Unexpected Morning Ride

A cloudy/rainy morning at the harbor.

Mare Fox at Pier 1:

A bit too far away for good photos, but nice to see two ‘iwa flying around:

Barge Hilo Bay and tugs Capt Les Easom and Salishan:

Mikioi and Pi‘ilani headed out to assist Manoa:

The reality of the port side of Falls of Clyde. Spot the ‘a‘ama (Thin-shelled rock crab):

Kulamanu (ex-Rella Mae) detail:

The Kulamanu is another ship being forced out of the harbor.

One of the Tiger tugs now in Foss livery as Freedom:

Manoa:

SPM:

Admiral’s Barge still hauled out, but looking good:

Mahalo to Paul and Captain Collins.

Relaxing Saturday

It’s been quite a while since I’ve had a nice, carefree Saturday. Usually, there’s something I need to attend to or think about. It was great walking around, enjoying the sun and decent trades.

I spent most of the morning and early afternoon at the harbor (where else).

Westerdam was at Pier 10/11. Rat guards:

Hoku Ke‘a arrived with a barge (not pictured):

Torm Kansas:

If you are not sure what company the ship belongs to:

Mamo:

More cars! Pacific Highway:

Part of ramp and some crew members:

Bunker barge Ne‘ena being moved from Westerdam over to Pride of America by Namahoe:

American Contender hauling a barge…

…full of stuff (gravel, rocks, and machinery)

Namahoe all pau until it’s time to move Ne‘ena again:

Salishan with Matson crane barge Mauna Loa:

Before I left the Aloha Tower area, I walked over to Pier 7 to check on things. The state has posted guards to keep people off the pier since it impounded Falls of Clyde, so not able to get too close.

Kulamanu (ex-Rella Mae), another one of the ships being pressured to leave the harbor by the state. Portholes and viewing windows being boarded up with plywood. Hum of engine (or generator).

Said hello to my old friend. A zebra dove sitting in the top band of the bowsprit cap:

It’s all very sad.

Taking the Falls of Clyde Home?

Those of you who are interested in large historic sailing ships have no doubt been following what has been going on at South Street Seaport Museum. Wavertree is back from dry dock and looking splendid. (Congratulations to all involved!) Peking is being prepared for her journey back to Germany and a brighter future.

It is quite a different situation here in Hawai‘i. Time is running out for the National Historic Landmark ship, Falls of Clyde.

Lately, I have been quiet regarding the Falls of Clyde. It is not because I do not care. I have been watching and waiting to see what became of the discussions between DOT Harbors and the Friends of Falls of Clyde (FFOC). Frankly, I didn’t have much hope for the future of the ship.

I have been spending my time trying not to be angry and depressed by the whole situation and mentally preparing myself to hear bad news.

Will she be:

• Towed out and scuttled in international waters?
• Sold and broken up for scrap?
• Sunk as an artificial reef or dive site?

Nothing but sad thoughts. Until today. Today brought a glimmer of hope.

Is it possible that there is enough interest in Scotland to bring the Falls back home to the Clyde, should the FFOC’s efforts fail?

A campaign has been started to explore the possibilities, while still supporting the mission of the FFOC. The following is a Facebook post from David O’Neill, who is spearheading the effort:

This is a Glasgow and Clyde Heritage related post, I am looking for volunteers who have an interest in the Clyde Shipbuilding History, who may have skills in P.R., Media and fund raising or crowdfunding. This is a campaign to bring back and restore a Port Glasgow built ship Falls of Clyde. Built at Russell shipyard, now Ferguson Marine.

The ship is currently in Hawaii and was a museum ship up until about 8 years ago, now under threat of being sunk as an artificial reef.

Hollywood actor and Scot, Mr Brian Cox of Bourne Identity, Troy and Planet of the Apes has agreed to be our patron so hopefully this will boost the campaign.

Glasgow Nautical College are also on board and can play a part in her restoration.

Clyde Maritime Trust are also offering help to save this 138 year old ship

We will shortly be launching a crowd funding campaign, so please consider playing a part in this effort, if we succeed the plan is to rebuild her and put her back to work, as a Fairtrade Transport Vessel, Sail powered, carbon free.

Another aim is to include Community Groups and Secondary Schools across Scotland, who can send kids aboard on trips for life changing journeys to fly the flag for Scotland and Glasgows Shipbuilding Heritage.

Please share to all groups and friends you know, this will be a tough challenge, but will be worth it.

I am happy to share David’s message. I spoke with him at length on the phone this afternoon. He is walking into this with eyes wide open. He knows it will be a hard road. I fully support his efforts. I like his energy, enthusiasm, and willingness to explore all channels necessary.

While I would be sad to see the Falls leave Hawai‘i, to have her return to Scotland would be pono, since the state does not seem to care about supporting her as an important part of local maritime history.

There is hope.

Harbor Sunset

After spending most of the weekend in front of my computer, I took a few hours off to get some fresh air.

Poor Falls of Clyde…in limbo. So very depressing. Impounded by the state but still owned by the Friends of Falls of Clyde. I guess the powers that be don’t mind that their names will go down in maritime history as the “bad guys.”

Too bad that it’s only money that talks. History’s voice is silenced by greed.

One bright spot in all of this is that I’ve made some new friends. People who understand and care about the fate of ships like FOC.

Maunawili and tug Hoku Ke‘a:

Horizon Reliance assisted by Mikioi and Pi‘ilani:

Mana‘o approaching Pier 9 to pick up some folks:

Horizon Reliance‘s distinctive stern:

Pi‘ilani:

Sign the Petition…

Help stop the State of Hawai‘i from evicting the National Historic Landmark ship Falls of Clyde from Honolulu Harbor. This ship is the only one of her kind in left in the world.

The following link will take you to the petition:
Save the Falls of Clyde

In addition, you can help by contacting your local politicians, news outlets, sharing on social media…spread the word!

***

For me, this is déjà vu, in a bad way. Much more painful than in 2008. Sigh.

The End?

The dreaded day has finally come. DOT Harbors has revoked the permit allowing Falls of Clyde to remain at Pier 7.

While this action taken by Harbors is no surprise, it’s still painful to think about. It’s the nail in a coffin built by arrogance and ignorance.

There’s not much I can say that I haven’t already said over the past couple of years.

Old friend, you certainly deserve better. You have been lucky all these years, but it seems your luck has finally run out.

Thirty days.

***

Oh, long I stood gazing there, sad to be told
How all men neglected her, now she grew old;
And my heart just to see her with pity was sore
For her, once so lovely, now lovely no more.

I marked the thick grime on her main-deck forlorn,
I marked the poor masts of her, woeful and shorn;
And all of my thought was that sure it was shame
To see such an end of that clipper of fame.

Moshulu (1904)!

One reason for visiting Philly was to have a look at another one of the five remaining Clydebuilt sailing ships, Moshulu (ex-Kurt).

For an account of her re-rigging, check out Jamie White’s site: TheSquareRigger.

It’s strange to see her repurposed as a restaurant, but it’s good to see her nonetheless.

As a designer and traditionalist, I’m not crazy about the font (University) they’ve chosen for her name:

What I found really odd was how the ship was painted. Her starboard side (facing the river) was painted in traditional style. Her port side (facing the pier) was painted blue. Very weird.

Windows cut in the hull:

What’s wrong with this picture?

Looks like frames marked for some sort of survey?

Freeing port:

Always looking for practical ideas when checking out historic ships.

Here, this spout keeps the water from a scupper from running down the side of the hull and leaving those ugly streaks:

It’s attached with c-clamps, I’m guessing for ease of maintenance/replacement.

Rudder:

Since it was dinner time and I wanted to have a look around, I decided to have a meal on board.

If you’re familiar with these types of ships, there are enough details that it is fairly easy to imagine what this tween deck area (facing aft) used to look like:

Don’t normally do food pics, but here’s my fancy dessert:

(Hey, I’m on vacation…I can splurge right?)

After I had finished eating, I asked the maitre d’ if it was all right to look around.

Emerging on deck, looking aft at a hatch:

Ladder up to the midships deck:

I went forward to the bow.

Up on the fo’c’sle head:

Note the deck crane, rather than the old catheads, to help raise and secure the anchor on deck. (Same thing on Peking.)

A peek into the fo’c’sle. The windlass looks nice.

Ship’s bell. And…oops. What’s wrong with this picture?

For the ship geeks who look for such things, here’s the manufacturer’s stamp (Lanarkshire Steel Co Lt Scotland) on a beam:

Hatch just aft of the fo’c’sle:

Looking aft along the deck:

Bulwark stays (different style from those on FOC) and rail:

Freeing port:

Mr. ‘I‘iwi perched on the rail:

Looking up at the rig from the foremast:

Back up on the midships deck:

Mainmast shrouds, detail (seizing, eye, thimble, bottlescrew):

Small bitts on top of bulwark:

Ship’s wheel (in need of some repair) just forward of the chart house:

I didn’t go aft to the poop deck because there were some people gathered around the area and I didn’t want to disturb them.

Going below again, I came across a small gallery of images. I didn’t expect the ship to be a museum, but it was nice to see a nod to the ship’s past.

Reproduction of a drawing showing the ship’s sail plan and rigging:

And, something rather unexpected, but pleasing to see:

It seems I just can’t get away, can I?

Note: For those of you interested in life at sea on board Moshulu, pick up a copy of Eric Newby’s The Last Grain Race (1956).

Forces of Nature

Here is another small, interesting tidbit in the long story of Falls of Clyde. I found it during a search for information about Captain Crispin, one of the ship’s masters during the 1880s.

The following appeared in the The Dundee Courier and Argus after the ship’s arrival.

ANOTHER STORMY PASSAGE OF A GLASGOW SHIP.—The ship Falls of Clyde, which arrived in the river on Sunday night from Calcutta, was yesterday placed alongside the Low Water Jetty. She has experienced very stormy weather on the passage. While she was in the North Atlantic a severe hurricane was encountered, being one of the fiercest that Captain Crispin has experienced during his twenty-eight years as commander of a vessel. Captain Crispin has on board a small quantity of pumice-stone which he picked up about 1500 miles from the land, the sea being then covered with pumice-stone, which was supposed to have been thrown up by the volcanic eruptions at Java. — The Dundee Courier and Argus, 5 Feb 1884, p. 4

The “volcanic eruptions at Java” refers to the catastrophic series of explosive eruptions of Krakatoa that took place in August 1883.

Summary of events: The Eruption of Krakatoa, August 27, 1883

A few days later, The Dundee Courier and Argus (12 Feb 1884, p. 8) noted that Captain Crispin had donated “9 specimens of pumice-stone, and one jar of small pieces thrown out of Mount Krakatoa” to the Dundee Free Library and Museum. According to the paper, some of the smaller samples of pumice were “swept by the waves on board the Falls of Clyde.”

I wonder if those samples still exist somewhere in Dundee?

A Smokescreen of Words…

…won’t hide the truth.

BTW…the effort is not about the board, it’s not about the organization…it’s about the ship. Think about it.

Hello?

Anyone home?

We are a month into a new year and there is still no noticeable effort by the Friends of Falls of Clyde to stir up interest in saving the ship.

Time is ticking away…

New board members and new ideas needed before it’s too late.