Maritime Historian and Archaeologist
Dr Sam Willis is a maritime historian and archaeologist. His writing is infused with his own experience and knowledge of seafaring. Before becoming a full time author he spent eighteen months at sea on square-rigged sailing ships which included work on the Hornblower TV series and on Channel 4’s award winning film Shackleton. The Shackleton project involved building a replica of Shackleton’s ship the Endurance and sailing her into an arctic ice pack.
On his return from the arctic Sam worked in the curatorial department of the historic ship, I.K. Brunel’s ss Great Britain, as the final stages of her innovative conservation plan were implemented. To arrest the rusting of the iron hull, a glass ‘sea’ was constructed that sealed the hull from the elements. Read more...
On his return from the arctic Sam worked in the curatorial department of the historic ship, I.K. Brunel’s ss Great Britain, as the final stages of her innovative conservation plan were implemented. To arrest the rusting of the iron hull, a glass ‘sea’ was constructed that sealed the hull from the elements. Read more...
Latest Blog:
Haiti today and Port Royal, Jamaica, in 1692
Whilst reading all the horror stories coming from Haiti, it is worth remembering that Haiti is opposite Jamaica where there was a devastating earthquake at Port Royal in 1692, which raised many of the same problems. Perhaps 5000 of a population of 6,500 died, but only 1/5th of those died in the actual earthquake. The [...]
