The Panama Canal

The history of the Panama Canal goes back to 16th century. After realizing the riches of Peru, Ecuador, and Asia, and counting the time it took the gold to reach the ports of Spain, it was suggested c.1524 to Charles … Continue reading →

Brig

The Brig was a two-masted sailing ship with square rigging on both masts. The rear mast carries a gaff sail as well.  Brigs vary in length between 75 and 198 ft (23–60 m) with tonnages up to 480. The brig … Continue reading →

Rotterdam

This gallery contains 5 photos.

The Port of Rotterdam is Europe’s largest seaport, and it is the second biggest city in The Netherlands. Located about 34 nautical miles downstream from the Port of Moerdijk on the New Meuse and 70 kilometers southwest of the Port of Amsterdam, the … Continue reading →

The mysterious Sea Peoples

This gallery contains 4 photos.

The Sea Peoples were a confederacy of naval raiders who harried the coastal towns and Cities of the Mediterranean region between approximately 1276-1178 BCE, concentrating their efforts especially on Egypt. Outside Egypt, they also frequently assaulted the coastal regions of the Hittite Empire, the Levant and other areas around the … Continue reading →

La Amistad

This gallery contains 4 photos.

The Ship La Amistad was a 19th-century two masted schooner of about 120 feet (37 m). Built in the United States, La Amistad was originally named Friendship but she was renamed after being purchased by a Spaniard. Strictly speaking, La Amistad was not a slave ship; she was not designed to … Continue reading →

Shanghai – China

This gallery contains 4 photos.

The Port of Shanghai is China’s most populous city, the world’s second busiest seaport, and one of the world’s largest cities by area. Located on the mouth of the Yangtze River in east central China off the East China Sea, … Continue reading →

The magnetic compass

This gallery contains 6 photos.

When people think of instruments that help with direction finding, the first one that springs to mind is probably the magnetic compass. It is the oldest instrument for navigation and has been a vital tool for navigators at sea for … Continue reading →

Carrack

This gallery contains 4 photos.

A carrack or nao was a three or four-masted sailing ship developed by the Portuguese in the Mediterranean in the 15th century. The carrack was the beast of burden of the 16th century, carrying cargo and troops to faraway lands. It rode … Continue reading →

HMS Mayflower

This gallery contains 3 photos.

The Mayflower that brought the Pilgrims to Plymouth was probably built before 1606. Christopher Jones of Harwich, Essex, was in command of the vessel as of August, 1609, and was part owner in 1612. Jones moved in 1611 to Rotherhithe, a shipping … Continue reading →

Hayreddin Barbarossa

This gallery contains 1 photo.

Barbarossa Hayreddin (Khidr) Pasha  (c. 1478 – 4 July 1546) was a  Barbary pirate and later admiral of the Ottoman fleet, by whose initiative Algeria and Tunisia became part of the Ottoman Empire. For three centuries after his death, Mediterranean coastal towns and villages … Continue reading →