bLog:
The gamut of writings by all contributing authors: Essays, Shorts, and Reports.
bLog
Dirty Sailor Company bLog is maritime-lit review, commentary, and essay packaged into what we ascribe to be funny, serious, funny-serious, not-so-serious, and not-so-funny articles. Here, our group of squally mariners discuss topics and books that have influenced their lives. bLog is updated often (weekly mostly) with maritime book review, news, and essays on the maritime throughout time and culture. Our position within the realm of maritime publication is one from the forecastle; chart-table scribbling, and salty points of view mixed with enough education and experience to get us into trouble.
Authentic ChatBots and Maritime Blogs
The world we digest art and information in has changed. Maybe it’s time we reflect and prepare for an action.
Curve of Time, Vancouver
Our own, Bradley Angle, was published in the Letters to the Editor section of San Francisco's famous sailing magazine, Latitude 38. Check out his article here, or below. THE CURVE OF TIME BELONGS ON EVERY SAILOR'S BOOK SHELF It's hard not to be pedantic when browsing...
Life at Cape Disappointment
A book review of Life and Death at Cape Disappointment, by Bradley Angle
The Sphynx
Chapter 70, The Sphynx, from Moby Dick. A whale-head boat. Art and things stuck in ones’ mind.
EPIC BAY, LLC – Videos
Epic Bay, LLC scrapped introduction videos, in preparation for the anticipated launch of our sister company!
From the Wet Deck
A point of view from a disabled Afghani from the wet decks of a ship in distress during a family outing.
USCG NAV RULES
Dirty Sailor Company offers NAV RULES
Whale on Ceiling
What is the intent of the museum curators at the Bishop Museum in O’ahu Hawaii?
Pledge to Help
Dirty Sailor Company pledges to give 10% profits to a charitable cause every year, using guidance from the Founders Pledge.
Drake’s Voyage Annotated
The complete “The World Encompassed” by Sir Francis Drake, in clear print, annotated for those who enjoy sea stories.
Ghost Writing for Laurie Powell
If you have a connection to the US Coast Guard, to grief, to a mother’s love, or to military scandal, take a read. Laurie’s story should be heard. Her son’s story should be heard.
The Tortuous Death of the Little Blue Granite Fish
A short story by Bradley Angle. The improper way to cook a lake trout while hiking the Pacific Crest Trail.
The Venturesome Voyages of Captain Voss
Captain John Claus Voss is one of those old Salty Dogs we know of only because he felt obliged to tell the world his story. There’s no doubt it’s a good one.
The Fringes of the Fleet
This is a brief summary, critique and essay on Rudyard Kipling’s “The Fringes of the Fleet.”
Gale Force 10
A book review and essay on Gale Force 10: The life and legacy of Admiral Beaufort by Nicholas Courtney.
When China Ruled The Seas
When China Ruled The Seas: A Book Review by Dirty Sailor Company. A formal review and squally mariner essay.
Moitessier’s The Long Way
A review, critique, and informal essay on the solo-circumnavigation memoir by Bernard Moitessier, The Long Way.
Reading A World of My Own
A review and commentary of Robin Knox-Johnston’s “A World of My Own: The first ever non-stop solo round the world voyage.”
Foggy Columbus Day 2020
Columbus Day isn’t what you think. No one is celebrating the “discover of the New World,” unless their an idiot. Columbus Day is all about Religious Influence on our Political Representatives.
The Crew of the Spray
Sailing Alone Around the World by Joshua Slocum is a great view into the mind of a individualist and seafarer heading into the 20th century.
Medusa’s Raft
This is the story of the suffering, death and cannibalism of humans at sea. It is an extreme example of how failure of leadership can lead to the complete breakdown of empathy between humans.
Of Course Seaman Tucker is not Guilty
Kelch is Dead and CG Seaman Ethan Tucker is Innocent. We need to have re-look at what happened in Dutch Harbor. Leadership Changes Behavior.
How a Murder Trial Defines the Coast Guard
Justice for USCG Seaman Kelch will be found at the organizational level. It will not be served by convicting his shipmate of murder.
100 Sea Stories by 100 Seafarers
Publish your sea story with 99 other mariners. 100 Sea Stories by 100 Seafarers is an attempt to paint a portrait of the seafarer’s experience, through the lenses of mariners across time and cultures.
The Greywacke Mantle
The Old Sea Man stares within his room, rocking in a static chair. Me, I’m just confused, with beer bubbles everywhere…. A short by Bradley Angle
THE MISSOURI RIVER. ITS HABITS AND ECCENTRICITIES DESCRIBED BY A PERSONAL FRIEND
A muddy Missouri River essay, written at the beginning of the 20th century by the steam boat captain and river engineer, George Fitch.
USS Marlinspike
Dick Richards’ sea-story, where he remembers being a young seaman aboard the USS Marlinspike, and how that training was or wasn’t applied in his career.
Old Salt
Captain Z shares a story of a sea-story. Old Salt brings us closer to our maritime heritage, one fist to the gut at a time.
A Review of Maiden Voyage
Why would a grown man read Tania Aebe’s book? Because he thinks there’s going to be a juicy sex scene… There’s not. But wow, man. Read this anyways.
Steinbeck and the Sea
When the Senior Chief says to read Steinbeck, what choice do you have?
Maritime Safety Paradox
The problem with new technology in the maritime is the correlation between that and intelligence.
Empathy for Coast Guard Seaman Ethan Tucker
Ethan Tucker is on trial for his life. Indeed, his life is being destroyed. This is a different side to his case, one that should be understood.
How accurate was fisherman Quint in Jaws?
Was fisherman Quint’s story of the USS Indianapolis true? Was it accurate? What is the true story of the USS Indianapolis in WW2? Dirty Sailor Company investigates.
Juan Sebastian Elcano
The story of the first to circumnavigate the world, Juan Sebastian Elcano and his crew of 17.
The Brendan Voyage
Did an Irish Monk reach the Americas in 500ad? This article seeks to understand the Brendan Voyage, and why such a voyage matters.
Maiden
Dirty Sailor Company reviews Maiden, “The inspiring true story of the first all-female crew to enter the Whitbread Round the World yacht race.”
The Ice Master
Dirty Sailor Company reviews The Ice Master, the amazing story of the Kurluk stuck in artic pack ice, and the attempt to survive, by Jennifer Niven.
Shipmates: Before the Mast. A Coastie’s Chronicle of the Dishonorable
Shipmates. Before the Mast: A Coastie’s Chronicle of the Dishonorable. Coming July 1, 2019, on Amazon.
Shackleton’s Ross Sea
Dirty Sailor Company reviews the story of Shackleton’s The Ross Sea Party; “The Lost Men.”
NAVY Podcast
Dirty Sailor Company reviews the NAVY’s Podcast, Sea Story.
Shackleton
I knew nothing of Shackleton’s trans-Antarctic expedition going into the book “Endurance.” My goal, as always, is to try to infer, even if it is a ridiculous inference, how the story has affected maritime culture. And typically, I run into a major problem: is my focus...
Meteorology
The motion of the ocean is not due to your sexually endeavors of your boat. Though since we are on the topic, I wanted to point out that sex shouldn’t lead to rocking-of-the-boat. It should lead to “surging.”
Jacques Cartier
Columbus had reached the Caribbean forty years before the voyages of Jacques Cartier. Columbus had set off a series of Spanish expeditions to South America, eventually leading to Vasco Balboa crossing Panama in 1513. While the Spanish were busy conquering the Natives...
Pilots, Crossing the Bar
If you’re planning on staying in the industry for any length of time you need to know a bit about piloting: the purpose, the law, the culture. The book “Crossing The Bar: The Adventures of a San Francisco Bay Bar Pilot,” by Captain Paul Lobo is certainly a good...
Two Years Before The Mast
The purpose of Richard Henry Dana’s book is stated outright: “If it shall […] call more attention to the welfare of seamen, or give information as to their real condition which may serve to raise them in the rank of beings […] and diminish the hardships of their daily...
Geology of Sailing
To the sailor, rock science may seem arbitrary. On the water, a view of the geologic horizon is nothing more than that, a view – at least seemingly so. So then, what is this article all about? I could argue on many fronts: for example; a) that a better...
James Cook
I was in a café, on highway 11, which provided a picturesque overlook of Kealakekua – the place where Captain Cook was killed by the local population. From my vantage point the seas were blue, with small coral beds stretched around the shoreline, which was littered...
Charlie Noble
The derivative of Charlie Noble, is two parts: Noble, in this instance, is grand – in size and/or stature. Charlie comes from Middle English…
Albatross Around Your Neck
Then you know the story of the Ancient Mariner? When you here the saying: “wearing an albatross around your neck”….
A Hungry Sailor
It was a normal flight from Mumbai to Singapore. By normal I mean that it took me from my home - full of noise, heat and excitement - to the almost sterile world of ship board life in the 21st century. Singapore is a familiar place, but I don’t always fly there to...
Magellan
Ferdinand Magellan (Fernão de Magalhães): 1480 – 1521 Portuguese by birth: Sailed around the globe under the Spanish flag. Sailing Vessel Tinidad, Victoria and 3 others departed Spain in 1519 – Victoria returned in 1522 His route West was accompanied by mutinous crew,...
Sailor Song
I can always tell a fisherman from a sailor, by the eyes. A fisherman’s eyes is kind of set certain, because he always knows what he’s after and when he gets it – or when he don’t. A sailor never knows.
Dirty Sailor Company
I believe the social isolation, even if it is aboard a crowded ship, works the mind on a predictable way.
Sir Francis Drake
Sir Francis Drake: 1540-1596 Knighted by Queen Elizabeth for his command of the Golden Hind on its circumnavigation. Known as a superb seamen, navigator and commander. [Edit: Since first writing this article I’ve become very interested in Drake. I’ve even taken my...