Maritime Heritage and famous sailors
Trafalgar Day, 21 October, not only marks one of Admiral Nelson's great sea victories, in 1805, but also his demise and the beginning of a tradition known as the Immortal Memory – where basically you toast him and his deeds. Without advocating any drunkenness on watch at sea, the proposal to splice the mainbrace to [...]
The summer of 1939 would be the last chance for several years that yachtsmen could take extended cruises to places like the Baltic. Author Julia Jones relates how her father sailed to Poland in the weeks before Germany invaded, and on his return found his services already required by the Royal Navy. Two days [...]
3 October 2019 - London, England. The International Six Metre Class Association (ISMA) is delighted to announce the launch of a ground breaking online class archive at 6metrearchive.org. The Six Metre Class has a long and illustrious history dating back to the introduction of the International Rule in 1907. That history encompasses inclusion in nine [...]
Jutta James and Ruth in New York with son Hannes (who did not make the crossing) It's sixty years since James Wharram and his two German girlfriends crossed the Atlantic Ocean from West to East aboard the 40ft catamaran Rongo. The boat was designed and built in the West Indies after the trio successfully [...]
The eighth one-day programme dedicated to the history of maritime Cornwall is being held at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall, in Falmouth, on Saturday, 5th October 2019. Researchers, whether in universities or based at home, have been beavering away in archives and elsewhere discovering people, places and ships. We will hear the results of projects [...]
REMEMBERING D-DAY - SECOND WORLD WAR SITES GIVEN PROTECTION Second World War concrete training landing craft, sunken tanks and armoured bulldozers, and components of Mulberry floating harbours all given heritage protection D-Day on 6 June 1944 was codenamed Operation Overlord. It was the greatest, land, air and naval operation in history Rehearsals by British and [...]
Classic Sailor went aboard the new Thames Sailing Barge Blue Mermaid. We joined her in the Blackwater in Essex for a sail out into the Thames estuary and round to Brightlingsea A new sailing barge is a rare sight – but in 1900 there were around 4,000 such barges registered to carry [...]
An island in the stream The West Mersea Oyster Dredging Match – Story and photos by John Worrall Packing Shed Island, just off Mersea, has been key to the Essex oyster fishery for over a century. Now, with the revival of dredging for oysters under sail, it’s come into its own again. As a link [...]
Racing to keep up with demand – by Julia Jones How the restoration of Pioneer produced a training scheme for apprentices which has led to a whole new interest in competitive rowing. Apprentice Jake Anderson showing part of Moliette's backbone (stem, apron, forward knee) Sandwiched between two examples of traditional boatbuilding craft at [...]
