WWA Info Exchange

As part of the Olympic celebrations a collection of 'Tall Ships' is sailing on the Thames over the next few weeks. My daughter, Granddaughter and I went down to see them arrive....


















(That's the Woolwich Free Ferry in the picture as well)
















(I like this photo especially as it shows the Thames Barrier and the London Shard as well as the ships)










(In the background the O2 Dome and the Buildings at Canary Wharf)















The weather was very hot (in the 90s) but as I sit here on the Olympic opening day its down in the 60s with showers... why am I not surprised?

Hope you enjoyed my little gallery.

Ray

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I aim to live for ever.... and it's taking me that long to get my workshop finished!

Hey Ray,

I guess I should thank you for the opportunity to show off, as the "Age of Sail" is one of my favorite subjects.

By my count, you have:
5 schooners
5 brigantines
2 barquentines
1 brig
and no sloops, ketches, snows, or full rigged ships.

I was a bit disappointed that there were no Thames sailing barges. They are the largest sprit rigged vessels made, and are currently still employed on the river.

Tom

Ps. I also just noticed that they were all dutch, with the exception of one Finn. I presume that they arrived as a flotilla.

_________________
"There is no path to peace, peace is the path."
Mohandas K. Ghandi

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Frank
WWACOAUX#1
"I love the smell of Sawdust in the morning, it smells like, victory."
WWA'ers I've met: Popeye, Ed Avery, Stephen Wolf, Rockfish, Rodedon

Arrrrrrggggghhhhh!

[quote="tms"

I was a bit disappointed that there were no Thames sailing barges. They are the largest sprit rigged vessels made, and are currently still employed on the river.

Tom

Ps. I also just noticed that they were all dutch, with the exception of one Finn. I presume that they arrived as a flotilla.[/quote]

I think they are mainly French not Dutch. Yes I thiunk they came over in a flotilla then sailed up river from Tilbury to Greenwich.

As for the Thames barge I gave you a picture the other day... but here it is again...



Ray

_________________
I aim to live for ever.... and it's taking me that long to get my workshop finished!

Just thinking about going aloft in a blow to reef the topsails on those square-riggers gives me the willies. Standing on a rope, leaning on the yard and trying to pull up heavy, probably wet, canvas in 30-40 knots of wind could not be fun. Days of iron men and wooden ships.

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Jess
my gallery
more photos

Hey Jess,

I think that most of those smaller square riggers had buntlines which would make it possible to shorten sail from the deck. But I know what you mean, most topmen had no fingernails left, and many had missing fingers.

Tom

_________________
"There is no path to peace, peace is the path."
Mohandas K. Ghandi

Hey Jess,

I think that most of those smaller square riggers had buntlines which would make it possible to shorten sail from the deck. But I know what you mean, most topmen had no fingernails left, and many had missing fingers.

Hey Ray,

You're right, but it's easy to miss when viewed fore and aft, with the sails furled.

Tom

_________________
"There is no path to peace, peace is the path."
Mohandas K. Ghandi

Hey Jess,

I think that most of those smaller square riggers had buntlines which would make it possible to shorten sail from the deck. But I know what you mean, most topmen had no fingernails left, and many had missing fingers.

Hey Ray,

You're right, but it's easy to miss when viewed fore and aft, with the sails furled.

No, their Dutch, I made that mistake too, earlier (horizontal, not vertical).

Tom

_________________
"There is no path to peace, peace is the path."
Mohandas K. Ghandi

You were right about them being Dutch when I went on board on Sunday!

Oops!

Ray

_________________
I aim to live for ever.... and it's taking me that long to get my workshop finished!