ettarose, I should have been more clear in my lazy post. These two of "Victory" (of Lord Nelson's Battle of Trafalgar) are not my pictures. I got them off the web. Others had told me of the existence of this ship and so I researched it. I became interested in it after I saw "Old Ironsides" in Boston. Of course, I didn't even label these pictures completely. "Victory" is in Portsmouth, England, not Portsmouth, USA. I want to apologize to you (and others) for being so incomplete in my post. Victory is somewhat younger than "Old Ironsides" (althouth the British have at least one older ship) and is in "drydock" - on display not in the water anymore. The U.S.S. Constitution, Old Ironsides, is, of course still in the water and qualified to sail, not mothballed at all. That is what makes her so special, not only to Americans, but to the whole seagoing world.
I was told, during my tour, that the nickname of the U.S.S. Constitution is misleading to some. Frankly, I thought she was ironclad. Silly me. No, the ship is made of wood. Good, solid, hard, multi-layered wood, to be sure. But not clad. During an engagement, the "Constitution" was struck by cannon fire many times, and they simply bounced off her sides as if by a miracle from God, so sturdily was she constructed. Hence the reverent name. I never this before. And now we all do. :)
One more story that I learned about "Old Ironsides", if you would care to hear it: during an engagment with the British warship "Java" off the coast of Brazil in the war of 1812, the Constitution had her helm taken out by the "Java's" fierce barrage. But the Americans managed to manipulate her rudder manually and continued to engage the "Java", finally taking her. The interesting part of the story is that the Americans salvaged the helm from the "Java" before they burned her (the Java was too damaged to take as a prize) and so Old Ironsides was saved, sort of, by her attacker. Too cool.
My, my but Lord Nelson had a big boat. I love a man with a big boat ...
Thank you for the stories on Old Ironsides, I had heard the story of how she got her nickname but it's always nice to hear it again. She really is quite the ship!
I remember visiting HMS Victory as a child. During the tour, the guide got me to climb into one of the hammocks to demonstrate how the sailors slept packed in.
I'm not sure which older ship you're referring to, unless you mean the Mary Rose, which was brought up from a watery grave just off Portsmouth back in the very early 80s (we watched it in TV in school). Its preserved timbers now reside in a climate-controlled chamber just round the corner from the Victory - I visited them both on the same day.
Descartes, I didn't take the Victory pics - I just stole them off the Victory website. Of course I could do what you say. Just a rough texture? Or would you like some cross-hatching and bubbles as well? Mff.
Turn down the color saturation on your monitor and throw some sand on the screen. Ummmm... was the Victory in black and white in Nelson's time, or what?
Are you coming to the party at the pub Saturday night? Gonna be a good one. Try and make it. :)
Hi, Catherine. As to the older ships, I have the following from a comment on the "Old Ironsides" original post, from Soubriquet (or whomever he was impersonating that day):
"Up in the north of England, in Hartlepool, is the oldest british naval vessel still afloat, HMS Trincomalee. http://www.hms-trincomalee.co.uk/virtual/detail/detail.htm Her sister ship, HMS Unicorn, floats a little further north in Dundee, Scotland."
-------
Thank you for your comment. And for the compliment. :) :)
I've been on that one too (the HMS Trincomalee). Have you heard about why people from hartlepool are called Monkey Hangers?
As for Saturday, I am not sure if I will be around, I think I am going to a concert... but I will have the BB in hand, so I won't be too far. What entertaining am I supposed to be providing? Or can you not tell me yet?
Caroline, I never knew you were such a ship person. You need to go to Boston, then. (Or at least Long Beach to see the QM.)
Your loss on the party. We are finally going to be drinking for real Saturday night. And, in addition to the Jello/jelly wrestling between Claire and Petra, there will be male strippers. Your job was to have gotten totally wasted and jump up on the bar. Your loss. Have fun at the concert. :(
PS- you gave 3 clues on yourself, didn't you? That is what is throwing me off. And I know you can ride a bike (if it is small enough) And I am pretty sure you can't hold your breath for more than 20 seconds or so. That leaves Tulips.
I only gave 2 clues about myself, although there's many in there that could apply to me.
So was that a yes or a no on the monkey hangers?
As for saturday, I'll be drinking somewhere... and might end up on the bar ... somewhere :)
I didn't know I was such a ship person either, I think its more my mum than me to be honest, I only say that as I haven't been to, or seen as many since my I left home.
But... I did always want to be a swash buckling pirate when I was kid - that was until I realised it would probably involve me killing people.
Monkey Hangers, is one of my favourite stories. A french ship docked, or crashed, or somehow arrived in Hartlepool - the only survivor was a monkey... the locals thought the monkey was a french spy, and hung the poor fella.
I'd forgotten that was the reason, Caroline, about the monkey-Hartlepool connection - although I do know that Hartlepool FC's mascot is a monkey.
I love visiting boats of all sorts. Went to the poor Cutty Sark about 10 years ago - once the fastest tea clipper in the world, Max, based at Greenwich in London, though she sadly caught fire last year and needs a lot of restoration.
She is a beautiful ship! Very good picture. You seem to have captured her in all her glory.
ReplyDeleteWhoa... quite the ship. Might not have ironsides, but sure is a beaut.
ReplyDeleteettarose, I should have been more clear in my lazy post. These two of "Victory" (of Lord Nelson's Battle of Trafalgar) are not my pictures. I got them off the web. Others had told me of the existence of this ship and so I researched it. I became interested in it after I saw "Old Ironsides" in Boston. Of course, I didn't even label these pictures completely. "Victory" is in Portsmouth, England, not Portsmouth, USA. I want to apologize to you (and others) for being so incomplete in my post. Victory is somewhat younger than "Old Ironsides" (althouth the British have at least one older ship) and is in "drydock" - on display not in the water anymore. The U.S.S. Constitution, Old Ironsides, is, of course still in the water and qualified to sail, not mothballed at all. That is what makes her so special, not only to Americans, but to the whole seagoing world.
ReplyDeleteI was told, during my tour, that the nickname of the U.S.S. Constitution is misleading to some. Frankly, I thought she was ironclad. Silly me. No, the ship is made of wood. Good, solid, hard, multi-layered wood, to be sure. But not clad. During an engagement, the "Constitution" was struck by cannon fire many times, and they simply bounced off her sides as if by a miracle from God, so sturdily was she constructed. Hence the reverent name. I never this before. And now we all do. :)
One more story that I learned about "Old Ironsides", if you would care to hear it: during an engagment with the British warship "Java" off the coast of Brazil in the war of 1812, the Constitution had her helm taken out by the "Java's" fierce barrage. But the Americans managed to manipulate her rudder manually and continued to engage the "Java", finally taking her. The interesting part of the story is that the Americans salvaged the helm from the "Java" before they burned her (the Java was too damaged to take as a prize) and so Old Ironsides was saved, sort of, by her attacker. Too cool.
My, my but Lord Nelson had a big boat. I love a man with a big boat ...
ReplyDeleteThank you for the stories on Old Ironsides, I had heard the story of how she got her nickname but it's always nice to hear it again. She really is quite the ship!
I remember visiting HMS Victory as a child. During the tour, the guide got me to climb into one of the hammocks to demonstrate how the sailors slept packed in.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure which older ship you're referring to, unless you mean the Mary Rose, which was brought up from a watery grave just off Portsmouth back in the very early 80s (we watched it in TV in school). Its preserved timbers now reside in a climate-controlled chamber just round the corner from the Victory - I visited them both on the same day.
Interesting story about Old Ironsides!
I was on her once, a long time ago.
ReplyDeleteI keep getting held up at the pub, so I don't seem to get here as often.
These are neat images, you should drop them into Photoshop and make them into black and white and put a nice rough texture on them.
ReplyDeleteEh well, that is what I would do.
Looks like a great place to visit.
Descartes, I didn't take the Victory pics - I just stole them off the Victory website. Of course I could do what you say. Just a rough texture? Or would you like some cross-hatching and bubbles as well? Mff.
ReplyDeleteTurn down the color saturation on your monitor and throw some sand on the screen. Ummmm... was the Victory in black and white in Nelson's time, or what?
Are you coming to the party at the pub Saturday night? Gonna be a good one. Try and make it. :)
Caroline, stay off the ships and go back to the pub, please. :)
ReplyDeleteNo. How interesting. I didn't know you could actually walk around on her. Now I know.
I presume I can count on YOU Saturday Night? I mean, I hope so, because you are part of the entertainment...
:)
Hi, Catherine. As to the older ships, I have the following from a comment on the "Old Ironsides" original post, from Soubriquet (or whomever he was impersonating that day):
ReplyDelete"Up in the north of England, in Hartlepool, is the oldest british naval vessel still afloat, HMS Trincomalee.
http://www.hms-trincomalee.co.uk/virtual/detail/detail.htm
Her sister ship, HMS Unicorn, floats a little further north in Dundee, Scotland."
-------
Thank you for your comment. And for the compliment. :) :)
I've been on that one too (the HMS Trincomalee). Have you heard about why people from hartlepool are called Monkey Hangers?
ReplyDeleteAs for Saturday, I am not sure if I will be around, I think I am going to a concert... but I will have the BB in hand, so I won't be too far. What entertaining am I supposed to be providing? Or can you not tell me yet?
Caroline, I never knew you were such a ship person. You need to go to Boston, then. (Or at least Long Beach to see the QM.)
ReplyDeleteYour loss on the party. We are finally going to be drinking for real Saturday night. And, in addition to the Jello/jelly wrestling between Claire and Petra, there will be male strippers. Your job was to have gotten totally wasted and jump up on the bar. Your loss. Have fun at the concert. :(
PS- you gave 3 clues on yourself, didn't you? That is what is throwing me off. And I know you can ride a bike (if it is small enough) And I am pretty sure you can't hold your breath for more than 20 seconds or so. That leaves Tulips.
I only gave 2 clues about myself, although there's many in there that could apply to me.
ReplyDeleteSo was that a yes or a no on the monkey hangers?
As for saturday, I'll be drinking somewhere... and might end up on the bar ... somewhere :)
I didn't know I was such a ship person either, I think its more my mum than me to be honest, I only say that as I haven't been to, or seen as many since my I left home.
But... I did always want to be a swash buckling pirate when I was kid - that was until I realised it would probably involve me killing people.
PS- I am embarrassed to admit that I have never even heard of Harlepool until yesterday.
ReplyDeleteTell me, though. "Why why people from hartlepool called Monkey Hangers?"
(And then I will tell YOU one. :)
Monkey Hangers, is one of my favourite stories. A french ship docked, or crashed, or somehow arrived in Hartlepool - the only survivor was a monkey... the locals thought the monkey was a french spy, and hung the poor fella.
ReplyDeleteFunny. Americans are often not that fond of the Frenc either. But I am sure it is mutual. But I'm thinking yours may be a true story. :)
ReplyDeleteI best not tell you mine. Yours was much cleaner than I expected. Don't want to embarrass you.
Am I easily embarrased?
ReplyDeletePerahps. :)
ReplyDeletehehehe... don't go making fun on my drunken typing
ReplyDeleteI didn't think you would catch it. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat do the ladies from Hartlepool put behind their ears to attract sailors?
ReplyDelete(You are not from Hartlepool right? No.)
I'd forgotten that was the reason, Caroline, about the monkey-Hartlepool connection - although I do know that Hartlepool FC's mascot is a monkey.
ReplyDeleteI love visiting boats of all sorts. Went to the poor Cutty Sark about 10 years ago - once the fastest tea clipper in the world, Max, based at Greenwich in London, though she sadly caught fire last year and needs a lot of restoration.
I don't know max - What do the ladies from Hartlepool put behind their ears to attract sailors?
ReplyDeleteCatherine - The Cutty Sark is one I have not seen.