Posts by John Riise
Captain Mary Patten of ‘Neptune’s Car’
No history of women in sailing is complete without the story of 19-year-old Mary Patten, who captained a 216-ft clipper from somewhere near Cape Horn to San Francisco in 1856.
Enjoy a Little Holiday Interlude With Salty Phrases — Part 2
Just after Thanksgiving, we shared the origins of some Salty Phrases — sayings that have been repeated for generations. Here is Part 2.
Here Are Some Salty Phrases To Start Your Week — Part 1
Most sailors are familiar with the main seagoing words that have made their ways into everyday jargon. But you might be surprised at how many familiar phrases also came down the gangplank.
Nothing Lasts Forever
Ruth and Marvin were looking for a new place to have dinner one night and came across Ana Bananas. Here they found 47 Crown Royal pouches said to contain the ashes of their deceased owners.
Helping Make a Sailor’s Dreams Come True
I want to sail so bad my stomach gets butterflies just thinking about it in my small apartment in the mountains of North Carolina.
Classic Schooner Viveka Relaunched in Richmond
The moment had been five years in the making. Viveka arrived at Rutherford’s Boat Shop in Richmond in 2015 for a full restoration. But the owner ran out of money and the project was stalled.
‘Chubby Girl’ Back on the Mainland
Wil departed the Bay on September 27 and had made it about 200 miles out (due in part to no wind the first two days) before the damage occurred.
Little Big Boat Heads West
Wil Spaul hopes to set a new record for the smallest boat ever to sail to Hawaii. He'll head west aboard the 9-ft 'Chubby Girl' on September 27.
Return of Historic Sailing Vessel ‘Vega’
You may recall the story in the April, 2019, issue about the shipyard accident involving the historic working brigantine Vega. In a nutshell, during a routine haulout at a shipyard in Thailand, the carriage wheels on the marine railway collapsed and the 128-year-old wooden ship (built in 1892 in Norway as a Baltic and North Sea trader) rolled off and onto her port side.
Young Cruiser Killed in Moorea
In a tragic accident in Moorea on August 10, a young cruiser was killed after being hit by a speedboat. According to reports, Eddie Jarman, 14, was checking the anchor on his family’s UK-based Discovery 55 September a.m. in Opunohu Bay when he was struck.
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