The romance of rivers in precious old photographs
Marine art by 10 painters who met an untimely end
Character traits of ship captains (the good and the bad)
The romance of rivers in precious old photographs
Rivers have as much power as the sea to inspire photographers. Here are some pictures on the subject from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Although very old, they still brim with the charm and mystery of the rivers that captured the photographer’s imagination.
Marine art by 10 painters who met an untimely end
“He whom the gods love dies young,” wrote the Greek dramatist Menander (342/41–291 BC). Maybe so, but the death of a gifted artist at a relatively young age is still tragic. Who knows what greater things that individual might have accomplished had he or she lived longer?
Character traits of ship captains (the good and the bad)
There are all sorts of ship captains. Some are more admirable than others. But even those who are not so likeable can be interesting characters. Who wouldn’t be captivated by the morose and monomaniacal Captain Ahab, one of the main protagonists in Herman Melville’s 1851 novel, Moby-Dick; or, The Whale?
A trio of fabulous poems about fishermen
The romance of rivers in precious old photographs
Recent Posts
Training future ship officers to obey like dogs
Many folks in maritime Manila continue to justify the use of cadets as unpaid office workers and even as domestic servants. It instills discipline, according to one argument. What a silly statement to make.
Fighting Temeraire: Tributes from three famous poets
Eulogies are not only for dead heroes. Moved by the demise of the HMS Temeraire after a 40-year career, three poets paid tribute to the gallant ship. One was English and the other two were Americans, which goes to show that the Temeraire’s fame extended beyond the shores of Great Britain.
Why I grew cold towards some seafarer charities
I was an early supporter of the seafarer charities. I wrote about their fund-raising activities and praised them for their good deeds. Then they started to make a lot of noise about depression at sea. That made me pause and ask: why the sudden concern with seafarers’ mental health?
A candid opinion of J.M.W. Turner’s ‘Fighting Temeraire’
So much has been written about J.M.W. Turner’s ‘The Fighting Temeraire tugged to her last berth to be broken up, 1838’ (pictured above) that another commentary on the subject would seem superfluous. However, I thought I would share my personal thoughts on the best known work of the English Romantic painter. I just find it so intriguing.
In praise of beauty and elegance: Sailboats and ballerinas
The words commonly used to describe classical ballet dancers — agility, speed, lightness, grace — may apply as well to sailboats. Watching the latter glide on the water, their sails resplendent in the sunlight, is like watching a ballet at sea.
Storied River: The Nile in splendid works of art
The Nile is considered the longest river in the world with its total length of 6,650 kilometres (4,132 miles). Rising south of the Equator, it flows northward through northeastern Africa to drain into the Mediterranean Sea. Its significance, however, goes beyond it physical characteristics or its contribution to the development of ancient Egyptian civilisation.
Serious flaws in ILO Maritime Labour Convention, 2006
The shipping world was ecstatic when ILO Maritime Labour Convention, 2006, came into force in August 2013. It was as though a new dawn in seafarers’ rights had come. But did it really? The reality is that the Convention, inclusive of the 2018 amendments, has some serious flaws.
Four dumb excuses for using cadets as unpaid labour
Any sensible person would say that using cadets as unpaid labour — in many cases, for months on end — is wrong. Not so in Manila with its damaged maritime culture. The serve-for-sail practice has become institutionalised.
Mystery and beauty: Swans celebrated in art and poetry
Since time immemorial, humankind has been fascinated no end by swans. These aquatic birds are not only beautiful and elegant. They have an air of mystery about them.
English for mariners: 21 useful water idioms
Seafarers who want to hone their English skills would do well to learn and use more idioms in their daily life. Idioms are useful tools for facilitating communication. They can also give a good impression of the seafarer to senior officers and management.
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