Surprise,Surprise,

[limeydal]

OK corny I know
But spent a fun weekend chasing the tall ships around San Diego Bay and then offshore .
The Star of India was out on its annual sail and was accompanied by the Californian and the Lynx.
Also for the first time the "Surprise" from "Master and Commander" fame got to sail.(Just got her Coastguard certificate)
So the first couple of these were shot by a crewmember on the "Stars" Foremast. (You can just about see me next Surprise)
So a great day out (but not as much wind as we would have liked).In fact Surprise was having a few issues turning and was heading for Mexico and had to kick in the engine to get back
cheers Dal

[Limey Linda]

Great pick. that must have been fun.

[Andy Moore]

That is some serious canvas.

[limeydal]

I know; it makes you really appreciatte the old timers in how they handled these ships. The first time the Surprise went out, it was crazy Loose lines flying around and sails flapping. Can't even imagine it in bad seas .Bet OSHA (commercial safety ) would have had a fit !!!!
Even though now they all wear climbing harnesses rather than just a piece of rope around the waist.
This following a fatality (up in San Fransisco I think) where a trainee crew member fell to his deah.
Not a hobby for the faint hearted!!
Coming back this year,it started to rain and they crew member who sent me the photos;said there were a few tense moments up in the rigging,trying to furle heavy wet canvas with slippery conditions.
Think I will stick to RIBS
But these men and women certainly gained my respect
cheers Dal

[jyasaki]

Nice pics,

Thanks;

jky

[Cookee]

Originally Posted by limeydal

I know; it makes you really appreciatte the old timers in how they handled these ships. The first time the Surprise went out, it was crazy Loose lines flying around and sails flapping. Can't even imagine it in bad seas .Bet OSHA (commercial safety ) would have had a fit !!!!
Even though now they all wear climbing harnesses rather than just a piece of rope around the waist.
This following a fatality (up in San Fransisco I think) where a trainee crew member fell to his deah.
Not a hobby for the faint hearted!!
Coming back this year,it started to rain and they crew member who sent me the photos;said there were a few tense moments up in the rigging,trying to furle heavy wet canvas with slippery conditions.
Think I will stick to RIBS
But these men and women certainly gained my respect
cheers Dal

I sailed on TS Royalist in the English channel in some "adverse conditions" which involved going aloft to reduce sail - all we had then was a belt and a short line which we could attach once we started work - getting there we had no safety line at all! This was 1975 though!

[Carl]

ha you have let the cat out the bag now.............you cant still be 21

[Cookee]

Originally Posted by Carl

ha you have let the cat out the bag now.............you cant still be 21

Actually according to my girlfriend I'm only 17 which is a bit of a worry - still a teenager at heart!

[Mollers]

Originally Posted by Cookee

I sailed on TS Royalist in the English channel in some "adverse conditions" which involved going aloft to reduce sail - all we had then was a belt and a short line which we could attach once we started work - getting there we had no safety line at all! This was 1975 though!

Hell, that must've been her maiden voyage.

[Cookee]

Originally Posted by Mollers

Hell, that must've been her maiden voyage.

Funnily enough the most disconcerting thing about the whole voyage was not gong aloft or the weather, but the inability to turn over in your bunk as they were so close together - you had to get in lying face down or on your back and get out to turn over!