Ever since my boyhood, I have enjoyed the thought of ships and the sea! I am a a romantic at heart- and that is part of it,But I have always considered ships one of man's most noble and worthwhile achievements.Just as the sea is one of God's most wonderful ( yes, literally wonder full) and often majestic or peaceful creations. Man's construction of a ship - be it the wooden wonders of history ,all wood and rope and tar and oakum and canvas , or the steel giants of later years - is a pledge to use his God-given intelligence and free-will to seek mastery over the elements to use the whole of Creation more fully and achieve his greater flourishing
Being at sea is to enter onto a constantly changing scene producing bliss, exhilaration,fun, awe, terror and delight- each in their turn. It is hard to beat the feeling of coming onto an almost deserted deck and walking onto the foc'sle on a bright sunny morning to collect a steady 18knot breeze accompanied by a gentle rise and pitch of the bow in a mild sea - the salt air - better than "King of the World"- rather a joyful part of it! Then again, the fine morning after a stormy, rough night when the ship has been "pile driving", that is, her bow rising clear of the wave passing under her and then crashing down into the next ,sending a shudder down the length of her hull: out you come to find a clearing sky, brilliant sunshine and a sea still running strong but clearly becoming more civilised by the hour.
But of all the glories of man and the sea, what can excel the sailing ship?To combine the effort to achieve mastery over the elements with the achievement of beauty and grace is a wonder in itself . I have gathered together here some examples of what I mean, which I hope you will enjoy as much as I do:
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| "PICTON CASTLE" |
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| T.S. YOUNG ENDEAVOUR |
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| "SAGRES" |
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| U.S.S. CONSTITUTION -"OLD IRONSIDES" |
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| H.M.S. VICTORY CROSSES THE ATLANTIC |
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| "ENDEAVOUR" |
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| T.S. YOUNG ENDEAVOUR HEADS T.S. LEEUWIN |
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| "Flying Cloud"Note Stuns'sls (Studding Sails) aloft and alow. |
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| An English sixth rate firing a salute as a barge leaves a Royal yacht nearby |
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| Barque "LOCH LONG" |
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| T.S. YOUNG ENDEAVOUR |
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