The Yarmouth Castle Disaster: Sixty Years On
November 13, 2025, marks the 60th anniversary of the Yarmouth Castle disaster. The 38-year-old cruise ship caught fire during an overnight voyage to Nassau, killing […]
Anniversaries
The Loss of the Edmund Fitzgerald: Fifty Years On
Today marks the 50th anniversary of the sinking of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald. The ship foundered in a storm on Lake Superior, and—in many ways […]
Edmund Fitzgerald: The Man Behind the Famous Name
In the course of maritime history, certain vessels stand above the rest. Ships like Queen Mary and Normandie are remembered for their splendor. Mauretania and […]
Poem: An Elegy for Lucy on the 110th Anniversary
On the 110th anniversary of the Lusitania’s sinking, I wrote an elegy for the ship and those who died in the disaster.
Two Tragedies of Modern Memory: Titanic and the American Civil War
Today marks the 160th anniversary of General Robert E. Lee’s surrender to General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House, Virginia. This ultimately led to […]
The Captain’s Table Turns One!
Wow, I can’t believe it’s been one year since my first blog post! It seems like only yesterday. Though, it is quite bittersweet that this […]
Born of Death: The Sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff
By late January 1945, Nazi Germany was on the verge of losing World War II. On the Western Front, its offensive in the Ardennes failed. […]
Forgotten Hero Ship: The Wreck of La Jenelle
The coast of Oxnard, California was stormy on April 13, 1970. Gale-force winds blew about and rocked the nearly 500-foot cruise ship until her starboard […]
A Royal Night Out: The Queen Mary’s 90th Anniversary Party
Last Thursday, September 26, I had the great pleasure of attending some special events aboard the Queen Mary for the 90th anniversary of her launching…namely, […]
The Stateliest Ship Now in Being: The 90th Anniversary of the Queen Mary’s Launch
It was a rainy September day in Clydebank, Scotland when Britain’s King George V stepped up to the microphone. Before him was a towering steel […]