Deftly weaving history, science, and culture, he looks at a fascinating array of subjects--historic vessels, amazing voyages, extraordinary figures, technical details, and cultural phenomena. Throughout the book, van der Veken 's vibrantly colored, retro-futurist illustrations are as beautiful as they are informative. Readers will learn:
- Why seas have streets
- Which bodies of water are considered cursed
- How a ship stays afloat
- How to use a sextant
- How lighthouses work.