A repost in honor of Black History Month. William Tillman was one of the first black heroes of the American Civil War. He was not a soldier but rather a 27-year-old cook-steward on the schooner S.J. Waring. On July 7, … Continue reading
Rick Spilman
Since 2020, juvenile orcas within pods that feed on migrating tuna traveling through the Strait of Gibraltar and around the Iberian Peninsula, have taken to bumping and ramming the hulls of small yachts and damaging rudders. In the last several … Continue reading
Born a slave, Harriet Tubman escaped and would become a leading “conductor” on the “Underground Railroad” which helped slaves escape from bondage in the South to freedom in the North and in Canada, prior to the Civil War. Nicknamed “Moses,” she … Continue reading
Here is a strange story of a heroic rescue by the US Coast Guard, a stolen boat, and a dead fish left on the front porch of a house in Astoria, Oregon, where the cult classic adventure/comedy movie, The Goonies … Continue reading
Aircraft carriers can be tough. They cost a fortune to build, so most nations can afford only one or two. They are demanding and costly to operate. They are also extremely expensive to clean up enough to be scrapped. São … Continue reading
Congratulations to Captain Janet Days due to take command as Naval Station Norfolk’s 51st commanding officer in a change of command ceremony today. Captain Days is the first Black woman commanding officer of the world’s largest naval base. Days will … Continue reading
South Street Seaport Museum has announced that its monthly sea-music events Sea Chanteys and Maritime Music––the original NYC chantey sing–– will continue on the first Sunday of every month. The next session will take place in-person and virtually on Sunday, … Continue reading
In honor of Black History Month, a repost of a wonderful bit of history from the Naval History and Heritage Command — the story of the Golden Thirteen. In January 1944, there were nearly 100,000 Black Sailors in the United … Continue reading
In late February 2022, an iceberg with an area of about 490 square miles, or slightly less than twice the size of the City of New York, calved from the Brunt Ice Shelf in the Weddell Sea section of Antarctica. … Continue reading
Last Saturday, a ragtag pirate band calling itself Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla invaded the port of Tampa, FL, kicking off the Gasparilla Pirate Fest, notionally in honor of Jose Gaspar, a brigand reputed to be the “Last Buccaneer.” The festival … Continue reading
We recently posted about the burial of the carcass of a beached humpback whale in the beach at Atlantic City, NJ. It was the second whale to come ashore in the city in the last month. Overall nine dead whales … Continue reading
Russia’s only aircraft carrier, Admiral Kuznetsov, has been out of service for years while undergoing maintenance for chronic operational problems. In just the most recent mishap, a fire broke out on the carrier, a few days before Christmas, while undergoing … Continue reading
The BBC reports that several popular beaches in Sydney, Australia have been closed after sharks attacked a dolphin in waters near the city. At least two bull sharks were spotted in the Shelly Beach area, in northern Sydney, after the … Continue reading
In June 2002 in the city of Newport, South East Wales, a mid-fifteenth-century sailing vessel was discovered during the construction of the Riverfront Theatre in the banks of the River Usk. Now, after two decades of documenting the remains of … Continue reading
At the end of December, we posted about a disturbing report that Greenland’s glaciers are melting 100 times faster than previously calculated. Now, a new study published this week in the journal Nature reveals that Greenland is warmer than it … Continue reading
On January 19, 2023, David Crosby died at the age of 81, following a long illness. He was a founding member of both the Byrds and Crosby, Stills & Nash. Crosby was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice: … Continue reading
The SS United States is a ship from another era. One of the last great ocean liners, very different from modern cruise ships, she was designed to carry passengers across oceans. On her maiden voyage in 1952, she set speed … Continue reading
On Saturday, January 14, the US Coast Guard rescued seven crewmembers from the tug Legacy, disabled and drifting about 30 miles off the coast of Ocean City, New Jersey. The Coast Guard reports that the tug Legacy notified watchstanders at Coast … Continue reading
An updated repost — a look back at the twin miracles on the Hudson from fourteen years ago today. On January 15, 2009, US Airways Flight 1549 made an emergency water landing in the Hudson River. If the plane’s pilots, … Continue reading
Marine Log reports that French hospitality giant Accor S.A. has signed a letter of intent with Chantiers de l’Atlantique covering the construction of two very large luxury sailing cruise ships. The shipbuilder says “the order will be signed within a few … Continue reading