The BBC is reporting that scientists have made the most precise map yet of the mountains, canyons and plains that make up the floor of Antarctica’s encircling Southern Ocean. Covering 48 million sq km (18.5 million sq miles), this chart … Continue reading
Rick Spilman
The wreck of HMS Gloucester, a 50-gun, third-rate, Royal Navy warship, which sank in 1682 while carrying the future king James Stuart, has been identified off the coast of Norfolk. According to Prof Claire Jowitt, a specialist in maritime history … Continue reading
If you are near Norfolk, VA this Friday through Sunday, you may wish to stop by the downtown waterfront to enjoy the myriad of activities associated with the Norfolk Harborfest®. Described as America’s largest, longest-running, free maritime festival, the iconic … Continue reading
A fire broke out on the dinner cruise ship Spirit of Norfolk on the Elizabeth River in Virginia on Tuesday, forcing the evacuation of 108, including 89 elementary school students celebrating their kindergarten graduation. Fortunately, all passengers were accounted for … Continue reading
On the United Nations World Oceans Day, here is a very well-done, short video on the role of the oceans in climate change. As greenhouse gases warm the Earth, our oceans play a significant role in absorbing heat that helps … Continue reading
In July of last year, we posted about Captain Bill Pinkney‘s induction into the National Sailing Hall of Fame with a Lifetime Achievement Award as an “Enthusiastic Trend Setter.” Captain Pinkney was the first African American to solo-circumnavigate the world via Cape … Continue reading
Twenty-seven years ago, a plan was conceived to reconstruct Maine’s first ship, Virginia, built by in 1607 by settlers of the Popham Colony at the mouth of the Kennebec River. The original 51′ pinnace was the first English ocean-going ship … Continue reading
The Battle of Midway, fought from June 4 — 7, 1942, eighty years ago this week, was a major American victory in the Pacific theater in World War II. Military historian John Keegan called it “the most stunning and decisive … Continue reading
Yesterday, we posted about Poseidon’s ribbon weed, Posidonia australis, a clonal seagrass. Researchers recently discovered large meadows of the self-cloning sea grass growing in Shark Bay, off the westernmost tip of Australia. DNA testing of the seagrass, covering over 180km, … Continue reading
Australian researchers were performing a genetic survey of Poseidon’s ribbon weed (Posidonia australis), a species of seagrass growing widely in Shark Bay, off the westernmost tip of Australia. Researchers collected shoots from across the bay and examined 18,000 genetic markers … Continue reading
Congratulations to Admiral Linda Fagan, who today assumed command as the 27th commandant of the US Coast Guard. Breaking a major glass ceiling, (or perhaps a glass overhead), she also becomes the first woman to lead the service, as well … Continue reading
On Memorial Day, an updated repost about the last mission of the USS Olympia in 1921, when she carried an American unknown soldier killed during World War I from a cemetery in France back to Washington to be entombed at … Continue reading
On May 27, 2022, Australian solo sailor Mark Sinclair, 63, finished the 2018-2019 Golden Globe Race. He finished last and took four years to complete the race, but he finished, which is an accomplishment in its own right. Sinclair had … Continue reading
The first Congressional hearing addressing UFOs (Unidentified Flying Objects) in more than fifty years, yielded very few answers. The main takeaway from the hearings was that, while most sightings could be identified, a number of events have defied all attempts … Continue reading
Fleet Week has returned to New York harbor after a two-year pandemic pause, bringing 3,000 sailors, marines, and coastguardsmen to the city. The week-long celebration will include public ship visitations, a variety of military demonstrations, and a mix of new … Continue reading