IN THIS ISSUE   Profile of G. Serpell Edwards, PhD Victor Noble Memorial Collection Mayflower Walruses Famous Quote Meetings at HMM HMM Mission Statement

Profile of G. Serpell Edwards, PhD       Serpell Edwards is the President of the Houston Maritime Museum.   Serpell received a doctorate in Oceanography in 1972 from Texas A&M University.  He recently retired after working 31 years as a research-scientist for ChevronTexaco.  His work took him to various countries including Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Venezuela, and Columbia.   Serpell has been a resident of Houston since 1956.  He has also been involved with archeological digs with other Houston museums.  He was the Diving Safety Officer for the group that discovered the wreck of the Spanish treasure ship, the San Estaban, on Padre Island in 1554.

Victor Noble Memorial Collection   The Houston Maritime Museum is proud to announce that we were recently selected by Fathers David and Bruce Noble as the repository for the Victor Noble Memorial Collection of nautical maps, charts, etchings and engravings.   Fathers David and Bruce Noble are collectors and collators who share the hope that these significant arts and artifacts be available for educational purposes.   The collection is now traveling and will be on display at the Science Spectrum in Lubbock, TX from February 15, 2005 to June 30, 2005.

Mayflower   The most famous ship in American History is the Mayflower.  This ship of about 180 tons has these approximate dimensions:               .  52 – 73 feet along her keel             .  24 – 27 foot beam             .  10 – 13 foot depth

The Mayflower set out from Southampton, England on August 5, 1620 with 100 passengers plus the crew.  She made two stops at Dartmouth and Plymouth before continuing on her final departure on September 6, 1620.   There was one death and two babies born on board giving a total of 101 passengers.  After a journey of 67 days and many fierce storms the ship reached land near Nauset, Cape Cod on November 9, 1620.   Captain Christopher Jones explored this area for several weeks in the Mayflower’s small boat and on December 11 moved the Mayflower to what is now called Plymouth Harbour.   There is a beautiful model of the Mayflower on display at the Houston Maritime Museum.

Walruses   Walruses are found in the Arctic Ocean.  They weigh an average of 2000 pounds and live up to 40 years.   Walruses can dive to 300 feet to feed on the ocean floor for as long as 12 minutes before surfacing.  Their bellows can be heard up to ½ mile away.   They are hairless and have no external ears.  They have two tusks that they use to climb up on ice, stir up clams and in fighting.  They have two reverse hind flippers facing forward and two forward flippers facing aft.  The fore and aft flippers facilitate locomotion over ice.   The Houston Maritime Museum has a walrus tusk with scrimshaw engraving on display.  The engraving was made by a sailor on the ship “James Allen” in 1830.

Famous Quote   “Ideals are like the stars – we never reach them but like the mariners on the sea, we chart our course by them.”   Carl Schurz

Meetings at HMM   The World War II Merchant Marine Veterans meet on site at the Museum every other month.  For more information, contact Bob Thornton at (713) 665-1276.   The Gulf Coast Historical Ship Modelers’ Society meets at the Museum every other month, the second Friday from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.  For additional information, call Charlie Cozewith at (713) 661-1807.