Armed with four torpedoes and two twin Browning machine guns, the small, fast and highly maneuverable PT boats (patrol, torpedo boats) were an important part of the U.S. Navy’s weapons systems during World War ll. Equipped with a trio of Packard engines, their maximum speed,…
Posts tagged as “Robert Bachand”
In late January 1878, the Steamship Metropolis set out from Philadelphia, loaded with 500 tons of cast-iron rails, 200 tons of coal and other supplies. Heading for Brazil, the vessel also carried about 215 passengers, many of whom were slated to help build a Brazilian…
Longfin squid are graceful swimmers that seem to glide through the water with little effort. As they swim at a low speed, their fins move in a wave-like fashion, but when they accelerate, their fins flap up and down. They are also capable of jet…
Rising from an 85-foot cliff at the eastern end of Long Island, the 110-foot Montauk Point Lighthouse tower is an awesome sight as you head into Gardner’s Bay. After dark, its flashing light can be seen from a distance of 19 nautical miles. Although protected…
Blue crabs, beautiful and graceful swimmers, provide a delicate, sweet flavor for any seafood lover. Traditionally, the year-round population of Long Island Sound blue crabs found themselves near the northern limit of their range. However, global warming has provided them an opportunity to increase their…
On September 19, 1942, Liberty Ship SS Stephen Hopkins, a.k.a. “Ugly Duckling,” set out from Cape Town Harbor, Africa. The 441-foot long freighter was bound for Dutch Guiana (Surinam) at the northeast end of South America. Once in harbor, the vessel was tasked with loading…
Captain David Reed Morehouse of the barque Dei Gratia was on deck when he first spotted the Mary Celeste; she was just at the horizon. Sailing out of New York with a load of petroleum, the Dei Gratia was bound for Gibraltar. On arrival at…
Traditionally, men were appointed lighthouse keepers. Along all of our Nation’s waterways, women were only assigned to the position following the death of their keeper husband or that of another male relative in the same position. However, if the widow remarried, on the order of…
Raising its head just above the water’s surface, the harbor seal reveals its cute smiling face, a small snout and puppy-like eyes. Resubmerging, the seal swims off gracefully, flipping its pair of hind flippers from side to side while using its fore-flippers (front) to set…
Donning scuba gear, you don’t have to descend very far below the surface of Long Island Sound to discover some of its prettiest marine animals. In less than 20 feet, you can encounter large flower-like clusters of pink-hearted hydroids, swaying slowly back and forth in…