Nautical Knowledge and Nonsense

40. Hell at Sea- The Wreck of the Medusa

THIS EPISODE IS NOT APPROPRIATE FOR CHILDREN!!

This is, in my opinion, the worst sea disaster ever recorded, and also one of the least known to the general public. I think there are many lessons that can be taken from this event that can help people directly. The madness that occurred on the Wreck of the Medusa can help explain why humans are so easily able to be manipulated, and why we can so easily be turned to violence on one another. At the end of the episode I give practical advice and tips on how to avoid this sort of surprisingly common manipulation.

Intro/Ending Music: Many thanks to Riggy Rackin for allowing the use of music from his Nauticas album. The intro and ending themes are the sailor song "Arran Boat Song", specifically track 3.  Learn more or order his music at www.riggy.com 

My Children's Books:  "The Greatest Captain in the World" and "The Greatest Captain in the World Too" are available on Amazon or directly from me at...  www.greatestcaptain.com  

 

Please support me at Paypal  https://www.paypal.com/donate/?business=PTYG3GDRKYWKN 

39. Catalina Channel Swimmer- Ali LaBonte

In September 2022 Ali LaBonte swam the Catalina Channel in California.  This was a long-term dream and goal of hers.  In the interview she explains in detail how she was able to accomplish this.  I learned a lot about these types of endurance swims from her and her swim in particular.  I am very grateful that she sat down to chat with me, especially since we had only met the night before the interview! 

Intro/Ending Music: Many thanks to Riggy Rackin for allowing the use of music from his Nauticas album. The intro and ending themes are the sailor song "A Roving", specifically track 1.  Learn more or order his music at www.riggy.com 

38. Hippie Fisherman- Jim Peacock

My apologies for not publishing in a while; life has been insanely busy.  Jim Peacock is a hippie fisherman who has some great stories to share (storms, close calls, the hippie and fishing life).  He also has been a major part of the Pacific Northwest wooden boat world, and you will hear my shock and excitement in the interview as I learn that I am actually talking to someone who helped create a wooden boat culture that has lasted decades and will probably outlast us all!

Intro/Ending Music: Many thanks to Riggy Rackin for allowing the use of music from his Nauticas album. The intro and ending themes are the sailor song "A Roving", specifically track 1.  Learn more or order his music at www.riggy.com 

37. Nuclear Ballistic Missile Submarine Chief- Bill Larsen, USN Retired

Sometimes you meet people with whom you have an instant rapport.  That is how it felt interviewing Bill Larsen in this episode.  Bill was a Nuclear Ballistic Missile Submarine Chief and the whole time I spoke to him it felt like talking to an old shipmate.  I learned a lot during the interview about subs, the mentality of submariners, life under the water, and so much more.  I hope you enjoy this interview as much as I did.

Intro/Ending Music: Many thanks to Riggy Rackin for allowing the use of music from his Nauticas album. The intro and ending themes are the sailor song "A Roving", specifically track 1.  Learn more or order his music at www.riggy.com 

36. Sexy Spanish Sailor and Viking Shipmate- Pelayo

Pelayo and I met while sailing and working on the world's largest Viking ship the "Draken".  Pelayo is an incredibly intelligent, funny and talented human being, and I am sure the joy we had in getting caught up came out in our conversation.  Our chat took us from our meeting in Norway, to the time he survived a demasting aboard the Draken, to fun times on the Hawaiian Chieftain when we sailed together on the west coast of the US.  Ever the character and oh so dashing, Pelayo is a very good example of a delightful old shipmate. 

The Draken's Website: https://www.drakenhh.com/

Intro/Ending Music: Many thanks to Riggy Rackin for allowing the use of music from his Nauticas album. The intro and ending themes are the sailor song "A Roving", specifically track 1.  Learn more or order his music at www.riggy.com 

35. Quarantined Way Too Long On a Destroyer- Kyle Wilson, USN

This is the first episode where I get to really talk about what life was like during Covid for many of our sailors in the US Navy.  It's very interesting hearing about all the difficulties and problems faced by Kyle while quarantined on his ship, and how they were dealt with.  My apologies for not releasing this sooner, but one of the topics brought up in the interview was the tragic shooting down of Iranian Flight 655 in the 80s.  I got lost heading down a rabbit hole and looking up hundreds of pages of documents and reports on that topic.  It's a complicated event and time, and I think I must leave it at that for now.  I hope you find the rest of the conversation between me and Kyle interesting and entertaining. If nothing else, we certainly cover a wide variety of topics!

  BBC Article and Video on the Shooting Down of Iran Flight 655- https://www.bbc.com/news/av/stories-44614512 

  BBC Documentary on the Shooting Down of Iran Flight 655 (Part 1 of 3)- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Onk_wI3ZVME 

  USS Texas: USN vessel that flooded some of it's holds to increase it's gun elevation- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Texas_(BB-35)#D-Day 

 Greyhound- A 2020 Film starring Tom Hanks as a destroyer captain protecting an Atlantic convoy during WWII.  The perfect counter point to "Das Boot".

 The Last Ship- A series mentioned in our interview with at least one episode featuring Kyle's ship.

  Intro/Ending Music: Many thanks to Riggy Rackin for allowing the use of music from his Nauticas album. The intro and ending themes are the sailor song "A Roving", specifically track 1.  Learn more or order his music at www.riggy.com 

34. Backseat Captaining

In this episode I talk about "backseat captaining" and why I can't stand it.  I go through numerous reasons why I think it's bad, and give suggestions on better ways to critique or help other captains and mariners out there.  I go through my personal thoughts on how best to navigate The Rules of the Road, as well as my thoughts on what went wrong and led up to the Elbe 5 colliding with a container ship (Pictured in the cover art)

Videos and Links mentioned in the episode:

• Elbe 5 just before collision- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXrTvVh4NOs
• Bulk Carrier grounding in Burlington, NJ-  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmPpd6seS14
• "Super Yacht Captain" video- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fnd7RpMmF0s&t=662s
• Link to the book "One Minute Guide to Nautical Rules of the Road"- https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/one-minute-guide-to-the-nautical-rules-of-the-road-charlie-wing/1100553818
• Video of HMS Rose/Surprise crashing (Note: apparently one has to subscribe to see it now)- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLCOnFc7eIA

  Intro/Ending Music: Many thanks to Riggy Rackin for allowing the use of music from his Nauticas album. The intro and ending themes are the sailor song "A Roving", specifically track 1.  Learn more or order his music at www.riggy.com 

33. Racing Sailor and Tallship Captain- Jordan Smith

Jordan Smith is a semi-professional racer and a tallship captain.  Our conversation ranges all over the place, but actually starts with COVID (which might be a first for my interviews, for I think it's only been mentioned in passing before).  We also talk sailing, leadership, tallships and history.  Jordan mentions a historical fiction novel he is working on, so be on the look-out for that in the future!  Lastly, there are definitely some funny parts in the interview such as:  his description of Keywest as the largest open-air insane asylum in the world; the dumbest things tourists have asked us; and the cuban refugees who supposedly made it to the US on a floating monster truck!!

Intro/Ending Music: Many thanks to Riggy Rackin for allowing the use of music from his Nauticas album. The intro and ending themes are the sailor song "A Roving", specifically track 1.  Learn more or order his music at www.riggy.com 

My Children's Books:  "The Greatest Captain in the World" and "The Greatest Captain in the World Too" are available on Amazon or directly from me at...  www.greatestcaptain.com  

32. Navy Aircraft Technician and Maintenance Manager- Robert Armer

Robert Armer is the first person I have interviewed who has dedicated his adult life to a career in the US Navy. He is a gifted story teller and has had first hand experience with many changes in the US Navy over the past few decades.  He got to see the ships transition from all-male crews to mixed gender crews, and he was also present when the Navy went from peacetime to wartime during the post 9-11 years.  We only scratch the surface of his career and what he has experienced, but I found my brief time with him to be captivating.  I hope to have more interviews with him in the future.

Intro/Ending Music: Many thanks to Riggy Rackin for allowing the use of music from his Nauticas album. The intro and ending themes are the sailor song "A Roving", specifically track 1.  Learn more or order his music at www.riggy.com 

31. ”And then I shot myself in the hand...” Boat Stalker- Steve Bennet

Steve Bennet is a wonderful person who followed my ship and crew for a few months and quickly became a family friend.  He has had absolutely incredible life adventures!  In this interview we mostly focus on his first and second years working on boats in Alaska, but we also range all over the place in our stories.  In the end we do discuss some serious medical information that every grown man (and every woman with a stubborn man) should know, although we start out with something less serious, namely the time that Steve shot himself in the hand!  

Intro/Ending Music: Many thanks to Riggy Rackin for allowing the use of music from his Nauticas album. The intro and ending themes are the sailor song "A Roving", specifically track 1.  Learn more or order his music at www.riggy.com 

My Children's Books:  "The Greatest Captain in the World" and "The Greatest Captain in the World Too" are available on Amazon or directly from me at...  www.greatestcaptain.com  

 

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