“Northern Lights” by Desmond Holdridge. Viking Press, 1939; 246 pp. Paperback $32, Kindle Edition $5. Review by Charlie Doane I’ve said this before, and now I’ll say it again: the book “Northern Lights,” by one Desmond Holdridge, first published by Viking in 1939, is one of the best – perhapsRead More

“Dangerous Shallows: In Search of the Ghost Ships of Cape Cod,” by Eric Takakjian and Randall Peffer. Lyons Press, 2020; 256 pp. Review by Sandy Marsters On any given day, there just may be at least as many vessels on the bottom of the waters surrounding Cape Cod as thereRead More

“Into the Raging Sea: Thirty-Three Mariners, One Megastorm, and the Sinking of El Faro” by Rachel Slade. Ecco Press, 2018; 416 pp. $12.29. Review by Bob Muggleston In October of 2015 reports emerged that a 790-foot container ship named El Faro had gone missing somewhere off the Bahamas. She’d beenRead More

The newest book by renowned America’s Cup Veteran Gary Jobson provides insight into the lives of the sailors who – over the last few decades – have impacted the sport in the USA. Titled, “Legends of American Sailing – 50 Men and Women Who Shaped the Sport,” 100% of theRead More

Sailing Scared: Maine to Florida 2014-15 by Karlene Osborne; Custom Communications, Inc., 2019; 128 pp.; $16.95. Book review by Randy Randall Reading “Sailing Scared,” Karlene Osborne’s new book about a cruise from Maine to Florida via the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW), one realizes early on how entirely appropriate the title is.Read More

“Tales from a Tugboat Captain: An Inside Glimpse of what it’s Like to Live Where You Work” Thomas Teague; Self-published, 2019; 135 pp. $24.95. Reviewed by Bob Muggleston For Points East OK, so a minor disclaimer: I’m a total sucker for books written by professional mariners. Being on the recreationalRead More

Guest Perspective: Marilyn Brigham My father, a lifelong sailor and cruiser, suffered a major stroke in his early 80’s. During his recuperation, it was difficult to discern how much he understood about what had happened to him, and what we told him each day. Part of this was that he’dRead More

Endeavour: The Ship and the Attitude that Changed the World” by Peter Moore. Penguin Random House UK, 2018; 420 pp. Reviewed by Sandy Marsters For Points East You’re right, that’s not the way we spell “endeavor” on this side of the Atlantic. Well, sometimes we do, like when we’re namingRead More

The first trip to the Isles of Shoals in the new year was a combination supply run for the Star Island caretakers and a reconnaissance mission for upcoming building projects. We loaded a dozen small bags of groceries and a few bottles of wine – enough to get through theRead More

“The Outlaw Ocean” by Ian Urbana; Alfred A. Knopf, 2019; 544 pp.; $16.53. Book review by Sandy Marsters A decade ago, on a voyage from the Chesapeake to St. Thomas, on a very dark night, the watch spotted the lights of a ship. It was not a crossing situation, butRead More