During Black History Month, it is worthwhile to remember early African-American shipmasters. Who was the first? That is hard to say. Paul Cuffee is a good candidate. An updated repost. Paul Cuffee was born on Cuttyhunk Island, MA on January … Continue reading
Rick Spilman
Sailors on the Japanese submarine Soryu had to use their cell phones to call for help after the sub surfaced beneath a Chinese bulk carrier and damaged its radio mast, disabling its communications. Three of the submarine’s crew sustained minor … Continue reading
Over nearly three centuries of whaling, some 175,000 men went to sea in 2,700 ships. Of the 2,500 masters who captained these ships, at least 52 were men of color. In honor of Black History Month, here is an updated … Continue reading
In June, we posted drone footage of Mystic Seaport as it was gradually reopening after being shut down by the pandemic. The grass was summer green, the river was shimmering deep blue, and the masts and spars of historic ships … Continue reading
In honor of Black History Month, an updated repost about the barrier-shattering naval engineer Raye Montague, who died at the age of 83 in 2018. At the age of 7, she was inspired to become an engineer after she toured … Continue reading
We recently posted about the Wellerman and the Sea Shanty Boom on TikTok. We noted that of all the recent strangeness, the most pleasant and least expected has been the explosion of sea shanties on TikTok. It all began when … Continue reading
Clarisse Cremer is the 12th Vendee Globe racer to cross the finish line in Les Sables d’Olonne, having completed the solo, non-stop around the world race in 87 days, 02 hours, 24 minutes, and 25 seconds. She is the first … Continue reading
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
With the arrival of the newly elected administration, Harriet Tubman, abolitionist and underground railroad “conductor” is back in the news and may, before too very long, grace our currency. In 2016, the Treasury decided to put the image of Harriet … Continue reading
This is a bit last minute, but I see a post on Facebook about a free online sail training course presented by the Flagship Niagara League. Free Online Sail Training Course! Learn about how Niagara is rigged and sailed! Join … Continue reading
Sometimes the magic just doesn’t happen. The New York Yacht Club’s American Magic team, the U.S. Challenger was eliminated from competing in the 36th races for the America’s Cup. The elimination follows four straight losses against the Challenger of Record, … Continue reading
I recently watched “The Dig,” a new movie on Netflix, starring Carey Mulligan and Ralph Fiennes about the excavation of the Sutton Hoo ship-burial in Suffolk, England. Now the Sutton Hoo Ship’s Company is undertaking to recreate the great king’s ship … Continue reading
Here is a heartwarming video for a cold Saturday (at least cold here on the West bank of the Hudson River.) A body surfing pet duck on Australia’s Gold Coast has become a local celebrity for riding the waves. Kate … Continue reading
A recent study, published in the journal Nature, reveals that oceanic shark and ray populations have declined by 71%, primarily due to overfishing. The New York Times quotes Nathan Pacoureau, a marine biologist at Simon Fraser University in Canada and … Continue reading
The Vendee Globe 2020-2021 has been a remarkable race by many standards. It was incredibly close, more competitors are likely to complete the race than in previous years, and the race times didn’t set any new records. For most of … Continue reading
On Holocaust Remembrance Day, here is an updated repost from several years ago, remembering the ill-fated voyage of the German passenger liner St. Louis in 1939. The ship carried 908 Jewish refugees fleeing from Nazi Germany. The ship and its … Continue reading
Singapore has become one of the first states to prioritize seafarers to receive the Covid-19 vaccine. Nautilus International reports that more than 10,000 maritime workers are scheduled for vaccination by the end of January 2021 under the country’s Sea – … Continue reading
The operator of the ex-Cunard Queen Mary has filed for bankruptcy raising concerns about the future of the converted luxury liner that has served as a tourist attraction and hotel in Long Beach, CA since 1972. The converted ship is … Continue reading
It almost sounds like a bad horror movie. Scientists have recently discovered a new species of electric eel, Volta’s electric eel (Electrophorus voltai). Found in the rivers of South America, it not only is capable of producing 860-V electric shocks … Continue reading
Sea-Cargo now has bragging rights to the claim that their 12,251 gross tonne ro-ro, SC Connector, is “Norway’s largest sailing vessel.” The ship was recently refit with two rotor sails by Norsepower and battery banks from Norwegian Electric Systems. The … Continue reading