DECK LOG The Complexities of our Maritime Heritage
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s I read this iss ue of Sea H isto ry, I was struck, as I often am , by how the m agazine reveals an interdisciplinary approach to our complex relationship with the sea. Al though we are a society with History in our nam e and do present a recorded narrative of past events, we h ave always been about th e heritage, the larger scope of allocated and passed-down culture. May I suggest yo u consider how pervasive this broader interdisciplin ary scope is as you peruse these pages. Ian M arshall's art presents an illustrated study of the tramp steam er. In creating a m aritime work of an , the knowledge of h ow a ship fun ctioned and the world in which it operated is as critical as is the talent of the artist. Art and history are, thus, interrwined in the heritage they represen t. Sailors are dependent on the sea, of co urse, and today they recognize the fragility of the ocean's health. Last May, Sailors for the Sea, In c. , sent the 64ft. sailboat, Ocean Watch, on a voyage aro und both No rth and South America to highlight the ecological compon ent of our maritime h eritage, as revealed in "Around the Am ericas" on page 24. Be sure to read about m arine photographer D avid Thoreson, a crewm an on that voyage, who is this issue's marine professional in our "Sea History fo r Kids" section. This regular feature fo cuses SS Karanja by Ian M arshall . . on one m anne career m each issue. The range of professions we've covered- biologists, archaeologists, historians, artists, ship's offi cers-clearly sh ows the broad range of disciplines that fall under the m aritime h eritage umbrella. "A Poet's D aughter at Sea" by Lesley Lee Francis, granddaughter of poet Robert Frost, is about her m other's 1934 voyage on the schooner Wander Bird, linking maritime h is tory and sailing and adventure with the poetry it inspires and, likewise, the poem s that inspire us. With the bicentennial of the War of 18 12 just a few years away, N MHS is active in the m ovem ent to commem orate and interpret the eve nts of that conflict, the war that confirmed America's independence. In William H. W hite's article on Commodore D avid Porter, USN, (1 780-1843) , h e shows h ow the strong perso nalities of som e of our early naval officers and their actions wh en faced with conflict "was undoubtedly one of the m any reasons the fledgling American Navy survived. They wo uld win by audacity, confidence, and co urage." Learning about the individ uals who led us to victory in these conflicts and how they achieved those victo ries are lessons we need to keep forefront in our minds as we forge ah ead in a world still embroiled in global co nflict. As we continue to delve into the topi cs that fall under the heading Maritime History, we recognize how much more complex they are. C urrent research into the problems we faced in history and ones that we face today shows the criti cal need to evaluate these topics with a more interdisciplinary app roach . As this historical m ethodology evolves, Sea H istory will evolve with it. -Burchenal Green, President 4
NATIONAL MARITIME HISTORICAL SOCIETY PUBLISH ER'S C IRC LE: Perer Aro n, W illiam H . W hire O FFIC ERS & TRUST E ES: Chairman, Ronald L. O swald; Vice Chairman, R ich ardo R. Lo pes; President, Burch enal G ree n; Vice Presidents, D eirdre O 'Rega n , N ancy Schn aars; Treasurer, H. C. Bowe n Sm ith ; Secretary, Th om as F. Da ly; Trustees, C h arl es B. Anderso n , W alrer R. Brow n, James Can er, David S. Fow ler, V irgin ia Stee le G rub b, Karen Helmerso n, Sreve n W. Jones, Robert Kamm , Richard M . La rrabee, G uy E . C. M aidand, John R. M cDon ald J r. , Jam es J . McN ama ra, W illiam Pinkn ey, Ri cha rd Sca rano, Phili p ]. Sh ap iro, Peter H . Sharp, Howard Slo mi ck, Brad fo rd D. Smirh, Cesare Sa rio, Phi lip J . W ebster, D an iel W. W halen , W illi am H. W hi te; Chairmen Emeriti, Walter R. Brow n, Alan G. C h oare, G uy E. C. Ma id a nd , C raig A. C. Rey no lds, Howard Slorn ick; President Emeritus, Perer Stan fo rd FOUNDER: Karl Ko rrum (19 17- 1996) OVERSEERS: Chairman, RADM D avid C. Brown ; C live C uss ler, Richard d u M o ulin , Alan D . Hu tchiso n, Jakob Isb randrsen, Gary Jobson , Sir Rob in Knox-Johnston , John Lehman , Wa rren Marr II, Bri an A. McAl lister, Jo hn Srobarr, W illi am G. W inrerer N MHS ADVISORS: Chairman, Melbo urn e Sm ith; D . K. Abbass, George Bass, O swald L. Bren , RADM Joseph F. C allo, Francis ]. D uffy, Jo hn W. Ewa ld , T imothy Foore, W illiam G il kerso n, Th o mas G ill m er, Steven A. H yman, J . Russell Jin ish ian, Hajo Knurrel, G un n ar Lund eberg, Jose ph A. Maggio, C o nrad Mi lster, W il liam G. M ull er, Sruarr Parn es, Lo ri D illard Rech, Nancy Hughes Richardso n, Ben Rogers, Joyce H uber Sm ith
SEA HISTORY EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD: Chairman, T imo thy ]. R unyan ; Nor m a n J . B ro u we r, Ro b e rt B row nin g , W illi am S. D udley, Da ni el Fin am ore, Kevin Foster, Jo hn O din Jensen , Joseph F. Meany, Lisa No rl ing, Ca rl a Rahn Phillips, Walrer Rybka, Q uen tin Snediker, W illiam H . W hite N MH S S TAFF: Ex ecu t iv e Dir ect or , Burchenal G ree n; M embership Director, N an cy Schnaars; M arketing Director, Steve Lovass-Nagy; Communications D irector, Julia C hurch; Accounting, Jill Rom eo; Store Sales & Volunteer Coordinator, Jane Maurice
SEA HISTORY. Editor, D eird re O ' R egan; Advertising Di rector, We nd y Pa gg io rra ; Editor-at-Large, Peter Sta nfo rd
SEA HISTORY 129, WINTER 2009- 10