How Snowflakes Form: The Science Behind Snow Crystal Shapes The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has published a clear, science-based explanation of how snowflakes form. Understanding snowflake formation is fascinating for anyone who watches winter weather, whether you’re a casual observer or a serious meteorology enthusiast. Below is a concise, readable explanation of the … Read more

Why Dual Console Boats Are So Popular When I was a boy in the 1960s we had a Bonneville convertible and a Pontiac station wagon — a practical pairing for a family with a father who commuted and a mother who ferried children around town. Back then vehicles were generally one thing or the other, … Read more

Boat Towed After Hitting Watch Hill Reef On the afternoon of July 3, a 47-foot Alden picnic boat struck Watch Hill Reef off Watch Hill, Rhode Island, and began taking on water. The vessel grounded near the reef at approximately 1 p.m., and the situation quickly escalated into a full rescue and salvage response. Don … Read more

Experienced Sea Kayaker Missing After Winter Crossing from Odiorne Point to Isles of Shoals Hamilton Wood, a dedicated sea kayaker with more than a decade of coastal paddling experience, disappeared after a routine winter crossing from Odiorne Point in Rye, New Hampshire, to the Isles of Shoals. His wife, Lisa Eberhart of Contoocook, N.H., received … Read more

Overnight Party-Boat Fishing and the Shipwrecks South of Nantucket Anglers who board overnight party boats bound for the wreck-strewn grounds 30 to 75 miles south of Nantucket, Massachusetts, seek both sport and, often, a memorable seafood dinner. This fishery is commonly called the Lightship area — named for the Nantucket Lightship that once held station … Read more

Father and Children Rescued After Strong Current Sweeps Them From Boat on St. Johns River What began as an ordinary evening fishing trip on the St. Johns River turned into a tense water rescue last Friday when a sudden strong current carried two children and their father away from their anchored boat. Steven Poust had … Read more

Black Maritime Heritage of the Chesapeake Bay The Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the United States, has long been the economic and cultural heart of the Mid-Atlantic’s maritime life. Too often, the central role that Black people played in building and sustaining that maritime economy is minimized or overlooked. From skills brought from West … Read more

Brothers Complete 8,312-Mile Atlantic Crossing in 21-Foot Open Catamaran Two Florida brothers, Ralph and Robert Brown, completed an 8,312-mile ocean voyage that took them from Tampa, Florida, across the Atlantic to Germany in a 21-foot open catamaran. The journey, carried out to raise funds for charities supporting wounded service members, tested their seamanship, endurance and … Read more

BMW Oracle takes the RC 44 Austria Cup Russell Coutts and Larry Ellison’s BMW Oracle team edged out Cameron Appleton’s Team Aqua to win the RC 44 Austria Cup. Both teams dominated the series, each claiming seven wins in nine races, but BMW Oracle prevailed thanks to the head-to-head result in their direct confrontation. Paul … Read more

First Boat Rides: Small Craft, Big Memories Soundings was just 11 years old when Steve Haesche’s photograph graced the cover in March 1974. That image captures a moment many of us remember well—the thrill of a first boat ride, the sense of freedom that comes from piloting a small craft for the first time. For … Read more