The ocean in the early sixteenth century was not merely a route — it was a boundary between worlds.
Beyond the horizon lay spices, gold, unknown shores, and riches whispered about in European ports like legends. Across those waters sailed a massive…
In the distant and icy waters of the Arctic swim titans that have outlived eras, wars, and discoveries. Some of them were already fully grown when Herman Melville was writing his great ode to obsession and tragedy — the novel Moby-Dick. And yes, a few of them still carry 19th-century harpoons in…
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Thor Heyerdahl has long been interested in the history of early seafaring and has advocated that the oceans, far from being obstacles, could and can be safely crossed on relatively simple watercraft by following the natural conveyances of the winds and currents. He and his wife studied the possibility that the…
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Humans have sailed the oceans for thousands of years, and it goes without saying that of the millions of sea voyages that have been made, some have ended in failure. Ships sink, ships get lost, ships break up in storms. And in several cases throughout history, the fate of the journey has turned out to be an eternal mystery…
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There are always interesting things about the Land of Sakura. In addition to its exotic tourist destinations, Japan also has a variety of interesting traditions to explore. One of the lesser known but fascinating parts of Japanese culture is that of their Mermaids. Mermaids have long held mysticism and fascination for many…
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The story of Steven Callahan who miraculously survived 76 days adrift, without food or water supplies, inspired many. Callahan’s entire ordeal is well documented and over the past few decades has become a reference point for survival training, films, books, and…
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The term “defector” appeared in the Soviet Union during the Cold War and came into use as a sarcastic stigma for people who have left the country of the socialism for the sake of life in capitalism. In those days, this word was akin to anathema, and the relatives of the “defectors” who…
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