Ahoy! Looking forward to crossing the Pacific aboard Holland America’s…
Ahoy! Looking forward to crossing the Pacific aboard Holland America’s lovely Westerdam, Vancouver to Yokohama: 13 – 27 September. Below, the schedule of my upcoming LinerLore maritime history presentations.
Titanic — Legend and Legacy:
Without a doubt, the most famous ship – and shipwreck – in the world, RMS Titanic has lived longer in memory and ongoing fascination than her all-too-brief maiden voyage. Learn of the 1898 book that “predicted” her story (and loss), and take a tour through the dozens of movies, and hundreds of books that continue to bring this classic sea tale to new generations. Plus – a Holland America connection!
Paddlewheels, Steam & Speed — The Birth of Oceanic Travel:
For millennia, humans have sought to bridge the “Old World” to the “New” over the “Western Ocean”. From St. Brendan to SS Great Britain from sail to steam, former ship office and award winning author David Eugene Perry chronicles the story of TransOceanic travel including the birth of the great Holland America line.
Ocean Olympians — Ships of State, Immigration & Sometimes War:
From 1900 – 1914, millions of Europeans crossed the Atlantic: immigrants, business people and tourists. The competition among the ship owners of the US, Britain, France, Germany, Holland and others was intense, and changed the world leading up to World War I.
The Golden Age of Liners
— Blue Riband Royalty:
The Holland America greats including the iconic Nieuw Amsterdam, Queens Mary andElizabeth, Rex, Normandie, Breman & Europa and SS United States. These fastest and most glamourous of liners defined an age, and a way of life, between the Wars, and after. A crowd pleasing “must sea” talk of the Sea!
From Crossing to Cruising — A New Golden Age at Sea:
In the late 1950s, air-travel became “the only way to cross” the Atlantic. What to do with aging, elegant ships meant for passenger comfort but not competitive with jets? The answer: “Getting there is half the fun.” Learn how “crossing” gave way to “pleasure cruising” including Holland America’s significant contributions.
By Wave and Wing — Pacific Passenger Travel:
From the great ships of Canadian Pacific,to Japan’s glamourous NYK liners, and finally by air during the brief glory age of the Pan Am Clippers, passage on (and over) the Pacific has inspired countless writers and wanderers to exotic climes. Also, we look into one of the Pacific’s most enduring mysteries: Amelia Earhart’s last flight.
Linerlore — Classic Tales of the Sea and Famous Ship Stories:
Nothing is more evocative than “Tales of the Sea.” Learn about the FDR’s presidential yacht Potomac, the WWII Liberty Ship Jeremiah O’Brien, hidden treasures in shipwrecks of the Atlantic and Baltic, the first murder mystery solved by shipboard wireless and some of David’s favorite “Maritime Movies”.
