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USS Constitution Launched in Boston
USS Constitution Launched in Boston
On this day in 1797, USS Constitution was launched in Boston. It took three attempts to set the immense ship, reinforced with heavy diagonal planking and copper sheathing, afloat. Shipyard officials warned townspeople to be...
Underwater Explorer Proves Wreck is Whydah
Underwater Explorer Proves Wreck is Whydah
On this day in 1985, treasure hunter Barry Clifford finally had proof that the wreck he was salvaging off Cape Cod was indeed the pirate ship Whydah. Lost in a violent storm off Wellfleet in...
Whaleship Essex Sinks
Whaleship Essex Sinks
On this day in 1820, an enormous sperm whale rammed and sank the Nantucket whaleship Essex in the heart of the Pacific Ocean. The first mate described the 85-foot whale's unprovoked attack as enraged and...
"Storm Warriors" Rescue 29 Sailors off Hull
"Storm Warriors" Rescue 29 Sailors off Hull
On this day in 1888, one of the most ferocious storms of the nineteenth century battered the New England coast. In the seas off Hull, "Storm Warriors," as the men of the United States Life-Saving...
Paul Cuffe Sails for Sierra Leone
Paul Cuffe Sails for Sierra Leone
On this day in 1815, Paul Cuffe of Westport sailed for the west coast of Africa with 38 black emigrants and a cargo of goods on board his vessel. The goal was for the families...
Coast Guard Cutter Collides with Navy Submarine
Coast Guard Cutter Collides with Navy Submarine
On this day in 1927, a Navy submarine, S-4, and a Coast Guard cutter collided within sight of Provincetown. The cutter's bow sliced into the submarine's hull, sending it to the bottom of the bay...
The Great Republic Burns
The Great Republic Burns
On this day in 1853, the Great Republic burned to the waterline in New York harbor the day before she was to set sail on her maiden voyage. Built by Donald McKay, the man most...