Boberic: Well said, and quite true. Although WWII was before my time, I've read enough books and talked with enough WWII veteran merchant mariners to know how harrowing it was , especially on trips like the infamous Murmansk Run. One of my instructors at the Academy let slip one day that he had served on five ships that had been torpedoed! What are the odds of surviving that? In reference to the relative anonymity of the USMMA, we used to tell this joke: "Did you know that the Coast Guard is the least known of the four federal acdademies?" (The joke being that there are in fact FIVE [counting Kings Point]). Anyway, I ramble. One correction: the Academy is in Kings Point, NY (the next town over from Great Neck). But still, I appreciate your comment. jdm

Ah, my home town. Great shot! jdm

I sailed in the merchant marine years ago and later got a degree from the University of Michigan in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering. Those experiences gave me a love of and appreciation for ships and all other kinds of watercraft. jdm

Restored Lliberty Ship SS JOHN W BROWN in Baltimore


Paddlewheel CHAUTAUQUA BELLE, Lake Chautauqua, NY


PRIDE O'BALTIMORE, Chesapeake Bay


Tugboat in Baltimore harbor


Nuclear ship NS SAVANNAH in Baltimore


MV ZUIDERDAM


AIDAluna in Aruba


ATLAS III in Panama Canal


Containership Silhouette


Silhouette of modern Fishing Boat


Panama Canal Tugboats


Yacht ESLAMORADA in the Panama Canal


HMS QUEEN MARY in Long Beach, CA


Russian Submarine in Long Beach, CA


Chilaean Tall Ship ESMARALDA in NYC Harbor


USS MISSOURI in Bremerton, WA


Model Sailboat race at The Villages, FL


USS GREAT SITKIN in Myconos, Greece


Plimsoll Marks on the side of a ship

Actually, I didn't enjoy the bull fights themselves for all the brutality to the bulls (my wife will never go back). I did find the colors, ceremony, and action very photogenic and enjoyed enhancing the pictures in Photoshop. The last picture of the bull standing wounded and alone I think is very powerful and majestic. I apologize if these pictures offended anyone. jdm

Thank you. Actually that blurred shot won second prize in the local newspaper weekly photo contest -- my one and only prize ever. jdm

These pictures were taken in Marbella,Spain at the bull ring there on Sept 25, 2011. I was shooting with a Nikon D300S with a 18-200 mm zoom lens, hand-held. All images were Photosshopped to some extent to enhance color and/or to achieve some other effect. John Marks

One of my favorite places on earth is Ecola State Park just north of Cannon Beach, OR: Great serenity, lots of photo ops, and unrivaled scenic beauty.