Something for Hornblower fans - how camels work. Two water-filled boxes are lashed tightly to each side of a ship. When they are pumped out, they lift it, reducing its draft. Invented by the Dutch to get large warships out of shallow harbours. #DutchNavy #Tallships #Ageofsail

The latest Mariner's Mirror podcast features an interview with me. Available from the link below, or from wherever you get your podcasts - Spotify in my case. #AmReading #AlexanderClay #MarinersMirror

USS Constitution by Anton Fischer Her long career almost ended a month into the war of 1812, when she fell in with a Royal Navy squadron. She used her boats and ditched all her water to escape the British in a chase lasting two days and nights. #USNavy #RoyalNavy #AgeofSail

The frigate Højenhald by Christian Mølsted Seen after an attack on Copenhagen in 1659. The ship resisted repeated attacks made by Swedish troops across the ice. #DanishFleet #SwedishArmy #AgeofSail

USS United States by Geoff Hunt. She was one of the US Navy’s six original frigates authorized for construction by the Naval Act of 1794. #USNavy #Tallships #AgeofSail

American carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) in dry dock, giving some idea of her size. Her full complement is four and half thousand men. #USNavy #NavalAviation #IranWar

HMS Leopard pursued by the Dutch warship Waakzaamheid in the Roaring Forties by British artist Geoff Hunt. Readers of Patrick O’Brian may recognise it as the cover art for Desolation Island #RoyalNavy #Ageofsail #Navalfiction

Vessels in a swell at sunset by 19th century Ukrainian artist Ivan Aivazovsky A bit of calm in a stormy world #Tallships #Ageofsail #MarineArt

Fog Peril by American artist Thomas Hoyne The Grand Banks off Newfoundland was an area traditionally known for its abundance of cod and for its thick fogs. Add transatlantic liners to the mix, and what could possibly go wrong? #Canada #Liners #Fishing

The Spring issue of Quarterdeck Magazine is available on line via the link below, for those interested in ships and the sea. Enjoy.

On the Deck of the Frigate Svetlana by 19th century Russian artist Alexander Beggrov The raised platform running between the sides was known as a bridge, and was becoming the main command centre of a warship in this period. #Steam #RussianNavy #Ironclad

HMS Victory, newly restored by British artist William Lionel Wyllie Due to be scrapped, she was saved by a public outcry. She was restored by donations organised by the Society for Nautical Research. In 1928 she opened as a museum ship. #Nelson #Trafalgar #RoyalNavy

Seascape by 19th century French artist Jules Noël #Maritime #Sea #Ageofsail

Published Worldwide Today - Clay and the Sublime Porte Book 12 in the Alexander Clay series Available on Amazon as a paperback or ebook #AmReading #AlexanderClay #RoyalNavy

Ship at night by Marek Rużyk #RoyalNavy #Sea #Ageofsail

French ship of the line Foudroyant by Auguste Mayer. Early 18th century ships may have been cumbersome, un-weatherly and struggled to operate in winter, but they did look magnificent. #FrenchNavy #LouisXIV #Ageofsail

HMS Warrior by David Bell She was an Alfred-class 74-gun ship of the line, launched in 1781 at Portsmouth #RoyalNavy #NapoleonicWars #Ageofsail

‘A huge stone cannon ball, sir,’ reported Taylor returning from the bow. ‘It hit one of the anchors and shattered. The forecastle looks like Deal beach, and poor Mr Hutchinson is quite covered in dust.’ Clay and the Sublime Porte – coming soon #AmReading #AlexanderClay #RoyalNavy

The Ij by 20th century Dutch painter Peter J. Sterkenburg The Ij is the name of the bay that once served as an anchorage for Amsterdam. #DutchNavy #DutchEastIndiaCompany #Tallships

Fight of the Wagram by Auguste Mayer Wagram was a French first rate built in 1810. The picture shows a clash between French ships and the British Mediterranean Fleet in 1813 during which she helped her out-numbered squadron escape destruction. #FrenchNavy #NapoleonicWar #RoyalNavy

Colin Baxter has produced another superb picture for the cover of my latest Clay novel. It shows a scene from the book when two 74s attack a Turkish shore battery. Clay and the Sublime Porte – coming soon #AmReading #AlexanderClay #RoyalNavy

Summer morning by British marine artist Montague Dawson #Sea #Ships #RoyalNavy

USS Philadelphia on fire in the port of Tripoli, by Edward Moran She was a 36-gun frigate that was captured during the First Barbary War in 1803 after she ran aground. A few months later she was destroyed in a daring US Navy raid. #BarbaryPirates #FirstFrigates #USNavy

‘The wind is shifting, Sir John,’ said Clay. ‘And we are here on the shores of the Aegean, where history was born. The ancients would take it as an omen that the Gods favour us. I say we force our way through to Constantinople.’ Clay and the Sublime Porte – coming soon #AmReading #RoyalNavy

Just in Time by 19th century British artist Thomas Rose Miles #Rescue #Sea #Lifeboat

Another Clay… …is on its way I’ve just sent the completed manuscript for book 12 in the Alexander Clay series, Clay and the Sublime Porte, to my editor. #AmReading #AlexanderClay #RoyalNavy

Thank you to all my readers and followers for their support in 2025. Hope you have a lovely Christmas with those who mean most to you. #Xmas #tallships #Amreading

The Pig Must be caught by Danish artist Christian Mølsted Turkeys are so much easier… #Baltic #Tallships #Danishnavy

Attack on HMS Dictator by Christian Mølsted After the surrender and internment of the Danish battle fleet by the Royal Navy in 1807, Denmark continued the war using swarms of gunboats during calm weather, when they could outmanoeuvre their larger opponents. #Baltic #RoyalNavy #Danishnavy

The Adieu by Edmund Blair Leighton #sea #tallships #royalnavy

The latest issue of Quarterdeck is out - with a nice article from my fellow author Alaric Bond, writer of the Fighting Sails series of Nautical fiction. #amreading #navalfiction #royalnavy

The Fortune of War by British artist Geoff Hunt This was the artwork used for the novel of the same title by Patrick O’Brian #AubreyMaturin #RoyalNavy #Ageofsail

USS Iowa (BB61) passing through the Panama Canal after her return to service in the 1980s. Iowa class battleships were designed with a beam that would (just) fit through the canal’s locks. #USNavy #WW2 #Panama #Battleships

The Captain's Wife by 19th century Norwegian artist Carl Sundt-Hansen #MerchantNavy #Sea #Womenatsea #sailors

HMS Easton in drydock after ramming and sinking U458 in 1943 While effective as a tactic, ramming was discouraged by the Admiralty because the escort ship was then taken out of service for a considerable period. #RoyalNavy #GermanNavy #WW2

220 years ago today – Admiral Collingwood’s despatches with news of victory at Trafalgar and the death of Nelson, arrived in London, brought by HMS Pickle The picture is HMS Pickle, Bringer of News, by British marine artist Richard Grenville #RoyalNavy #OnThisDay #Trafalgar

Savannah by British Marine artist John Stobart. Stobart is best known for his 19th century harbour scenes, many of American ports at night. #MaritimeArt #Tallships #Ageofsail

220 years ago today the Battle of Trafalgar was fought Nelson’s final entry in his journal was a prayer 'May God grant to my country a great and glorious victory and may humanity after victory be the predominant feature in the British fleet.' #RoyalNavy #FrenchNavy #SpanishNavy

Squadron of the Blue by 18th century maritime artist Dominic Serres Showing Royal Navy officers, including the commanding admiral, returning to their ships from shore. #MaritimeArt #RoyalNavy #Ageofsail

In 1794, British privateers captured French scientist Joseph Dombey sailing to the US. He was coming at the invitation of Thomas Jefferson with kilogram and meter standards to introduce the newly developed metric system there, but never arrived. #USA #FrenchNavy #RoyalNavy

HMS King George V on arctic duty in WW2. Churchill called the convoy route to Murmansk in the Soviet arctic the “worst journey on earth,” with good reason. U-boats, air attack, surface raiders and of course the cold. My novel 'The Wolves in Winter' is set here. #Arctic #WW2 #RoyalNavy

Photo taken within the wreck of HMS Terror. She was part of Franklin’s doomed last expedition to find the Northwest Passage in the 1840s, and was rediscovered off King William Island by Parks Canada ten years ago. I have the same plates on my dresser #Arctic #Canada #RoyalNavy #PolarExploration

Born on this day in 1758, Horatio Nelson This portrait by Lemuel Francis Abbott was done shortly after he lost his arm – temporary black ribbons can be seen securing the seam of his right sleeve to permit access to the wound. #Nelson #Ageofsail #RoyalNavy #Trafalgar

Farewell to England - HMS Victory leaving St. Helen's at dawn, 15 September 1805. A new picture by Geoff Hunt #Nelson #Ageofsail #RoyalNavy #Trafalgar

Trimming the sails by British marine artist Montague Dawson Born in 1890, he was a keen sailor who served in the Royal Navy during WW1. His firsthand experience of ships and the sea gives his work a gritty authenticity. #Tallships #Ageofsail #Sea

Lone Wolf is now out on Audio Book Read once more by Symon Sweet, the action moves into American waters as the US enters the Battle of the Atlantic “Naval historical fiction doesn’t get much better than this fantastic book.” Editor’s Pick by the Historical Novel Society #WW2 #RoyalNavy #USNavy

Damage to the conning tower of U-37 sustained from a depth charge after being attacked by Royal Navy destroyers HMS Keppel and HMS Watchman in October 1939. The image has been colourised. #WW2 #BattleoftheAtlantic #RoyalNavy #GermanNavy

Chittagong in Bangladesh – where ships go to die. #Ships #Pollution #Sea

Escaping Smuggler by Montague Dawson ‘Brandy for the Parson, 'Baccy for the Clerk.’ High import duty on luxury goods during the 18th century resulted in violent battles between smugglers and the Excise service in British coastal waters. #Ageofsail #smuggling #sea

Wonderful review for Lone Wolf has just been posted by the Historical Novel Society “Naval historical fiction doesn’t get much better than this fantastic book.” You can see it in full below. #WW2 #RoyalNavy #UBoats