Columbia, August 1965
Well, well, well, if it isn't our old friend, the Columbia. Long time no see! Oh wait, actually it hasn't been that long, we've seen it a lot. But that doesn't mean that I'm unhappy to see it again. And here it comes, with only some of its sails unfurled (or partially unfurled). I wonder how they decided which sails to unfurl on a particular day? Cascade Peak is almost perfectly hidden behind the ship and the trees. I wonder if Tom Sawyer Island was closed? There's not a soul to be seen.
There she goes, the first sailing ship to circumnavigate Tom Sawyer Island. It's like witnessing history!
20 comments:
Major-
All of the inhabitants of Tom Sawyer Island are very busy circumnavigating...
Thanks, Major.
That second shot is especially nice!
Did we ever figure out if the ship’s flags spell out anything specific??
Thanks, Major.
‘Jinx,’ Nanook, and good morning!
Major, are you sure Cascade Peak is back there? I saw David Copperfield make Hawaii's Diamond Head disappear on TV once. I think the same thing happened here.
You can tell this is before Labor Day because the lady off to the right is carrying her white purse.
That's quite a nice photo, by the way. The ship, the water, the railing, trees, blue sky, the bit of clutter at TSI dock- yep, pretty good.
Wow, I thought the first pic was nice... I agree with Sue; the second one is beautiful!
Thanks, Major.
The wendigo must have gotten out of the well. Little did the guests on Tom Sawyer Island know that the D in that D coupon stood for Dinner, Dismemberment, and Death.
And...good morning, everybody! I hope you all have a wonderful day!
As much as I love The Columbia, I always think about how if it were a real ship, it wouldn't be able to sail where it does. The waterway is too narrow, and one would assume any river that size would also be too shallow (at least in spots). The Mark Twain makes sense- the Columbia? Not so much. Of course the subs make zero sense too, and don't even get me started on the flying pirate ships in Peter Pan, so I guess on balance, the Columbia is pretty believable.
Likewise, Chuck.
Sue, that second shot is a beauty. Anyone know what the name is of the color of the Hull? Looks like a burnt orange.
JB, Looks like black Friday to me.
Nice pics Major, thanks.
These pictures make me really miss all of the Old River, the way it was when real imagination was all that was needed, not the ersatz artificially-colored marshmallow saccharine version that produced Fantasmic.
For those interested, I went back to the recent post on Anaheim motels and posted a link to a postcard collection showing many of the motels in the discussion.
Thanks for these, Major. Sound fortification for my difficult day ahead. I’ll check back in the evening.
Best to all.
JG
Thanks, DrG!
JG, I will endeavor to use “ersatz artificially-colored marshmallow saccharine” in at least three sentences today. I hope your day isn’t as rough as you predict.
Nanook, that was back during the big circumnavigating crazy, sort of like phone booth stuffing or flagpole sitting.
Lou and Sue, I think the consensus is that the flags did not spell out any secret messages!
Lou and Sue, it’s pretty hard to beat Nanook.
JB, I didn’t know that David Copperfield made Diamond Head disappear… but I did see him make the Statue of Liberty vanish. Everything about that was fishy, the way the audience had to sit in a very specific little area, and I seem to recall a big framework that they had to look through. Obviously the framework was a portal that showed the area before the statue was built. I didn’t know those Labor Day rules applied to purses too, but I learn something new every day. I felt a bit guilty about posting these today, they are almost “Snoozer Sunday” images!
Chuck, good morning to you, too! Luckily, when people disappeared, Walt replaced them with android versions of themselves. It was hard to tell the difference, except that they never blinked, and they kept reciting the Gettysburg Address.
Stu29573, Didn’t the Columbia navigate the Columbia River? I could look it up, but Wikipedia is way over there. I kind of wonder what inspired Walt to want a tall-masted ship on his Rivers of America, but you have to admire his audacity. We can explain the flying pirate ships logically - you’ve forgotten about the pixie dust phenomenon. Well documented by Niels Bohr.
DrGoat, top o’ the morning to you! I have never seen an official name for that orange color, even in Steve DeGaetano’s article that he linked to recently. “Burnt orange” works for me, though that might be too 1970s. Who remembers burnt orange shag carpet??
JG, due to Disneyland’s limited real estate, I guess I understand the need to make the shores so busy, but I do miss the more believable Frontierland of ye olden days. Thank you for that link to the motel postcards!
Chuck, I can’t decide whether I like “ersatz” better, or “simulacrum”, maybe it’s a tie.
Ah...the blue of the Columbia...did we ever figure that one out? I see an employee on their OSHA approved perch. That must have been an SOP thing, since I don't know if I've ever seen this boat/ship/vessel without that guy standing there. Is a ship a ship without an official hull? Not sure. Maybe a boat. Or since we are in New Orleans: Bateux. I am now curious about the SOP regarding unfurling of the sails or not. And if there was a breeze, or wind...would it affect how fast the ship went? The grist mill looks great with the vegetation grown in. And there is that cute restroom by the raft on the right. Fantasmic did propel the creator into getting a window on Main St. Barnette was a force to be reckoned with, never a kick made that was high enough, turns tight enough...etc. A very respected task master. Why people like all of that over the top dragons and fire...and....just not my thing at all...but I suppose for the masses who enjoy spectacle. As far as Walt wanting a tall masted ship on the river: the legend is that he was having a conversation with I think Dick Nunis. They were surveying the river, the rafts, the Mark Twain all of the people...the usual Summer stuff...Walt says to Dick "Look at all that!". Dick expected the statement to be "we have to reduce capacity, less stuff, etc." instead, he was surprised when Walt said "You know what we need? Another BIG boat!!!"
Who remembers burnt orange shag carpet??
Major, WHO can forget orange shag carpet??
CLICK HERE!
" I wonder how they decided which sails to unfurl on a particular day?"
They consulted Furl Ravenscroft.
Bu, I don’t think we ever solved the mystery of the Wedgewood blue on the Columbia, but I am OK chalking it up to artistic license. I agree about the placement of that crew member being part of the standard operating procedure. I’ve never been clear about what the difference is between a “boat” and a “ship”. I have speculated that the wind conditions would have a real effect on the Columbia (and even the Chicken of the Sea ship), the other day it was breezy and even my relatively small profile was batted around as I tried to walk. Imagine how much force a big sail would bring to bear! I don’t now who “Barnette” was, is that a feminine version of the name “Barney”? Spectacle has definitely become the name of the game at the park, and while I do love some spectacle, I would also appreciate some class. Some taste. Maybe don’t pull out ALL the stops. I have seen that story about Walt’s conversation with Dick Nunus, I love that Nunis was surprised by Walt’s statement.
Lou and Sue, our neighbors up the street had a big van, the inside was entirely covered in orange shag carpeting. I thought it was the coolest thing!
Melissa, I guess I asked for that one!
Barnette was head choreographer and became a Disney legend in 2019. She wrote the script for Fantasmic. She was also an original Kid of the Kingdom while also doing the choreography. Taste, yes…that old chestnut…well, things always come full circle, but probably not in my lifetime. A little sprinkle would be nice however :)
Chuck, the day wasn’t as bad as anticipated, thanks at least partly to Majors views of the Columbia. Still, being grilled by five attorneys is not how I wanted to spend today and tomorrow. Pay is good though and I think our side will prevail.
Melissa, that’s funny.
Sue, my first house had orange shag. Happiest day of my life to that point (except marrying Mrs. G) was pulling it out. The signal flags spell out “I-AM-TRAPPED-IN-THE-WISHING-WELL-SEND-HELP!”
Bu, maybe KS can advise on Columbia SOP.
Thanks Major, good stuff.
JG
It was either Furl Ravenscroft or Bulton Furley.
JG, is your situation, by any chance, related to the Major’s skull??
Bu, I actually assumed that “Barnette” was somebody’s last name, so it just goes to show you. Something. Sounds like she had a very long career with Disneyland, good for her. She must have been good to have been given so much responsibility.
JG, I wish I’d been there to give you some advice. While being grilled by attorneys, you need to yell, “I object!” every 10 or 15 seconds. Also, “I plead the fifth!”. Those two phrases have stood me in good stead for many years. My mom and dad’s house had a weird avocado indoor/outdoor carpet in the kitchen when they moved in, and the cupboards were painted the color of the inside of an avocado too.
Melissa, well, time for a drink.
Lou and Sue, I OBJECT!
Major, I told them straightaway that I have watched EVERY episode of “Perry Mason” and they immediately agreed to settle for whatever we asked. It’s my piercing eye…
Sue, the skull case will be tried next year, we are in preliminary discovery now. The Major will be acquitted, but we are not sure of what…
Melissa, you have a million of them…
I love GDB, thanks everyone!
JG
Post a Comment