Randos
I have a pair of Randos for you today, though they are not very inspiring - perhaps I should have classified them as Snoozles™. But what's done is done. Both of these were found in boxes of slides, the only Disneyland examples in each case. Mighty suspicious if you ask me.
First up is this view (from June, 1970) of a newkewlar submarine as it glided not-so-quietly through liquid space. The photographer was aboard the Peoplemover, and it's good to know that there was no way he would accidentally plunge into the lagoon. Zooming in I can see that the name is "Sea-something", probably "Sea Gorilla" - the most feared gorillas of all.
Next, from an undated slide, here's an interesting (?) view looking along the bowsprit of the Columbia. As most of you know, the bowsprit was used to frighten angry, troublesome whales and walruses - they took one look at that pointy thing and headed for the hills (which is a weird thing for a whale or walrus to do). This photo reminds me of my years at sea, singing shanties, carving vegan scrimshaw (aka "wood"), drinking grog, and getting scurvy. Fun times!
10 comments:
Major-
Both are interesting slides, but I like how the submarine seems so far away and thanks to the Peoplemover railings, looks quite secure down below.
Thanks, Major.
Not sure why, but the Sea Gorilla looks like a small model here. Maybe it's the angle. We're looking down at it as if it were a toy in a pond. That reminds me, when I was a little kid (child, not a goat), of a submarine we got from mailing in cereal boxtops. It was only about 3" long and powered by stuffing a bit of baking soda into a small metal cup underneath the sub. We placed the sub in the bathroom sink and it would alternately sink, and rise back up, due to the baking soda generating bubbles.
I bet that bowsprit also worked as a decoy to lure in narwhals. It IS a somewhat interesting photo. The geometric shapes (light and shadow) of the sails are pleasing to look at. Plus, there's the blue sky. And the image has nice color and sharp focus.
Your Randos could be grouped together as a nautical theme. Thanks, Major.
JB, I remember the toy submarines that you put a white tablet in, and it did the same thing as yours. I was about 5 and recall being at a friend's house (a little boy's) and he had one of those subs and was showing me how it worked...we were on the outside of the tub -- leaning over the edge of the tub and dropping the sub into the bathwater. "DIVE....DIVE...DIVE...." *alarm sound*
Major, is it possible that last slide is from your Worm family batch?
Thanks, Major.
Wow, it sounds like that last pic ended up in the right box of slides and with the right new owner. I think most people would not know that it was taken at Disneyland.
Thanks for sharing these Randos with us, Major!
Oh, a sailor's life is
The life for me
How I love to sail o'er
The bounding sea
And I never, never,
Ever do a thing about the weather
For the weather never
Ever does a thing for me!
source: Walt Disney's Alice in Wonderland
Love today's nautical theme. Thanks, Major.
two well-composed attention grabbing shots... either one I could easily see as a framed print on my wall.
the first one is only slightly "off" because of the sunlight reflection on the People Mover bar... or maybe it's a laser to prevent jewel thieves.
the second one could easily be a submission for final project in photography class. mesmerizing. (and, yes TM, this old photo might have been not be fully appreciated otherwise)
thanks, Major
Wonderful pic of the Sea Gorilla, a late addition to the fleet. I’m glad we have all those railings, or I’d be tempted to climb out and hang on the outside of the cab, woo hoo!
I remember those toys subs from ads in comic books, but I never got one. You guys were lucky.
Little known fact about bowsprits, they are provided to make the front of the ship, (the “bow”), look “spritzy”, which enabled the ship to go faster and look more cool simultaneously. Originally found only on Italian ships, other navies copied them rapidly to keep up with the “sprezzatura”, or nonchalant and innate sense of style possessed by the Italian Navy. Now that these features are no longer needed on ships, the term has come to mean a fizzy drink of Campari and soda which has to be served at the front of a ship.
The twisting of the cordage is amazing in close-up as well, fascinating picture, Major. Thank you!
JG
Nanook, we know that the Peoplemover track went pretty high in places, it must have been “up there” in the Sub photo.
JB, Sea Gorillas will fool you so that you’ll let your guard down. Then… WHAM! You are in their bellies thinking about the errors of your ways. I remember those toy subs from cereal boxes, but I also remember that they didn’t surface and dive as I’d hoped. Maybe I didn’t give them enough time? Plus, who can afford baking soda (“white gold”)?? I would lure narwhals so that I could have one as a pet. They are so cool. I love seeing photos of pods of narwhals with their tusks in the air, waiting for marshmallows that never come.
Lou and Sue, it sounds like that little boy had been on the Submarine Voyage, that’s the exact noises heard as the sub headed for the deep. I don’t know who took that second photo, but it does resemble the maestro’s work!
TokyoMagic!, ha ha, it’s true, I’m sure most normal people would have no clue that the second photo showed the Columbia. Should I be proud?
K. Martinez, a quote from “Alice in Wonderland” is always welcome! The nautical theme was an accident, but I should have pretended that I meant to do it.
LTL, those safety railings in the first image are pretty annoying, I wonder why the photographer didn’t hold the camera above them? I guess he/she didn’t think about it. The “laser” looks like a light saber! Zzzzshwooommmmm… now that you mentioned a school photography class, I can’t unsee it. Maybe black and white would make it classier?
JG, the Sea Gorilla was named after a little-known book by Jack London (the fifth). In the book, the Sea Gorilla, who’s name was Mel, went on a rampage when he ran out of irradiated bananas. And who could blame him? Not me. Now I know all about bowsprits, I can’t wait to go on “Jeopardy!” because I just know that an answer about the pointy thing at the front of a ship will come up, and I will bet it all! I just hope I don’t accidentally say the name “Alex”. I’ve never had Campari, but I know that Negronis are popular. My sister says she does not like them. For whatever that’s worth.
Major, your "Zzzzshwooommmmm" is a perfect onomatopoeia for a light saber sound! You should copyright it, sit back, and watch the money roll in!
Too bad the Sea Gorilla wasn't among the military insignia buttons yesterday. I would have like to see it.
That pic of the bowsprit and rigging looks like something that would hang on the wall of a fancy clothing store with a nautical theme.
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