Category Archives: Navigation and Seamanship
The Christmas Gale of 1811
England’s lifeblood during the Napoleonic Wars was naval stores to keep its fleet at sea. The primary source of those stores was Scandinavia and Russia and the convoys carrying them traveled via the Baltic and North Sea. As we’ve already … Continue reading →
Filed under Age of Sail, Navigation and Seamanship, Shipwrecks and Marine Archaeology
Tagged as Captain Henry Fanshawe, Captain James Newman-Newman, Christmas 1811 storm, David Oliver Guion, Helder, HMS Cressy, HMS Defence, HMS Dreadnought, HMS Egeria, HMS Grasshopper, HMS Hero, HMS Orion, HMS St. George, HMS Victory, HMS Vigo, Jutland, Pakenham's Rudder, Rear Admiral Robert Carthew Reynolds, storm, Texel, Thorsminde, Wingo Sound
Shipwreck of HMS Apollo
We wrote earlier on the loss of HMS Association and several of her consorts at Scilly. A loss directly attributable to the inability of ships to accurately calculate longitude. Even though James Harrison’s marine chronometer had been accepted since 1773, … Continue reading →
Filed under Age of Sail, Geography, Navigation and Seamanship, Shipwrecks and Marine Archaeology
Tagged as Cape Mondego, HMS Apollo, HMS Carysfort, longitude prize, shipwrecks
The Wreck of the HMS Association and Consorts
In 1707, Britain was embroiled in yet another of its seemingly interminable wars with France and Spain. Rear Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell was the British naval commander in the Mediterranean. Working in close cooperation with the British Army under Earl … Continue reading →
Filed under Age of Sail, Famous Ships, Naval Equipment, Navigation and Seamanship, Shipwrecks and Marine Archaeology
Tagged as Bishop Rock, Gilstone Ledge, HMS Association, HMS Eagle, HMS Firebrand, HMS Phoenix, HMS Romney, HMS St. George, John Harrison, longitude prize, Rear Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell, Scilly
Casting the Log
from the National Maritime Museum It was well that he did, for with the rising of the moon the wind increased, blowing straight into her round, foolish face and across the growing swell. By the time he came on deck … Continue reading →
Casting the Lead
“Mr. Bush, do you see the battery?” “Yes, sir.” “You will the longboat. Mr. Rayner will take the launch, and you will land and storm the battery.” “Aye, aye, sir.” “I will give you the word when to hoist out.” … Continue reading →
Points of Sail
In our time it is too easy to forget how much different sea travel was during the Age of Sail. In our post on Torbay we explained how this bay served as a critical rendezvous for the Channel Fleet while … Continue reading →
