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Matteo Gramigni

@matteogramigni

Senior developer, http://oldweather.org Citizen Scientist, casual gamer and full-time dad of two

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Latest posts by Matteo Gramigni @matteogramigni

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USRC Thetis 1906 logs are full of surprises.

In August, after reaching Point Barrow, she met the Norwegian sloop GjΓΈa, led by Roald Amundsen and a crew of six, who had just managed to pass for the first time through the Northwest passage!

#NavalHistory #OldWeather

26.01.2026 11:37 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 4 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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The edited logs of USRC Thetis, 1903-04, US West Coast, Bering Sea, Alaskan, Russian and Hawaiian Waters, have been published, with three @journeyplotter.nl maps.
Many thanks to editor Matteo. πŸŒŽοΈβš“οΈ
www.naval-history.net/OW-US/Thetis...

19.01.2026 16:48 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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It's always fascinating when logs contain details of scientific relevance.

On 10th July 1906, USRC Thetis perform a reconnaissance of Bogoslof Island(s) after a major geological event. The hand drawn sketch is awesome.

1905-06 logs will appear soon on naval-history.net

#OldWeather #NavalHistory

15.01.2026 11:17 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 3 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Screenshot of Journey Plotter showing the 1879-1881 journey of USS Jeannette, and the events recorded in her log-book for Christmas Day 1880.

The pumping forward is done by hand at the spar deck bilge pump, and such water as filters aft, through and under the bulkhead, into the fire room, is pumped out by hand at the bilge pump attached to the main engine.
The steam cutter's boiler is used for distilling.
Sounded in 29 fathoms. Muddy bottom. A rapid drift to N.W. being indicated by the lead line.
Light breezes from N'd veering to S.S.E. by noon, and thereafter variable and very light until midnight. Falling barometer and pleasant temperature.
Low red dawn at 9am & bright starlight. At 9pm auroral streaks in N.W. radiating like a fan; at midnight an auroral arch extended from N.W. through zenith to S.E.

Captain’s Journal (vol. 2 p. 496):
The day was made as acceptable as possible fore and aft, by the providing of a good dinner from our resources. And I think we may refer to our bills of fare with pardonable pride. Our mince pies were a work of art; though they were made from pemmican and flavored by a bottle of brandy, they were as delicate to the taste as if compounded from beef fresh from market. Hot whiskey punch in the evening fore and aft brought an agreeable close to our second Christmas in the pack.

CHRISTMAS DINNER, 1880

CABIN:
The usual Saturday Soup
Roast Seal, Apple Jelly
Tongue
Macaroni
Tomatoes
Mince Pies
Plum Pudding
Figs
Raisins
Dates
Nuts
Candy
Chocolate and Coffee

BERTH DECK:
Soup
Roast Seal, Apple Jelly
Bacon (broiled)
Macaroni
Tomatoes
Mince Pies
Figs
Raisins
Dates
Nuts
Candy
Chocolate or Coffee

Screenshot of Journey Plotter showing the 1879-1881 journey of USS Jeannette, and the events recorded in her log-book for Christmas Day 1880. The pumping forward is done by hand at the spar deck bilge pump, and such water as filters aft, through and under the bulkhead, into the fire room, is pumped out by hand at the bilge pump attached to the main engine. The steam cutter's boiler is used for distilling. Sounded in 29 fathoms. Muddy bottom. A rapid drift to N.W. being indicated by the lead line. Light breezes from N'd veering to S.S.E. by noon, and thereafter variable and very light until midnight. Falling barometer and pleasant temperature. Low red dawn at 9am & bright starlight. At 9pm auroral streaks in N.W. radiating like a fan; at midnight an auroral arch extended from N.W. through zenith to S.E. Captain’s Journal (vol. 2 p. 496): The day was made as acceptable as possible fore and aft, by the providing of a good dinner from our resources. And I think we may refer to our bills of fare with pardonable pride. Our mince pies were a work of art; though they were made from pemmican and flavored by a bottle of brandy, they were as delicate to the taste as if compounded from beef fresh from market. Hot whiskey punch in the evening fore and aft brought an agreeable close to our second Christmas in the pack. CHRISTMAS DINNER, 1880 CABIN: The usual Saturday Soup Roast Seal, Apple Jelly Tongue Macaroni Tomatoes Mince Pies Plum Pudding Figs Raisins Dates Nuts Candy Chocolate and Coffee BERTH DECK: Soup Roast Seal, Apple Jelly Bacon (broiled) Macaroni Tomatoes Mince Pies Figs Raisins Dates Nuts Candy Chocolate or Coffee

#OTD 25 December 1880:
USS Jeannette is beset in ice for the second Christmas in a row.

Day's events also show part of Captain's journal, listing their Christmas menu.
"Our mince pies were a work of art; though they were made from pemmican and flavored by a bottle of brandy"

#NavalHistory #USNavy

25.12.2025 08:50 πŸ‘ 5 πŸ” 4 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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USRC Thetis logkeeper struggling with the Russian name of a seaman (should be Constantine Yakovlev - Π―ΠΊΠΎΠ²Π»Π΅Π² in his language). After Jokoflef, Jokofleff and Jkofliff he gives up and write just Constantine πŸ˜„

Luckily I could link all these names, sometimes it can be tricky

#NavalHistory #OldWeather

01.12.2025 09:11 πŸ‘ 6 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Under the command of Captain Schley, conning her from the crow's nest while searching for gaps in the ice, the rescue expedition led by Thetis managed to rescue 7 of the 25 members of Greely expedition and get back 6 of them in the United States.

A really awesome piece of #navalhistory

01.07.2025 11:51 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 4 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia: Minesweepers

Should be Two-Speed Destroyer Sweep: pwencycl.kgbudge.com/M/i/Mineswee...

26.02.2025 11:12 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Just in time for the new year, the edited logs of USRC Thetis 1901-02 have been published: www.naval-history.net/OW-US/Thetis...

Beside De Windt expedition and Mike Healy command, the logs are full, as always, of big and small fascinating details

#NavalHistory #OldWeather

31.12.2024 11:31 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Screenshot of Journey Plotter, showing part of the journey of HMS Inflexible and the events recorded in the log-book for 8 December 1914 - part 1/3

Screenshot of Journey Plotter, showing part of the journey of HMS Inflexible and the events recorded in the log-book for 8 December 1914 - part 1/3

Screenshot of Journey Plotter, showing part of the journey of HMS Inflexible and the events recorded in the log-book for 8 December 1914 - part 2/3

Screenshot of Journey Plotter, showing part of the journey of HMS Inflexible and the events recorded in the log-book for 8 December 1914 - part 2/3

Screenshot of Journey Plotter, showing part of the journey of HMS Inflexible and the events recorded in the log-book for 8 December 1914 - part 3/3

Screenshot of Journey Plotter, showing part of the journey of HMS Inflexible and the events recorded in the log-book for 8 December 1914 - part 3/3

#OTD 8 December 1914: #WW1 Battle of the Falklands: SMS Sharnhorst was sank.
HMS Inflexible's reports it in her logs, spread over 3 images included.
Includes after action report on the encounter with enemy, all ships involved, sinking of Sharnhorst, and a crew member killed in action.

#NavalHistory

08.12.2024 07:59 πŸ‘ 5 πŸ” 3 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Michael A. Healy - Wikipedia

While editing USRC Thetis I was quite surprised by the huge number of desertions in 1902 (55, against the 15 of 1901).

Then I realized that in April command had been taken by rehabilitated Captain "Hell Roaring Mike" Healy (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael...), not an easy guy for sure!

#NavalHistory

03.12.2024 15:23 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Screenshot of Journey Plotter, showing part of the journey of HMS Centaur and the events recorded in the log-book for 24 November 1918

Screenshot of Journey Plotter, showing part of the journey of HMS Centaur and the events recorded in the log-book for 24 November 1918

Not only the German dreadnought fleet surrendered after #WW1 #Armistice.

#OTD 24-11-1918: HMS Centaur reports arrival of next wave of German submarines at Harwich.
'7.11am: Sighted Transport "Alexander Woermann" and 28 German submarines arriving to surrender.'

#NavalHistory #History #RoyalNavy

24.11.2024 08:28 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 5 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
Screen capture of Journey Plotter, showing part of the 1914-1916 journey of HMS Ark Royal, including her time at the Dardanelles.

Screen capture of Journey Plotter, showing part of the 1914-1916 journey of HMS Ark Royal, including her time at the Dardanelles.

Screen capture of Journey Plotter, showing the 1879-1881 journey of USS Jamestown, which includes the Sitka Hurricane of 1880.

Screen capture of Journey Plotter, showing the 1879-1881 journey of USS Jamestown, which includes the Sitka Hurricane of 1880.

1/2 So many new followers, thank you!, time to reintroduce.

Journey Plotter is a free Windows application for visualizing journeys of vessels of #WW1 era, or #Arctic voyages of US vessels from the mid-19th century onwards.

More: www.journeyplotter.nl

#NavalHistory #MaritimeHistory #CitizenScience

19.11.2024 09:57 πŸ‘ 10 πŸ” 5 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

The first part of de Windt article about his expedition is readable in five chapters on archive.org:
bit.ly/3OdT3dd (first chapter)
bit.ly/4eDeteH (second chapter)
bit.ly/4fJ5YQk (third chapter)
bit.ly/4hSo6J4 (fourth chapter)
bit.ly/4eA83gb (fifth chapter, with 2 awesome pictures of USRC Thetis)

18.11.2024 15:52 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Harry de Windt article about his Paris-New York overland expedition in October 1902 issue of The World Wide Magazine

Harry de Windt article about his Paris-New York overland expedition in October 1902 issue of The World Wide Magazine

Every batch of logs has its awesome moments

In June 1902 USRC Thetis help RGS Fellow Harry de Windt and his team to cross Bering Strait and continue their overland Paris-New York expedition

Edited logs of Thetis 1901-02 will be available soon on naval-history.net website

#NavalHistory #OldWeather

18.11.2024 15:52 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 5 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 0
PT-139

That should indeed be the PT-139 "Zebra" in her awesome dazzle camouflage, picture was taken around 1942: www.navsource.org/archives/12/...

18.11.2024 09:34 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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In order to celebrate my move on Bluesky i'd like to share the current state of our #OldWeather database of obscure placenames, which has reached the quite impressive amount of 36000 (and counting) unique names.

Lists and maps are freely available in the files section of owtools.scienceontheweb.net

16.11.2024 12:33 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 4 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0