“Pirate” Battle on the Delaware with the A.J. Meerwald, the Kalmar Nyckel and the Gazella

Frankly, the A.J. Meerwald , the Kalmar Nyckel, and the Gazela deserve far better.   The A.J. Meerwald,  the “Official Tall Ship of the state of New Jersey,” is  a 1928 built Delaware Bay oyster schooner.  The Kalmar Nyckel , the Delaware’s “Official Tall Ship,” … Continue reading

Fire on Norwegian Cruise Ship, MS Nordlys, Kills Two and Injures Nine

A fast burning fire in the engine room of the Norwegian cruise ship, MS Nordlys, killed two crew members and injured nine others.  The more than 200 passengers aboard the ship were safely evacuated to the town of Aalesund, 230 miles (375 kilometers) northwest of … Continue reading

Mariners’ Response to 9/11 – Carolina Salguero & Jessica DuLong Speaking Aboard the Lilac

If you are in the vicinity tomorrow evening be sure to stop by the historic buoy tender LILAC at the Hudson River Park’s Pier 25 at North Moore Street, Tribeca, Manhattan, where Carolina Salguero & Jessica DuLong will speak on the Mariners’ Response … Continue reading

The Elissa – A Galveston Treasure and Fine Indian Pale Ale

The folks at the Pint Jockeys blog have suggested a great way to support the repairs to the 1877 Barque Elissa, which is believed to have been a victim of stray current electrolytic corrosion resulting from underwater  electrical cable damage after Hurricane Ike. … Continue reading

Pirates Strike Ashore ? British Tourist David Tebbutt Killed and Wife Judith Kidnapped from Kenyan Resort

British tourists, David and Judith Tebbutt,  arrived at Kiwayu Safari Village, an exclusive Kenyan resort, at 4PM, Saturday.  Between midnight and 4AM, a gang of armed men arrived by speedboat and stormed their beachfront villa.  David Tebbutt, 58, was killed and his wife … Continue reading

Keith Tantlinger – Father of the Container

If Malcom McLean was the father of containerization, then Keith Tantlinger, who died recently at the age of 92,  was the father of the shipping container. Tantlinger’s container designs spurred the containerization revolution that forever changed both shipping and world trade. The idea of “containerizing” … Continue reading

Weekend Round Up Part 2 – Non Pirate Activites

For those of a non-piratical bent there is still a lot going on this weekend. The Yonkers Riverfest 2011 will be held tomorrow just a bit up the river from New York City.    The schooner A.J. Meerwald  will be offering … Continue reading

Piratical Weekend Round Up

The good folks in Eastport, Maine have seen fit to once again hold their annual Eastport Pirate Festival this weekend, featuring lots of fun activities including a lobster boat race. (Who knew pirates had lobster boats?)   The Treasure Coast … Continue reading

Don’t Shoot, We’re Republicans! – The Strange Saga of the USS Iowa and the “Willie D”

The news that the battleship USS Iowa has found a new home brings to mind the story of the battleship and the destroyer USS William D Porter, nicknamed the “Willie D.”   The USS Iowa served in World War II as … Continue reading

Museum of the City of New York to Take Over Seaport Museum with $2M Grant

The Seaport Museum of New York, better known as the South Street Seaport Museum, will be taken over by the Museum of the City of New York with starting funds of $2 million in the form of a grant from the … Continue reading

Yet Another Reason Not to Smoke – Woman Falls Off Ferry While Lighting her Cigarette

A 23 year old woman reportedly fell overboard into the North Sea just after 8.30pm on Monday night from the Princess Seaways DFDS ferry bound from from Newcastle to Ijmuiden. The woman was reportedly lighting a cigarette at the rail … Continue reading