America's Cup

The America’s Cup

The America’s Cup The America’s Cup—that go-fast modern sailing race where millions of dollars are spent on boats and gear, where the sailing crews are muscular tanned guys (and some…

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Shipworm

Ship “Worm” Clam

More than 500 years ago, Christopher Columbus was trying to get his crew and small fleet back to Spain as he completed his fourth and final trip to the West…

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College Professor

College Professor, Coastal and Marine Geography

Trying to figure out what to do when she grew up wasn’t easy for Dr. Jennifer Rahn, because she had so many different interests. In high school in New Jersey,…

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the sun streaming down on the coral reef diver

History of Diving

History of Diving: A Look Below the Surface “For weeks I had stood on shore and looked at the place where the color of the ocean changed abruptly from light…

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Did You Know?

Powder Monkey

The Age of Sail was said to be the domain of “wooden ships and iron men,” but sailing ships also had boys on their official crew lists.

Today, you have to be 14 years old before you can get a job in most states in the US, but in the Age of Sail both merchant ships and navy vessels signed on boys as young as seven years old as regular members of the crew.

What were these kids doing on board sailing ships?

Learn more at Kids as Crew