Even More Columbia Details, 1979
If I say the words "Mysterious Benefactor" to you, and you immediately think "Columbia sailing ship", then I have trained you well. Today I have even more of the MBs scans of details of the Columbia, dating back to 1979.
This is one of the best photos of a ship's thingamajig that I have ever seen. We really get a good look at how this thingamajig works. With ropes and stuff. Why, I'll bet a guy could do whatever he wanted with a thing like that.
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Whoa, this worm's-eye view looking up one of the great masts, through the rigging, up to those colorful flags... it's making me dizzy. If you are knowledgeable about nautical things the way I am, you have realized that those flags tell the entire first chapter of "Dracula".
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If there's one thing I've learned from my years "at the mast", you can't have too much rope. Once I brought five ropes on board, and the other sailors laughed at me. But they weren't laughing when they needed that fifth rope. Now they call me a hero. But I'm just a regular Joe trying to do his part. TRUE STORY.
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If they pointed that cannon just a bit lower, they'd have a better chance of clearing the paths near the Columbia. Don't worry, it is filled with plush toys, but it'll learn 'em! I love the details, such as the ropes that kept the gun from jumping back too far when it recoiled.
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Most Disneyland blogs show you things like a fairytale castle, or a Mississippi riverboat, but how many of them show a nice block and tackle? NONE, that's how many!
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If you think this is the last you've seen of details of the Columbia, all I can say is "Au contraire"!
Thanks to the Mysterious Benefactor.
22 comments:
Major-
I'm just curious... which one of those 'nautical flags' represents the state of confusion-?
"I love the details, such as the ropes that kept the gun from jumping back too far when it recoiled". Heck, I'm more-impressed with that partial view of that pair of very sensible shoes, and very plain dress - that almost challenges the credulity of a 1979 ID on these images. That outfit really does look to be 'borrowed' from the 1950's.
Thanks, M B & The Major.
#1- Not sure if that's a CM in the background. Wouldn't he be wearing a hat of some sort? He's got the stripey shirt but it doesn't look quite right.
There's those coils of ropes wrapped around the masts again. I think I asked about them in the previous installment. Maybe they are extra support to keep the masts from splitting.
#2- Unfortunately, part of that first chapter of Dracula becomes unreadable where the flags sort of get lost amongst the rigging. Poor planning on somebody's part.
#3- I'm guessing those ropes are connected to one of the sails. And when the sail is unfurled, most of that rope gets used up to let the sail down.
#4- That's a nice detailed view of the cannon. That pale yellow thing on the left must be a tool for loading, or cleaning, the barrel. Some sort of ramrod.
#5- Hmmm, maybe that "thingamajig" from the first photo is also a block and tackle, similar to this one? Or maybe a running back.
Thanks once again to the MB. And thanks to our French-speaking Major.
Major- Detail photos of the Columbia are always welcome. With my limited knowledge of nautical terms, I can identify that ship's thingamajig as a "deadeye". There are also 4 shown in the last picture.
Thanks to Mysterious Benefactor & Major as well.
-DW
That worm-eye view reveals peeling paint on the crow’s nest. Bad show! If Walt were still alive to see this, why…he’d have been 76 years old.
Never noticed that there’s no platform up there at the top of the mast, although there is one about halfway up each vertical mast. CalOSHA must have had a fit about that. I wonder if current Columbia crewmembers are required to wear a five-point harness, helmet, reflective vest, and bubble wrap when they descend into the bowels of the ship.
And you are right, Major - a quick check of The Blog Whose Name We Do Not Speak On Pain of $50 Fine proves that GDB is the only blog to show a nice block and tackle. I doff my hat and powdered wig to you, sir!
JB, that yellow tool is called a “sponge,” and as you surmised it is used for cleaning out the barrel, primarily to ensure that no hot sparks remain after a shot that could set off the next charge of powder as the cannon is reloaded. Fellow fanatics can learn all they want about archaic artillery tools HERE. Curious about how they loaded and fired cannons aboard ship? Watch a gun drill aboard USS Constitution HERE, you beautiful, obsessive freak.
Thanks, MB and MP!
I too was confused about the dating of the photos and sensible shoes. Perhaps these are European visitors, who still wear sensible shoes to this day. I get items sent to me from Italy at work, and I swear the plastic bags things are sent in are from the days of Mussolini. That yellowy, crinkly kind of bag...and cardboard with cellophane tape...all yellow...so odd. My Grandmother would send me things from the UK in the same types of packaging. Literally brown paper packages tied up with string- and these were UK Postal "rules". Ok...where am I going: the Columbia! Soooo much detail. I wonder if commercial mortals would even attempt to build a Columbia today. Seems like something that would only exist in a museum, built by volunteer middle age guys, who built boats when they weren't playing with Legos. I am one of those guys. And I soooo pine for the Legos, but know if I got them, there would be "LEGO MANIA" in my house...so I stave off. I want the Haunted Mansion Lego set...but I think about the mess and stepping on them. Then the moment passes. I am also wondering what the costume on the Columbia is today? Those guys were so type cast, (as was everyone back then.) It seems that all of the Columbia detail would need it's own maintenance crew, and also very odd that since there was so much work and attention to it, that it would be open every day despite the "in-park". At least it's one more place to put a few 100 people for 15 minutes. Or maybe with the "new" river (TRE) the ride is only 7 minutes? We should all be so grateful that the Columbia isn't "riddled with termites" and put out to pasture. Speaking of destroying "diseased" trees...now they are selling shards of the downed Pirates of the Caribbean trees for $6500. Kind of cool...but they have mounted them in this tacky plastic-y "gold dubloons" kind of mounting...something that you would see in a curio cabinet surrounding by Franklin Mint eggs, and figurines. 6500 is an interesting price. Who comes up with this stuff? I suppose you could pick up some random rock in Disneyland and say "an official Disneyland rock from Walt's day" and....it probably would be...food for thought. Regarding the flags and what they spell, etc. I read an interesting thing last night...just a blurb...about "emojis"..."we have gone full circle thousands of years...and have returned to HIEROGLYPHICS!" Soon...all posts on GDB will be in Emoji. Is this TRE or progress? Thanks MB for the morning musings.
Well, I always WONDERED why they called you Major "Five Ropes" Pepperidge!
The MB could publish a coffee table book just about the Columbia, and this would be another beautiful chapter. I think only the ship's Master Thingamajigger is allowed to operate the Thingamajig. Perhaps with the assistance of the Thingamajigger's Mate. Of course, in true nautical tradition, it's probably pronounced "Thin'jer."
MB has the greatest FRO pics and today's pics are real beauties. Love both the blogger and reader commentary today. Thanks, MB & Major.
Brilliant stuff, Major. “Two Years Before The Mast” should be required reading, if only to make clear the importance of rope.
Five Ropes Pepperidge and Arthur Two Sheds Jackson, what a pair. Thanks Major and MB!
JG
Love these details. I bought a book on how to make knots and for the life of me, can't remember any of them except maybe two or three.
I'd definitely buy that coffee table book Melissa, stacked on top of Plants of the Desert and the Mutt's comic strip book.
Bu, downed trees from Pirates? 6500 dollars is just burning a hole in someone's pocket I'm sure. Is that for real? By the way, I still have that rock.
Chuck, I was really into cannons early on. Still have a working ship style cannon, about 13" long barrel that fires a ball about 7/8" in dia. Last time I fired it was about 25 years ago. Triple F black powder. Gathering dust somewhere in the so called den.
I'm almost seeing Kulots on the gal with semi-sensible shoes. That does look like a 50's print
Thanks to the Major and MB and everyone here. Good health to you all.
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-09-28/disneyland-pirates-of-the-caribbean-ride-souvenir-disneyana
"...now they are selling shards of the downed Pirates of the Caribbean trees for $6500."
Reminds me of how dealers in holy relics used to sell bits of wood under the pretext that they were parts of the Cross.
Nanook, you can’t see the “state of confusion” flag from this angle, it is recognizable by have a “happy face” character, only his eyes are spirals. As for the woman with sensible shoes, she could be someone’s grandma, explaining the conservative wardrobe.
JB, I think the CM is wearing a wool beanie that happens to look like a his hair from this distance. I could be wrong though. The coils of rope on the masts are like throw pillows, it really spiffs the ship up. Don’t worry about reading “Dracula”, the scariest parts are what you can’t read, and in a way it’s doing you a favor. I’d love to know about the training for Columbia CMs, do they actually learn how to deal with ship’s ropes in an authentic manner? I remember reading about the use of a sponge on cannons (so that the next charge of gunpowder would not spontaneously combust), maybe that’s what the “ramrod” is.
DW, I wonder why they are called “deadeyes”??
Chuck, 1979 is a bit before the whole Paul Pressler debacle, but I’m sure that the Columbia was difficult to maintain - that’s why it was berthed in Fowler’s Harbor so often. Like you, I have wondered about the safety measures required by current Columbia CMs, the one time I was aboard, one of the crew climbed up the rigging, but only a short way. No helmet or vest or nothin’! Hey, I was at least on the right track about the sponge!
Bu, I’m sure there are plenty of women who still dress in sensible shoes and modest dresses. I feel like the midwest was like that a lot in 1979, and maybe it still is (I haven’t been in years, sadly). I don’t know anything about plastic bags from Italy, but I did see some interesting bathrooms during my last visit (long ago, admittedly). I find it hard to believe that they would ever build anything as ambitious as the Columbia these days - it isn’t “sexy” enough, and the capacity is too low. I’m assuming that this is why we don’t see similar vessels in other Disney parks around the world. LEGO sets are pretty expensive, I used to like to buy Star Wars Lego sets for my nephew, but he was a prodigy and would have the thing put together in record time. I tried to convince him that he could take it apart and then put it back together again for added amusement, but for him, the thrill was gone. Pieces of those trees from POC fro $6500? I wouldn’t give them ten bucks, but hey, if somebody wants to spend their hard-earned money on something like that, they are welcome. As you pointed out, it’s a very ugly piece of “art”. I have no problem with emojis, and use them often when texting; I like how they communicate an idea or emotion quickly.
Melissa, I didn’t want to tell the whole story, but now you know! There are SO MANY photos of the Columbia, I wonder about the photographer. Was he instructed to “take photos of every square inch of the boat”, and in many cases, take multiple photos of the same details?
K. Martinez, thank you!
JG, while I’ve never read “Two Years Before the Mast”, I have read some “Horatio Hornblower” books, and all of the Aubrey/Maturin books. I’m practically an Admiral!
DrGoat, my old roommate used to practice various knots while watching TV, he had a few pieces of clothesline and was continually trying different configurations. My guess is that he has since forgotten most, although he has a pickup truck and does use ropes to tie down loads that might want to fly off onto the freeway. I’ll bet your neighbors would love to hear your mini cannon, especially if you fire it at sunrise every day.
Bu, incredible. Those are pieces of junk to me, but perhaps they are wonderful treasures to others.
Melissa, Mark Twain wrote about the sheer number of “pieces of the True Cross” he encountered during his visit to the Holy Land, even way back then it was a scam.
I couldn't talk the guy playing Dick Deadeye in my production of HMS Pinafore out of wearing an eye patch, even though I knew he was aware of what a deadeye was. "The audience will expect it," he insisted. I let it go because he was really good in the part and I didn't want any bad feelings. And it ended up not being distracting.
Thanks Bu. My, but it is a sight. More like an eyesore. Not very attractive. Putting in the energy and time and end up something like that is a bit mind boggling.
Melissa, when we were in Venice, IT visiting my cousin, there was a guy selling small shards of wood he said came from the wooden jail cells inside the horribly depressing building across the bridge of sighs.
Major, cool that you have read Hornblower, great stories.
I've read all of those, but could not get into the Maturin series. Not sure why.
"Two Years" is fascinating, partly because of the detailed eyewitness descriptions of the sites in Spanish California visited by the author, many of which remain little changed today; San Diego mission, the Monterey Customs House, a compound in San Jose (maybe a mission), etc. The description of the trek from the harbor to the San Diego mission is almost enough to get you there today, except the freeway has all these great signs, so you don't need the novel.
Then it ends with an epilogue of his return to California years later, now part of the US, and his description of San Francisco, "a European city", with streetcars and elevators, where only 30-40 years before had been just sand and scrub.
Little known fact, the two great English novelists, C.S. Forester (Hornblower, African Queen) and P.G. Wodehouse (Jeeves and Wooster) were in the same grammar school class as boys.
JG
Major-
In the LATimes article, did you notice this little tidbit falling into the category of 'you can't make this stuff up'... "Rhonda Wood, a Disneyland Resort urban forester and a park employee for 25 years, came up with the idea of turning end-of-life trees that need to be cut down at the resort into keepsakes..."
Yes, we could/would wear a black wool cap if we chose to do so. It was provided by Wardrobe. Most frequently used during cooler periods when we'd get a pea coat for those early morning or late evening shifts. As for knots, nope, the only thing I was trained on was the proper use of tying up to the dock and coiling ropes when not (or should I say "knot") in use. KS
Melissa, yes, I don’t think you’ll get many complaints from an audience when you have a sailor with an eyepatch. I would assume that the name “Deadeye” would have to do with good aim more than with those block-and-tackles, but maybe I’m mistaken?
DrGoat, the more I look at those wood slabs, the more I dislike them. Talk about a crass cash grab. I wish I could somehow find out if they’ve sold them all. Nobody is going to buy one if they aren’t already flush with spending money, but still… I don’t think I’d want one FOR FREE.
JG, I have only read two Hornblower books, ones that were at my grandma’s house (she had many bookcases full of wonderful books). I initially was interested in them because they had pen and ink illustrations by N.C. Wyeth - but I later learned that N.C.’s son Andrew actually drew them. I truly love the Aubrey/Maturin books, but it’s all subjective. I’m sure I can find “Two Years Before the Mast” for free as an ebook, I should look for it - it sounds fascinating.
Nanook, Rhonda had only one clear career path ahead of her! In a way I can’t fault her for coming up with the idea, since Disneyland has thrown out tons of wonderful artifacts over the years. I’m sure she’s a hero for coming up with a merchandise item that might gross over a quarter of a million dollars, from something that was basically firewood.
KS, interesting - so I assume that the park would occasionally have to bring in true experts to deal with the accurate rigging. I’d think people like that would be hard to find these days.
JB, you're exactly right about the ropes wrapped around the mast--they are reinforcements to keep the mast from splitting.
Major, I knew there was a reason I liked you! I love the Aubrey-Maturin series. I'm currently reading No. 19, The Hundred Days.
Chuck, I was doing fine reading about the 'sponge' and the 'wad-screw'. But I got utterly lost with the description of the 'lantern or ladle' thingy. I guess I'd flunk out of Cannoneering 101. I have to admit that I was rather fascinated by the gun drill video.
Melissa, I chuckled at "Thin'jer". Which raises a question: Why DO nautical-types concatenate/abbreviate/elide words? Seems like an odd thing to do.
Steve DeGaetano, yay! I actually guessed something correctly!
Major, here is the Project Gutenberg link to Two Years Before the Mast:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/4277
JG
Re the CM outfit in the photo above, from "Two Years"...
"A sailor has a peculiar cut to his clothes, and a way of wearing them which a green hand can never get. The trousers, tight round the hips, and thence hanging long and loose round the feet, a superabundance of checked shirt, a low-crowned, well-varnished black hat, worn on the back of the head, with half a fathom of black ribbon hanging over the left eye, and a slip-tie to the black silk neckerchief, with sundry other minutiae, are signs..."
JG
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