We may marvel at today’s GPS system which allows sailors to pinpoint their location with great accuracy, but perhaps even more remarkable is the instrument which has been helping sailors do this since the early 18th century, the sextant.
If you have dreams of making a career working aboard a yacht, then you should consider dock walking in order to get hired. This is an old and effective way to find a job by simply walking up and down docks and marinas talking to crew members or the captains of boats. Here are some dockwalking tips to begin your path to employment:
Maritime history is replete with many tales of ghost ships, stories and legends that have been passed down through the years by seamen and fishermen. These phantom vessels are said to be portents of doom and seafarers are wary of any apparitions. One of the most famous is that of the Flying Dutchman, said to be the most-sighted ghost ship in history.
The word barometer is derived from a combination of two Greek phrases meaning “weight” and “measure”. The roots of modern sailing barometers can be traced as far back as 1643 when an inventor by the name of Evangelista Torricelli used a simple vacuum-type device to measure water pressure.
An idea conceived by a German, Alexander von Humboldt, the Panama Canal was started by the French, and completed by the Americans. This 77km ribbon of freshwater, joining the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, is comparable in size to ten Channel Tunnels.
I came across Robert Fitzroy whilst researching an article about the origins of the Shipping News. I thought he warranted an article all to himself as he seemed such an accomplished gentleman.
TW: Mentions of suicide.
Cats have been going to sea with humans for many thousands of years, and they appear in some of our earliest recorded histories.
A crew house is like a hostel where crew can stay while they are waiting to be called to sail or looking for their next crewing job. While this may conjure up pictures of spartan,
Over two millennia ago, fishermen in Mediterranean areas of Europe bred dogs to assist them with fishing. Breeds such as the Portuguese Water Dog and Spanish Water Dog were developed to herd fish into nets,
Annapolis, one of the biggest sailboat shows in America is back for another year and looks set to be amongst the most memorable yet.