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Category Archives: History
SS Port Nicholson – Sunk Off Cape Cod in 1942, a $3 Billion Shipwreck?
The Portland, ME based, Sub Sea Research (SSR) recently sent out a press release announcing that they had located what they claim to be “the worlds richest shipwreck,” the British freighter, SS Port Nicholson, carrying a secret cargo of 71 tons of platinum, … Continue reading
Posted in Current, History, Lore of the Sea, Ships
Tagged 71 tons of platinum, British freighter, Cape Cod, German submarine, SS Port Nicholson, Sub Sea Research, U-87
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Nelson’s Sword Discovered in Wreck of HMS Victoria
While on peace time maneuvers off Libya on June 22, 1893, Vice Admiral George Tryon, the commander of the British Mediterranean Fleet, gave a series of orders that resulted in HMS Camperdown ramming his ship, HMS Victoria, which sank with the loss of 358 lives, including … Continue reading
Posted in Current, History, Lore of the Sea, Ships
Tagged HMS Camperdown, HMS Victoria, Nelson, sword, Vice Admiral George Tryon
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USS Laffey, the Ship That Would Not Die, Returns to Patriot’s Point
The World War II destroyer, USS Laffey, has returned home to Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum, near Charleston, South Carolina after a two year $9 million dollar shipyard period to repair her hull plating. The USS Laffey was commissioned … Continue reading
Posted in Current, History, Lore of the Sea, Ships
Tagged D-Day invasion, Okinawa, Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum, USS LAFFEY
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The Shipbuilders of Essex
Here is a wonderful 20 minute film made in 1947 about, as the tile suggests, shipbuilding in Essex, Massachusetts. It has the slightly corny Hollywood production values of its time but does a good job at showing the construction of a … Continue reading
Posted in Current, History, Lore of the Sea
Tagged Essex, Massachusetts, pinky schooner Ardelle, shipbuilding
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Three Italian Captains – the Costa Concordia and the Andrea Doria
Reuters reports that Italy is enthralled by the tale of the “two captains,” while on CNN another Italian captain, from another ship and another time, is remembered - In Andrea Doria wreck, a captain who shone.
Civil War Confederate Submarine H.L. Hunley Unveiled
The Confederate Navy submarine H.L. Hunley was unveiled yesterday for the first time since it was recovered from the ocean floor near Charleston more than a decade ago. The vessel, a 42 feet long iron cylinder, is credited as the first “successful” submarine … Continue reading
Posted in Current, History, Lore of the Sea, Ships
Tagged Confederate Navy submarine, H.L. Hunley, USS Housatonic
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USS Narcissus, Civil War Shipwreck off Egmont Key, May Become Florida’s 12th Underwater Preserve
When I was in high school in Flordia, before I learned the error of my ways and become a sailor, I ran all over Boca Ciega Bay and the around the mouth of Tampa Bay in an outboard motor powered … Continue reading
Posted in Current, History, Lore of the Sea, Ships
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The Lenox Project – Building a Restoration Warship
A very interesting, if ambitious, new project. While we often focus on the Georgian Navy, the Royal Navy during the Restoration is fascinating it own right. The Lenox Project hopes to build a replica of the Lenox, a 17th century warship in the restored dockyard at … Continue reading
Posted in Current, History, Lore of the Sea, Ships
Tagged Convoys Wharf, Deptford, Lenox, Lenox Project, london, River Thames
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The Cyber-Reconstruction of the 17th Century, Nossa Senhora dos Martires, at Texas A&M
What better way to start the new year than to look at a project which uses modern technology to recreate virtually a ship from 1606? Dr. Filipe Castro, of the Nautical Archaeology Program, Texas A&M University, working with the university’s Visualization … Continue reading
Washington Crossing the Delaware and the Durham Boats
On Christmas Day in 1776, George Washington led what was left of his army across the Delaware River in the middle of a blizzard to attack a Hessian outpost in Trenton, NJ. In one bold stroke, he turned almost certain … Continue reading
Posted in History, Lore of the Sea
Tagged Emanuel Leutze, George Washington, Mort Künstler, Trenton, Washington Crossing the Delaware
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Building the Viking Longboat Dragon Harald Fairhair
In western Norway, an ocean going Viking longship is taking shape. Named the Dragon Harald Fairhair, (or in Norwegian Draken Harald Hårfagre) she is the largest Viking longship to have been built in modern times and is due to be … Continue reading
Posted in Current, History, Lore of the Sea, Ships
Tagged clinker-built, Dragon Harald Fairhair, Norway, Viking longboat
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Great Moments in Maritime Porcelain – Kaiser Willhelm’s Urinal Found at Bottom of Baltic
German maritime archaeologists believe that they have to have found a urinal used by Kaiser Wilhelm II in the wreck of the light-cruiser, Udine, lying on the bottom of the Baltic Sea. The Udine was sunk by the British in … Continue reading
Posted in Current, History, Lore of the Sea, Ships
Tagged Kaiser Willhelm, light cruiser, Udine, urinal
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Pearl Harbor, 70 Years Ago Today – Isoroku Yamamoto, An Insufficiently Reluctant Enemy
We seem to need to put a face to our enemies. On the cover of Time Magazine of December 22, 1941, the face of the enemy was Admiral Yamamoto, labeled as “Japan’s Aggressor.” The image of the admiral is a … Continue reading
Posted in Current, History, Lore of the Sea
Tagged Admiral Yamamoto, Isoroku Yamamoto, Pearl Harbor
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Pearl Harbor, 70 Years Ago Today – Disbanding the Survivors Association
It was inevitable. The Pearl Harbor Survivors Association will observe the 70th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor on this day in 1941. It will be the Association’s last observance. The group has too few remaining members to carry on and will disband on … Continue reading
Posted in Current, History, Lore of the Sea
Tagged Pearl Harbor Survivors Association
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