Sea History

03/03/2025

SS United States is on her final approach to Mobile: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUECuIPxse4
If you haven't been following her transit from Philadelphia to Mobile, there are loads of phenomenal photos you can find online, including via numerous SSUS Facebook groups and groups from Southern Florida coastal cities as the ship passed along the coast, close enough for viewers from shore to see.

S.S. United States expected to dock in Mobile about noon Monday For more Local News from WALA: https://www.fox10tv.com/ For more YouTube Content: https://...

02/19/2025

Livestream for SS UNITED STATES's departure from Philly today.

The SS United States is scheduled to leave Philadelphia on Wednesday after several setbacks and weather delays. Christened in 1952, the SS United States was ...

01/14/2025

For those who knew Tim Runyan, his funeral service will be in Greenville, NC, on Saturday, January 25th at Wilkerson's Funeral Home at 4PM. (Photo aboard the Maritime Museum of San Diego ship SAN SALVADOR. Courtesy Susan Sirota.)

01/10/2025

It is with a heavy heart that we share that on Wednesday, January 8th, Dr. Timothy J. Runyan died unexpectedly in his hometown of Greenville, North Carolina. Our thoughts are with his wife Laurie, sons Mike and Chris, and their whole family.
Tim has been a long-time trustee and stalwart supporter of the National Maritime Historical Society, as well as a past director of the East Carolina University (ECU) Program in Maritime Studies, a leading graduate program that has produced many leaders in the fields of maritime archaeology, maritime history, and historic ship preservation. Before Tim’s tenure in North Carolina, he served as a professor of history at Cleveland State University (CSU) for almost 30 years and in retirement was professor emeritus at both ECU and CSU. Tim’s work in the maritime heritage field reached far beyond the classroom. Along the way, he served as co-founder of the Association of Great Lakes Maritime History, was the driving force behind the National Maritime Alliance and the Maritime Heritage Conference, led the effort to preserve the 618-foot Great Lakes steam freighter WILLIAM G MATHER as a museum ship on the Cleveland waterfront, and served as the manager of NOAA’s Maritime Heritage Program—among many other roles. He was a tireless advocate for maritime heritage and preservation, as many members of Congress and their staffers can attest. His walking the halls of the Capitol, rallying support for the cause from anyone who would listen, was a common sight to many.
With all of his accomplishments in his decades as a leader in the field, his most defining characteristic was his unwavering support of his students. Tim saw every room he walked into as a chance to connect students with opportunities. He has been a mentor—more than that, an absolute central figure—in many of his students’ and colleagues’ lives. Without a doubt, many of you share the weight of this loss.
I know we will all continue to be inspired by Tim’s dogged determination to protect and promote our maritime history. More importantly, let us be inspired by Tim’s uncanny ability to support and elevate his friends, students, and colleagues.
We will keep you posted as family and friends plan commemorations. Until then, Fair Winds Tim. We miss you already.
Cathy Green, President and Executive Director, National Maritime Historical Society
Deirdre O’Regan, Editor, SEA HISTORY magazine

01/08/2025

Those of you in the Toledo, Ohio, area, the National Museum of the Great Lakes is offering FREE admission during Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, Saturday, January 18, through Monday, January 20. Pre-registration is not required, but you can reserve your tickets in advance through this link.

Start the new year with us at the National Museum of the Great Lakes as we celebrate an extended weekend of FREE admission! In the spirit of community, service, and reflection inspired by the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, we invite you all to explore our artifacts and Great Lakes stories Saturday,...

12/17/2024

Those who know their California maritime history know about the Alaska Packers Association (APA), which owned the largest (and last) sailing ship fleet on the West Coast. The APA was a salmon packing company and its use of old sailing ships well past when everyone else was making the transition to steam (and later diesel) made sense in that the ships were cheap to purchase and relatively inexpensive to operate (you can visit two surviving ships of their "Star" line: STAR OF INDIA at the Maritime Museum of San Diego; and BALCLUTHA, which ran as the STAR OF ALASKA during its years owned by APA, at the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park). What many people may not know is that the APA's title as the largest sailing ship owner/operator on the West Coast was first held by the California Shipping Company (CSC) only a few years before. In 1900/1901, CSC owned 32 sailing ships. Learn more about this company and its managing operator William E. Mighell in this issue of SEA HISTORY (see pp. 24–29) in an article by James Shuttleworth. https://issuu.com/seahistory/docs/sh189_full_issue_hr_2_?fr=xKAE9_zU1NQ

Images: (LEFT) Barque ST. JAMES, originally a Flint & Co. ship out of NYC, was purchased by CSC in 1899, along with nine other Flint-owned sailing ships, when that company was making the transition to steam. All in all, the 10-ship fleet was sold by Flint & Company to the CSC for $550,000. Painting image courtesy of the article's author, James Shuttleworth.
(RIGHT) West Coast square rigger unloading lumber in San Francisco in 1905. (Library of Congress)

12/13/2024

The winter issue of SEA HISTORY is out this week. You can check out the full issue online at https://issuu.com/seahistory/docs/sh189_full_issue_hr_2_?fr=xKAE9_zU1NQ. Even better, join the National Maritime Historical Society and you will get four issues of SEA HISTORY per year, delivered straight to your mailbox. Memberships, renewals, and gift memberships are available online at https://seahistory.org/

Sea History Issue 189

12/12/2024

The National Archives has some great content and resources online. The NARA HISTORY HUB is a useful site for investigating your research inquiries. It is a crowdsourced history and genealogy research community. You can ask questions and get answers from multiple sources including National Archives staff, other archives, libraries, museums, and a community of genealogists, history enthusiasts, and citizen experts.

Researching a Merchant Mariner, merchant vessels, voyage, incident, or U.S. Navy Armed Guard? Get started in your search with this blog post from the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard Records community:

12/03/2024

Today is Giving Tuesday—the perfect time to support NMHS! As a steadfast guardian of our maritime past, present, and future, the National Maritime Historical Society anchors us to our shared maritime heritage and the boundless possibilities that lie on the horizon.

We are dedicated to ensuring that the legacy of the sea endures through our preservation, education, and advocacy efforts.

If you love the sea, if you love history, now is the time to make your gift. Together, we can preserve maritime heritage for future generations.
Scan the QR code in the image or tap the link in our bio to donate today. Every contribution helps keep maritime history alive.

⚓ Thank you!

11/23/2024

Congrats!

Congratulations to Capt. Paul Fini on his retirement! Capt. Paul has been with us since 2011 and was the captain of the tug Buckley McAllister since her launch. He was not only an exceptional tug captain but also was passionate about passing on his wealth of knowledge to anyone under his command.
Providence Steamboat and McAllister Towing salute you Paul! Your talent and expertise will be sorely missed. Enjoy the surf sir!
R to L - VP & GM Roger Francis, Capt. Paul Fini, former VP & GM Gary Oliveira

11/20/2024

Grant opportunity: The National Park Service is accepting grant applications for the Save America's Treasures program. Now until December 12th.

The National Park Service is pleased to announce that the Save America's Treasures (SAT) grant program is now accepting applications. The Save America’s Treasures grant program was established in 1998 and first awarded grants in 1999 to help preserve nationally significant historic properties and ...

11/08/2024

DEPARTURE OF THE SS UNITED STATES FROM PHILADELPHIA.

Target dates and times — SUBJECT TO CHANGE— have been set.

The morning of Thursday, November 14, tugs will position themselves next to the ship in preparation for the high tide at 11:45 AM. The tugs will begin maneuvering the ship from her current berth at Pier 82 to alongside Pier 80, the pier directly upriver from 82. She will be secured there until the next low tide during daylight.

Pre-dawn on Friday, November 15, tugs will begin moving the SS United States into the Delaware River in preparation for low tide at 6:59 AM. The ship will be towed under the temporarily closed Walt Whitman, Commodore Barry, and Delaware Memorial Bridges and continue downriver into the Delaware Bay. The timing of each bridge closure and ship passage will depend on currents, tides, and traffic, with closure announcements coming from the respective state transportation authorities.

Federal officials and Moran Towing pilots will be on board the SS United States, with Delaware Bay pilots assisting from ashore. Vinik Marine of New York will handle the ocean tow.

Regarding the best viewing point near the piers and along the Delaware River portion of the towing route:

Piers 80 and 82 are both within an area secured by the Transportation Security Administration (part of the Department of Homeland Security), and the area is also a Foreign-Trade Zone. As such, the piers are not open to the public.

A good view of the ship at the piers is from the IKEA parking lot at 2206 S Columbus Blvd in Philadelphia, and from the second-floor café at IKEA which opens at 11:00 AM. On the New Jersey side of the Delaware River, the best view of both piers is from waterfront public parks such as Phoenix Park at 227 Jefferson Street in Camden.

There are several potential vantage points along the Delaware River south of the Walt Whitman Bridge. Among others, they include Fort Mifflin (6400 Hog Island Rd, Philadelphia, PA 19153), Red Bank Battlefield (100 Hessian Ave, National Park, NJ 08063), Fort Nassau (110 New Jersey Rd, Brooklawn, NJ 08030), Freedom Pier (101 S King St, Gloucester City, NJ 08030), and the RiverWinds Complex (1000 RiverWinds Drive, West Deptford, NJ 08086).

Other viewing points along the ship’s coastal path to Mobile, Alabama will be announced. The Big U’s approximately 14-day journey will be relatively close to the shore to avoid ocean currents that could delay the tow and burn excessive fuel. Through an onboard GPS tracking device, you can follow her journey at [www.destinfwb.com/explore/eco-tourism/ssus](https://www.destinfwb.com/explore/eco-tourism/ssus/). Tracking will begin when the vessel begins moving operations.

Once she’s within Mobile Bay, the SS United States will be turned 180 degrees and towed astern up the Mobile River to the remediation facility. The preparation for reefing is estimated to take about 12 months.

Weather, currents, and other activity along her route from Philadelphia to Mobile could affect timing and overall plans.

10/28/2024

The battle to save Falls of Clyde in Honolulu is over, but the documentation of the ship is ongoing.