I am very pleased to learn that my latest novel, The Shantyman, is being featured as one of Kirkus’ Indie Books of the Month for August. The Kirkus starred review from last June, called The Shantyman …a fabulously gripping sailor’s yarn. … Continue reading
Rick Spilman
This is only marginally nautical, although it does begin and end on a beautiful sailboat. Mostly is it merely silly and yet it is kind of fun. A bit of over-the-top marketing for Johnny Walker Blue, it is a short … Continue reading
Today I went aboard El Galeon Andalusia, at South Street Seaport. The ship is billed as “a 170 foot, 495 ton, authentic wooden replica of a galleon that was part of Spain’s West Indies fleet.” It is a intriguing ship that has … Continue reading
Recently, sharks and the internet have begun to interact. On the Atlantic coast, shark researchers have been tagging great white sharks, allowing thousands of internet fans to watch their travels across the world’s oceans on the web. On the other … Continue reading
Last week provided a rare opportunity to glimpse over 400 years of sailing ship history in three ships, tied up almost side by side, at New York’s South Street Seaport. Berthed on the south side of Pier 15, El Galeon Andalucia is a replica of a … Continue reading
On a nearly windless, overcast and rainy morning, the French replica frigate l’Hermione led an impressive flotilla of every sort of craft from very large yachts to jet skis, from below the Verazzano Narrow’s Bridge through the inner harbor and … Continue reading
Last March we posted “Will Prince Albert of Monaco Save Cousteau’s Calypso?” sadly, the answer to the question appears to be, “no.” Earlier in March, following a long legal battle, a French court ruled, that Francine Cousteau, the second wife of the … Continue reading
On a hot and hazy afternoon, I stopped by l’Hermione, the replica French frigate docked at Pier 15 at South Street Seaport. A few photographs. [tribulant_slideshow gallery_id=”2″]
This morning, the replica French frigate l’Hermione arrived in New York harbor and was welcomed by American and French officials, led by French Minister Ségolène Royal and Mayor of Rochefort Hervé Blanché at Pier 15 at the South Street Seaport on the … Continue reading
A light-hearted look at who gets to name the new “discovery” by the British sketch comedy team, David Mitchell and Robert Webb. That Mitchell and Webb Look – Discoverer … Continue reading
As reported by Slate Magazine: Scientists have discovered a trippy scene under the Red Sea, full of fluorescent, glowing corals. An international team of researchers discovered the colorful corals at depths of more than 150 feet below the surface and … Continue reading
Puritans were notorious for weird names. Some first names are strangely long, such as “If-Christ-had-not-died-for-thee-thou-hadst-been-damned” or “Fight-the-good-fight-of-faith”. Some names were short but just disturbingly odd. Fly-fornication, for example. In 1766, Preserved Fish was born in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. His first name, Preserved, … Continue reading
The 61′ high 11 ton inflatable Giant Rubber Deck, featured in the Philadelphia-Camden Tall Ships Festival 2015, had some problems in the “Parade of Ships” on Thursday. The duck was being towed on a pontoon, which was found to have holes … Continue reading
This post is not quite nautical, but it does involving sailing. The Planetary Society, a non-government, nonprofit organization, is sending sailing ships out to explore space, sailing on the light of the sun. The first prototype completed a generally successful test mission … Continue reading
If you are in the neighborhood, stop by the Cutter Lilac on Saturday for the Artist’s Midsummer Party at the Hudson River Park’s Pier 25. The ship opens to visitors at 2:00 PM. The party is from 6:00 – 9:00 PM. … Continue reading