Hi all, and here we are with another weekly challenge. A big thanks to Patti for this week’s challenge: Detail — and of course her fantastic pictures from Italy 😁.
My immediate thoughts were to go with close-ups, showing the detail of objects. But, taking my lead from Patti, I thought back to my visit to the Glenlee.
The Glenlee (known locally as The Tall Ship) is a steel-hulled three-masted barque, built in 1896 for Glasgow owners. She saw life as a trading ship for almost thirty years, circumnavigating the globe four times. After her career in trade, she saw service with the Spanish Navy as a training vessel before being left as a derelict. Rescued from obscurity in 1990 she was restored to her former glory and now has pride of place on the Clyde outside the Riverside Museum, Glasgow. The Riverside Museum is Glasgow’s Museum of Transport, but that is a whole other post (yet to be done).
I chose the Glenlee because of her size and complexity. You literally have to cross the river on a small ferry (first couple of pics) to be able to see the ship as a whole. Once you close the distance to the vessel, it becomes more of a jigsaw where you have to look at it piece by piece. Hopefully, my images will give you an idea of scale.
The images below show the ship as a whole.
As you get closer, the whole starts to break up, and you have to look at the ship in parts. At a distance you tend to be taken in by the overall size and miss the details; like the ship’s figurehead — Mary Doll.
Once on board, the jigsaw becomes more complex, and the ship has to be looked at in sections. On the f’csle (the pointy end), you look along the bowsprit, see the anchors and begin to understand the complexity of a sailing ship.
Looking aft, to the untrained eye, it becomes chaotic. The soaring masts tower above, anchored in place by miles of rigging.
The following are some images of the work and living spaces of the crew. As with all commercial (and military) vessels, no matter the size of the ship, the crew always live in very cramped quarters.
The ship’s cargo hold and machinery spaces are also large and difficult to take in.
And finally, a Storm Trooper with a BMX (part of one of the displays in the Transport Museum 🤪).
Thank you for “breaking down” the ship for us, Jez. I appreciate that because as you say, it can be difficult to decide what to look at next. I’m glad you included the shot of the figurehead. I always love them. I always impressed with the small living quarters. I don’t know how our very tall friend “survived” being in the Navy for many years!
Great pictures Jez, specially like the image of the Mary Doll! I also enjoyed learning some things about The Glenlee.
Thanks, Sylvia. The Glenlee’s well worth a visit, particularly with it being co-located with the Transport Museum.
Magnificent ship! Great details behind the scene. Lots of work to maintain it Great photos, Jez!
Thanks, Amy 😁
I couldn’t help thinking about the men who climbed those gorgeous masts as the ship plowed thru stormy seas! Wonderful details – cramped quarters indeed!!
Thanks Tina. People often don’t consider the men who crewed these ships.
There are so many details on a ship – and you have taken us around a real beauty! Loved visiting the crew quarters, as that is somewhere we are not usually allowed. The Storm Trooper was a minor chock though – he looks like something from Star Wars!
Thanks Leya. And yes, the Stormtrooper is from Starwars. He’s part of an exhibit about 80’s living, in the Transport Museum.
😀