The exploits of pirates, privateers, and buccaneers have long captured America’s imagination. After all, these sea going brigands led a highly romanticized lifestyle sailing the sea lanes of the world, their canvases billowing in the trade winds, from the waters off Africa and Europe and…
Posts published in “June 2022”
It was late fall and a cold northeast wind rustled the water as we headed out of the Mystic River to a spot on the chart marked, “unexploded depth charges 1945.” Onboard the charter boat Thunderfish, Captain Bill Palmer and two other divers were planning…
Giant clams are the largest mollusks on Earth. Unlike other mollusks, once they fasten themselves to a spot on a reef, there it stays for the remainder of its life. Giant clams generally live in the warm waters of the South Pacific and Indian Oceans.Colloquially…
As a writer and artist documenting the history and environment of Long Island and beyond, I have been privileged to meet and interact with many advocates for keeping both our nautical heritage alive and moving forward so that its richness can be appreciated by all.…
It happened every Friday evening, almost without fail, when the sun resembled a giant orange orb dipping into the sapphire blue ocean, and the light flickered off the small scudding wavelets like the glint of hard diamonds.As predictably as the tides, Old Ed came strolling…
When we think about workboats, we might remember passenger ferries we have taken, pilot boats we may have seen looking down from a bridge while in traffic, taking harbor pilots to or from a boat they will temporarily command or maybe a dinner boat we’ve…
From the earliest days in our Nation’s history, the Race, Long Island Sound’s gateway to the open sea, was well known for its navigational hazards. During the maximum ebb tide, an hour or two after high tide, currents through the Race can exceed 5 knots!…
Come down to my cabin,” the Englishman offered to the four newly arrived guests aboard the schooner. “We shall celebrate your arrival and purchase of the remaining cargo over a stiff swig of the good stuff.” The four men followed him down the narrow passageway…
Gone are the days when the bays and inshore ocean were free and uncrowded and, if you ran into a boat issue, you could hail a passerby for a friendly tow or hail the Coast Guard on your marine radio to pull you off a…
Understanding the different types of clouds … What do they tell us … What can we learn?Meteorologists study the weather. To do this they use sophisticated instruments, but experienced mariners can predict the weather just by observing the clouds. This boating safety tip will help…