Here is an intriguing article suggesting that we humans have been taking to the sea for far longer than had been previously recorded. Recently stone tools have been found on the island of Crete which date back at least 130,000 … Continue reading
Category Archives: History
Bronze Age shipwreck found off Devon coast One of the world’s oldest shipwrecks has been discovered off the coast of Devon after lying on the seabed for almost 3,000 years. The trading vessel was carrying an extremely valuable cargo of … Continue reading
In the United States, today is “Presidents’ Day,” a national holiday on the third Monday of February, falling between Lincoln’s (February 14th) and Washington’s (February 22) birthdays. It seems a good day to recall the tale of Lincoln’s camel. … Continue reading
Over thirty years ago when I was in college studying naval architecture, a classmate of mine got a summer job working as a naval architect for Sun Shipyard helping to design some part of the new deep sea mining ship, … Continue reading
Last October, we wrote about how researchers are using eighteenth century Royal Navy ship logs to study climate change. (See Logbooks may yield climate bounty.) Now, through the wonder of the internet, many of these log books are on-line. The … Continue reading
Last Operational World War II Motor Boats Saved For The Nation Two of the last remaining fully operational high-speed World War II motor boats have been saved for the nation today by Portsmouth Naval Base Property Trust, with the help … Continue reading
Many ships carrying civilians were sunk during World War II by both sides. If current estimates are correct, the torpedoing of the M/V Wilhelm Gustloff resulted in the largest loss of life from the sinking of one vessel in maritime … Continue reading
Thanks to David Hayes for passing this along. There is something slightly frightening about sailors on a nuclear submarine receiving daily rum rations. Royal Navy Rum – issued daily to sailors 1655 to 1970 Alcohol and the Royal Navy often seem … Continue reading
In January we posted about the Jewel of Muscat a replica of a 9th-century sailing ship modelled on a famous Tang Treasure ship. Recently Nova broadcast a documentary on far older ships from the region, Pharaoh Hatshepsut’s ships, dating from 1479 BCE. … Continue reading
Not every historic vessel can be saved and not every historic vessel should be saved. The difficult question is deciding which are worthy of saving before they fall prey to the ravages of time or, in this case, the bureaucracy. A story from today’s Daily … Continue reading
An intriguing article from the Sunday Times: Hunt is on for SS Gairsoppa’s £70m silver hoard AN official attempt to find a ship containing £70m worth of silver, which was sunk during the second world war, is to be announced by … Continue reading
Sam Willis has written what appears to be a fascinating book – Fighting Temeraire. J.M.W. Turner’s painting, The Fighting Temeraire Tugged to her Last Berth to be Broken Up, hangs in the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square and was recently … Continue reading
More talks to save the fine old ship from being broken up. Only time will tell whether anyone will come up with the funds to rescue her. Fresh bid to salvage historic Scots ship … Continue reading
While there have been locks on the Saint Lawrence River since at least 1862, the St. Lawrence Seaway, the current series of locks, canals and channels that permit ocean-going vessels to travel from the Atlantic Ocean to the North American Great … Continue reading
HMS Victory in recent snowy weather Portsmouth Historic Dockyard marks 88 years of HMS Victory From broadside battles off the Mediterranean coast to Vice Admiral Lord Nelson’s triumph in the Battle of Trafalgar and campaigns in the Baltic, the guardians … Continue reading
The American Museum of Folk Art in New York has a new exhibit – Thomas Chambers (1808-1869): American Marine and Landscape Painter. His paintings have been described as having an “entrancing, slightly demonic style … neither strictly realist nor naïve, they … Continue reading
Thanks to Dick and Ben Kooyman for passing along this intriguing account of a new search for the legendary “Mahogany ship” which, if found, may rewrite Australian history. The Mahogany ship is said to be buried beneath the sand in the … Continue reading
The Wall Street Journal today has an article about the SS United States Conservancy, a group of individuals who fervently wish to save the SS United States. I have the somewhat heretical view that the “Big U,” as she is called, is … Continue reading
“The Leaving of Liverpool” is a wonderful sea song, capturing both the promise of a new voyage and the sadness of leaving loved ones behind. It was “collected” by William Main Doerflinger in 1951 from Dick Maitland, an old sailor at New York’s … Continue reading
As reported by the Stockholm News – WW1 Russian submarine found The submarine wreck was discovered by a research ship of the Swedish Maritime Administration the 10 September. A closer study with a radio-controlled underwater vessel indicate that the submarine … Continue reading