• Jamestown (1866)

    "Currently" (early 1867) we are in Panama Bay and suffering through a Yellow Fever epidemic! Later in 1867 the Jamestown joined the North Pacific Squadron and was stationed at Sitka, Alaska, when this vast territory was purchased from Russia. The Jamestown cruised the western Pacific and served as a marine school vessel in Hawaii until 1879.

  • Jamestown (1844)

    The Jamestown was the flagship of the Africa Squadron tasked with the suppression of the slave trade for much of its early career. At the beginning of the Civil War the Jamestown was assigned to the Atlantic Blockading Squadron where she captured or destroyed five rebel vessels. In 1862 she was dispatched to the Pacific to protect Union shipping from Confederate commerce-raiders.

  • Jeannette

    USS Jeannette: ex-British Philomel-class wooden gunvessel Pandora, laid down 30 March 1860, launched 7 February 1861, commissioned September 1861.

  • Albatross (1900)

    From 1900 to the beginning of World War I the Albatross conducted surveys of Alaskan and eastern Pacific waters, interrupted by a two and a half year expedition to the Philippines and neighboring regions. The ship underwent a major refit in 1913 before returning to work in Alaska.

  • Bear

    US Revenue Cutter Bear: steam sailing ship, built in 1874, afloat for 89 years; served in two World Wars, spent 40 years sailing in the Bering Sea and Alaskan waters on a variety of duties. Possibly the most famous ship in the Coast Guard.

  • Perry

    Originally stationed on Lake Erie, the Perry sailed to the Pacific by way of Cape Horn in 1894, where she was assigned to the Bering Sea Patrol. The Perry was wrecked on Tonki Point in the Pribilof Islands in 1910. The crew was safely taken off by the revenue cutters Manning and Tahoma.

  • Albatross (1890)

    For most of the 1890s the Albatross was dedicated to fisheries investigations in Alaskan waters and the Bering Sea. During this period the ship also carried the famous zoologist Alexander Agassiz on an expedition to the Galapagos Islands and surveyed a route for an undersea cable between the United States and Hawaii. In 1899 the Albatross again carried Professor Agassiz on an expedition into the South Pacific and visited ten different island groups from the Marquesas to the Northern Mariana Islands.

  • Albatross (1884)

    The Albatross is said to have been the first vessel ever built especially for marine research. Operated by the Navy on behalf of the United State Fish Commission, the Albatross conducted hydrographic and biological investigations in the Caribbean, in the Gulf Stream and along the east coast of North America. In 1887 the ship sailed to the Pacific coast, by way of the Straits of Magellan and the Galapagos Islands. The first of many research cruises into Alaskan waters followed.

  • Yukon

    The US Coast Survey schooner Yukon was among first vessels to survey the waters of Alaska after its purchase from Russia in 1867. A second Yukon (a small steamer) continued the work into the 1920s. The logs of the two vessels are combined in this series.

  • Unalga (II)

    USCGC Unalga: diesel-engined freighter, Alamosa-class, built by Leatham D. Smith Shipbuilding Company, Sturgeon Bay. Launched 13 March 1945, commissioned as mercantile 10 April 1945.

  • Jamestown (1886)

    Sailing as a training ship, the Jamestown cruised the Atlantic until decommissioning at Norfolk in 1892. The ship was converted into a quarantine station for the Marine Hospital Service and served in that capacity in Hampton Roads until destroyed by fire in 1913.

  • Jamestown (1879)

    The Jamestown was stationed at Sitka, Alaska, for a second time in 1879, in order to survey the harbor and protect American interests. In 1882 she sailed to the Atlantic by way of Cape Horn, where she operated as an apprentice training ship.

  • Unalga (I)

    US Revenue Cutter Unalga: one of two Miami-class steam cutters built by Newport News Shipbuilding Company, Newport News, VA, at a cost of $250,000, launched 10 February 1912, commissioned 23 May 1912.

  • Patterson

    At 12:30 the fog suddenly disappeared - it was flat calm and a dark blue-black cloud was seen to the westward. Notified the Commanding Officers that there was probably a volcanic explosion and by this time some solid particles in the atmosphere could be felt by the eyes and soon it began to collect on the deck…The cloud now spread to the southward and at 1:30 it was so dark that it was necessary to start the dynamo.

  • Yorktown

    USS Yorktown: twin screw, steel-hulled patrol gunboat, Gunboat No.1, later PG-1, Yorktown-class, built by William Cramp and Sons, Philadelphia, PA, laid down 14 May 1887, launched 28 April 1888, commissioned at League Island, Philadelphia Navy Yard 23 April 1889.

  • Vicksburg

    USS Vicksburg: patrol gunboat of Annapolis-class, built by Bath Iron Works, Bath, ME, laid down March 1896, launched 5 December 1896 and commissioned at Portsmouth Navy Yard. First commanded by Cdr A B H Lillie.

  • Thetis

    US Revenue Cutter Thetis: barquentine-rigged steamship, served mainly in Alaskan and Hawaiian waters, much of her time protecting the seals of the Bering Sea and the birds of the Hawaiian Islands.

  • Pioneer

    USC Pioneer: steamer, built by Gas Engine & Power Company, Morris Heights, New York, in 1918 as Bird-class minesweeper USS Osprey.

  • Concord

    USS Concord: a Yorktown-class gunboat built by Delaware River Iron Works, laid down May 1888, launched 8 March 1890. Commissioned on 14 February 1891 with a crew of 187, first commanded by Cdr O. A. Batcheller. Log Period 1891-1929. Service in West Indies and South America, Asiatic Station, Alaskan waters, 1898 Battle of Manila Bay, South and South West Pacific, Yangtze Patrol.

  • Rodgers

    USS Rodgers: originally a steam whaler, acquired in 1881 to search for USS Jeanette trapped in the Arctic ice. Destroyed by fire in St Lawrence Bay, Siberia, only months after her search commenced.

  • Rush

    US Revenue Cutter RUSH – schooner-rigged steamship. spent 11 years off the coasts of California, Oregon, Washington and Alaska before being rebuilt in 1885, on a larger hull as RUSH (II).

Old Weather: Our Weather’s Past,
the Climate’s Future

Introduction

Help scientists recover Arctic and worldwide weather observations made by United States ships since the mid-19th century by transcribing ships' logs. These transcriptions will contribute to climate model projections and will improve our knowledge of past environmental conditions. Historians will use your work to track past ship movements and tell the stories of the people on board.

Illustrations_1
Follow vessels

Choose your voyage by joining a vessel

Illustrations_2
Digitise pages

Earn points on each ship. Every page counts

Illustrations_3
Get promoted

Work your way up from Cadet to Lieutenant and even become Captain

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Project Statistics

Old Weather transcriptions so far

50%

OF THE LOGS COMPLETED

Arctic

77,308 PAGES DONE

8VOYAGES DONE

Why Scientists Need You

Scientists explain why your contributions are vital, and what they’re doing with your results behind the scenes. More Information

What_is_old_weather

Using old weather observations to predict the climate's future.

Historic_data

Learn about our log books and the people who kept them.

Climate_data

How the data from logs is used to build climate models.

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