“I'm on a boat, I'm on a boat…Everybody look at me 'cause I'm sailing on a boat”…umm, it’s a ship. Seas the day on #NationalMaritimeDay! Did you know Salem, Massachusetts was a national leader in maritime trade during the 18th and 19th century? Salem crews transported local products like timber and dried salt cod fish on long and dangerous trips, trading them at ports all around the globe. Looking to maximize profits from the voyages, decisions about what to trade were driven by the demands of consumers, both in America and abroad. Voyages could last from a few months to well over a year. On larger ships the the crew would include specialized workers, including cooks, carpenters, and sailmakers. Most day-to-day work was overseen by the first and second mates. A specialized job, a ship's supercargo was the owner’s representative and conducted business and trading in port. You can learn about maritime heritage at many coastal parks, including @salemmaritimenps and @sfmaritimenps. I...