The lure of the sea has captivated many a soul that wanted to experience the gamut of emotions that only sailing or yachting affords. The awe of billions of stars – the thrill of smashing through the waves or the peace and tranquility of feeling almost alone on a calm ocean far from the hectic life of man.

There is something quite magical about traversing the immense power and span of the ocean. While one can feel small and insignificant, a mere speck in the sea, one can also feel an intense desire to conquer its potential dangers above and below the salty waters.

Traversing the ocean is not new to man. In fact, archeologists have discovered Native American fish hooks dated back to 5000 BC. Early humans used the prevailing winds to travel between islands – as did the master Portuguese sailors who sailed around the world. The prevailing winds and position of stars was a valid technology that helped many sea adventurers find there way. But it was the whaling captains that discovered the Gulf Stream by following the feeding path of the whales.

Populations grew exponentially and man being the curious creature that he is, continued his explorations of land and sea. Shipping routes were established, passenger ships became common and large scale fishing became big business. Pirating also became big business for some. With many uncharted islands pirates were able to successfully hoard untold treasures.

If the sea itself was not enough of a challenge for hearty sailors, pirates and other men of ill-repute created a fascination and even romanticism for those who were land bound. The stories told by sea-faring men of hurricane force winds, the hardships of long voyages and pirates and sea monsters, gave the creative minds of writers a multitude of characters, damsels in distress and daring do!

American author Herman Melville, wrote and published his novel “Moby Dick” in 1851. This story centers around Captain Ahab who seeks revenge on a ferocious, enigmatic white sperm whale that took his leg. Melville’s description of life as a sailor aboard a whaling ship is a narrative worth reading.

In 1869, Jules Verne published his novel “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas” a classic story that follows Captain Nemo and his then futuristic submarine, on an incredible under sea adventure. One of the most memorable parts of the story is the school of giant cuttlefish, better known as the giant octopus, pulling sea men down into the waters. Since then, sailors became somewhat obsessed with monsters under the sea.

The 1930s to the 1950s was truly a Golden Age of Pulp Fiction where sea adventures abound. They were called pulps because of the cheap high acid wood paper they were printed on. Although the idea was to read them then throw them away, they were often kept because of the exploitative stories and sensationally illustrated cover art. Today they are considered collectors items.

Literary scholars honed their writing skills in that era such as H.P. Lovecraft, Raymond Chandler, Ray Bradbury and Lester Dent, but none was more prolific a writer than L. Ron Hubbard. Although he was a master of all genres including air adventures, mysteries, tales from the orient, far flung adventure, westerns, fantasy and science fiction, he also wrote eight swashbuckling, thrilling sea adventure novels such as “Sea Fangs, Cargo of Coffins, False Cargo, Loot of the Shanung, Mister Tidwell Gunner, The Phantom Patrol, Twenty Fathoms Down and Under the Black Ensign.”
The woefully ill-equipped ships, damsels in distress, uncharted islands, unrelenting weather and vivid characters found in Hubbard’s books transport you into another place and time where one can follow the characters adventures and exploits on the high seas. Ahoy matie!

Author Bio: Frederick Duckworth is an advocate of lifelong learning through audio books on cd collections. Galaxy Press Publishing, publisher of “The Golden Age Stories” and all genres of pulp fiction stories and novels, offers a convenient subscription service, so you never have to miss an issue. It’s a pulp fiction lover’s dream!

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