GOLDEN GLOBE ROUND THE WORLD RACE

13 September 2026: Almost  halfway thru September which is almost incredible to this 'umble scribe. Where in the name of all whatever has the year gone. And we are now past the sadness, horror, and staggering memories of that devastating event of 25 years ago here in the United States - what will always be known as 9/11. If you will forgive a bit of editorializing, the cry has long been "Never Forget"; sadly too many have and the current youth have little idea of the horror and fear that inculcated our population during that dreadful time. 

On to a less sad event, the Golden Globe Round the World race. For those of you unfamiliar with it, it is a single-handed non-stop sailing race, East to West, around the planet (basically, "leave Antarctica to starboard"), using NO ELECTRONICS. Paper charts, sextants, and "seat of the pants" navigation is all that's allowed. No GPS, chart plotters, satellite devices or the like. And did I mention, it's NON STOP! So provision for 9 months and be sure your water maker is sound. Anyway, from several sources, a little history and info on the current race which started at Cape Sable France just a week ago. There is so much material on line about this event with constant updates and even an opportunity to sign on as a virtual race participant, that we can not offer it all here, but encourage any who are interested to google the event and follow along at home. There were over 20 entrants but only 16 crossed the start line at Cape Sable last week.

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  PURPOSE:

 ·       To create a unique ‘RETRO’ non-stop solo around the world yacht race, in the image of the original Sunday Times Golden Globe that draws sailors back to the Golden Age of ‘one sailor, one boat’ facing the great oceans of the world.·       To organise a race where the adventure takes precedence over winning at all costs.·       To professionally manage an event where the sailor’s skill and traditional seamanship alone, rather than modern technology or support crews, gets them home and where the achievement truly belongs to the skipper.

To give sailors of all ages an opportunity to race solo around the world safely, in a fleet of similar and affordable yachts in the spirit of Suhaili. [ed:Sir Robin Knox-Johnson's boat, a 32' double ender.] 

Suhaili was a slow, sturdy 32ft double-ended ketch based on a William Atkins ERIC design. She was heavily built of teak and carried no computers, GPS, satellite phone or water-maker, and Robin completed the challenge with no outside assistance or aid of modern-day shore-based weather routing advice. He had only a wind-up chronometer and a barograph to face the world alone and caught rainwater to survive.

But he was at one with the ocean, able to contemplate and absorb all that this epic voyage had to offer.

       312    days    That was the time Sir Robin Knox-Johnston took to complete the first solo non-stop circumnavigation. The winning yacht in this race can be expected to complete the same distance in 260 days.

     200   The number of individuals to have sailed solo around Cape Horn and other Great Capes in the Southern Ocean. This compares to almost 700 astronauts who have been shot into space

The Golden Globe Race offers unparalleled exposure and a unique opportunity to associate with a prestigious event that commands global attention. The race’s rich history and heritage, combined with its strong and growing fan base, ensure high visibility and engagement. By supporting the Golden Globe Race, partners can align with values of endurance, adventure, and excellence, reaching an audience that spans beyond the sailing community. This investment not only promotes brand recognition but also demonstrates a commitment to preserving and celebrating one of the most iconic events in maritime history.

Bringing back the Golden Globe Race and thus the ‘Golden Age’ of solo sailing is to celebrate the original event, the winner, his boat and that significant world-first achievement.

Once again competitors in this 2026 race will be sailing simple boats using basic equipment to guarantee a satisfying and personal experience. The challenge is pure and very raw, placing adventure ahead of winning at all costs.

 

It is for ‘those who dare’, just as it was for Sir Robin. [Ed: but not for me!]

They will be navigating with sextant on paper charts, without electronic instruments or autopilots. They will hand-write their logs and determine the weather for themselves. Only occasionally will they talk to loved ones and the outside world when long-range high-frequency radios allow. It is now possible to race a monohull solo around the world in under 80 days, but sailors entered in this race will spend around 250 days at sea in little boats, challenging themselves and each other.

The 2026 Golden Globe Race will be another fitting tribute to the first edition. 

Entrants are limited to sailing similar yachts and equipment to what was available to Sir Robin in that first race. That means sailing without modern technology or the benefit of satellite-based navigation aids.

Competitors must sail in production boats between 32ft and 36ft overall (9.75 – 10.97m) designed prior to 1988 that have a full-length keel with rudder attached to their trailing edge. These yachts are heavily built, strong and sturdy, similar in concept to Sir Robin’s 32ft vessel Suhaili.

 

The Golden Globe Race enforces strict retro rules to replicate the conditions of the original 1968 solo circumnavigation. [1, 2, 3]

Size & Build: Yachts must measure between 32 ft and 36 ft LOA (Length Overall) and feature heavy, over-engineered fiberglass or traditional wooden hulls with long keels for stable windvane self-steering. [1]
Technology Ban: Skippers navigate using only sextants, paper charts, and hand-written logs, with zero GPS, electronic autopilots, or computers allowed on board. [1, 2, 3]
Approved Types: The race features a curated list of approved boat designs known for ocean-robustness—such as the Cape George 36, Biscay 36, and Rustler 36—with a strict limit on the number of identical hull types permitted. [1, 2]

In contrast to the current professional world of elite ocean racing, this edition travels back to a time known as the ‘Golden Age’ of solo sailing.

below is a link to the race home page

https://goldengloberace.com/ 

and here's a link to the daily tracker:  https://goldengloberace.com/live-tracker/

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While this event runs 9 months =/-, we will try to update with new stories and info as it becomes available. In the meantime, use the link above to follow along.

Until next time, stay safe!

                                Fair Winds, 

                                         Old Salt 

 

 

THE DRAGON'S TRIANGLE

 30 August 2026: 12 years ago, creating Maritime Maunder seemed like a good idea; 22 August 2014 was our initial post. We ambitiously thought a daily bit, written by me after researching some subject or discussing maritime news would be a good thing, even if a bit challenging. Well, it wasn't long - maybe 6 months, before we saw the light and that evolved to a weekly post which turned into a bi-weekly post and then a bi-weekly repost of articles of maritime interest. And here we are today: 590,000 readers, 621 posts, and still at it. I guess one might say we've found our rhythm! So, pressing on, we have a bit of maritime trivia from allthatsinteresting.com to start year 13. Thanks for coming along for the ride!

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The "Dragon's Triangle" or "Devil's Sea" is an area of the Pacific Ocean south of Japan that's compared to the Bermuda Triangle because of its alleged paranormal activity.

There’s a stretch of the Pacific Ocean south of Japan that has become infamous for shipwrecks, mysterious disappearances, and alleged paranormal activity. It’s known as the Dragon’s Triangle — and it’s been called the “Pacific Bermuda Triangle.”

 

Ancient Japanese lore claimed that dragons lived in the seas surrounding the islands, stirring up storms and whirlpools or breathing fire on doomed ships. This tale may be explained by the Dragon’s Triangle, where underwater volcanoes often send massive plumes of steam into the air and passing typhoons whip the waves into a frenzy.

But some of the eerie reports from the so-called “Devil’s Sea” can’t be interpreted so easily. Sailors have allegedly seen strange silver discs floating in the sky, and several ships have gone missing without a trace.

So is the Dragon’s Triangle really a hot spot for strange activity? Or is there a scientific explanation for the rumors that surround it?

What Is The Dragon’s Triangle?

It’s difficult to pinpoint an exact boundary for the Dragon’s Triangle, as descriptions vary from source to source. The area stretches roughly from the Izu Islands south of Tokyo to the Ogasawara Islands, located roughly 500 miles southwest, east toward Okinawa, and back up to the Izu Islands. However, some people claim the Devil’s Sea is much larger and bordered by Japan, Guam, and the Philippines.

It’s been compared to the Bermuda Triangle due to the shipwrecks, disappearances, and bizarre sightings reported there. Some of these events are urban legends, but others were well documented at the time.

For instance, there’s no evidence that a pilot named Shiro Kawamoto vanished after seeing something strange while flying above the Dragon’s Triangle in 1945. And many reports about the number of known shipwrecks in the area have been exaggerated.

Still, there have been plenty of incidents that raise questions about the true dangers of the Devil’s Sea.

Shipwrecks In The Devil’s Sea

In January 1955, The New York Times reported that at least nine ships had vanished within the Dragon’s Triangle in a five-year period. “Only one ship — a fishery patrol vessel that was the third to disappear — left any trace of wreckage or bodies,” the Times noted.

While this does seem to be true, most of the lost vessels were small fishing boats that could have been caught in a storm or suffered mechanical issues in the middle of the ocean.[ed: and the New York Times never gets it wrong1]

The most famous shipwreck in the Dragon’s Triangle was that of the Kaiyo Maru No. 5, an oceanographic survey ship working with the Hydrographic Department of the Maritime Safety Agency. On Sept. 24, 1952, the vessel was investigating a volcanic island that had appeared just south of Aogashima.

When the ship arrived, the island had seemingly sunk beneath the sea once more — but then the volcano erupted just as the Kaiyo Maru was floating above its crater. The ship was destroyed, and all 31 scientists and crew members on board perished.

However, it wasn’t initially clear what had happened to the Kaiyo Maru — and rumors flew about its true fate. These were fueled by the fact that the Japanese government declared a danger zone around the volcano. Of course, the policy was simply to prevent further tragedy, but some conspiracy theorists insisted that something more sinister was lurking beneath the waves.

Then, in September 1980, the MV Derbyshire sank in the Dragon’s Triangle while carrying iron ore from Canada to Japan. The ship was caught in Typhoon Orchid, a massive storm with winds that reached speeds of up to 100 miles per hour. All 44 people on board died, including 42 crew members and two of their wives. To this day, the Derbyshire is the largest British ship ever lost at sea.

While these shipwrecks are tragic, they’re mostly explainable. But the Devil’s Sea has seen Paranormal Activity In The Dragon’s Triangle

On April 19, 1957, Japanese fishermen on the Kitsukawara Maru reported a UFO sighting in the Dragon’s Triangle. According to the National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena (NICAP), five men witnessed “the sudden appearance of two silver saucer-shaped metal craft plunge into the water nearby.”

                            heavy volcanic activity in the area , part of the "ring of fire"

The mysterious objects were about 30 feet long and had no wings. As soon as they hit the water, “the sea where they fell became furiously disturbed, boiling and churning violently.” The fishermen searched for wreckage, thinking the aircraft may have been jets, but they found nothing.

Sailors have also reportedly spotted alleged ghost ships in the Devil’s Sea, though these tales may be urban legends. Indeed, it seems that most of the stories surrounding the area have little basis in fact.

While these shipwrecks are tragic, they’re mostly explainable. But the Devil’s Sea has seen its fair share of incomprehensible events, too.

In fact, many of the theories about the Dragon’s Triangle seemingly didn’t emerge until the 1970s, when Charles Berlitz published The Bermuda Triangle. Berlitz greatly exaggerated many of the facts about the Devil’s Sea, claiming that the fishing boats that vanished in the area were actually military vessels and that the Kaiyo Maru was investigating the disappearances when it sank.

The following year, author Larry Kusche debunked many of Berlitz’s claims in his own book, The Bermuda Triangle Mystery — Solved. Kusche reached out to various government agencies and realized that many officials had never even heard of some of the rumors regarding the Dragon’s Triangle.

Most of the strange sightings can likely be attributed to the undersea volcanic activity in the region. Suddenly turbulent waters, eerie steam, and mysterious explosions could frighten even the most seasoned sailors and fishermen. But in the end, the Dragon’s Triangle is no more haunted than any other place on Earth. [ed: damn! I was hoping....]

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Ok, a bit longer than our typical offering, but nonetheless, an interesting piece of lore, even if it was ultimately debunked! And we all know that other bit of haunted water (Bermuda Triangle for those of you playing along at home) is also not haunted even if there are a few anomalies unexplained. 

So on we go into year 13 with all flags still flying and our ship mostly above water.

Until next time, stay safe!

                                    Fair Winds,

                                         Old Salt 

WRECK OFF SALCOMB

15 August 2026: Stop the calendar! Summer is flying by and we hate it! Mid August already; kids getting ready to go back to school, last minute vacations and the scurrying to "rejoin" the working world. On a positive note, September (yes, the one rapidly approaching) holds some of the best weather of the year with clear comfortable days to be on the water and cool evenings good for sleeping. 

Our last post took us to England and while we're there, we thought a bit on a recent discovery off the coast of Salcomb (a beautiful spot on the Devon coast) would be good before we head somewhere else.... from Fox News.

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Researchers in the United Kingdom believe they've finally identified a shipwreck off England's southern coast — a discovery three decades in the making.

The identification was announced in June by Bournemouth University and centers on a shipwreck discovered near Salcombe, Devon, in 1995.

At the time, divers recovered more than 400 Moroccan gold coins — but there was no clue as to what the ship was called and where it came from.

Now, researchers have identified it as the Dutch trading ship Dom van Keulen, a vessel that left Morocco for the Netherlands in the fall of 1633.

 

At the time, the ship "sprang a leak and sank," according to the university's news release. All crew members survived.

The findings are detailed in the recently published book "From Morocco to the Coast of England: The Story of the Dom van Keulen and its Remarkable Cargo."

The identification involved nearly 30 years of collaboration between researchers and divers from the British Museum, Bournemouth University and the South West Maritime Archaeology Group.

Very little is known about the appearance or size of the Dom van Keulen and no known paintings of the ship exist, according to the Bournemouth University release.

The wreck site measures about 98 feet long and rests roughly 59 feet below the surface, where cannons, anchors and other artifacts are still scattered across the seabed.

Dave Parham, a professor of maritime archaeology at Bournemouth University and co-editor of the book, said the ship was carrying 150 bags of gum arabic, 64 bags of saltpeter, 320 goat skins and 9,000 Barbary ducats, or Moroccan gold coins.

 

"It is thought that most of the cargo was salvaged at the time, but more than 400 coins remained on the seabed until they were discovered by the South West Maritime Archaeology Group in 1995," Parham said in the press release.

Though he doesn't have a sense of how much the cargo would have been worth in the 17th century, Parham told Fox News Digital the ship was carrying what would now be considered a "general cargo" — a mix of everyday trade goods.

Parham said one of the most surprising aspects of the research was how ordinary most of the ship's cargo was — aside from the gold coins, which were crucial to the identification process.

"It was the presence of the Moroccan coins, together with the dating evidence provided by the other finds, that allowed the historical research to be focused," he said.

 

He added that one of the most remarkable aspects of the discovery was that an international museum collaborated with a group of divers to reach "such a fantastic conclusion."

In a statement, British Museum Head of Research Jeremy D. Hill said it took years of collaboration among historians, archaeologists and divers to piece together the ship's history.

"The discovery of African gold from under the sea off the coast of Devon was an amazing find that raised so many questions about how it came to be there," Hill said, according to the Bournemouth University release.

"The story can now be told of how a Dutch ship carrying North African gold was wrecked off the English coast, making this a discovery of international importance. It reminds us how much there is still to be found under our seas."

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You never know what secrets lie beneath the sea. There are most likely countless  discoveries waiting for someone to stumble across them and then follow on with the research to identify what was found. And as a matter of interest, Salcomb is a lovely spot with big hills rolling right down to the water and a most popular sailing spot for many. 

Until next time, stay safe.

                                         Fair Winds, 

                                              Old Salt