Progress!

As many of you know, and have written, the Numa Numa CS6 video link hasn't been working for some time. I have certainly missed the crew and have been searching for the original video ever since the link went dead. Today, March 28, 2006 I finally located a good, clean copy in an accessible format. It's downloaded, backed up and resting safely.

Now comes the dilemma. As a librarian and even as a respecter of personal property rights I don't feel comfortable posting the video without permission. In addition, I'd like to accession the video into the Mystic Seaport Collections, but again, need permission and a gift agreement.

So, the next step is to track down Mizzman Productions and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise. Any assistance would be appreciated.

Stay tuned!

Speaking of videos

Get Caught

Tonight starts the 2nd season of the Discovery Channel's Deadliest Catch.

This reality series follows the captains and crews of five Alaskan crab fisherman and if it's anything like last year it is amazing maritime drama. While the tv footage tends to run a lot of repeated film it still manages to catch (atleast to someone who'se never even imagined being on one of these vessels) what it like to be crabing off the coast of Alaske

Unlike last season — the last derby style race to catch as many crabs as possible in a matter of days — the fishermen must now abide by a new set of rules and regulations that were implemented to decelerate the already dangerous conditions in the Alaskan waters. New policy dictates that each ship is given its own quota instead of one fleet-wide quota, allowing captains months to trawl for crabs instead of days.

An additional bonus is the theme song - Bon Jovi's "Dead or Alive" played over some amazing sea shots. I'll try and download the file.

USS Monitor Center - fundraising update

The USS Monitor Center is set to open in a year.

Museum officials announced today they've already raised more than 25 million dollars for the center and they are now embarking on the public phase of its campaign to raise 30 million dollars for a wing to house artifacts from the wreckage of the Civil War ironclad USS Monitor.

1877 ELISSA to Make Maiden Voyage as the Official

It's a big day for Galveston, Texas and for all Tall Ship enthusiasts. Today. March 27th, the Elissa is set to sail once again.

ELISSA is a three-masted, iron-hulled sailing ship built in 1877 in Aberdeen, Scotland by Alexander Hall & Company. She carries nineteen sailscovering over one-quarter of an acre in surface area.

Bringing 'Old Ironsides' Crew to Life

The folks at the USS Constitution Museum are in the process of an impressive project that looks below the surface of a national monument by looking at the individuals who served aboard CONSTITUTION during the War of 1812 and how their experience aboard affected them, their families, and the country.

Building upon a database created by former Commanding Officer, Tyrone Martin, two Research Coordinators, Lauren McCormack and Matt Brenckle will expand that database and add information about the crew gained from months of research in the Naval War and maritime records. The immediate outcome of the project is to be "Sailor's Speak", an exhbit giving voice for the first time to the ship’s company. The long term benefits of the resulting database will provide scholars and researchers with ways of seeing each sailors' life at sea in ways that were previous unimaginable.

Yesterday I met with Museum Curator Sarah Watkins and Research Coordinator Lauren McCormack. Aside from hearing some great stories about the Crews, we talked about the project and its potential. I can easily see how their work can serve as a prototype for other projects wishing to explore the people who went to sea and the extent of their lives both at sea and on land.

South Street Hotel Renovation

South Street Seaport is moving forward on plans to renovate an 1811 hotel. Called the Fulton Ferry Hotel during the Civil War, the hotel starting as a pretty decent place to stay. It changed over the years into a rundown flophouse, eventually shutting down in the 1930's.

“The intention for the hotel space now is to encapsulate one room as it is now, just to show the dilapidated state we found it in, and then bring some of the rooms back to different time periods,” says Jeff Remling, the museum’s curator.

NY1 story

Maritime Quote of the Day

Happy, but belated Vernal Equinox to everyone. The official end of winter and the persistance of gray cold days brings to mind a classic Melville quote:

whenever it is a damp, drizzly November in my soul; whenever I find myself involuntarily pausing before coffin warehouses, and bringing up the rear of every funeral I meet; and especially whenever my hypos get such an upper hand of me, that it requires a strong moral principle to prevent me from deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically knocking people's hats off--then, I account it high time to get to sea as soon as I can.

If I were to go to sea for such a reason, it would be in late January, early February. Annually that is when this quote starts running around in my head. The gray days, the cold, the wind, the hours inside dark rooms, dark houses. This year I didn't knock anyones hat off, no coffin warehouses in sight and so I thought maybe the winter blues weren't getting to me. But today I'm wondering if it was a more of low-grade, insidious 'deep November'. Here it is Spring, and I just don't feel sprung. This morning I woke up thinking that I could row across the Atlantic. (And not in one of those fancy decked out rowboats, but more in the Harpo and Samuelson style). I hope real spring comes soon!

Today I'm at the Boston Navy Yard - more on that later.

Julius Kroehl's Submarine

The 18m Explorer submarine was originally intended to be used by the Union navy and was built by an immigrant iron worker, Julius Kroehl, for $75,000 in 1865, a time when a mid-level public servant earned $200 a year.

The submarine came too late to play a decisive role in the Civil War and it was sent to trawl for pearls in the Gulf of Panama.

But after collecting 10 tonnes of pearl shell in 11 days on its maiden trip, the sub was abandoned after the divers on board succumbed to the bends, known in those days as "the fever".

Australian experts have now been asked to help salvage the submersible 130 years after it was beached on a remote island off Panama.

The MHN Blog: Maryland Institute Updates Website, Comments on Massive Maritime Sculpture

Joe Follansbee of the MHN Blog posted an interesting update on the Institute for Maritime History.The MHN Blog: Maryland Institute Updates Website, Comments on Massive Maritime Sculpture

NMHS Meeting: USCG Academy, New London CT

On Saturday, April 29th, the Society will hold its 2006 Annual Meeting at the United States Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut. The meeting will start at 9 am with Registration. The Business Meeting will begin promptly at 10 am and be followed by maritime heritage reports, which will update us on the advances in our seafaring legacy in the area, from the U. S. Coast Guard, Mystic Seaport, the Herreshoff Marine Museum to the Connecticut River Museum. We will break at 12:30 pm for a cash bar and luncheon. At 2:30 pm cadets will take us on tours of the campus and museum.

For more information call NMHS at 800-221-NMHS (6647) ext. 0 or e-mail j.miller@seahistory.org.

Classes on the Lettie G. Howard

This summer two programs will be offered aboard the historic traditional
Schooner "Lettie G. Howard" (Home Port: South Street Seaport, NYC).

Dates:

1. "Maritime History of New England" (4 credits; Boston University)
16-29 July 2006. Departs from Boston harbor; returns to Boston.

2. "Maritime History of the Atlantic World" (3 credits; University of
Massachusetts Dartmouth) 7-21 August 2006. Departs from New
Bedford harbor; returns to Boston.

Earn college credit and a sail training certificate while learning
about maritime history and culture aboard the historic traditional Schooner
Lettie G. Howard during a two-week journey. Students will sail along
the Atlantic seaboard, ending their voyage in Boston. While underway,
students will have two hours of academic instruction daily and stand
watches with the Schooner's professional crew to learn traditional
sailing techniques, navigation and other shipboard duties.

Voyage itinerary will include stops at several historic ports and
maritime museums (itinerary depends on wind and weather, but possible
ports of call include Greenport, LI; Mystic Seaport, CT; Salem, MA;
Nantucket,Martha's Vineyard and New Bedford, MA; Block Island, Bristol and Newport,
RI). During daylight sailing periods, students will receive structured
lessons from the Lettie crew on sailing and seamanship, maritime culture,
the marine environment and teamwork, responsibility and self-reliance.

Program cost is all-inclusive and covers tuition, room, board, program
fees, museum entrance fees and sail training. Program costs vary
depending on sponsoring institution (Boston University or U. Mass.
Dartmouth) and whether the course is taken for undergraduate academic
credit or graduate credit.

Space is limited to twelve students per voyage. The Lettie G. Howard
is inspected and certified by the U.S. Coast Guard and equipped with
modern safety and navigational equipment. Her crew is commanded by a Coast
Guard-licensed captain and mates.

For more information or enrollment, please contact:

1. Boston University: Robyn Friedman Tel. 617-353-2978.

2. University of Massachusetts Dartmouth: Nancy Vanasse
Tel. 508-999-8778.

*Course syllabi for either program can be obtained from the instructor:
Dr. Timothy Walker or .

Additional Info:

1. http://www.bu.edu/summer/international/courses/history.shtml

2. http://www.umassd.edu/pce/international/welcome.cfm#maritime

Road to Recovery

The CNN video aired yesterday and as Joe pointed out (thank you very much) you can find the video on their site at:

http://www.cnn.com/video/partners/clickability/index.html?url=/video/
tech/2006/03/09/sieberg.katrina.wood.affl

They got some great shots of the Seaport, the Morgan and the Logbook. And while I'm obviously nervous, I actually appear near the end.

CNN

The Communications Department at Mystic Seaport reports that CNN will be airing a 2 part story on the Museum's use of live oak recovered from the Katrina aftermath. The story will cover the selection and transportation of wood that will be used in the reconstruction of the Charles W. Morgan, as well as a history of the historic vessel. While in Mystic the CNN crew interviewed various members of the staff and yours truely, who had the opportunity to read entries from the Morgan Logbooks. Don't know if that exciting footage will make the cut but you can find out if you check out CNN between 6 and 10 a.m. on Thursday, March 9, and between noon and 1 p.m. on Saturday and between 7 and 8 p.m. on Sunday.

Fellowship: Edward S. Miller Research Fellowship in Naval History

The Edward S. Miller Research Fellowship in Naval History. The Naval War College Foundation intends to award one grant of $1,000 to the researcher who has the greatest need and can make the optimum use of research materials for naval history located in the Naval War College's Archives, Naval Historical Collection, Naval War College Museum, and Henry E. Eccles Library. A guide to the College's manuscript, archival, and oral history collections may be found on the Naval War College's website http://www.nwc.navy.mil/museum. Scroll down to 'naval history resources' and click on "Naval Historical Collection Publications." Further information on the manuscript and archival collections and copies of the registers for specific collections are available online or on request from the Head, Naval Historical Collection. E-mail: evelyn.cherpak@nwc.navy.mil

The recipient will be a Research Fellow in the Naval War College's Maritime History Department, which will provide administrative support during the research visit. Submit detailed research proposal that includes statement of need and plan for optimal use of Naval War College materials, curriculum vitae, at least two letters of recommendation, and relevant background information to Miller Naval History Fellowship Committee, Naval War College Foundation, 686 Cushing Road, Newport RI 02841-1207, by 1 August 2006. For further information, contact the chair of the selection committee at john.hattendorf@nwc.navy.mil Employees of the U.S. Naval War College or any agency of the U.S. Department of Defense are not eligible for consideration; EEO/AA regulations apply.

CFP: “MUSIC OF AMERICA AND THE SEA”

Mystic Seaport, Mystic, CT June 10, 2006.

Mystic Seaport’s 27th Annual Symposium “MUSIC OF AMERICA AND THE SEA” is seeking proposals for papers in History, Folklore, Literature, Ethnomusicology, or other appropriate disciplines that address any aspect of music or verse of the sea or inland waters from the Age of Sail through the present day.

Topics of interest have included: Shipboard work songs, songs of maritime or other occupational trades, seafaring cultures and cultural change, ethnicity and ethnic influences, cultural exchanges, ballad and broadside traditions, technology, regional interests, and popular culture.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE is March 10, 2006. Audiovisually illustrated presentations are welcome. Papers selected must be submitted in final form by May 7th.

HONORARIUM: Speakers will receive an honorarium, lodging and meals, modest travel subsidy, and free admission to the festival weekend.

PLEASE SUBMIT PROPOSALS and a brief curriculum vita or resume to:
Dr. Glenn Gordinier, attn: Symposium Williams-Mystic Program Mystic
Seaport 75 Greenmanville Ave.
Mystic, CT 06355-0990
glenn.gordinier@mysticseaport.org

Dr. Glenn Gordinier, attn: Symposium Williams-Mystic Program Mystic Seaport 75 Greenmanville Ave. Mystic, CT 06355-0990 glenn.gordinier@mysticseaport.org
Email: glenn.gordinier@mysticseaport.org

CFP: "Gender, Race, Ethnicity and Power in Maritime America," 2006 A Multidisciplinary Discussion of Gender, Race, and Ethnicity in the Maritime World

CALL FOR PAPERS/PROPOSALS
Mystic Seaport Museum, Inc., and the Frank C. Munson Institute of American Maritime Studies, seek paper or presentation proposals for the national conference entitled:

“GENDER, RACE, ETHNICITY AND POWER IN MARITIME AMERICA,” 2006
A Multidisciplinary Discussion of Gender, Race and Ethnicity in the Maritime World

The conference will be held at Mystic Seaport in Mystic, Connecticut, October 26-29, 2006. It will engage a wide community of scholars, teachers, researchers, museum professionals, and the general public in an inclusive conversation about issues of gender, race, ethnicity, authority and power in American maritime history very broadly defined, in local, national, and global contexts. Sessions will be organized to foster an interdisciplinary dialogue among participants about the state of scholarship in the field, new research, and public access through institutional, educational, and media programming.

Graduate and postgraduate scholars in a range of disciplines -- American studies, history and literature; geography, anthropology, archeology, sociology and other social sciences; Native American, African American, Latin American, and Asian American studies; women's and gender studies -- as well as museum professionals, public historians, and professional educators at all levels, are encouraged to submit proposals for individual papers or presentations in other formats. Mystic Seaport plans to publish selected conference papers.

Please email a 250-word abstract of the proposed paper, panel or presentation and c.v.(s) before April 15, 2006, to: glenn.gordinier@mysticseaport.org
Or mail/fax: Dr. Glenn S. Gordinier, Munson Institute, Mystic Seaport, 75 Greenmanville Ave., P.O. Box 6000, Mystic CT 06355-0990; FAX 860/572-5329
The Munson Institute is Mystic Seaport’s summer graduate maritime history program.
Dr. Glenn Gordinier
Munson Institute, Mystic Seaport
75 Greenmanville Avenue
P.O. Box 6000
Mystic, CT 06355-0990
Fax: (860)572-5329
Email: glenn.gordinier@mysticseaport.org

Classic Yacht Symposium

From March 31- April 2 the New England Section of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers and the Herreshoff Marine Museum in Bristol, Rhode Island will hostthe 2006 Classic Yacht Symposium. The keynote speaker, Olin J. Stephens II, designed over 2,000 boats during a career begun in 1927, including America’s Cup winners J-Class RANGER (1937, co-designed with W. Starling Burgess ), and the 12 Meters COLUMBIA, CONSTELLATION, FREEDOM, INTREPID and COURAGEOUS (Sparkman and Stephens. Saturday’s day-long program will include seven presentations by noted boat restorers; question and answer sessions will follow each presentation. A boatbuilding schools panel discussion featuring representative from five boatbuilding schools and book signings are included in the day’s schedule of events.

Other presentations include the restorations of ALERA, a Herreshoff NY 30 transformed from a ‘basket case’ not sailed in 28 years to a participant in the 2005 class centenary; CANGARDA, the last of the American-built Edwardian era steam yachts, restored maintaining her original details and materials while meeting the demands of a modern cruiser; the PEGGY BAWN, a fully restored 1894 George L. Watson small fast cruiser sailing as designed and taking the Med by storm; and the 1925 Motor Launch CORSAIR, whose shape and structure were restored after years of service and ‘intemperate repairs’.

The Symposium includes a full day of presentations Saturday April 1; a dinner Saturday evening highlighted by speaker Gary Jobson, noted yachtsman and commentator; cocktail reception at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Friday evening; and Sunday events featuring the newly-restored 1887 NGH Cat Yawl CLARA and including a Curator’s tour of the NGH Model Room.

To register for the 2006 Classic Yacht Symposium™, visit the Museum’s website, www.herreshoff.org, or contact Teri Souto at the Museum, 401-253-5000 . Late registration fees apply after March 15.

Internships:

Martha's Vineyard Historical Society has posted opening for a Development/Administrative, Library/Archive, and Education intern for the summer of 2006. Internships begin June 13th and extend through August 20th. Compensation is set at $9.00 per hour commensurate with experience.

For more information please refer to the MVHS website.

The Society operates the major museums and the only reference library strictly for the study of Martha's Vineyard local history. The collections of the Society reflect the geologic record and natural history of the island and the broad spectrum of the lives of its inhabitants from 10,000 years ago to the present. Artifacts and library materials in the Society’s collections represent every aspect of the human experience from the last ice age to the present.

Inland Maritime Museum to Reopen

The Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum in North Little Rock is getting ready to reopen to the public.

The USS Razorback and other crafts have been closed since January, so they could be placed in their permanent locations on the Arkansas River. The Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum opened its doors to the public on May 15th, 2005 and is centered around the submarine USS Razorback (SS 394)

Full story.