Tuesday, July 12, 2016

The Pirate Ship, November 1955

Here are two swell photos of the Chicken of the Sea Pirate Ship when it was only around 3 months old (remember, it opened in August, not July). As is usually the case in 1955, the guests are nicely dressed - and they're ready for cool weather. 


This one was taken from the less-photographed side (around back), and looks great with the web of masts, spars, sails and rigging. I wonder how often the ropes needed to be replaced, since they were exposed to the harsh California sunshine every day?


16 comments:

Nanook said...

Major-

The shot from the 'backside' definitely has an air of the nautical. Ahoy matey-!

Thanks, Major.

Monkey Cage Kurt said...

I’m sure the sails had far less longevity than the ropes did Major.

BOY! That thing was just an off the charts MASTERPIECE! One of the best pirate ship designs I think I’ve ever seen in my life. Such a shame about the shipwreck. A remake for the Rivers of America would be appropriate I think. Especially now that everything is coming up “pirates” these days.

These are PURE GOLD Major! Thanks so much!

K. Martinez said...

The second images is wonderful. Love the rigging in semi-silhouette, the crow's nest and the way the light catches the sails. Beautiful! Thanks, Major.

DrGoat said...

That first image is beautiful. I agree with Monkey. Beautiful ship.

Tom said...

That gleaming, crisp, flawless ship! Wow, what a beauty. Even the backside is amazing - and of course I'm always in for new angles.

I didn't realize they had all the rigging applied by November.

Great pics today, Major. Thanks!

Major Pepperidge said...

Nanook, I suppose I should have used “starboard” (instead of “around back”) so that everyone will think that I am a mighty sailor instead of just a mighty blogger.

Monkey Cage Kurt, it really is a beautiful design; so “piratey”! I wonder if it was designed completely from scratch to be the ultimate storybook pirate ship, or if it was based on historical records. Glad you liked these!

K. Martinez, I agree, the second one is my favorite, even though it took some doing to bring details out of the shadows.

DrGoat, I guess that first one was taken right at the peak “golden hour”; the ship itself is bathed in warm sunlight, while the sky is a soft blue-violet. It almost reminds me of a Howard Pyle painting.

Major Pepperidge said...

Tom, that's what I get for taking half an hour to respond to my comments, I missed yours! The ship was open by August, so I assume that the rigging was in place. If I wasn't so lazy I'd do some research!

Monkey Cage Kurt said...

Hey, somebody called me “monkey”! That’s where I draw the line.

That second photo is just so gorgeous I can’t stop looking at it. The Disneyland sky was so perfect that day, must’ve cost em a fortune. Yes indeed Major, Howard Pyle or an N.C. Wyeth maybe. That first shot looks like it should have a sister photo that features the front half of the ship. Hoping with all my heart that you are going to spring that on us tomorrow, but alas….probably not meant to be.

Anonymous said...

Actually, the "back side" less photographed side of the ship is the port side. The side usually
shown is the starboard side.

Thanks for the cool pictures.

Monkey Cage Kurt said...

Oop, that’s right! I was taught to compare right and left to starboard and port. The left side of the ship is the port side, because the words “left” and “port” have the same amount of letters in the spelling. Did that make sense? Once you learn it you’ll never forget.

zach said...



Monkey Cage (Don't call me Monkey!) Kurt is campaigning to rename leftuggies to portuggies. Don't fall for it!

That second photo is really great. I'm sure when the photographer got that one back from the developer they were pleased.

Thanks, Major, that one 'left' me happy this morning.

dz

Major Pepperidge said...

Monkey Cage Kurt, I was wondering if you would comment on that! Hey, I’ve been called worse things than “monkey”. I wish I had more Pirate Ship photos from 1955, but unfortunately I don’t. Sorry!

Anonymous, ARGH! ARGH I SAY! I’m worse with “Port” and “Starboard” than I am with “left” and “right” (I have some sort of weird dyslexia I guess). I mean, I know left from right, I just tend to type the wrong thing. It’s embarrassing.

Monkey Cage Kurt, the way I remember “which is which” is by not remembering.

David Zacher, nope, “portuggies” won’t be part of my unique and baffling vocabulary. It’s always nice when readers (viewers?) especially like the photos!

Monkey Cage Kurt said...

OH MY GOSH! “portuggies” that was SO funny David Z! Worked for me anyway.

Major, it’s funny that every once in a while I still have to raise my hand and recite “right hand over your heart…ready begin” to determine which is which. Wait, did I say funny instead of sad.

Monkey Cage Kurt said...

Oop! There should be a “?” up there. Don’t you guys hate it when you catch your own grammatical errors after you already posted? It’s like it’s written in stone now, and for all eternity the entire world and all posterity is going to see it and think you were some kind of knucklehead.

Major Pepperidge said...

Monkey Cage Kurt, I catch SO many dumb errors on the blog - sometimes I catch them very early in the morning and fix them, but other times they are there for hours! I could delete my own comments if I cared that much, but... I've got TV to watch! (I actually don't watch that much TV).

Anonymous said...

Port side pirate ship is best pirate ship. I think there was an interior stair so you could go up after you ordered and down the outside stair. I miss it so much.

But, I am very glad that they didn't mess with the theming to add a pirate ship to ROA. It would be appropriate for the NOS frontage, but not the rest of the river.

I don't mind using Columbia in the show as a pirate ship, but please don't mess it up with mixed theming.

I strongly support a pirate ship elsewhere, however. Even Corellian pirates on the Kessel spice run would be welcome.

JG