Almost two years ago, we raised the question — Are the new foiling Open 60 monohulls “the future of ocean racing or [are they] a foil too far?” The results of the Vendee Globe around-the-world, single-handed race last January may have … Continue reading
Category Archives: Lore of the Sea
Hurricane Irma devasted islands in the Caribbean and did serious damage to cities in Florida. 6.5 million residents of Florida alone lost power and the damage toll is still being calculated across the state. The cities on the West Coast … Continue reading
Hurricane Irma absolutely devastated many islands in the Caribbean. Now, in the aftermath of the catastrophic storm, aid is being sent by a small armada of ships and boats from governments, corporations and private citizens. The need for help is … Continue reading
I watch this short documentary on the Great Manhattan Boat Lift of 9/11/01 at least once a year. In the face of natural and unnatural disasters, it is good to be reminded that when things are at their worst mariners will … Continue reading
Something to take one’s mind off the apocalyptic hurricane bearing down on the west coast of Florida. Rare images of blue whale feeding behavior Krill Joy From Slate:This video catches a rare glimpse of a gigantic, lunge-feeding blue whale deciding … Continue reading
As Hurricane Irma proceeds toward South Florida with apocalyptic fury, it is getting harder and harder to find a place of safety or a way to escape. Gasoline and supplies are in short supply. The few north-south roads out of … Continue reading
Yesterday morning, the 14,400 TEU container ship, CMA CGM Theodore Roosevelt, sailed under the newly-elevated Bayonne Bridge becoming the largest container ship ever to call on the Port of New York and New Jersey. She previously set a record as the … Continue reading
On August 10th, inventor Peter Madsen took Swedish journalist Kim Wall on a trip aboard his private submarine UC3 Nautilus in Copenhagen harbor as part of an interview. The submarine sank under mysterious circumstances. Madsen was rescued but Wall disappeared. Madsen initially … Continue reading
Two Scottish brothers, eight-year-old, Ollie and five-year-old, Harry Ferguson, are too young to go to sea themselves, so instead, they sent their toy pirate sailing ship on a voyage from the fine old port of Peterhead, Aberdeenshire earlier this year. … Continue reading
One day, I really want to make it to Gloucester, MA for the yearly schooner festival held over the Labor Day weekend. Perhaps one year I will sail there in my own boat, which is definitely not a schooner. In … Continue reading
Here is a fascinating new approach to the design of a mast and sail. The developers at Next Technologies claim that their Inflated Wing Sail (IWS) is stable in every wind conditions and offers a smooth balanced new way of … Continue reading
The Pacific bluefin tuna is at risk of becoming commercially extinct. Overfishing has depleted stocks of the fish by an estimated 97%. Now the principle tuna-fishing nations have reached an agreement to gradually rebuild the depleted stocks, while still allowing Japan, … Continue reading
I recently learned that Meade Gougeon has died at aged 78 of melanoma. More than 45 years ago, I was a young student of naval architecture at the University of Michigan. I met Meade when he came to speak to … Continue reading
Lewis Bennett, 38, a British engineer, was recently arrested by the FBI on charges related to possession of stolen rare silver and gold coins. The story behind the arrest gets very strange, involving a Caribbean theft, a missing wife, and … Continue reading
The last of Corpus Christi’s Columbus replica ships has sunk. In 1992, the quincentenary of Columbus’ first voyage, replicas of his ships; the Niña, Pinta and the Santa Maria; arrived in Corpus Christi, Texas after sailing from Spain and touring the US … Continue reading
The boats and the circumstances are all different and yet each in its way is the same, from the “little ships” of Dunkirk, to the Manhattan Boat-Lift of 9/11, to the jon-boat navy of the Texas Gulf coast. When people … Continue reading
Two high tech guided missile destroyers charged with protecting the fleet from incoming missiles somehow failed to avoid collision with two slow-speed commercial vessels. Tragically, seventeen sailors died in the collisions. Some immediately blamed cyber-hacking, although a Navy investigation has turned … Continue reading
The arrogance is as impressive as the yachts themselves. Rather than paying for dockage, in recent years, billionaire Russian oligarchs have taken to anchoring their yachts in the public anchorage in front of the Statue of Liberty while in New … Continue reading
Remarkably, Scotland’s Mylne Yacht Design was founded by Alfred Mylne I in 1896 and has been in continuous operation for more than 120 years. Alfred Mylne designed over 400 yachts in his career. Here is a short video of classic … Continue reading
For those in and around New York harbor, the 25th Annual Great North River Tugboat Race & Competition, sponsored by the Working Harbor Committee, is coming up on Sunday, September 3rd. The Parade of Tugs starts on the Hudson River at 10 … Continue reading