Yesterday at 7:45 PM, American endurance swimmer Diana Nyad, 61, set off swimming from Havana in an attempt to become the first person to swim from Cuba to Florida without the aid of a shark cage. The swim, if she succeeds, is … Continue reading
Rick Spilman
The US Coast Guard Barque Eagle visited Brooklyn, New York this weekend and was open to visitors. She is beautifully maintained and staffed by smart, eager and enthusiastic cadets. Most of the cadets had been aboard for roughly one day, … Continue reading
There is open speculation that the expansion of the Argentine Navy lead by the construction of its first nuclear submarine could prove a threat to Britain’s ability to defend and hold the Falkland Islands. Argentina developing nuclear-powered submarine Argentina has … Continue reading
When, many, many years ago, I moved from Florida to Michigan to go to school, I stopped scuba diving entirely. I had learned to dive in the warm and clear waters of the Florida keys. Why would I want to dive … Continue reading
This is an interesting story for several reasons. First, archaeologists believe that they may have discovered the wreckage of a 17th century ship lost off the coast of Panama in 1671, from the famed Captain Henry Morgan‘s fleet. Second, a … Continue reading
A fascinating new program from NOVA. Definitely worth watching. I had no idea that cuttlefish were so intriguing. Watch the full episode. See more NOVA. Thanks to Jon Clinch for pointing it out. … Continue reading
Everyone should know at least a few knots and hitches. The square knot, the bowline, and clove hitch come immediately to mind. Then there are all the other “essentials” that you may never need but are great to know. One good example … Continue reading
Last June, the inaptly named MV Wisdom, under tow to a scrap yard, broke her tow line and drifted on to Juhu beach in Mumbai, India, after narrowly missing a major bridge. This Sunday, the tanker, MT Pavit, drifted ashore … Continue reading
On the 221st anniversary of the founding of the US Coast Guard here is a dramatic look at the service in action. Narco Sub With 7.5 Tons of Cocaine Caught in Caribbean The Coast Guard caught a narco submarine trying … Continue reading
On August 4, 1790, Alexander Hamilton founded the Revenue Cutter Service, the predecessor of the United States Coast Guard. The anniversary is celebrated in various ways around the United States. Portsmouth, VA will host a celebration today through Saturday. In Alaska, August … Continue reading
We just heard from the good folks at PortSide NewYork that the US Coast Guard barque Eagle will be open to the public for the first time ever in Brooklyn, beginning Friday afternoon and continuing Saturday and Sunday at Pier 7 at … Continue reading
In June, we posted about Polynesian voyaging canoes of the “Te Mana o Te Moana” (Spirit of the Sea) expedition arriving in Hilo, Hawaii after sailing from New Zealand by way of the Marquesas and Tahiti. Yesterday, six of the vaka, … Continue reading
On his YouTube channel, Hulton Clint identifies himself as “Ranzo, the YouTube Chanteyman.” Something over three years ago he began an ambitious You Tube undertaking : The “Shanties From the Seven Seas” project where he sings the chanteys from Stan Hugill’s classic book of … Continue reading
A well done video of Irish Naval Service fleet exercises. Naval Service Exercises [iframe: width=”475″ height=”300″ src=”http://www.youtube.com/embed/5TPxuc3-ipM” frameborder=”0″ allowfullscreen] Thanks to Alaric Bond for pointing the video out. … Continue reading
Beautiful photography by Doug Mills of the The Great Schooner Race of 2011 in Penobscot Bay. It looks like they had a day of light air so the race may have been a touch on the slow side. Nevertheless the schooners are beautiful. The Great Schooner … Continue reading
The Maine Lobster Festival being held in Rockland from August 3rd to the 7th is described as “Five Days of Feasting and Fun on the Fabulous Coast of Maine!” “The festival promises “ the world’s greatest lobster cooker, 20,000 pounds of lobster, a sea goddess … Continue reading
The pinky schooner Ardelle was launched recently from the historic Burnham Boatbuilding yard in Essex, MA. They used the traditional “Essex side-launch” technique, which, to my uninitiated eye, looks very odd. Nevertheless, it obviously is effective. The Ardelle’s debut Thanks to Tom Russell … Continue reading
At a time when many maritime museums in the United States are struggling to just maintain their ships and indeed several are attempting to get rid of them, the Maritime Museum of San Diego is building a new historic replica, the San Salvador, Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo‘s flagship. In the … Continue reading
The Sail Power and Steam Museum of Rockland, Maine looks like a great little museum. Sail Power and Steam Museum [iframe: width=”475″ height=”300″ src=”http://www.youtube.com/embed/KTbebQdrvVE?rel=0″ frameborder=”0″ allowfullscreen] … Continue reading
I am a big fan of both Margaret Muir and Linda Collison. Both are marvelous writers – skilled story tellers whose writing about the Age of Sail has both an immediacy and an understated authenticity that draws the reader into … Continue reading