Jet Pack Demonstration in New York Harbor From Royal Navy Flagship HMS Queen Elizabeth

During her recent visit to New York to host a two-day Anglo-American defense conference, the Royal Navy flagship HMS Queen Elizabeth was used in a training demonstration in the harbor using jet packs. The BBC reports that the Sussex-based jet … Continue reading

Captain Bill Pinkney To Be Honored as “Hero of the Game” by White Sox

In July of last year, we posted about Captain Bill Pinkney‘s induction into the National Sailing Hall of Fame with a Lifetime Achievement Award as an “Enthusiastic Trend Setter.” Captain Pinkney was the first African American to solo-circumnavigate the world via Cape … Continue reading

Nautical Coincidence & Lifeboat Morality – Richard Parker and the Mignonette

Here is another old favorite, a companion repost to yesterday’s repost of “The Unsinkable Hugh Williams – Truth Behind the Legend?” We recently posted in response to a video, “The Strangest Coincidence Ever Recorded?.”  It recounted how three men named Hugh … Continue reading

Over the Holidays & in the New Year, May St. Nicholas Hold the Tiller

An updated holiday season repost. Saint Nicholas, long associated with Christmas and gift-giving, is also the patron saint of ships and sailors. The St. Nicholas Center notes: “Many ports, most notably in Greece, have icons of Nicholas, surrounded by ex-votos … Continue reading

For the Holidays or the New Year, the Latest Books from Old Salt Press Authors

Whether as a holiday gift or just great reading for the New Year, check out the latest nautical fiction from Old Salt Press authors Alaric Bond, Joan Druett, Antione Vanner, and Seymour Hamilton. The Seeds of War,  (The Fighting Sail … Continue reading

The Loneliest Whale — Search for 52 : A Review

Joshua Zeman has directed a newly released documentary, The Loneliest Whale — the Search for 52. It is a fascinating muddle of a film, well worth watching if you can overlook the mix of myth, legend, and social media sentimentality … Continue reading

New From Old Salt Press — Angel’s Share: A Story from the World of The Astreya Trilogy

The second of two wonderful books recently released by Old Salt Press. Today we are spotlighting Angel’s Share: A Story from the World of The Astreya Trilogy by Seymour Hamilton. About the book: Angel, a very old man who once … Continue reading

New From Old Salt Press — Lone Escort by Alaric Bond (The Fighting Sail Series Book 13)

There are two wonderful new books from Old Salt Press. Today we spotlight Lone Escort by Alaric Bond, the thirteenth book of his “Fighting Sail” series.  About the book: The North Atlantic in spring is a perilous place and, with … Continue reading

Quarterdeck, Maritime Literature & Art Review

The Winter 2020 edition of Quarterdeck, hosted by McBooks, is out. If you like nautical fiction, the quarterly e-journal edited by George Jepson is a treasure. The Winter 2020 edition features an interview with Alaric Bond and a review of … Continue reading

Canadian Premiere of Trapped in Typhoon Alley, the Mystery of MV Derbyshire

Originally published in gCaptain.com. Reposted with permission.  Discovery Channel (Canada)’s new documentary series, “Disasters at Sea,” premieres on April 16th at 10 PM ET.  The first episode, “Trapped in Typhoon Alley,” looks at the mysterious sinking of the Capesize Ore/Bulk/Oiler … Continue reading

Introducing “Britannia’s Mission” by Antione Vanner

A short video introduction by Antione Vanner to his latest historical naval adventure novel, Britannia’s Mission, set in 1883. Vanner’s “Dawlish Chronicles” series of naval adventures are set in the late Victorian era when technological progress was more rapid than at … Continue reading

Join Us For “Hell Around the Horn” at NMHS Seminar Series, Nov 3rd

If you are in the neighborhood, consider joining us when I give a presentation about my novel, Hell Around the Horn, at the National Maritime Historical Society Seminar Series this Saturday at the Hendrick Hudson Free Library, 185 Kings Ferry Road, Montrose, … Continue reading

Nautical Coincidence & Lifeboat Morality – Richard Parker and the Mignonette

Here is another old favorite, a companion repost to yesterday’s repost of “The Unsinkable Hugh Williams – Truth Behind the Legend?” We recently posted in response to a video, “The Strangest Coincidence Ever Recorded?.”  It recounted how three men named Hugh … Continue reading

Eric Jay Dolin’s Black Flags, Blue Waters, the Epic History of America’s Most Notorious Pirates – A Review

What is it about the pirates of the so-called “Golden Age” that holds our attention over the centuries? The period has been romanticized and fictionalized in books, British musicals, Hollywood movies, and cable TV shows. Where do the legend and lore … Continue reading

Archipelago New York — a Modern Day Exploration, Book Talk, June 18th

In 1614, Dutch sailor Adriaen Block explored the over 70 islands of the archipelago between the mouth of the Hudson and Fisher’s Island. Four hundred years later, photographer, videographer, and writer Thomas Halaczinsky, set off on his 30-foot sailboat, on a … Continue reading

Secrets of a Frozen Ocean Wins Best Documentary at New York City International Film Festival

Congratulations to Neil and Ariel Weisbrod. Their documentary, Secrets of a Frozen Ocean, won Best Documentary at the New York City International Film Festival.  I was fortunate enough to see the world premiere of this fascinating documentary last Wednesday. The premiere, fittingly … Continue reading