Youngest Solo Circumnavigator?

Cool! This reminds me of when I followed Robin Lee Graham's adventure in National Geographic as he circumnavigated the world, and later reading his book about it, Dove.

"From the first day Zac Sunderland said hello to planet earth, it seems he was destined to live the sailor's life. Brought home from the hospital to his first home, a 55' Tradewind in Marina del Rey, California, he was assigned his first bunk and listened to his mom tell the world of his birth over a single side-band radio...he never looked back."

According to Zac's Blog, he is now in South Africa.

Thanks to my mom for the newspaper clipping.

Men Sail Raft Of Trash Across Pacific In 3 Months

A CBS station reportsthat two men sailed a Raft Of Trash Across Pacific In 3 Months to "raise awareness of ocean debris," and once ashore asked, "Where's the food?" The two are researchers with the Algalita Marine Research Foundation. They had previously completed a mission "to survey quantities of plastic junk in the North Pacific." and observed that, "housands of miles from land, our ocean is slowly, steadily turning into a massive bowl of plastic soup." According to the Worldchanging blog, Algalita's Director of Research and Education Dr. Marcus Eriksen is a veteran junk raft builder, a Gulf War veteran, and has witnessed firsthand the true cost of our petroleum addiction. He asserts that "We’re destroying our marine ecosystems with throwaway plastic products. This is both morally and ecologically wrong. The age of disposable plastics must end now.” Then came the idea to build Junk–"a raft made from 15,000 plastic bottles and a Cessna 310 fuselage—and sail it from Long Beach to Hawaii." You can read details of the journey here.

Thanks to my mother for alerting me to the story by sending a newspaper clipping.

Raven Canoe

"On June 19, 2008, The Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) and the Sealaska Heritage Institute held a formal naming and welcoming celebration for a new ocean-going cedar log canoe that has been especially carved for inclusion in the new Ocean Hall at the National Museum of Natural History."

I learned about this cool boat from the latest issue of the e-newsletter, Anthropology at the Smithsonian, then Googled for this online article:

Tlingit Canoe Plies the Waters of Our Nation's Capitol

"A traditional Tlingit cedar canoe journeyed the Potomac River in Washington D.C. The 26-foot canoe, carved by Tlingit artist and Sealaska shareholder Doug (Kevin) Chilton was gifted to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History."

Photo credit: Smithsonian Institution, Donald Hurlbert

Downrigging Weekend

I wanted to visit the schooner Sultana as an activity to do during the Long Cruise next week, but unfortunately she'll be in Cambridge throughout, and not back to Annapolis until the day after.
But, while looking for that information I came across the Downrigging Weekend 2008 page and omigosh I want to go!

Several tall ships are attending--including the Kalmar Nyckel, Pride of Baltimore II, schooner Virginia, A.J. Meerwald, Lady Maryland--and there will be fireworks, a showing of Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, a lighted ship display...and a dinner with members of the crews of said tall ships.

I think Sea Scout Ship 7916 should take a field trip, don't you?

The Spirit of Enterprize

by Caitlín

Some day (hopefully soon) Washington D.C. will get its own tall ship! The Spirit of Enterprize will be a replica of the War of 1812-famous schooner, the Enterprize, and will be a floating classroom and education center. Cool!

Dirigo II

Check out Dirigo II, the 72' wooden Alden Schooner that Steve Alexander from Friends of Sea Scouts of Maryland, Inc. is buying. The Latin word "dirigo" means "I lead." Steve is going out to California in about 6 months and will to sail the vessel through the Panama Canal and on to MD. That is one beautiful boat! Oh, how I'd love to be on that sail. (And I smell a Ship 7916 long cruise in 2009!)

Ice Cream Stick Ship

Check out the Thor, a 50-foot replica Viking ship made from 15 million recycled ice-cream sticks!