DECK LOG ''.Any man 's death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankind; And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; It tolls for thee. " -john Donne
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well-professed theory states that there is no maritime culture today, only its historic remains. Our citizenry is, for the most part, unaware of the fishermen, the sailors, and the shippers who still transport most of the world's goods across the oceans and waterways. The recreation and cruising industries are booming, but still the maritime field is hidden. Once, in the early days of our country, someone in every household or neighborhood made his livelihood from the sea-fishing, whaling, boat building, hauling goods and passengers upon the waters-producing a vibrant culture that inspired much of our art and literature. Now those jobs that take to the waters require fewer people to do the work, making it a culture nearly invisible to the rest of the world. Indeed, fewer people are working in the great industry, be it shipping, cruising, recreational boating, fishing, research, or naval defense, but it remains a significant culture. The growing number of movies, books, and art with a maritime theme testifies to this . It is a culture critical to our civilization and, perhaps, one that is so passionate and caring because it is small. Everyone in the maritime field was devastated to learn of the death of 25-yearold seaman Laura Gainey, an experienced sailor and member of the crew of the barque Laura Gainey working with needle and Picton Castle, who was swept overboard by a palm onboard Picton Castle last year rogue wave on 8 December 2006 and lost at sea. The community preserving the precious skills of tall ship sailing, once so common in our culture, especially mourned the loss of this vibrant young sailor. Last November Picton Castle's senior captain Dan Moreland, Mystic Seaport's Dana Hewson, and I shared a panel discussion at the American Sail Training Association Conference in Charleston, South Carolina, on "The Great Age of Sail and Today," focusing on the example of Picton Castle's most recent world voyage (her fourth) revisiting the voyage of the 1841 whaling ship Charles W Morgan. Picton Castle earned the Association's "Sail Training Program of the Year." The conference's sessions stressed safety, above all else. Sailing these ships today is safer than it ever was in the history we so enjoy studying, but it is not without risk. Ours is a small and compassionate community-the maritime field and the maritime heritage field-and all the places they intertwine. Most often, it is a community of good and interesting people who love their work, and that is what I have heard about Laura Gainey. On behalf of every concerned reader of Sea H istory, the board, the staff at NMHS, and I send our condolences to Laura Gainey's family and to Dan Moreland and the Picton Castle family.
NMHS Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Maritime Education Goes to the Captain john Smith Four Hundred Project Helping to promote and make visible a momentous maritime achievement is the work of the Captain John Smith Four Hundred Project, described in this issue of Sea H istory on pages 24-30. NMHS is honored to present our NMHS Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Maritime Education to this extraordinary project, which exemplifies the criteria of the award: it involves research, exhibitions, curricula for students, symposia for teachers, and a reenactment voyage. Finally, the Proj ect will leave an enduring legacy with the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail, the first of its kind in the country. The award will be presented at this year's Annual Awards Dinner on October 25th at the New York Yacht Club. -Burchenal Green, President 4
NATIONAL MARITIME HISTORICAL SOCIETY PUBLISH ER'S CIRCLE: W illiam H. White
Peter
Aron,
OFFICERS &TRUSTEES: Chairman, Walter R. Brown; Vice Chairman, Richardo R. Lopes; President, Burchenal Green; Treasurer, Ronald L. Oswald; Secretary, Thomas F. Daly; Trustees, Paul F. Balser, David S. Fowler, Virginia Steele Grubb,RodneyN. H oughton, Steven W Jones, Robert Kamm, Richard M . Larrabee, Warren Leback, G uy E. C. Maitland, Karen Markoe, John R. McDonald Jr., Michael McKay, James J. McNamara, Howard Slotn ick, Bradford D . Smith, H. C. Bowen Smith, Philip]. Webster, W illiam H. White; Trustees Elect, Philip ]. Shapiro, Captain Cesare Soria; Chairmen Emeriti, Alan G. Choate, Guy E. C. Maitland, Craig A. C. Reynolds, Howard Slotnick; President Emeritus, Peter Stanfo rd FOUNDER: Karl Kortum (1 917- 1996) OVERSEERS: Chairman, RADM David C. Brown; Walter C ronkite, Clive Cussler, Richard du Moulin, Alan D. Hutchison, Jako b Isbrandtsen, John Lehman, Warren Marr, II, Brian A. McAllister, John Srobarr, W illiam G. W interer NMH S ADVISORS : Co-Chairmen, Frank 0 . Braynard, Melbourne Smith; D. K. Abbass, Geo rge F. Bass, Francis E. Bowker, Oswald L. Brett, RADM Joseph F. Callo, Francis J. Duffy, John W. Ewald, T imothy Foote, Thomas Gillmer, W illiam Gil kerson, Walter J. H andelman, Steven A. Hyman, H ajo Knuttel, Gunnar Lundeberg, Joseph A. Maggio, Conrad Milster, W illiam G. Muller, Nancy Hughes Richardso n, Shannon J. Wall SEA HISTORY EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD: Chairman, Timothy J. Runyan;
No rman ]. Brouwer, Robert Browning, W illiam S. Dudley, Daniel Finamore, Kevin Foster, John 0 . Jensen, Joseph F. Meany, Lisa No rling, Carla Rahn Phillips, Walter Rybka, Quentin Snediker, William H . W hite NMHS STAFF: Executive Director, Burchenal Gree n; Membership D irector, Nancy Schnaars; Director of Marketing, Steve Lovass-Nagy; Marketing & Executive Assistant, Julia Church; Accounting, Jill Romeo; Store Sales & Volunteer Coordinator, Jane Maurice SEA HISTORY: Editor, D eirdre E. O 'Regan; Advertising Director, Wendy Paggiotta; Editor-at-Large, Peter Stanford; "Sea Histo ry for Kids" is edited by Deirdre E. O 'Regan
SEA HISTORY 118, SPRING 2007