What We’re Watching
The Art of Boatbuilding Bob Emser is an internationally known artist and sculptor whose work has always been inspired by the way boats are constructed and their aesthetics. On his YouTube channel, The Art of Wooden Boatbuilding, Emser takes viewers on a journey through the process of boatbuilding as seen through his eyes—those of an artist and craftsman. Emser films the videos in his studio, which has been converted into a boatbuilding shop, and covers everything from keels and garboard planks to deep dives into tools such as planes, mallets and reefing hooks.
More salty reads
Coastal Culture Photographer Caryn B. Davis’ new coffee table-style book Connecticut Waters: Celebrating Our Coastline and Waterways takes readers on a nautical journey around the rivers, sounds, bays and shores of the Nutmeg State. Some 232 color pages show how lobstering, boatbuilding, oystering and fishing provide a living for many coastal Connecticut residents and how lighthouses, historic ferries, craggy islands and other bits of the state’s seascape make it unique. Readers will also get a peek at the coastal culture of Connecticut through antique boat shows, sailing regattas, sculling competitions and shad bakes, as well as an inside look at some of the stately homes that line Connecticut’s shorelines. ($28, Globe Pequot)
Surf’s Up Originally written for surfers, sailors, oceanographers and people who love the sea, Willard Bascom’s 1964 book Waves and Beaches: The Powerful Dynamics of Sea and Coast has for the second time been updated, this time by author Kim McCoy, who revised it with information on climate change data. McCoy spotlights ongoing transformations in coastal cities, seagoing vessels, energy supplies and global commerce and how it all contributes to rising sea levels. New text and photos illustrate events such as the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 and Hurricane Katrina’s effects on low-lying Gulf Coast communities. The book also addresses the effect of wind and waves and beach and dune environments. ($30, Patagonia)
NOW PLAYING
It’s a fact that reading a magazine while driving your car, standing watch on your boat or any number of other related activities is not conducive to good safety. Soundings readers will be glad to know that they now can listen to some of the best content from the print and digital versions of the magazine by tuning into or downloading episodes of Talkin’ Boats with Soundings, which is available on Spotify, iTunes, iHeart Radio and Stitcher. New podcast episodes are free, and they’re added about once a week with stories read by Soundings editors.
