The History of the USCG Captain's License: From Steamboat Inspectors to Modern Mariners
The journey to becoming a licensed captain in the United States Coast Guard (USCG) has a rich history, evolving alongside the nation's maritime industry. It's a story of increasing safety standards, technological advancements, and the professionalization of mariners.
Read more: The History of the USCG Captain's License: From Steamboat Inspectors to Modern Mariners
The doldrums, also known as the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), are a nautical term for the area around the equator where the trade winds meet. This region of calm or very light winds can make sailing ships becalmed for days or even weeks. The doldrums are caused by warm, moist air rising at the equator. This rising air creates an area of low pressure, which draws in air from the north and south. However, because the Earth is rotating, the Coriolis effect deflects this air to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and the left in the Southern Hemisphere. This means the air does not flow directly towards the equator but instead flows parallel to it. As a result, there is very little wind in the doldrums.