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Tales of the Sea

Tales of the Sea

by Mark Winkworth

Performing Arts Places & Travel

Season 3

Unfathomable with author Mary Boone

If we're going to preserve and protect our oceans for generations to come, we need to start with the next generation, with curiosity as the entry point, and storytelling as the key, which brings us to today's guest. Mary Boone is an award-winning author whose new book, Unfathomable: 20 Wild But True Stories About the Ocean is exactly the kind of work the ocean needs right now. The book is funny, it's dramatic, it's occasionally gross in the best possible way, and it's quietly powerfully building a new generation of ocean advocates, one astonished young reader at a time. In one story,

Oyster Society with author Virginia Shaffer

My guest today has spent over a decade researching oysters, the people, the places, and the stories behind them. She's a food writer, a certified oyster sommelier, the founder of Lady Oyster Tours & Tastings, Maine's first oyster culinary tour company, and the author of a brand new book, Oyster Society: Adventures with the Shellfishly Motivated. The book is a real page turner for anyone who wants to know anything and everything about oysters.

A Rising Tide Lifts All Boats

The other morning on my walk down Commercial Street here in Portland, I was watching the lobster boats unload at the wharf. Diesels were rumbling and seagulls circling, hoping for a morning snack. A busy working harbor before much of the city is awake. A school bus rolled past me with kids’ faces pressed to the windows. A few of them looked out at the fishing boats like it was a totally new sight – and for some – it was. Some of the kids live no more than a few minutes from the harbor. But odds are that many of them have never been on a boat. Never been on the water. Not because they didn't want to, but because they never had the opportunity. Meanwhile, the fishing industry that built this state is in danger of aging out. Including the lobster industry . Last fall, in 2025, Maine lost Virginia “Ginny” Oliver, better known as the lobster lady. She was 101 years young. Ginny had started hauling traps when she was just eight years old. The New Times even did an article on her long career, along with Public Radio and countless magazines and newspapers. She was still lobstering up until the day she passed. Today's episode is all about an organization here in Portland that is trying to close the gap – between young people who have never considered a career on the water – and those who have spent their whole lives fishing. It’s an innovative initiative called Lift All Boats. I’ll be talking with Ben Coniff and Miranda Shin, two people who are actively introducing high school kids, ages 15-18 into the fishing industry through a lobster fishing mentorship program. The goal is to get more young people started on their way to obtaining a very-hard-to-get lobstering license.

Survival at Sea "Rope" with Tim Queeney

Today I want to talk about a discovery humans have taken for granted for thousands of years — something woven into every great voyage in history. Every age of discovery, every battle at sea, every whaling hunt, every shipwreck — held together, quite literally, by miles and miles of it. And yet, almost no one ever thinks about it. My guest today however does. Tim Queeney is the author of Rope: How a Bundle of Twisted Fibers Became the Backbone of Civilization, and he’s joining me to talk about the maritime thread of that story — the ropewalks, the rigging, the disasters, the whalers, and the salty language we still use today without realizing where it came from.

Shipwrecks with James Delgado

Today we’re going to be talking about what I consider to be one of the most mysterious and fascinating subjects when it comes to the sea. Shipwrecks. What is it about a shipwreck that gets into our blood? Is it the mystery? The tragedy? The loss of life and the grief of those who lost loved ones. Or is it the feeling that somewhere beneath those waves, history is still waiting to be discovered? My guest today has made it his life's work to find out. James Delgado is a maritime archaeologist, National Geographic explorer and host of the television series, The Sea Hunters as well as the author of 33 books including The Great Museum of the Sea. James has dived on the Titanic the USS Arizona and more than 100 other sites.

Christmas at Sea

Many of you, I’m guessing, are familiar with the novel Treasure Island – the classic adventure of young Jim Hawkins who finds a map to a pirate’s buried treasure and embarks on a perilous voyage with a colorful crew including the infamous Long John Silver. You may also be familiar with another work, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde – the story of a respected London doctor who discovers a powerful potion that enables him to separate his good and evil natures. Good ultimately triumphs over evil – but not without some dastardly doings along the way. Both of these classic works are by the same author, the Scottish novelist, poet, essayist and travel writer, Robert Louis Stevenson. An only child, Robert was burdened with a lifetime of chronic illness – primarily respiratory in nature – and only lived to experience his 44th birthday. He is also the author of one of my favorite Holiday Poems. It is titled, Christmas at Sea. The poem describes how a square-rigged sailing ship has become caught between two headlands. The ship unable to make her escape because of the winds, tide and current. You sailors out there will relate to this situation when forces of nature prevent a sailboat from making progress to her desired destination. Enjoy.

Jellyfish Mysteries

Today I want to take a look at those strange-looking, gelatinous, floating blobs in the sea that often look like deflated balloons with long strings attached. In fact, this summer, beachgoers along the coast of Maine where I live, have observed some of these creatures as large as five feet in diameter, trailing tentacles as long as 100 feet. These sea creatures are collectively known as JELLYFISH (which seems like a cute enough name) but those who are in-the-know AVOID them like the plague - because some varieties can use their tentacles to STING you with needle-sharp, mini-harpoons called nematocysts - capable of injecting a toxic venom – causing pain, often a lot of pain – that can affect your respiratory system which can be extremely dangerous – and in severe cases even cause paralysis and death in as little as 20 minutes.

Season 2

Reading the Glass

After 30 years on board a wide range of ships, my guest today, Capt. Elliot Rappaport has shared his knowledge of the weather in a fascinating and engaging narrative published in 2023, it’s titled, Reading the Glass, a book that in my humble opinion (one shared by many reviewers as well) should be essential reading for every sailor – no matter their experience or background. Enjoy.

Friends of Casco Bay

Today we’re going to be talking about an important Portland, Maine based organization that concentrates on the preservation and protection of the seas around us – The Friends of Casco Bay. As I look out from my studio at the beautiful waters of Casco Bay, I find myself thinking - this place is gorgeous, this bay is a playground for sailors, kayakers, fisherman and boaters. The islands are taken care of, there’s no floating debris… the waters look healthy. And I know that doesn’t come with a lot of hard work.

Caviar Dreams

Today we're going to be talking about caviar, salted, processed fish eggs, or roe, the only kind that can truly be called caviar. Because it comes from various species of the anadromous fish, more commonly known as sturgeon. As early as the ninth century, the joys of eating caviar were on record over the centuries, this nutrient rich food was famously served by Russian czars, middle Eastern Shaws, and many other royalty, but also eaten by the common folk. That is until scarcity and price took it out of their reach. Joining me on this journey is George Faison, a market associate and caviar specialist at Brown Trading Company, the premier supplier of fine caviar and all things fish related to fine restaurants and home kitchens across the US Brown Trading Company is located right here in Portland, Maine. George has over 12 years of experience in aquaculture and has become an expert in sustainable seafood. Let's take a look at the source of these tasty fish eggs, how they're harvested, why they're so appreciated, and why they're real good stuff is so expensive. And why Caviar dream signify images of decadence and great luxury.

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