The Cutty Sark, Google and Cape Town
As a younger lessgrump man, I spent over a year sailing the Atlantic USA and Caribbean as mate, engineer and sometimes acting Captain of a 175ft three masted topsail schooner (the: Port Bougainville/Eric Borgman). It was an amazing time, a private vessel sailed by professionals (mostly). My teachers were the Portuguese ex bosun of the Sagres, Gesuino and Captain Jack Showers (not Sparrow, I met him later). I learnt a lot about the tall ships that sailed at the end of the 19th century. The clippers like the Cutty Sark and the famous iron masted P ships that rounded the Horn to Chile were the pinnacle of engineering- the end product of a millennia of refinements to the art of moving cargo across inhospitable oceans with just the power of the wind and iron men.
I have seen the Cutty Sark at Greenwich and while its a magnificent site, one cant really appreciate her as she sits in dry dock, the underwater lines can perhaps be appreciated by a student of naval design (most sailors), but the hull looks a bit squat out of the water, its a cargo ship remember. I am sure that only when you see her afloat and sailing can the real power and beauty of this tea clipper become apparent. The recent fire is a tragedy, sailing or squatting I certainly hope she is restorable- I have a hope they will restore her to full sailing capability, I would give my left nut to be passed by her on the ocean, but i doubt that will happen.
I was doing a google search for the Cutty Sark and used a useful new search criteria, if you are looking for anything that may have a history or chronology, just append “view:timeline” (without the quotes) onto the end of your search term. Look at the timeline for the Cutty Sark . I was interested to see that the Cutty Sark was re-rigged and renamed the Maria do Amparo in Cape Town after being dismasted off the Cape of Good Hope in 1916. I will be in Cape Town in a few days, perhaps a glass of scotch to the scantily clad witch is in order.
Legend has it in sailing circles, that the exposed breasts of a young women will placate the sea- hence the proud carved protuberance on the semi-naked figure below the bowsprit, well you can see the sailors mind at work here; should they come across a wench, the first thing to do is get them out and point them at the sea. Some believe this to be myth, but i can personally attest to it’s veracity.
So that’s where the semi-naked woman below the bowsprit came from, eh? LOL I always wondered about that.
Can’t say I’ve ever sailed on as big as your schooner, and in fact I never got out of the Chesapeake. But I used to do a lot of J/24 racing there; in my younger days too. It was loads of fun and as you well know a huge challenge. Of course, being in the open ocean on a three masted schooner was no stroll around the park either.
Regards,
Tom
Comment by Tom the Redhunter — July 6, 2007 @ 3:01 am
btw, cool name for a website, even though it looks like we disagree on most everything except the thrill of sailing.
Comment by Tom the Redhunter — July 6, 2007 @ 3:44 am
Hi Tom - well sailing is a good start.
As a sailor my best buddies were often soldiers, mostly from the Vietnam period. And i admit to supporting the invasion of Iraq for a short deluded moment- but I think we were all fooled. Looking back i think i trusted Tony Blair - as the old song goes - we wont get fooled again… but of course we will be.
Fair winds - dare i say passing winds :)
Comment by Brett — July 6, 2007 @ 7:37 am