World Maritime Day

How to Celebrate World Maritime Day

Wondering how to celebrate World Maritime Day? Try out some of these ideas for enjoying and paying heed to this important day:

Learn More About the Shipping Industry

Those who know a seafarer or sailor should certainly ask them to share various stories about their adventures and escapades on the sea. If there’s no one nearby to meet with in person, head to the library or hop onto the internet to do some research to understand maritime industries a bit better.

Visit a Port or Maritime Museum

Living by the water can be delightful for a number of reasons and the accessibility to ships and maritime museums is an important one. Many port cities offer views of old ships that have been rescued and put on display for visitors to see. Others might offer guided tours with interesting information to learn about ships and boats first hand.

Maritime museums can be found in various port cities all over the world, including Bath, England; Amsterdam, Netherlands; Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Busan, South Korea; and Reykjavik, Iceland.

Watch a Film About Seafarers

One interesting way to celebrate World Maritime Day might be to watch an action or adventure film around the theme of sailors and seafarers. Check out some of these interesting tales of the sea:

• The Bounty (1984). Starring Anthony Hopkins and Mel Gibson, this movie tells the story of a crew that gets tired of their captain’s harshness and a mutiny arises on the HMS Bounty. It’s based on the true story of a British sea vessel from 1789.
• Master and Commander:The Far Side of the World (2003). Russell Crowe offers a stunning performance in this epic film about the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars. Crowe’s character, Captain Jack Aubrey, and his crew are sent to hunt down a French vessel that is near the South American coast.
• The Poseidon Adventure (1972). This classic film tells the story of a passenger ship that is on her way to being retired when it is hit by a tidal wave, turning everything upside down. The hero of the film is Reverend Scott, played by Gene Hackman, who leads the passengers to try to find safety. This film has an all-star, ensemble cast with five different Oscar winners.
• Captain Phillips (2009). Telling the true tale of a merchant mariner who was taken hostage by Somali pirates, this film stars Tom Hanks as the title character who makes a brave effort to save his crew.

Give a Little Nod to the Sea

Whether it’s visiting an aquarium, watching an old movie about seafarers or enjoying a lunch of fish and chips, World Maritime Day is all about raising awareness. Teachers can have a lesson about the sea at school, assign a reading of Moby Dick, or have students write an essay about the importance of sea travel and trade.

Perhaps it would be fun to don a sailor’s cap for work and then explain about World Maritime Day when people inquire about it, raising awareness for the day. Whatever the activity, take time to honor the work that takes place on the international seas!

Take a Boat Ride

Enjoy a little taste of life at sea by taking a ride on a boat in honor of World Maritime Day. Although it’s more likely for a person to be able to secure passage on a cruise ship or a local tour boat rather than a shipping vessel, it would still be a fun way to enjoy being on the water.