Maritime History

Did Christopher Columbus discover America or a route to the Far East? He was an Italian explorer, navigator, and colonist who had a singular goal toward which he was driven. His courage was astounding, as he and his three small ships set sail across the Atlantic Ocean. Columbus and his men took precarious and dangerous journeys toward a blue horizon. All they had to depend upon were nautical charts, an astrolabe, and a quadrant. The maps he used were developed by more ancient astronomers such as Ptolemy and Eratosthenes – men who had never sailed the great sea.

Here at last is the true story of the merchant fleet during World War II, the non-fighting service in which 32,000 men died yet whose essential role has never been fully appreciated. The author, himself a member of the service from 1941-47, relates the stories of merchantmen and their crews with unique insight. From the early days of the war to the day of victory on the Rhine, through combined operations in the Mediterranean and at Normandy, the complete operation of the fleet is examined, with vivid accounts of the horrific losses undergone, the heroism of the crews and the sacrifices ...

On Wide Seas: The US Navy in the Jacksonian Era details the ways in which the US Navy transformed from an antiquated arm of the nation’s military infrastructure into a more dynamic and effective force that was soon to play a pivotal role in a number of national and international conflicts. Jackson developed a clear, concise naval strategy that policymakers and officers alike could seize and execute. They carried out a collective vision that coincided with the national literary movement that recognized America’s future would rely upon the Navy.

After revolutions in America and France, a wave of tumult coursed the globe from 1790 to 1850. It was a moment of unprecedented change and violence especially for indigenous peoples. By 1850 vibrant public debate between colonised communities had exploded in port cities. Yet in the midst of all of this, Britain struck out by sea and established its supremacy over the Indian and Pacific Oceans, overtaking the French and Dutch as well as other rivals.

This is the exciting story about how the young American Republic established the United States Navy, Marine Corps and Revenue Cutter Service (the predecessor to the Coast Guard), designed and built the most powerful class of frigate in the world, trained its seamen in gunnery and naval warfare and gained battle experience in the Quasi-War with France in 1798-1800 and the Barbary War ("Shores of Tripoli") in 1801-1805.

Uncover the epic journey of Ferdinand Magellan, a trailblazing explorer whose daring voyage forever changed the course of history and global navigation. A seminal figure in the world of exploration and discovery, Magellan blended ambition, determination, and extraordinary leadership to pioneer uncharted waters and establish new routes. This book describes his motivations, his groundbreaking expedition, and the lasting legacy of his maritime achievements. From his early dreams inspired by other explorers to his eventual first circumnavigation of our planet, Magellan's story is a testament to...

In 1785, a young American named James Leander Cathcart is kidnapped at sea and carried as prisoner to the maverick North African statelet of Algiers. The piratical corsairs of Algiers have decided to exploit the vulnerability of the United States by seizing its mariners and holding them for ransom. Today, the name of James Leander Cathcart has been all but forgotten.

Soon after the first maritime trade routes became operational, seafaring bandits appeared to prey upon the cargo, crews, and ships of others. Crimson Waters traces the history of piracy around the globe, stretching back from its roots in 2500 BCE, through the Golden Age of Piracy in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, and up to the modern-day pirates who still threaten boats along coastlines and on the open seas.

The SS Portland was a solid and luxurious ship, and its loss in 1898 in a violent storm with some 200 people aboard was later remembered as “New England’s Titanic.” The Portland was one of New England's largest and most luxurious paddle steamers, and after nine years' solid performance, she had earned a reputation as a safe and dependable vessel. In November 1898, a perfect storm formed off the New England coast. Conditions would produce a blizzard with 100 miles per hour winds and 60-foot waves that pummeled the coast.

Whether you call Cape Cod a man-made island or describe it as a geographic peninsula connected to the mainland by bridges, there is one non-debatable fact. Cape Cod is surrounded by water on all four sides, jutting out prominently into the Atlantic Ocean. This characteristic accounts in large measure for its history, its economic development, its aesthetic beauty, and its maritime legacy.

The Battle of the Artic follows not just the Royal Navy and its successful efforts to shepherd ships through storms and past floating icebergs. It also tells a part of history which has never been properly understood by the British public. It involves the forgotten heroes of the Arctic convoys, the officers, armed guards and the ordinary civilian seamen, mostly from Britain and America, but also from Holland, Norway, Russia and Poland.

On October 29, 1991, the 70-foot longliner Andrea Gail, on day 40 of an extended commercial swordfishing trip, was lost in a convergence of three powerful storms off Canada’s Grand Banks. Data buoys measured waves as high as 100 feet, and the boat was hit with winds measuring 80 knots (92 miles per hour). The Andrea Gail’s emergency beacon washed ashore that November on Sable Island, off the coast of Nova Scotia, but the boat and 6-man crew were never found. The crew left behind five children among them, and the entire small town mourned the loss.

For decades, Clive Cussler's real-life NUMA®, the National Underwater and Marine Agency, has scoured rivers and seas in search of lost ships of historic significance. His teams have been inundated by tidal waves and beset by obstacles - both human and natural - but the results, and the stories behind them, have been dramatic. Here Cussler and colleague Craig Dirgo provide an extraordinary narrative of their true seagoing - and land - adventures.

Es difícil conocer íntimamente a los pueblos del mar porque los registros sobre ellos no son muy completos. Pero nos hemos propuesto explorar las muchas preguntas que la gente se hace sobre esta misteriosa civilización. ¿Quiénes eran? ¿De dónde procedían? ¿Hacían algo más que asaltar? ¿Qué impacto tuvieron en la sociedad y el comercio? ¿Le sorprendería saber que este misterioso pueblo era algo más que una banda de piratas?

The ocean shapes our history. From the birth of humanity, oceans have separated and connected cultures. They have entranced and terrified generations. And they have shaped history in critical ways. Maritime trade. Naval warfare. Ocean exploration. Across the centuries, the ocean became a site for scientific advances and a highway for globalization. The Ocean Blue explores the way seas influence human history, from the ancient world to today.

ABOUT THE BOOK Based in part on the real-life adventures of Sayyida al Hurra, Legend of the Pirate Queen is a historical fiction book involving piracy, mayhem, murder, sex, and women’s empowerment. Keela has a good life in Ireland, painting pictures and fishing. But in 1594, her village is raided by brutal slave traders. Keela’s daughter, Caitlin, is ripped from her and taken to the Canary Islands, where the traders’ evil leader, John Deas, takes her as his own daughter. And Keela is shipped to Haiti, where she begins her new life as a slave. Vowing to find her daughter no matter the ...

Uncover the compelling story of Ernest Shackleton, a man whose unwavering determination and leadership amidst the harshest conditions forever changed the history of exploration. Ernest Shackleton was a complex figure, blending courage, resilience, and strategic brilliance to forge a path through the uncharted territories of the Antarctic. This book provides a fascinating glimpse into Shackleton's life, exploring his motivations, his perilous expeditions, and the legacy of his unyielding spirit. From the daring Endurance expedition to his relentless drive to conquer the Antarctic, ...

On July 4, 1861, the schooner S. J. Waring set sail from New York on a routine voyage to South America. Seventeen days later it limped back into New York's harbor with the ship's black cook and steward at the helm. While the story of that ill-fated voyage is one of the most harrowing tales of captivity and survival on the high seas, it has been tragically lost to history. Now reclaiming William Tillman as the American hero he deserves to be, historian Brian McGinty takes listeners on a courageous journey.

La historia de la edad de oro de la piratería, la que ha dado forma a la concepción moderna de un pirata, es compleja y larga, con mucha información que abarcar. Hasta ahora, no había ningún tomo que cubriera los detalles clave de la edad de oro en un formato comprensible y fácil de escuchar.

This audiobook attempts to answer as many of those questions as possible through an informal, narrative style. It focuses on the overall experience and the feelings and emotions of the people going through it rather than just on facts and figures. It covers every aspect of the Titanic saga from inception and construction to the recent rediscovery of the ship. It also examines the impact of the disaster on society and culture.