New York — A Tough Town for Historic Ships

A recent article in the TribecaTribOnline was titled, “Two Historic Sailing Ships Could Dock at Seaport This Summer.” The story is that Jonathan Boulware, the South Street Seaport Museum’s interim president, is working very hard to arrange dock space for … Continue reading

Eugenie Clark, “The Shark Lady,” Dies at 92

Dr. Eugenie Clark; ichthyologist, marine biologist and oceanographer; who earned the nickname, “the Shark Lady,” has died at her home in Sarasota Florida, at the age of 92.  Her research on the behavior of sharks helped the public understand and appreciate … Continue reading

High Powered Boat Crashes into Beach Restaurant Near Tampa Florida

A quick quiz — you are the captain of a 39′ fast sports fishing boat with six passengers and a heavy sea fog has just set in. You either lack or are paying no attention to electronic navigational aides.  What do … Continue reading

US and Canadian Coast Guard Team Up to Rescue Laker SS Arthur M. Anderson

The US and Canadian Coast Guards have been working jointly to free the iconic Great Lakes bulk carrier, SS Arthur M. Anderson, stuck in the ice in Lake Erie near Conneaut Harbor.  The laker had been bound for Sturgeon Bay, WI when it … Continue reading

Blackbeard’s Medicine Chest & the Media

Sometimes the way the media reports a story about nautical history can be almost as interesting as the story itself. Near the end of last month, archaeologists examining artifacts discovered on the wreck of the pirate Blackbeard’s flag ship, the … Continue reading

Hong Kong Ferry Captain Sentence to Eight Years in Collision Where 39 Died

In 2012, we posted about the collision between the passenger ferry Sea Smooth and the ferry Lamma IV off Hong Kong near Lama Island. The collision killed 39, all passengers on the Lamma IV .  The Lamma IV  was carrying staff and family members of … Continue reading

Pioneering Spirit, World’s Largest Ship Without the Nazi Name

Edward Heerema, the president of Swiss-based Allseas Group S.A., had decided to name their newest and largest ship, Pieter Schelte, after his father, Pieter Schelte Heerema, who was an accomplished marine engineer. Unfortunately, that is not the only thing that his … Continue reading

J-Boat Endeavour, an Amazing Survivor of Another Age

I recently saw an ad titled, “Endeavour Yacht for Sale,” from a high-end yacht broker. It caught my attention because I owned, sailed and lived aboard an Endeavour 32 sloop, a few decades ago. It seemed unlikely, however, that the … Continue reading

Captain Virginia A. Wagner and Her Continuing Legacy

Terribly sad news.  Captain Virginia A. Wagner passed away on Friday January 30, 2015 in Newport, Rhode Island, following a courageous battle with mesothelioma cancer.  From Scuttlebutt Sailing News: Virginia was amongst an elite sorority of professional female captains and … Continue reading

Jon Sanders Sails Home to Perth After Ninth Circumnavigation

75 year old Australian yachtsman Jon Sanders recently sailed into Perth after finishing his ninth circumnavigation. Yes, you read that correctly — his ninth circumnavigation. Sanders is best known for his incredible voyage in 1986 – 1988 in which he circumnavigated the world three … Continue reading

Sail On: The Story of Lettie G Howard

Here is a short video by the Harbor School, a public high school located on Governors Island in New York harbor.  The school’s mission is to “provide a college-preparatory education built upon New York City’s maritime experience that instills in students … Continue reading