Nautical stories, overview 2014
French privateer a member of the Legion of Honour
Robert Surcouf was a French privateer and slave trader who operated in the Indian Ocean between 1789 and 1801, and again from 1807 to 1808.
Surcouf started his career as a sailor and officer on the slave ships Aurore, Courrier d'Afrique and Navigateur. Having risen to Captain, and in spite of the prohibition of slave trading by the National Convention in 1793, he engaged in the business himself as a captain on Créole. Read more
Sovereign of the Seas was the most extravagantly decorated warship
Sovereign of the Seas was launched on 13 October 1637. She was a 17th-century warship of the English Navy. She was ordered as a 90-gun first-rate ship of the line of the English Royal Navy, but at launch was armed with 102 bronze guns at the insistence of the king. She was later renamed Sovereign, and then Royal Sovereign. The ship served from 1638 until 1697, when a fire burned the ship to the waterline at Chatham. Read more
Wreck of Columbus' flagship Santa Maria?
Underwater explorer Barry Clifford, who led a team that found and investigated the wreck, says he's confident it is.
But it isn't a new finding of this wreck. Clifford announced wreck discovery in 2003. His team also investigated of cannon was found as part of the wreck.
Two years ago, after having researched the type of cannon used in Columbus' time, he realized the 2003 find might have been Santa Maria. Read more
As we know the original Bluenose was a Canadian fishing and racing schooner from Nova Scotia built in 1921. The schooner became famous for winning in several International competitions. The Bluenose is considered by many to be an iconic symbol of Canada.
Kon-Tiki raft and Heyerdahl journey
Kon-Tiki was the raft used by Norwegian explorer and writer Thor Heyerdahl in his 1947 expedition across the Pacific Ocean from South America to the Polynesian islands. It was named after the Inca sun god, Viracocha, for whom "Kon-Tiki" was said to be an old name.
The Kon-Tiki expedition was funded by private loans, along with donations of equipment from the United States Army. Heyerdahl and a small team went to Peru, where, with the help of dockyard facilities provided by the Peruvian authorities,
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Half Moon and Henry Hudson
Exploration ship Half Moon (Halve Maen in Dutch) was commissioned on March 25, 1609, for the Dutch East India Company. Her length on deck was 85 feet, length on keel was 64.5 feet and height was 78 feet. Crew size was about 20 and displacement was 112 tons. Half Moon used square and lateen sails. Her captain, Henry Hudson, was already a famous
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In the footsteps of Admiral Christopher Columbus journey
Read about the events of the first journey to the New World by Santa Maria, Pinta and Nina as it describes directly Admiral Christopher Columbus. Santa Maria was a flag ship of Christopher Columbus, the Pinta was commanded by Martin Alonso Pinzon and Nina was commanded by Vicente Yanez Pinzon.
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A Brief History of Bluenose
Bluenose was a Canadian fishing and racing schooner from Nova Scotia built in 1921. She was later commemorated by a replica Bluenose II built in 1963. A celebrated racing ship and hard-working fishing vessel, Bluenose became a provincial icon for Nova Scotia and an important Canadian symbol in the 1930s.
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A Brief History of Captain William Kidd
William "Captain" Kidd (January 22, 1645 - May 23, 1701) is often remembered in infamy as a cruel, bloody pirate. Indeed, he, along with his crew, has been accused of every crime in pirate history by popular tradition. He achieved perhaps more fame in song, story, and legend than any other pirate to sail the seven seas. However, historical record calls this characterization into question. It is more likely that Kidd earned his reputation through circumstance and did not consider himself to even be a pirate.
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Amerigo Vespucci tall ship history
Tall ship Amerigo Vespucci took its name from the famous Italian sailor and cartographer who also lent his name to the new world. Its home port is La Spezia, Italy, and it is in use as a school ship.
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H.M.S. Victory
HMS Victory is a 104-gun ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built between 1759 and 1765. She is the oldest naval ship still in commission and the only remaining ship of the line. She sits in dry dock in Portsmouth as a museum ship.
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