Channel Island Tall Ships Festival June 24-26, 2011

An impressive fleet of schooners and brigantines will be featured in the the Channel Islands Harbor Tall Ships Festival, this Friday through Sunday at Channel Islands Harbor in Oxnard, California.    The visiting vessels include the topsail schooner Californian, topsail schooner Amazing Grace, … Continue reading

The Maritime Museum of San Diego

The first you notice about the Maritime Museum of San Diego are the ships.    When I  visited last week, the 1863 windjammer Star of India was  hove to with two staysails and her spanker set and drawing, and with her … Continue reading

USC Container Ship Al Rawdah Aground on the Reefs off Batam

Just in case you think you had a bad Monday, yesterday the USC container ship Al Rawdah ran aground on a reef in the waters of Pulau Sambu Stone Chain, Rear Padang, Batam, not long after leaving Port Klang, Selangor, Malaysia. … Continue reading

University of Hawaii Research Vessel, Ka’imikai-o-Kanaloa, Studies Japanese Radiation Leaks

The University of Hawaii research vessel, Ka’imikai-o-Kanaloa, set sail earlier this month to studying the impact of radiation releases in the waters off Japan’s crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. Scientists on UH research ship study impact of radiation releases … Continue reading

Herb Kawainui Kāne – Artist, Historian, Founder of the Polynesian Voyaging Society

Yesterday we posted about the arrival of seven vaka, Polynesian voyaging canoes, in Hilo, Hawaii.    This seems an appropriate time to remember Herb Kawainui Kāne, an Hawaiian  artist, historian and one of the  founders of the Polynesian Voyaging Society, who died last March … Continue reading

Collision between New York City Fireboats Firefighter II and 343

In  a lawsuit  a whistleblower is charging that New York City’s new $27 million Fireboat 343, named after the number of New York firefighters killed on 9/11, was damaged in a storm last winter when sideswiped by another fireboat, the Firefighter II, … Continue reading

Busy Weekend in New York Harbor – Mermaids, Sloops & Song

This will be  busy weekend around the Hudson River and New York harbor.     At Croton Point Park,  on the east bank of the Hudson River, just north of New York City, the Clearwater’s Great Hudson River Revival – … Continue reading

Van Liew Sweeps the Velux 5 Ocean Single-Handed Around the World Race

Our slightly belated congratulations to Brad Van Liew, the American sailor who won the Velux 5 Oceans single-handed around the world race in his Le Pingouin ECO 60.  Van Liew dominated the Velux 5 Oceans race, winning all five legs.   Van Liew is the first … Continue reading

Jubilee Sailing Trust – Tall Ship Sailing Adventures for All

A very nicely done video showing the inspiring work being done the Jubilee Sailing Trust.  The Jubilee Sailing Trust  is a registered charity that owns and operates the tallships Lord Nelson and Tenacious, the only two tall ships in the world designed and … Continue reading

1871 Schooner Showdown – Historic Schooners Lewis R. French and the Stephen Taber to Race June 17th

Both the schooners  Lewis R. French and the Stephen Taber were built in 1871.  To celebrate  their 140th birthdays, these grand old ladies will be racing from Camden to Rockland this Friday June 17 in an “1871 Schooner Showdown.” A race of two historic … Continue reading

Elizabeth Fry Swims NY Harbor -Sets Three Swimming Records in One Day

Liz Fry is the sort of person who makes the rest of us feel inadequate. She is from Westport, Connecticut, is 52 and reportedly suffers from asthma.   Nevertheless, yesterday she swam the thirty five miles from Battery Park in Manhattan to Sandy Hook, … Continue reading