Shawn Bath and and partner Staunene Whelan spoke to the Shellback Club about the Clean Harbours Initiative, Shawn's quest to clean up coastal ocean floors and bring attention to an environmental crisis. Shawn, a retired fisher and professional diver, decided in his retirement to take small steps to clean the NL harbour floors. The story of his determination, their quest for funding, and the growth of the Clean Harbours Initiative is told in the CBC Gem Documentary, Hell or Clean Water. After the showing of the documentary, Shawn and Staunene answered the Shellbacks' questions.
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Wes Oleszewski spoke to the Shellback Club about the activities related to WWII that were happening on the Great Lakes. It's not well known how important the manufacturing and steel-making of the region were to the war effort, and the consequent efforts to secure them from attack. One interesting story is that of the USS Sable and USS Wolverine. These were ships converted from passenger-carrying expedition boats into aircraft carriers, exclusively for pilot flight training in preparation for flying from and landing on "real" aircraft carrier in the war theatre. These ships, never leaving the Great Lakes, trained thousands of pilots (and left more than 100 aircraft on the bottom of Lake Michigan. Their original vessels were coal-powered side-wheel paddle steamers, and after their period of military usefulness they were scrapped just after the war. Wes Oleszewski's books are available online: https://www.authorwes.com/. Wes also has many YouTube videos on maritime activities on the Great lakes. About Wes Oleszewski
Wes Oleszewski has authored 27 books since 1991. Born and raised in mid-Michigan he is noted for his meticulous research as well as a knack for weeding out the greatest of details from the most obscure events and then weaving those facts into the historical narratives. His tales of actual events are real enough to thrill any reader while every story is technically correct and highly educational. Born on the east side of Saginaw, Michigan in 1957, Wes Oleszewski attended public school in that city through grade nine, when his family moved to the farm town of Freeland, Michigan. In 1976 he graduated from Freeland High School and a year later entered the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona, Florida. Working his way through college by his own earned income alone, Oleszewski graduated in 1987 with a commercial pilot’s certificate, “multi-engine and instrument airplane” ratings as well as a B.S. Degree in Aeronautical Science. He has pursued a career as a professional pilot as well as one as an author. A former airline captain and corporate pilot he holds an A.T.P. certificate and to date has filled more than three logbooks with flight time most of which is in airline category and jet aircraft. Recently he gave up the life of a professional aviator and now enjoys his job as a professional writer. Wes was nominated for an Emmy and has produced three best-sellers to date. His works consist of 18 titles on Great Lakes maritime history, two titles on World War II and the Great Lakes, six books on spaceflight history and one novel: an aviation spy thriller. He has two additional novels awaiting publication. He also operates a YouTube channel which recently topped one million views. The Shellback Club reviewed a couple of excellent YouTube videos: Four Masted Barque rounding Cape Horn, 1928 with Captain Irving Johnson. This is a Mystic Seaport Video – original filmed in 1928, remastered in 1998. (37 min) AND The Endurance: A Legendary Story of Survival – Shackleton’s Captain – A Timeline video. Captain Frank Worsley signs on as Captain of the Endurance to navigate Sir Ernest Shackleton and his crew to Antarctica. When the expedition ship is crushed, Worsley’s seamanship & navigations skills saves them all. (52 min) The final resting place of the Endurance on the bottom of the Weddell Sea is pretty well known, thanks to the careful log-keeping and positioning work of its skipper, Frank Worsley. Efforts to visit the wreck have so far been thwarted by pack ice, but a new expedition will soon make another attempt, using submersible technology that should manage the task beneath the surface of the ice. Details can be found here:
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-60239105 The Shellback Club reviewed YouTube videos on Magellan: Ferdinand Magellan Voyages of Discovery – Circumnavigation, Parts 1-4.* The question remains: was Magellan really the first circumnavigator of the world? Today, that assertion is questioned. The session included two more videos: How Magellan Circumnavigated the Globe (a TED-ED session with Ewandro Magalhaes) and Nao Victoria – First Ship that Sailed Around the World (a look at a replica ship now on view in Malaga, Spain. You may wish to also view: Chile - in the wake of Magellan and the Cape Horners on board the Mare Australis. LINKS TO THE VIDEOS Ferdinand Magellan Voyages of Discovery - Circumnavigation Part 1/4 Ferdinand Magellan Voyages of Discovery - Circumnavigation Part 2/4 Ferdinand Magellan Voyages of Discovery - Circumnavigation Part 3/4 Ferdinand Magellan Voyages of Discovery - Circumnavigation Part 4/4 How Magellan circumnavigated the globe - Nao Victoria - First Ship which Sailed Around the World Chile - in the wake of Magellan and the Cape Horners on board the Mare Australis. The journal of Pigafetta (a sailor on the Magellan voyage). Pigafetta's journal offers invaluable information to our understanding of what happened on the Victoria. A translation can be read here.
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