Grazioso
Benincasa. Detail from a 1482 nautical chart depicting a galley and a
Portuguese caravel
My second project is over. All 29 papers have been uploaded and offered for discussion. I have realized my potential, acquiring more than 10 K readers. Even my previous projects: "Dawn and Sunset" and an unfinished African project, receive moderate interest.
It is time to start uploading articles from my current project, dubbed "The Fear and Thrill of Navigation."
I decided to present it not by chapters but by lumps. The apparent reason is to ramp up my readership. In addition, not all parts are ready, and I may need to revise them before uploading. I continue to research war galleys and sharpen my understanding of various issues.
I have to delay even this plan. I sent the first extract, "Galleys in the Medieval Mediterranean," to a few magazines and ,at least in one case, they told me that uploading the text on my site would exclude it from their consideration. I am unsure if they will endorse my writing, but I must respect their opinion.
This extract is part of the introduction to my third project. It elaborates on the performance of galleys, their low freeboard, propulsion, their behavior in choppy seas, their manner of sailing (hugging the shoreline), wintering, and provisioning. I also attached the reappraisal to summarize my ideas, notes, and the above illustration.
