Tall Ship Elissa – 1877 survives Hurricane Ike with little damage

Posted on by September 22, 2008

ELISSA is a three-masted, iron-hulled sailing barque built in 1877 in Aberdeen, Scotland by Alexander Hall & Company.  Under various names, rigs and owners she had a 90 year carreer carrying cargo. She was purchased by the Galveston Historical Foundation 1975. She was extensively refurbished through 1982.  Since then, she has been dockside in Galveston when she is not sailing.  

Though Hurrican Ike did serious damage to the dockside museum buildings and shops, except for blown out sails ELISSA apperas to have weathered the storm without damage. Continue reading →

Barometers, Erasers and Edward Nairne – the pleasure and pain of researching historical fiction

Posted on by June 29, 2013
Nairner Barometer used by Captain Cook

Nairne’s Barometer used by Captain Cook

In working on my book Evening Gray, Morning Red, I found myself using metaphors referencing barometers.  “The glass was falling”, suggesting a storm, or a “rising glass” suggesting clear and dry weather, seemed perfectly apt language for a nautical novel.  The problem was, the novel is set between 1768 and 1772.   Were marine barometers common in the period?  Did they even exist?  I had some research to do.

The invention of the barometer is usually attributed to Torricelli in the mid-1600s, though the “weather glass” or “thunder glass”, a water barometer, is said to have been developed by  Gheijsbrecht de Donckere in the 16th century.   In England in 1695 Daniel Quare patented a marine barometer, which never seems to have caught on.

Continue reading →

HMS PICKLE is For Sale!

Posted on by June 13, 2015

Archival Post: For the most recent news on HMS Pickle click here.

 HMS PICKLE is For Sale!

OK, not the original HMS Pickle but a replica built in 1995. For only £350,000.00 (US$626,640) you too could own a replica of the historic schooner.

For those not familiar with the Pickle, she was the first ship to bring the news of Nelson’s great victory and tragic death at Trafalgar back to England. Continue reading →

HMS BOUNTY GALLERY

Posted on by November 11, 2011

Photos from a cruise on HMS Bounty a number of years ago.

Thank You for Not Talking Like A Pirate

Posted on by September 19, 2008

If by good fortune you missed the “International Talk Like a Pirate Day”, just as well. If you managed to pass the day without a single “Aargh” or “Shiver Me Timbers” congratulations.

I have a rather good sense of humor and some might say a quick wit. (And some say half-wit, but be that as it may.) Nevertheless, I am revolted by those who confuse piracy with cute colloquialisms, funny hats and the occasional parrot. Piracy is about murder and theft. Not too unlike terrorism, though in most cases with less justification.   Continue reading →