Gig Harbor Boat Works: Traditional Rowing and Sailing Skiffs Built for Today Small boats built at Gig Harbor Boat Works feel like a meaningful return to an older, simpler style of boating—and they may point to a future that values practicality and craftsmanship. Located on southern Puget Sound in Gig Harbor, Washington, the shop produces … Read more

“What the @#$%! was that?” I yell, half to myself and half toward the wheelhouse, where Capt. Andy Dangelo’s head snaps around. He’s probably hoping it was me — his deckhand — and not a client who’s somehow managed to skewer himself with a jig hook. “What’s what?!” he shoots back. “That,” I reply, pointing … Read more

Key West Marlin Fishing: The 1971 Discovery That Rekindled a Tradition March 16, 1971 — Key West: a proud father and two young anglers posed with a marlin caught aboard the charter boat Cay Sal. Images like this, captured through the years, recall the era of big-game fishing immortalized by Ernest Hemingway in the 1930s … Read more

Classic Boat Spotlight: Bunker & Ellis from Southwest Harbor, Maine Since 2012, Soundings has celebrated maritime tradition by featuring a classic boat in every issue. Each selection is rendered as a delicate, evocative drawing by Jim Ewing and accompanied by a richly written description from Steve Knauth. Together their work honors the aesthetics, craftsmanship, and … Read more

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