Catching up on “Recent Projects” today. We have been working intensively for several weeks on an amazing story by Michael Kruse – The Last Voyage of the Bounty. The three day series published in the Tampa Bay Times and on tampabay.com, marking the anniversary of the sinking of the Bounty last October. The Bounty was overcome by mechanical failures as it faced Hurricane Sandy and sank off the coast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.

The replica of the HMS Bounty had originally been commissioned and built for the ’60s movie Mutiny on the Bounty with Marlon Brando. Over the years, the Bounty played cameo parts in other movies, including Pirates of the Caribbean. The ship also became a living museum, teaching many about wooden tall ships and the days of sailing adventures at sea. Bounty was a long-time attraction off the Pier here in St. Petersburg, Florida. A wannabe sailor myself, I remember taking my kids to see her when they were little, just after we moved down to the area. She always captured my imagination.

Unfortunately, as Hurricane Sandy threatened last year, the ship’s captain chose to sail, hoping to outrun the storm and avoid it altogether. Many have said that in a storm, a ship is safer at sea than in port where it can be battered mercilessly agains the docks and piers. Sadly, Sandy proved to be a monster storm that overcame the old ship when many of its aging systems failed. The captain and one crew member were lost. Sandy went on to destroy and even reshape the shores of New Jersey.

An amazing voyage, as told by Michael Kruse, with stunning illustrations by Don Morris that dramatically capture those critical moments. In video interviews by Maurice Rivenbark, surviving crew members recall the unfathomable events of their odyssey. I had the pleasure of collaborating on the design of this presentation, graphics and inter actives with Alexis Sanchez. This is the tale of the beloved ship, her crew and their last ill-fated voyage.

See the archived interactive report.

Related link: Illustrating the tall ship