – sinking off Cape Hatteras with broken spars, most of the crew in lifeboats and the captain and one crew member missing. Here are a few photos from another time, way back … Continue reading
Last Wednesday, we posted about the wreck of a wooden ship uncovered by Superstorm Sandy beneath the dunes of Fire Island, east of Davis Park. The remains are thought to be the Bessie A. White, more than 90 years old, said Paula Valentine, public affairs specialist for … Continue reading
After only a week into the Vendée Globe non-stop round-the-world single-handed yacht race, four of the twenty original sailors have dropped out due to casualties or gear failure. The latest include Louis Burton, who was in a collision with a fishing boat off Portugal, and Samantha Davies whose boat suffered … Continue reading
Update 2: Current reports say that eleven were injured, four critically. Two workers are still missing. An oil and gas rig in the Gulf of Mexico, about 20 nautical miles southeast of Grand Isle, La., was hit by an explosion … Continue reading
Yesterday, we posted about the Moby Dick Marathon NYC, which begins tonight. It is not as one reader suggested a porn event but rather the first-ever marathon-style reading in New York City of Herman Melville’s classic American novel, Moby-Dick. Fittingly … Continue reading
The New York Marathon was cancelled after Superstorm Sandy swept through New York two weeks ago. The New York Moby Dick Marathon is on, however. What is a Moby Dick Marathon, you might ask? It is ” the first-ever marathon-style reading … Continue reading
On April 20, 2010, the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig exploded and sank in the Gulf of Mexico, killing 11 platform workers and resulting in the largest accidental marine oil spill in the history of the petroleum industry. Today BP, the … Continue reading
When we posted yesterday about the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island being closed by superstorm Sandy, Liam Hegarty pointed out in a comment that the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum is also closed until December due to storm damage. … Continue reading
Despite the best efforts of Superstorm Sandy, the monthly Sea Shanty Session at the Noble Maritime Collection at the Snug Harbor Cultural Center is carrying on and will be held this Sunday November 18, 2012 from 2 until 5 PM. Admission is by donation, … Continue reading
When Superstorm Sandy came ashore roughly two weeks ago, she uncovered at least two shipwrecks. On Fire Island, New York, the storm washed away dunes east of Davis Park revealing the remains of a wooden ship believed to be a post-Civil War cargo … Continue reading
Photographer and graphic artist Fred LeBlanc has posted a wonderful montage of his photographs set to the music of Tim Janis. Definitely worth a look. Great Downeast Windships … Continue reading
A collision with a fishing boat has taken Kito de Pavant, sailing for Groupe Bel, out of the Vendée Globe non-stop round-the-world single-handed yacht race, two days into the race and only a day after Marc Guillemot was forced to drop out a keel failure on … Continue reading