In the general category of “you can’t make this stuff up,” the Swedish Peace and Arbitration Society (SPAS), a group dedicated to the study and promotion of peace, released details of their “Singing Sailor Campaign.” Last October, we posted about a … Continue reading
Category Archives: Lore of the Sea
A few years ago, we posted about a new competitive sport in which dogs compete by jumping off docks. Apparently, the competitions are continuing. The DockDogs website describes it as the “The World’s Premier Canine Aquatics Competition.” As no other canine … Continue reading
The State of Hawaii has notified the Friends of Falls of Clyde, the organization responsible for rescuing the historic ship of the same name, that the state plans to terminate its permit which allows the ship to be docked for free. “They … Continue reading
Sailors choose their tattoos for various reasons. Among the most popular sailor tattoos are anchors, hearts and swallows. Not infrequently, “Mom” also made an appearance as a reminder of loved ones and home. On Mother’s Day it seems appropriate to … Continue reading
Perhaps no warship is unsinkable, but the several USS Recruits came close, primarily because they were based entirely on land. In 1917, the 200′ USS Recruit, also known as the Landship Recruit, was built in Union Square, in the middle of … Continue reading
The octopus is an amazing creature, the most intelligent and agile of all invertebrates. A look at new research on how they keep track of their eight arms. Smart Arms Control the Potential Chaos of Octopus Movement … Continue reading
In honor of the 250th anniversary of the launching of HMS Victory, here is a rolling broadside, fired by none other than HMS Victory. The ship is beginning a £50million restoration project in an attempt to preserve Nelson’s flagship for future generations. For … Continue reading
Iran is reporting that it has released the container ship Maersk Tigris. The ship had been seized on April 28th as it transited the Strait of Hormuz. Neither Maersk Line, which is the ship’s charterer, nor Rickmers Shipmanagement, which manages the … Continue reading
I am very pleased to have been interviewed by George Jepson in the May/June issue of the McBooks Press‘ newsletter “Quarterdeck.” If you haven’t run across “Quarterdeck” you should take a look. (A subscription is free.) This issue includes my … Continue reading
Does Iran have any conceivable case for seizing the Maersk Tigris? The short answer is “no.” The slightly longer answer might be “absolutely not” or “under no circumstances.” Iran is claiming a decade old cargo dispute as the basis for … Continue reading
Sailors stand on the flight deck of the HMS Lancaster, known as the “Queen’s Frigate,” in a special congratulatory message to Prince George, passing on the news that he now has a sister. … Continue reading
A week ago, tragedy struck at the Dauphin Island Regatta on Mobile Bay, when a powerful squall packing winds of almost 70 knots struck the assembled fleet. Six sailors were lost. The bodies of five sailors have been found. The … Continue reading
On April 20th, the 105′ trimaran Lending Club 2 sailed from Newport, Rhode Island to Bermuda in an amazing 23 hours, 9 minutes and 52 seconds, beating the previous record by a 15 hours. Lending Club 2 sailed the 635-nautical mile passage at an average … Continue reading
Once again, May 2nd is International Scurvy Awareness Day! The festivities appear to be sponsored by a group calling itself Lime Strong. I am not sure whether this is an individual or a marketing arm for lime growers. Nevertheless, there … Continue reading
At first, it sounded like a tragic story with a very predictable moral. A 46 year old male kayaker capsized, while not wearing a lifejacket, and was believed to have drowned. His 36 year old female paddling partner, who was wearing … Continue reading