Around sixty thousand years ago, small groups of modern humans became the first explorers, leaving Africa to colonize the rest of the world. At least some heard the call of the sea, for archaeological evidence suggests humans had reached Australia by fifty thousand years ago. The early travelers in all likelihood followed the southern coast- line of Asia, built rafts, and traveled the roughly 155 miles across the open sea. Humans have been crossing the world's oceans, traveling up rivers, and plying the waters of lakes and bays, ever since.

Shipbuilding has evolved considerably since those first explorers made their trip. But seafarers bent on trade, exploration, and finding new lands to conquer continued to face tremendous risks. Little was known of the geography of waterways and coastlines, the ability to predict a storm was limited, and vessels were built of lashed-together reeds...