Soundings

In early December, Soundings contributor John Wooldridge sent me a link to a story about a stranded ship in the Chesapeake Bay. The ship had become an object of curiosity in the Washington, D.C. region, drawing onlookers to a bayside park to watch the effort to refloat the cargo vessel. The story revealed the results of a U.S. Coast Guard investigation of the incident. As it turns out, the 1,095-foot container ship Ever Forward ended up running aground because the pilot was drafting an email when he should have ordered a turn. The investigation revealed that the pilot, who had 15 years of experience, was distracted by a problem from the moment he came aboard the vessel that was running from Baltimore to Norfolk, Virginia. He was on the phone for about…

OLD-SCHOOL GENTLEMAN Thanks for the fine article on Jock Williams of Hall Quarry (“A Charmed Boating Life,” December 2022). He is a Maine legend if ever there was one. Jock is a superb craftsman whose word is his bond, and he keeps his customers forever. I first met him decades ago, when I brought my boat to his yard for service. He looked at my to-do list, thought for a few minutes and then quoted me a number for labor that would require a certain number of days. Weeks later, I returned to the yard to discover the crew was still working on the boat. I began to grow concerned because the project was taking longer than planned, so I asked about the bill. Jock replied, “I already quoted you for the…

Weather forecasting has always been a primary concern for boaters, who nowadays rely on all kinds of sensors and satellites to try and stay ahead of storms. But is it possible that in addition to looking at new technology for better forecasts, we should also be looking backward in time? As it turns out, some of the information we need to improve today’s forecasts could actually be buried in the pages of handwritten logbooks from whaling ships that date to 1780. That’s the theory behind a research project led by Timothy Walker, a professor of history at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, and Caroline Ummenhofer, a climate scientist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute in Falmouth, Massachusetts. Together with their team of researchers, they are combing through thousands of logbooks that…

U.S. Rep John Sarbanes calls himself an aspiring boater. “I love being out on the water, but I don’t get much of a chance to do that,” the Maryland Democrat told Soundings. “Whenever I’m out on the water, I’m in seventh heaven.” So, of course, are millions of Americans, which is one reason Sarbanes and U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen, also a Maryland Democrat, have introduced a draft plan to create a Chesapeake National Recreation Area. It would place certain sites around the Chesapeake Bay under the auspices of the National Park Service, as a way to bring more resources to the region while celebrating its history and creating more public access. The draft plan is the result of years’ worth of conversations with various groups that advocate for Chesapeake Bay. The…

I used to teach seamanship and boat handling to new boat owners. Most of them wanted to learn how to dock their boat—and then go tearing out of the marina as if they were on a fast Sunday highway ride. But that’s never where I started. Instead, my first lesson was always rooted around safety. My strategy was based on the day I watched an excited, middle-aged man do a face-plant into the cockpit of his first new boat. He jumped aboard and his feet slipped out from under him, a result of the wet sole and his worn-out running shoes. It never occurred to him that the boat he just bought was fraught with ways for him to get hurt. His misfortune was a reminder to me that nobody should ever…

The rise of the mega center console is a jaw-dropping trend in boating. Open fishboats have morphed into bluewater beasts that are long on length, heavy on horsepower and high on price. But what about the angler who wants a more conventional-size boat that’s well-made and well-equipped for weekends on the water with the family? Are there any new coastal rigs near 30 feet for the fishing fanatic in search of a civilized ride? Absolutely. Check out this trio of center consoles, all of which are made exactly for that type of boater. PURSUIT S 248 Most new center consoles are designed to fish, cruise and entertain. They’re for owners who are serious anglers and super-social at the party cove. The Pursuit S 248 fits that mold, as it combines fishing features…