Every US naval ship and most American merchant ships carry aboard a copy of the American Practical Navigator, which most refer to simply as Bowditch, after Nathaniel Bowditch, the author of the first edition in 1802. On March 26, 1773, Nathaniel Bowditch, the fifth of seven children, … Continue reading
Category Archives: Lore of the Sea
Harold ‘Dynamite’ Payson died suddenly of an an aneurysm at his home in Maine on March 23rd. He was 82. His message was simple. As expressed in his books and on his webpage,” Harold H. Payson … known to associates, friends, and his … Continue reading
This is an amazing presentation from a website called “everybody loves cephalopods.” (I know that I do, usually lightly fried.) I have to admit that after watching this excerpt from a 30 minute presentation by Maggie Koerth-Baker that I am indeed fascinated by octopus … Continue reading
The wonderful thing about the US Great Lakes is that being fresh water, the ships on the lakes don’t rust like they do in the saltier oceans. Of course being fresh water, the lakes do freeze close enough to solid … Continue reading
On March 24th, 1945 the USS Lancetfish was decommissioned after less than thousand hours in service. She never put to sea under her own power and never had a crew. Delivered from the Cramp Shipbuilding Company of Philadelphia, she was towed to … Continue reading
Earth Hour is “a global event organized by WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature, also known as World Wildlife Fund) and is held on the last Saturday of March annually, asking households and businesses to turn off their non-essential lights … Continue reading
This Sunday a grand of fleet of miniature ships will sail the lake at East Tamaki, a suburb of Auckland, New Zealand. The event is being hosted by Task Force 48, a group of radio-controlled model ship enthusiasts. Model boats battle The 1:48 scale … Continue reading
For those in New York there is a special program, Women At Sea: Screening, Conversation, Reception, next Wednesday, March 30th, at the Community Church of New York, 40 East 35th Street, New York, NY at 6:00 PM. The program features a … Continue reading
“The newest landmark in the tsunami-stricken city of Kesennuma.” Ghost ship haunts tsunami-hit Japanese city The newest landmark in the tsunami-stricken city of Kesennuma is a massive fishing trawler that was swept up at sea and came to rest on … Continue reading
Today is the 100th anniversary of the tragic sinking of the passenger ship SS Yongala in a cyclone off Australia with the loss of 122 lives. Yongala Centenary Expedition CAIRNS tourism pioneer Charles Woodward is today heading for the shipwreck … Continue reading
The calendar says that Spring is here on the banks of the Hudson River, but it is nevertheless snowing outside. On mornings like this it is good to be reminded of warm seas and white sails. The good folks on the Soren Larsen … Continue reading
We posted a few days ago about Saturday’s “Super Full Moon” the first time in almost twenty years that full moon coincided with perigee, the passing of the moon’s orbit closest to the earth. Now the “Super Moon” is being … Continue reading
Last Wednesday the bulk carrier MV Olivia ran aground on Nightingale Island in the Tristan da Cuhna archipelago in the South Atlantic. See our previous post. By Friday, she had broken up in heavy seas with 1,500 tonnes of heavy fuel … Continue reading
When I first came to New York thirty five years ago, the closest thing to wildlife in the waters of the harbor were what we referred to as “Hudson River trout” – condoms that had been flushed through the New York … Continue reading
A very interesting presentation at the New Bedford Whaling Museum on Tuesday evening for those in the area. Commander Andrew J. Norris, USCG, will examine modern piracy in the next Sailors’ Series lecture on Tuesday, March 22 at 7:30 p.m. in the Cook … Continue reading
On March 20th, 1602 the Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie, the VOC, or in English, the United Dutch East India Company was established as a chartered company. It would dominate European trade with Asia for almost 200 years. Dutch East India Company … Continue reading
Claude Choules, the last surviving combat veteran of World War I celebrated his 110th birthday with family and friends in Perth earlier this month. Though he served in two World Wars, the first in the Royal Navy and the second in … Continue reading
Last November, we posted about the rebuilding of the last commercial Thames sailing barge, Cambria. The reconstruction is nearing its completion. Tomorrow, Monday 21st March, 2011, the Cambria will be relaunched into Faversham Creek, and move downstream to Iron Wharf … Continue reading
We can only wish them the best of luck and look forward to trying their rum. Rum’s in the family – Ipswich distillery inspired by privateer ancestor It seems Andrew Cabot has inherited not only his name, but some business … Continue reading
The Greek-owned 75,000 tonne bulk carrier, MV Oliva ran aground on March 16th at 04.30, at Spinners Point, on the far north-west promontory of Nightingale Island, a 4 square kilometer island in the Tristan da Cunha archipelago in the South Atlantic. … Continue reading