Sunday, October 24, 2010

Columbia

Did you know that the word "Columbia" is a poetic name for America? I've been to America, it's a nice place. Great hamburgers!

I'm telling you this because I have nothing new to write about the lovely sailing ship at Disneyland. Other than the fact that it debuted only a few months before these photos were taken. And it looks swell!


These landlubbers are all seasick, which explains why they are hugging the rail.


If he pulls that rope, something dreadful will happen.


Sorry, I know today's post was less than wondrous.

15 comments:

Disney Nametags and More said...

For any one interested... the flag in this picture is for sale on ebay .. search for 'Columbia Original GIANT Flag 1958 Disneyland'.

(not my auction, just thought it was interesting!)

Chiana_Chat said...

On the Columbia, to our right is the anchor; but what it the object opposite to our left? Looks like it is an authentic recreation but what is it?

Jeff Hopkins said...

Every one of your posts is awesome, it's the first blog I check every day, the only one I check every day, and you never disappoint.

Connie Moreno said...

I actually dig the second photo. Body language tells you so much.

Lady with white purse: "Margaret, the young man behind me just made an improper invitation"!

Major Pepperidge said...

Disney Nametags, thanks for the heads up on that flag! I notice that the seller used two of my photos in his post, ha ha! That means I should get the flag for free.

Sharp-eyed Chiana, I don't know what that thingamajig is, but my hunch is that it has to do with soft-serve ice cream.

Jeff, thank you!

Connie, you are right... you can sense the shame in that woman, lol!

Anonymous said...

The object on the left in the Columbia picture is a 2nd
anchor of the same type- just turned 90 degrees, so it
is seen from a different angle...

SundayNight said...

No mention of the yellow Keppy Kap? Major, you must have been tired when you wrote this.

Look at the great craftsmanship of the Columbia. All those beautiful details that they did not have to spend the money on. This is one reason why Disneyland was set apart from any "amusement park".

Orange Co Native said...

I notice there is a cannon in the first picture. Do they still have cannons on the Columbia?

Orange Co Native said...

My mistake. 2nd picture.

JG said...

Very nice, Major. I have always enjoyed the Columbia.

I can only remember riding it once or twice in all my years and trips, we just rarely coincided. It seemed to always sit in Fowler's Harbor. I seem to recall it there like a static display, you could board it but it didn't move. Did that happen, or am I conflating a memory from the San Francisco Museum Pier?

Any idea why the Mark Twain seems to run more than the sailing ship?

Capacity throughput perhaps?

JG

Chiana_Chat said...

Thanks Anon. So it's like a backup anchor kept in a more fixed position, with some kind of wooden covering over the business end? Hm.

JG since almost every day seems crowded now I wonder why not just run it most of the time. Of course the bean counters are probably disappointed it's not as overpacked as the projections they wished up so they consider attendance low.

Anonymous said...

Chiana,

The wood part is called the stock:

http://www.abc-of-sailing.com/info/anchors-types.asp

Both anchors have them, you can't see the one on the right because the narrow cross section of the stock is aimed right at you. The purpose of the stock was to allow the flukes of the anchor to dig into the bottom. If the stock wasn't at 90 degrees to the flukes, the anchor would just lay on the ground and wouldn't dig in.

Eric

Major Pepperidge said...

See what we can learn?? I didn't expect to find out about anchors, but now I am ready for "Jeopardy!".

Chiana_Chat said...

Eric,

Thank you! Never expected to, yet I learned something new here today. :)

Chuck said...

Probably too late to respond for anyone to ever read my post, but yes, Orange Co, they still have the cannons. Or, at least they did as of 2009.

While the cannon in the second picture is a non-firing replica, the crew normally fires a salute from a small signal cannon as the ship passes Ft Wilderness. Or rather, where Ft Wilderness used to be before Paul Pressler's reduced maintenance budgets caused it to become infested with termites, torn down, and replaced by that out-of-place monstrosity that's cynically labelled "Ft Wilderness."