I went a whaling, in my mind, just in my mind. I climbed aboard the Charles Morgan and set sail in search of behemoth. Oh, yes. But first I went through the town, like a good seaman should. I walked the cobbled streets and I talked to the ones who lived there, and they told me of all the things that must be done.
The boat shop. all things for ships that go to sea. With a lantern on the table, and a model ship rocking on the window ledge.
The clock makers shop. The king of England once offered a huge prize to the person who would make a clock that would work on a ship. Hence the chronometer, which is not affected by the roll of the sea.
The ships carver had many a story to tell. And his shop was full of beautiful, intricate things. Even a statue of Davy Crockett. Did you know he had a ship named after him? He was a United States senator once.
All the lovely signs. Alas I had no time to go to Steamboat Landing.
The lady is getting the horse equipped to pull the wagon.
This beautiful little church. I feel one must stop here, before one embarks on a whaling ship that will sail the seas for years with out coming home.
Inside it is small and the wood gleams in the filtered sunshine. I can hear the hymns. The old, old ones from long ago, and the thunder from the pulpit is ringing in my ears, even in the stillness of this now quiet sanctuary.
The grass grows green around the old stones. Stones whose names and days are washed away by the years, and they lean and sink back into the sod.
The house gardens are beautiful, now, in June. Lush and colorful, sweetly scented mingling with the smell of the sea.
The cooper is busy with his barrels, so integral to the journey. First they are filled with water, in the hold, for ballast, then hopefully filled with whale oil as we sail on. Did you know that whale oil does not soak into the wood, so a cooper must go with the ship, and water down the oil filled barrels so they won't leak. He is a very important man on the ship.
Oh, the Charles W. Morgan. The last working sailing Whaler left . She can still be taken out to sea. I think , I imagine, standing there. This boat is not so very big. The whale boat that they launch when they spot a whale is tiny. And they go out, dancing over the huge waves and stab a whale that is bigger than the ship? Some kind of crazy.
The stove needs bars to keep the pots from sliding off. The table has troughs, too, for the reason of not losing your plates.
The wheel. "All I need is a tall ship, and a star to steer her by."
The bunks for the crew. Not much head room! But cheery, never the less.
Captain has all the comforts of home. See those stairs? They lead up to his throne.
The captains throne. I didn't see any throne for the crew, so I don't know how they managed!
Seamans trunks. In Moby Dick (an old favorite book of mine) they hoisted the trunk on their shoulder and walked up the plank.?? Looks pretty large to me!
The steps going down to the hold. And we will chase the great whale all over the world. We will let fly our harpoons and go for a Nantucket sleigh ride. We will climb the mast and hoist the sails, and see strange lands, and tell tall tales. May our ship come home with many barrels, and when the sea calls we will haul away on the Morgan again.
There is a boat works here, too, where they build new boats and rebuild old ones. This rather small tub of a boat, the Gerda, saved hundreds of lives during the second world war. They hid the people under the cargo and brought them from Holland to Norway, where they could be safe. Kudos to you, little Gerda!
And a light house with its Fresnel light. This one is for looks only, now. But in their time, they were a comforting beacon to those at sea. I loved my day here. I learned so many things. The folks who work here love what they do. One told me he studies every night about things so he can answer the questions intelligently.
I hope you enjoyed coming with me!
