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Ocean Portal by The Smithsonian Institution

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IMAGE GALLERY Pirates of the Golden Age Meet seven of the most fearsome pirates from the Golden Age of Piracy. Like pirates? Read more about William Dampier, a most fearsome pirate -- and naturalist.MORE GALLERIES


	VIDEO MORE VIDEOS Protecting Titanic: 100 Years Later One hundred years after it sank on April 15, the RMS Titanic still rests on the...
	PHOTO MORE PHOTOS Giant Squid Myth A giant squid attacks a boat - something that has not been known to happen in re...
	BLOG POST MORE STORIES Still Blue After a Century of Ocean Science and Exploration This year marks 100 years since the National Museum of Natural History opened it...

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					Fish Swim Around Shipwreck Mar 11, 2013 - 7:27AMFish swim around the wreck of the HMT Bedfordshire, an Arctic fishing trawler that was converted into an anti-submarine warship during World War II. Originally part of Great Britain's Royal Navy, it was sent to assist the...

First Giant Squid Photo

Mar 6, 2013 - 8:27AM

This 1874 photo of a squid draped over a bathtub was the first ever taken of...

Whale Products in Fashion

Jan 23, 2013 - 12:35PM

In the 19th century, "whalebone" was an important fashion tool—however, it...

SPOTLIGHT


The Sant Ocean Hall: Salmon Shape a Way of Life Boats Connect Us to the Ocean More than any other objects, boats symbolize human connection to the ocean. As you look...

Ocean Symbols in Ceremonial Art Jan 26 2010 - 11:45am Decorated ceremonial regalia—like this eagle claw holding a salmon, and the sculpin headdress—symbolize the importance of ocean fish to Native communities.	Portrait of Blackbeard Jul 7 2010 - 12:26pm Blackbeard may have been the most notorious pirate of all. Fierce and ferocious-looking, he stood 6’4” tall and had wild eyes and an explosive temper. To add to the effect, he tucked slow-burning cannon fuses under his hat. See some Blackbeard relics.
Basque Whalers Jan 26 2010 - 11:45am Close-up of a 17th century painting shows how whales were brought ashore for processing and their blubber rendered into marketable oil. More about the right whale can be found in our Tale of a Whale photo essay.	Ad for Whale Baleen Umbrellas Jan 26 2010 - 11:46am Whale baleen, the stiff bristly mouthparts that sieve small prey from the water, was strong yet flexible, and was used to provide structure in many human products, including umbrellas, corsets, and whips. Right whales were easy, lucrative prey. However, it's not used anymore: this species is...
Inupiat Harpoon Box Jan 26 2010 - 11:45am During whale hunts, this carved whale box stored harpoon blades like the three shown beside it. "Living" inside the box was meant to give the blades spiritual powers to carry a harpoon back to the blade's "home" in the whale.	Around the World Again...and Again Jul 27 2010 - 3:05pm The Final Journey…and Long-Awaited Fortune Dampier’s third and last voyage around the globe, in 1708, was also a privateering expedition. On this trip he rescued Alexander Selkirk, a pirate who had been stranded on Juan Fernandez Island off the coast of Chile for five years.
Excavation of an Inuit House Sep 9 2011 - 3:11pm Excavations between 2002 through 2011 at Hare Harbor have shown that this site was a whaling and fishing station occupied by Basque and Inuit assistants ca. 1680-1730. Archaeologists have uncovered a cookhouse, a blacksmith shop, and the remains of several Inuit winter houses like the one seen here...	Celebratory Harvest in Papua New Guinea Nov 18 2010 - 6:13pm A fisherman in Papua New Guinea shows his catch for a ceremonial feast. Communities there are successfully managing their local reefs by observing temporary fishing closures that end in time to celebrate the traditional feast.
Inupiat Ceremonial Mask Jan 26 2010 - 11:45am Made from spruce wood and caribou teeth, this mask was worn in ceremonies of thanksgiving. It sits atop a decorative breastplate with images of whaling crews in skin boats called umiaks.	New Guinea Bat Jul 13 2010 - 3:33pm In 1699, accompanied by a shipboard artist, William Dampier conducted the first scientific investigation of the plants and animals of Australia (then known as New Holland). From there he and his crew sailed to New Guinea, where Dampier had his artist draw this bat with a four-foot wingspan and...
Salmon Skin Mittens Jan 26 2010 - 11:45am Crafted from the skins of salmon, these mittens are naturally waterproof. They kept hands dry while paddling or working with fish nets. Learn more about Northwest Pacific cultures and marine life in the Raven Spirit photo essay.	Pirate Flag of Stede Bonnett Jul 6 2010 - 4:50pm Pirate Stede Bonnett flew this flag. Watch a slideshow about legendary pirates of the Golden Age.
Fresh Shellfish for Sale Nov 18 2010 - 5:20pm A local woman sells live shellfish from her boat in Halong Bay, Vietnam.	Canoe Figurehead Jan 26 2010 - 11:45am With the sun in its beak, a raven figurehead points the way for the Raven Spirit canoe, now on display at the Smithsonian Institution. More about raven spirit can be found in our Raven Spirit featured story.
Pirates Ply the Ocean Jul 23 2010 - 4:15pm The ocean was the world's highway, and ships brimming with precious cargoes plied the waters. These merchant ships were tempting targets for pirates, who prowled the seas' major trade routes in search of treasure. Ever since the first oceangoing ships set sail centuries ago, pirates have been...	Celebrating Traditional Canoes Jan 26 2010 - 11:45am Members of the Squamish Nation paddle their canoe to a 1997 festival celebrating traditional Native canoe arts. Native peoples of the Northwest Coast believe each canoe has its own spirit. Designs on their canoes reflect this spiritual relationship with the natural world.