Happy Juneteenth, the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. Juneteenth National Independence Day is also the newest Federal holiday. The legislation, passed by both the House and Senate, was recently signed into law … Continue reading
Category Archives: Lore of the Sea
The Maine Windjammer fleet was hit hard by the pandemic last summer. Most of the schooners didn’t sail and those that did offered fewer trips. As things return closer to normal, it is a good time to consider two of … Continue reading
We recently posted about Michael Packard, a Cape Cod diver, who found himself scooped up inside the mouth of a humpback whale. Most of the media reports used the term “swallowed” by the whale. If the word “swallow” is defined … Continue reading
Exciting news from the crew of the Barque Picton Castle. Full scholarships are now being offered to those accepted in the highly regarded Picton Castle’s Bosun School. From their announcement: Bosun School is going ahead this summer! We’re thrilled to … Continue reading
One hundred and seventeen years ago today, the disaster on General Slocum resulted in the largest loss of life in New York City prior to the attacks of 9/11/01. An updated repost. At around 9AM on June 15, 1904, approximately … Continue reading
A diver from Cape Cod, Massachusetts was gulped up and then spat out by a humpback whale feeding off the coast of Provincetown early Friday morning. The diver, Michael Packard, 56, of Wellfleet, was hunting for lobsters while about 45 … Continue reading
This seems like a good video for a summer Sunday — two 60-foot long whale kites flying over Delray Beach, Florida, flown by Randy “the Kite Man” Lowe. Video by Larry Richardson. When Whales Fly — Giant Kites Soar Over … Continue reading
A thick, slimy layer of so-called “sea snot” has spread in Turkey’s Sea of Marmara to the south of Istanbul, posing a threat to marine life and the fishing industry. Reuters reports that scientists say climate change and pollution have … Continue reading
When the cruise ship Celebrity Millennium departed from St. Maarten on June 5 for a seven-night cruise visiting Aruba, Curacao, and Barbados, each of the 600 passengers (over 12 years old) and 700 crew members had been fully vaccinated and … Continue reading
The Orange County Register had an interesting article recently. They reported that last Saturday a whale-watching boat reported seeing what they believe to be a “flue” whale, a hybrid blue-fin whale, swimming off Dana Point, CA. The whale has been … Continue reading
The ex-Cunard luxury liner Queen Mary, which had served as a tourist attraction and hotel in Long Beach, CA since 1972, was shut down by the pandemic. Then in January, the manager of the ship on behalf of the City … Continue reading
In a few days, the composite clipper ship Cutty Sark will be graced with a new carved wooden figurehead carved by one of the last master carvers, Andy Peters. The figurehead, like its two predecessors, represents the witch Nannie Dee, … Continue reading
Back in 2017, we posted Inflated Wing Sail — Rig of the Future? The post showed a prototype daysailer with a single inflatable wing sail (IWS) without winches, halyards, shrouds, or complex deck gear. Now French tire manufacturer Michelin has … Continue reading
I am aware of only one man who was praised by both Eisenhower and Hitler. A repost on the 77th anniversary of D-Day. General Dwight David Eisenhower said that “Andrew Higgins … is the man who won the war for … Continue reading
Something very strange took place around the middle of July 2019 off the coast of California, near San Diego. Leaked radar images and video from the USS Omaha show unidentified objects swarming around the ship, visible on several sensor systems. … Continue reading