Happy World Oceans Day. June 8th has been celebrated, unofficially, as World Oceans Day since 1992, and has been officially recognized by the United Nations since 2008. This year the theme is “Healthy Oceans. Healthy Planet.” What does World Ocean Day mean, … Continue reading
Rick Spilman
Sounds like great summer sailing on the brand new tall ship Oliver Hazard Perryfor kids from 13-18. There are one and two week programs in July and August. Click here to learn more. … Continue reading
In 1780, the French frigate, l’Hermione carried the Marquis de Lafayette to America with the news of French support for the American revolution. Now a replica l’Hermione has arrived in Yorktown, VA, the first of twelve ports that the frigate will … Continue reading
If you are near New York harbor, the Working Harbor Committee Hidden Harbor Tours® has two great new tours coming up — “Made in Brooklyn” on Thursday, June 11th, and a “Family Fun Day Boat Tour” on Saturday, June 20th. … Continue reading
Recently, Gay Head lighthouse on Martha’s Vineyard, off the coast of Massachusetts, was very carefully jacked up and moved 135 feet inland, far enough away from the crumbling red clay cliffs of Gay Head to prevent it toppling into the ocean. … Continue reading
Was MV Dong Fang Zhi Xing (Oriental Star) unsafe and unstable or was she just at the wrong place at the wrong time? Should the captain have anchored, as did several other ships on the river, when he received warning … Continue reading
If you are in the area tomorrow night, June 4th, be sure to stop by the Cutter Lilac at Pier 25 at N.Moore at West Streets on the Hudson River in Manhattan, for Opera Cabaret performed by The Secret Opera … Continue reading
The French frigate l’Hermoine arrived off the Virginia Capes yesterday where she was greeted by the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Mitscher. l’Hermoine is scheduled to visit Yorktown, Va. on June 5 on her twelve port East Coast tour. The … Continue reading
Last night, around 9:28 p.m, the river cruise vessel, MV Dong Fang Zhi Xing, capsized in a storm on the Yangtze River while carrying 458 passengers and crew, including 406 elderly Chinese tourists, 47 crew members and five tour guides. The … Continue reading
“Captains, Pirates and Ghosts,” from the documentary series, Secrets of New York, hosted by Kelly Choi. It includes some nice shots of the South Street Seaport Museum‘s schooner Pioneer, with commentary by the museum’s Executive Director, Captain Johnathon Boulware. Segments from the Bridge Cafe, … Continue reading
In Linda Collison’s new novel, Water Ghosts, seven troubled teenagers embark on a vintage Chinese junk on a Pacific “adventure-therapy” voyage, to either help them work out their problems or just possibly to get them out of their parents’ hair. … Continue reading
In 1881, John Holland designed and had built at the Delamater Iron Company in Manhattan a working submarine. Funded by the Fenian Brotherhood and intended to sink British shipping, the submarines was in all reepcts successful, notwithstanding that it never … Continue reading
First of all, notwithstanding the name, there is no point, as in point of land, to Point Nemo. Which may be exactly the point. Point Nemo is the point in the ocean furthest from any land mass. Named for Captain Nemo … Continue reading
This week, Book Expo America and Book-Con, collectively among of the largest book publishing events in the world, are being held in New York City, on the Hudson River in the Javit’s Center. (My novel, The Shantyman, is one of seemingly countless books … Continue reading
Great news. PortSide NewYork and the tanker Mary A. Whalen have found a long-term berth at Brooklyn’s Atlantic basin. For the last several years, the non-profit based on the historic tanker has not had a berth accessible to the public. … Continue reading
“A fabulously gripping sailor’s yarn.” The Shantyman was recently reviewed by Kirkus Reviews. I am pleased to say that gave it a Kirkus Star. What does that mean? (I didn’t know either.) “The Kirkus Star is one of the most … Continue reading
Sometimes restoring a historic ship involves starting at the keel and working up, or the deck and working down. And sometimes it involves rediscovering the ship one piece at a time. That was the case this year when three missing … Continue reading
There is good and bad news about California blue whales. The good news is that the number of whales along the west coast of North America has rebounded to close to levels prior to whaling. The bad news is that … Continue reading
Earlier this month, salvors reported finding a 50 kg silver bar off the coast of Madagascar, which they believed to be part of Captain Kidd‘s treasure lost in the sinking of the Adventure Galley in 1698. The salvors are confident that they will … Continue reading
Exciting news! Star Clippers is now building what will be the world’s largest square-rigged passenger ship. The new ship, the fourth in the Star Clippers fleet, is expected to launch mid-2017. Modeled after the five masted France II of 1912, the ship … Continue reading