Ahi serva Italia, di dolore ostello , nave senza nocchiero in gran tempesta, non donna di province ma bordello.....

( Dante Alighieri , Purgatorio , Canto VI )

.....

ps

curiosamente ho visto ora x caso che il sig. Luigi di Maio ha riportato questo versetto sul suo sito di Facebook riferendosi al governo precedente. Bene , io lo riferisco alla situazione attuale , ancora peggiorata ....

( un dubbio : siccome non sa parlare bene in Italiano, avrà capito la Divina Commedia ? )

The storm

Ahi, servant Italy , place of suffering, ship without helmsman in a great storm, not woman of provinces, but brothel.....

( ps I have seen by chance that these verses of the poet Dante are on Di Maio 's website referring to the previous Goverment. A doubt: He doesn't know how to speak properly Italian., I don't know if he can understand the language of the " Divina Commedia" )

Kapitän und Steuermann ..

Aktuell bleibt auch Zeit sich um Freunde zu kümmern .. die meistens viel zu kurz kommen .. .😜

picture from: Cox collection

info from: Ships Nostalgia

The fifth ship to be named “Eastgate” built by Turnbull and Scott 1957

Shell 'K' or 'H' type vessel.

turbine product tanker 12166grt

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British tanker ‘Eastgate’ under attack at Vung Ro bay june 6 1968.

story as told by W.T. Alexander

Quote

It promised to be an interesting stay in Vung Ro right from the start.

As we where mooring up to the sea buoys a US Navy destroyer at the entrance to the bay started lobbing 5-inch shells over us and the surrounding hills.

This made us look questioningly at the 2 members of the US Army who where taking samples of our JP4 cargo prior to discharging.

“Don’t you worry non son. There is a bit of battle goin on over them thar hills. But thars 10000 Koreans in them hills and Charlies scared shitless of them Koreans”

He the regaled us with stories of Koreans taking Viet Cong heads and sticking them on poles outside their bases. It all sounded very reassuring.

I was 17 years old and training to be an officer in the British Merchant Marine.

This was my first trip to sea and life was exciting. I’d joined the Eastgate just a couple of weeks before in Hong Kong. From there we had sailed to Singapore to load JP4 and other petroleum products for the United States Military in Vietnam.

Vung Ro was a small port south of Qui Nhon.

There where 4 bouys to berth a tanker a short distance from the shore. The tanker discharged through a submarine pipeline attached to a buoy. This pipeline supplied an airbase inland.

A jetty for cargo ships was just north of the base. These berths where occupied by the “American Scientist” and another US merchant vessel.

The day passed quickly with lots of things happening. A cliff face was blown up by the army engineers. A blast which knocked all of us interested spectators back two paces. Then two Hueys landed on the beach and some very nice looking young ladies stepped out and where escorted into the camp.

Our two resident army radio operators informed us of a strip show at the base that evening and if any of the crew where interested they would whistle up a boat. Well amazingly enough most of the crew where interested. So those who could get the time off duty duly went ashore and where royally treated by our American hosts.

Unfortunately I was not one of the chosen few but you can’t win them all.

I came on watch at midnight to find all was quiet.

Andy, my sidekick, informed me that pumping had been stopped due to a suspected hole in the pipeline and the hole was to be investigated the next morning. Sounded good to me.

0130. I was on the poop on a routine fire watch, looking over towards the base ashore.

A flash and a shower of silver sparks form the middle of the base followed immediately by an explosion, followed by another, and another. I got to thinking that this shouldn’t be happening.

I went back midships to see the 2nd Officer who was also of the opinion that this was not usual. The 2/O hit the alarm bells whilst I went to let the Captain know what was happening.

The Chief Officer started to organize the disconnection of the pipeline and attaching it to the buoy ready for use next time. Andy and I where sent off to make sure the ships blackout was complete whilst the Captain was conferring with the two radio operators as to the next move.

Meanwhile a mortar round exploded close to the bow of the “American Scientist”.

Many of the crew jumped overboard whilst others left the ship on the landward side. They ran along the jetty but 2 shells landed at the shore end of the jetty and they turned and ran back to the ship.

When I got back on deck after checking the blackout I found all the engineers on deck with lifejackets.

I asked the 3rd engineer what was going on and he said the Captain had told them to get ready to abandon ship.

What had happened was that the Captain was a bit unsure of what to do and had asked the American radio operators. The operators had lost touch with the shore and where unhappy about sitting on top of 12.000 tons of JP4 with mortar shells flying around the place. So they had advised getting everyone ashore.

Whilst the Captain considered the Chief Engineer, an old gnarled Scotsman with a limp, stormed up to him and told him in no uncertain terms “Captain you’r not abandoning this fucking ship”.

This had the effect of pulling the Captain out of his uncertainty and ordered the Chief to get the engines ready for leaving.

Our problem was that there was no emergency evacuation plan for leaving the port. We had lost touch with all other units and the local patrol boats where busy picking up the men in the water from the “American Scientist”. Ashore there was nu letup in the assault on the base with the sound of the mortar shells being joined by that of small arms fire.

Finally we where ready for off. We had to let our mooring ropes go from the ship as there where no boats available to let them go from the buoys. This would add to the hazards of leaving because of the risk of the ropes fouling the propeller.

We let go one from each buoy, but then came the next problem. The “American Scientist” had let go her moorings and was manoeuvring to leave the bay. It was far too dangerous to have 2 large vessels manoeuvring in such confined waters at night, blacked out, and in the middle of a battle. So we had to wait.

In the mean time helicopter gunships had arrived and where spraying the hillside above the base with gunfire and rockets. This was hugely spectacular and worth waiting to see.

So we where all stand by waiting to complete unmooring as soon as the “American Scientist” was clear. The only crew members who where not at their stations where our Arab firemen who where under the port lifeboat with packed suitcases. They where eventually driven back down the engine room by the 2nd Engineer.

I was up on the bridge as the order was finally given to let go the remaining mooring lines and leave the bay. A manoeuvre which the Captain did brilliantly, his former nerves now seemingly well settled. Our American radio operators still couldn’t get in touch with the base and where more than a little worried sat on the deck on the bridge wing. Our Captains remark to Dave Piggott the helmsman when we finally cleared the bay was “I don’t know about you Piggot but I think I need a new pair of underpants” Bit of a wag at times our Captain.

And so we spent the night a safe distance offshore to see what the morning would bring.

And the following morning, still no radio contact with the base, so we continued our offshore patrol.

Later in the day we received a message from Shell Tankers that we where to proceed to Qui Nhon to complete the discharge. But then the next problem. Most of our mooring ropes where still attached to the bouys in Vung To Bay and the Captain was loatch to go without them.

So we headed back towards the bay to see if we could get them back. As we approached the bay one of the patrol boats dashed out and a chap with a megaphone demanded to know “what the fuck are you doing here with that ship Captain ?”

The Captain explained that we had been told to go to Qui Nhon but could we have our ropes back first please.

Eventually a party of our crew went into the bay on the patrol boat and towed the mooring ropes out and we said goodbye to our radio men who seemed quite relieved to be off.

From there we sailed to Qui Nhon. Three days later we passed Vung Ro on the way back to Singapore. We could see fighter bombers attacking the hills to the north of the bay. And so it went on.

Postscript

About 8 years later I was on a chemical tanker sailing from Newhaven to Elizabethport. The pilot for Long Island Sound turned out to be the Captain of the other merchant vessel that was berthed alongside the “American Scientist” and a regular runner into Vung Ro.

Het told me that the Koreans had been moved from the hills around Vung Ro but no one had thought to inform the American troops of this fact. They thought they where well protected but where not.

The other thing he told me was that the “American Scientist” had a large quantity of napalm on board hence the crew reaction to the near miss.

W.T. Alexander

Hornsea England

Unquote

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Eastgate" sunk 30.3.1973

as a result of a collision when approaching Hong Kong at night.

With the French mv “Circea”.

fire amidships and 3 crewmembers lost their lives.

Total loss and delivered to ship breakers at Kaohsiung 3 months later.

Getting ready for the North Pole. Italian aviator, aeronautical engineer and Arctic explorer Umberto Nobile (1885 - 1978) arriving in Ekeberg, Oslo on April 14, 1926 with the airship Norge. Nobile is primarily remembered for designing and piloting Norge, which many consider to have been the first aircraft to reach the North Pole. It was also the first aircraft to fly over the polar ice cap between Europe and America. The expedition was the brainchild of polar explorer and expedition leader Roald Amundsen, Umberto Nobile and American adventurer and explorer Lincoln Ellsworth who, along with the Aero Club of Norway, financed the trip, which was known as the Amundsen-Ellsworth 1926 Transpolar Flight.

My restoration and colorization of the original image in the National Library of Norway archive.

"At 01:00 on 15 April 1926, the Norge left Ekeberg in Oslo for Gatchina near Leningrad; after a 17-hour flight, the airship arrived at 19:30, delayed by dense fog along the way. Following the arrival at Gatchina, Nobile announced that the Norge would remain in the airship shed for a week for engine overhaul and maintenance; this included the addition of collapsible rubber boats for emergency use. Although expected to leave Gatchina as soon as the weather allowed after 24 April, the departure was delayed one week as the mooring mast at King's Bay, Spitsbergen had not yet been completed due to adverse weather. Although Nobile was anxious to leave for Spitsbergen even if the mast and shed were not completed as he was concerned about the weather, the departure from Gatchina was postponed once again.

The 16-man expedition included Amundsen, the expedition leader and navigator; Umberto Nobile the dirigible's designer and pilot; Wealthy American outdoorsman, polar explorer and expedition sponsor Lincoln Ellsworth; as well as polar explorer Oscar Wisting who served as helmsman. Other crew members were 1st Lt. Hjalmar Riiser-Larsen, navigator; 1st Lt. Emil Horgen, elevatorman; Capt. Birger Gottwaldt, radio expert, Dr Finn Malmgren of Uppsala University, meteorologist; Fredrik Ramm, journalist; Frithjof Storm-Johnsen, radioman; Flying Lt. Oscar Omdal, flight engineer; Natale Cecioni, chief mechanic; Renato Alessandrini, rigger; Ettore Arduino, Attilio Caratti and Vincenzo Pomella, mechanics. Nobile's little dog, Titina, also came aboard as mascot.On 12 May at 01:25 (GMT) the Norge reached the North Pole, at which point the Norwegian, American and Italian flags were dropped from the airship onto the ice.[13] Relations between Amundsen and Nobile, which had been lukewarm at best, were further strained by the freezing and noisy conditions in the dirigible's cramped control car, and became even worse when Amundsen saw that the Italian flag dropped by Nobile was larger than either of the others. Amundsen later recalled with scorn that under Nobile, the Norge had become "a circus wagon of the skies", an occurrence Nobile claimed Amudsen had greatly exaggerated."

--

(Wikipedia)

Luftbild von einem Ruderboot auf dem Starnberger See

Taken at Canazei - Val di Fassa - Dolomites

-----------------------------------------------------------

Please don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit permission. © All rights reserved

You can see my images on fluidr: click here

You can see my most interesting photo's on flickr: click here

PACIFIC OCEAN (March 2, 2021) U.S. Navy Sonar Technician (Surface) 1st Class Allison Coughlin, from Ronkonkoma, N.Y., a master helmsman aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), poses for a photo on the ship's fantail. The Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group is on a scheduled deployment to the 7th Fleet area of operations. As the U.S. Navy's largest forward-deployed fleet, 7th Fleet routinely operates and interacts with 35 maritime nations while conducting missions to preserve and protect a free and open Indo-Pacific Region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Third Class Dartañon D. De La Garza)

The sails set on the Matthew during it tour of the Irish Sea. The sails are the main with a bonnet and a drabbler. Which are small sections of sails added to the bottom of the main to make it bigger. They are added by a looped line however this can be removed by pulling on one cord

The Foremast again has a bonnet added, there is not enough room to add a drabbler. The last small sail is hung below the bow sprit and can be recovered easily.

Not shown as behind viewpoint will be a triangular sail set on a boom hung from the rear mast. This sail can be swung easily to either port or starboard to aid the helmsman or lady to maintain a set course. This would under control of the watch leader

The crew in the picture are just securing the running rigging after sail change.

The whole set of sails can be raised by the watch crew in an about 30 minutes hour of hard work. Normally only enough sail is set to make the ship sail on course.

The ship was being filmed from a rib so all sail added.

Bicycle transportation in Amsterdam

Agust 2019

www.kijklens.nl

The Anchor man at The Forestle Yells ! ..Harda..Starboard !!..and The Helmsman..Takes The Action.. as The Excited Tourists watch The Sunset Boat Get alongside.. !!

LOCATION : Ernakulam Boat Jetty. Cochin City. Kerala State. INDIA.

Avast me hearties! Welcome aboard the crew of the U.S.S. America! Feast your weary eyes on the finest crew this side of the Atlantic! From port side to starboard we have: Cabin Boy William Wallace West, Navigator and Lantern Keeper Mr. Harland Jones, First Mate Robert of Waynesborough, Captain Kalvin Elison Clark, Quartermaster Diana Prescott, Helmsman Victor “One-Eyed” Stone, and Boatswain Aurther Corigan at your service!

I’ll let you come up with their own backstories in the comments ;)

***

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Lake Garda, Italy

I've posted an image of this ex-paddle steamer docked at Riva del Garda in my stream some time ago but here's one of her under full "fake" steam out on the lake. It's a good job those yachts are pretty manoeuvrable tacking in and out of the way of the passing boats. I think we rather caught out the guy on the back as he's the only one looking our way!

Anyway, I've not found much information about the G. Zanardelli so I'll just repost the text from an earlier upload.

Builders : Escher, Wyss & Cie, Zurich (Switzerland) and re-assembled at Peschiera

Engines : Compound Diagonal by builders replaced by Diesel-hydraulic drive in 1982 and subsequently re-engined in 2002

Length : 48.65 metres

Passengers : Originally 800 but now certified for 500 (of which 250 seated including 150 under cover).

Crew : 7

Entered service : 1903

Used as a troops and supplies carrier in World War I

Damaged in an air attack in 1944 whilst on passenger service approaching Limone with the captain, the helmsman and several passengers were killed and many more injured

Returned to service after the war ended under American control, painted with scenes from US life

Withdrawn again in 1959

Back in service in 1969 with enclosed upper deck and a wheelhouse

Ran aground in October 1977 near Moderno, sustaining severe damage to the hull

Returned to service in 1983 with a diesel unit in place of her steam engines as an economy measure

After many years of infrequent and irregular service, Zanardelli now sees considerable use in the upper lake during the summer timetable period

Say I am You

I am dust particles in sunlight.

I am the round sun.

To the bits of dust I say, Stay.

To the sun, Keep moving.

I am morning mist,

and the breathing of evening.

I am wind in the top of a grove,

and surf on the cliff.

Mast, rudder, helmsman, and keel, I am also the coral reef they founder on.

I am a tree with a trained parrot in its branches.

Silence, thought, and voice.

The musical air coming through a flute,

a spark of stone, a flickering in metal.......

The October 1976 sinking of the Admiral Von Tromp in Saltwick Bay, near the fishing port of Whitby, is at first a mundane yet tragic tale of a trawler caught out in fog and wrecked on rocks, in this case the infamous Black Nab.

But this event, which resulted in the deaths of two sailors, was overshadowed by a mystery that has long perplexed those who know of it – how the Admiral Von Tromp came to be wrecked in the first place. For the vessel, which was equipped with modern navigation equipment, should have been nowhere near land when it foundered. Yet it was found to have been 90 degrees of course heading due west, straight into the worst rocks the rugged North Yorkshire coast could throw at it.

admiral-von-tromp-wreck-saltwick-bay-black-nab-2

The one man who may have been able to shed light on the mystery, experienced helmsman John Addison, drowned that night. His body reportedly showed no trace of alcohol, and according to Scarborough Maritime Heritage, Addison appeared completely stunned and unable to act.

The real reasons behind the sinking may never be known. All we’re left with is the Admiral Von Tromp’s battered and mangled wreck on the sand of Saltwick Bay, presided over by eerie Black Nab.

Hamburg, Blankenese, …give nature, bees, insects etc. a chance,

…give us a chance.

By the way, the owner is using this far over 100 years old house & garden as a weekend domicile & guesthouse for friends & business partners.

The formerly fishing village along the Elbe River in the western part of Hamburg has a long history, the name “Blankenese” comes from the Low German dialect “Blanc Ness”, meaning white promontory in the Elbe River.

The stunning views from the river-facing famous stairs-quarter of Blankenese have resulted in highly desirable properties & expensive real estate prices owned in the past by ship-owners, captains & helmsman, although most of the ship-owners resided along the “Elbchausse”, the road along above the River, starting at the Hamburg Harbour Area & ending in via Blankenese in Rissen.

The domiciles at the pedestrian-only labyrinth of the 58 stairs at the up to over 70 m high hillside, with a total of officially 4864 steps, are owned today by anyone who can afford it, not actually only moneywise, …more because you need the guts to carry everything over the stairs, food, beverage, garbage, furniture, babies, elderly people etc. etc. by hand up or down, which is especially tough in wintertime or by rain.

From spring to autumn the "Treppenviertel" is one of tourist favoured sightseeing point, with a few small cafés with home-made pastries & the restaurants along the river bank.

👉 One World one Dream,

🙏...Danke, Xièxie 谢谢, Thanks, Gracias, Merci, Grazie, Obrigado, Arigatô, Dhanyavad, Chokrane to you & over

15 million visits in my photostream with countless motivating comments

THIS IMAGE OF MINE WAS TAKEN ON AUGUST, 28, 2013 BUT

IN THESE DAYS, OCTOBER 25, 2015,

THE PALINURO IS AGAIN IN BACINO DI SAN MARCO IN VENICE....

**********************************************

The ship has two main missions: contribute to Cadets training and promote the image of the Italian Navy. In fact the unit hosts summer training campaigns for the Taranto Italian Navy Petty Officers School where the students can experience an intense training programme onboard, including seafaring, safety and security, navigation techniques. During her stops at national and international ports, the unit promotes the legacy of the oldest and most prestigious traditions of Italian seafaring.

The helmsman is more known than the boat.

>> “My Duty is like that of a helmsman who must steer safely the boat - the Fatherland - through storms and take people to the shores of happiness"

- Ho Chi Minh

Shot At: Uppada Beach, Kakinada, AP, India.

Explore highest : 7 :) thanku guys

While the Galapagos is not really a "scenic" destination, being a volcanic archipelago on the Pacific ocean does provide some interesting landscapes. The island of Floreana has the added colorful history of being rich with legends and mysteries.

Legend holds that the Galapagos Island Tortoise can perceive the intentions of human visitors to its home, dispensing a powerful curse if the tortoise believes those intents to be harmful. History provides us with an elegant example of this curse in the story of Thomas Chappel, helmsman for the doomed Nantucket whaler, Essex. In 1820, while visiting what is now known as Floreana, Chappel set a fire that burned the entire island down to the rock and was responsible for the extinction of several species. Only a short time later, the Essex would be attacked and sunk by a sperm whale, setting off the tragic series of events immortalized in Melville’s Moby Dick.

Three more sensational stories involving sex, murder, and mystery occured on Floreana in the early 1930's: "The Adam and Eve of the Galapagos", "The Swiss Family Robinson of the Galapagos", and "The Baroness of the Galapagos".

Link below:

jasonrobertsonline.com/the-baroness-of-the.../

View taken through the front windshield.

Within those drawers were bakery-fresh cookies, doughnuts, brownies, cakes and other treats. The bright levers down the center were used to disengage the catches that normally held the drawers closed. Loaves of bread were stowed upon the shelves above. A sliding chalkboard in front of the shelves could be used to announce daily specials. A second sliding panel allowed covering the shelves completely across.

In the upper right was the lever by which the Helmsman was able to sound the distinctive whistle by activating a roof-mounted bellows. The driver's seat could be swung forward as shown in order to create more working space as the customer stepped into the cab to make selections.

Here's a video explaining a bit more, narrated by Ralph Story, KNXT (now KCBS) Channel 2's wonderful presenter of historic things of Los Angeles and Southern California:

youtu.be/s_D4Lpye5EM

La Santa María (The Saint Mary), alternatively La Gallega, was the largest of the three Spanish ships used by Christopher Columbus in his first voyage across the Atlantic Ocean in 1492, the others being the Niña and the Pinta. Her master and owner was Juan de la Cosa, a man from Santoña, Cantabria, operating in south Spanish waters. Requisitioned by order of Queen Isabella and by contract with Christopher Columbus, whom de la Cosa knew previously, the Santa María became Columbus's flagship on the voyage as long as it was afloat. Having gone aground on Christmas Day, 1492, on the shores of Haiti, through inexperience of the helmsman, it was partially dismantled to obtain timbers for Fort Navidad, "Christmas Fort," placed in a native Taíno village. The fort was the first Spanish settlement in the New World, which Columbus had claimed for Spain. He thus regarded the wreck as providential. The hull remained where it was, the subject of much modern wreck-hunting without successful conclusion.

NameLa Santa María, "The Saint Mary," also La Gallega, on and before the beginning of Columbus' first voyage on 3 August 1492.

OwnerJuan de la Cosa

LaunchedUnknown and speculative

Stricken25 December 1492

FateRan aground on a shoal near Hispaniola

StatusPartly dismantled; the timber being used to build an ill-fated fort on Hispaniola.

General characteristics

TypeNao, at that period distinguished by Columbus from the smaller Caravel, and distinct from the Carrack

Displacementest. 150 metric tons of displacement

Tons burthenest. 108 tons BM

Length

est. hull length 19 m (62 ft)

est. keel length 12.6 m (41 ft)

Beamest. 5.5 m (18 ft)

Draughtest. 3.2 m (10 ft)

Propulsionsail

Complement40

Armament4 × 90 mm bombards, 50 mm culebrinas

NotesThe ship on the first voyage was captained by Juan de la Cosa. The navigation and command of the squadron was done by Christopher Columbus. wikipedia

.....in Bagnara Calabria harbour in southern Italy.

These unusual fishing boats are found around harbours close to the Straits of Messina, the channel that separates the island of Sicily from mainland Italy.

Basically the helmsman sits at the top of the mast which is normally beteeen 20-30m in height, the person handling the harpoon crouches at the end of the bowsprit which sticks out up to 30-50m from the front of the boat.

The helmsman with his clear view at the top of the mast spots a resting swordfish or a pair of mating swordfish and then sneak up behind their prey, harpooning them before the swordfish realises it's being hunted.

Wackwaters, Kerala, India.

Lake Garda, Italy

If there's a tower to be climbed... I'm there and at 2 Euros it would have been silly not too, having said that of all the tourists in Riva that afternoon, only Mrs R and myself bothered to climb the 165 steps to the top.

The Torre Apponale - the town's tower is located in the heart of Riva del Garda, in the Piazza III Novembre near the waterfront. It was built in the 13th century as another means of protecting the access to the lake and the town around it and at one point was connected to the Rocca via an underground passage. The Torre Apponale is 34 metres high and can be climbed during the summer months. At the top of the tower is the "Anzolim" ("little angel") weather vane - a symbol of Riva del Garda. Oh by the way, worth mentioning the bells (the ticket lady didn't bother)... bloody loud!!! Almost dropped my camera over the edge and developed Quasimodo syndrome for some hours after.

Anyway, in the shot looking south down the lake is the Hotel Sole and the ex-paddle steamer - G. Zanardelli, which is a lovely way to travel but a bit slow!

Here's a brief history of her...

Builders : Escher, Wyss & Cie, Zurich (Switzerland) and re-assembled at Peschiera

Engines : Compound Diagonal by builders replaced by Diesel-hydraulic drive in 1982 and subsequently re-engined in 2002

Length : 48.65 metres

Passengers : Originally 800 but now certified for 500 (of which 250 seated including 150 under cover).

Crew : 7

Entered service : 1903

Used as a troops and supplies carrier in World War I

Damaged in an air attack in 1944 whilst on passenger service approaching Limone with the captain, the helmsman and several passengers were killed and many more injured

Returned to service after the war ended under American control, painted with scenes from US life

Withdrawn again in 1959

Back in service in 1969 with enclosed upper deck and a wheelhouse

Ran aground in October 1977 near Moderno, sustaining severe damage to the hull

Returned to service in 1983 with a diesel unit in place of her steam engines as an economy measure

After many years of infrequent and irregular service, Zanardelli now sees considerable use in the upper lake during the summer timetable period

Midnight Rendezvous

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

New York, 1928

“Where are they? They should have been here thirty minutes ago!”

“Relax Herschel, they’ll be here soon. O’Connell wouldn’t dare cross us. In the meantime, keep your voice down.”

The first man who’d spoken, Herschel, grunted, adjusting his grip on the Thompson Sub-machine gun in his hands, and looked around the foggy marsh.

“I don’t know, Heinrich, I still don’t like it. The Coast Guard could have got them.”

“The Blackhawk can outrun anything the Guard can give chase with,” The German-born gangster said dismissively, leaning his Winchester Model 94 repeater against the side of the dark-green Ford Model AA parked in the middle of the dock.

The two pinstripe-suited bootleggers, along with their boss, Russian-born Sarkov, and one other henchman, Italian Gordio, were waiting on a dilapidated T-shaped pier deep in the swampy marshes outside New York City.

It was well past midnight, and the fog hung thick over the marsh, turning the trees and low islands that dotted the swamp every so often into fuzzy outlines and barely-visible shapes.

A Ford Model AA sat on the dock, facing dry land, and a second was parked next to the end of the pier, on the weed-choked dirt road that ran past it.

An old flat-bottomed punt was tied to the left side of the pier, littered with bits of wood and slightly overgrown.

The gang of bootleggers frequently used this spot to meet O’Connell, and had in fact reinforced the old pier for their own use.

“Silence,” Sarkov hissed sharply from the end of the pier, leaning out over the murky water. “I hear something.”

The gangsters went quiet, and after a minute, the faint rumbling sound reached their ears.

“Sounds like an engine,” Gordio said quietly from his spot at the right end of the horizontal pier.

They all instinctively tensed, ready to bolt incase it was the Coast Guard, but a second later Sarkov relaxed, motioning the others to do the same, as the faint flicker of orange flames became visible through the heavy fog, and a boat’s horn tooted twice in quick succession, then once more.

“They’re here,” he hissed, and the others moved quickly, Herschel heading to the end of the pier, looking back along the dirt road, and Heinrich came to the end of the dock, ready to catch the mooring lines.

A minute later, the dark outline of the rumrunning vessel became visible, resolving itself into a long black-hulled steam cruiser, the single low funnel belching black smoke into the night air. Orange flames came out of the six exhaust pipes right behind the funnel, throwing a flickering light across the vessel.

Fifty-four feet long, the Blackhawk was painted entirely black, save for a narrow stripe of dark-green running horizontally across the hull, and the low pilothouse, which was also dark-green.

Powered by twin Liberty aircraft engines, the lean rumrunner was armed with a Lewis Machine Gun mount forward of the recessed pilothouse.

As the rumrunner came alongside the dock the engines were throttled back, and a pair of crewmen appeared on deck, readying the mooring lines.

The nearest crewman threw a line to Gordio, and he caught it and wrapped it around the bollard next to him.

Sarkov caught the other line and did the same, making the rumrunner fast to the dock.

As the crew aft extended a gangplank, a tall blond man in a long black trench coat and matching captain’s hat emerged from the pilothouse, leaning back in to tell the helmsman, “Keep er’ runnin’.”

“O’Connell,” Sarkov greeted the Irishman as he stepped to the rail, “Glad to see you made it. We were worried you’d run afoul of the Coast Guard.”

“Almost did,” The other replied in a heavy Irish brogue, before motioning for the crew to get unloading.

“Before you continue, what’s the inventory? Did you get everything we requested?”

“Eh, almost,” O’Connell replied, stepping aside as the crewman from the Lewis nest headed aft to help unload.

Sarkov frowned, not at all happy with that answer.

“Explain,” he said coldly.

O’Connell raised an eyebrow at the other’s tone, but continued.

“We got everything ‘cept for the six casks o’ Cuban Rum.”

“Gilderoy assured me he would have it!” Sarkov fumed angrily.

“Aye, he did. And he would ‘ave, if the authorities hadn’t confiscated it before he left port. Apparently it was from an illegal brewer.”

Sarkov deflated, visibly frustrated, but he understood there wasn’t anything he could do about it.

“I took some ‘o me own money and got two crates ‘o French Rose Champagne from him instead. Figured you could distribute it to that fancy place on the corner ‘o Broadway and Wall St.”

“The Phoenix. Yes, the owners would pay a pretty penny for some fine champagne. Good call O’Connell.”

The captain nodded, then continued from before.

“We took so long because we ran into a Coast Guard cruiser waitin’ off the corner ‘o Long Island, hidden behind the point. We threw ‘im off our tail, but it took a bit.”

Sarkov nodded, accepting the explanation.

“One other thing,” the captain added, “While we was at Gilderoy’s Bertram’s crew came in. Told us to tell you bunch to avoid Fifth tonight. Cops raided a speakeasy earlier and the whole place is still crawlin’ with Feds.”

“Must have been Dogan’s place. We'll use the back route tonight then.”

O’Conell nodded, and the two fell silent, watching the others work quickly to get the alcohol offloaded.

The Blackhawk’s crewmen unloaded the casks and crates onto the dock and over to the truck, and Heinrich, standing in the back of the Ford, hefted them up and rolled the kegs into place.

Meanwhile, Herschel and Gordio stood guard, their eyes peeled for any unusual movement in the gloomy marsh.

In short order the first truck was loaded, and Heinrich moved it off to the bank and backed the second onto the dock, where it was quickly filled with the remaining contraband.

The trucks loaded, Gordio and Herschel untied the Blackhawk’s lines, and the vessel cast off, drifting out from the pier.

“I’m taking her down to the warehouse on South Street. We’ll meet ya’ sometime on the morrow,” O’Connell called, as the rumrunner’s engines revved up and the vessel veered away into the fog.

Sarkov tipped his black fedora, than turned and ran over to the second Ford, jumping in the passenger side.

“Let’s get out of here,” he said to Gordio, and the gangster started the truck and drove off, following the first vehicle down the foggy road.

Unbeknownst to the bootleggers, Detective Hatchwood had overheard everything.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So, here it is! My first real large Prohibition MOC, and the first MOC I photographed outside, so apologies if the lighting is a bit off, I'm still figuring out how to balance everything out.

Hope you all like it! :D

francescocremonese.smugmug.com/

www.instagram.com/francesco.cremonese/

My inspiration song for this picture: Faun Die wilde Jagd / LUNA (Lyrics)

Hello all together

When I decided to make this series of pictures I thought a lot about it. We all carry a lot of good and bad in us

and it is often the fights with yourself that make life difficult. With this series I also want to represent the duality that slumbers in each of us. Accept yourself as you are for better or for worse, free yourself from your own prison or break the chains you have imposed on yourself. Never lose your faith in the good because if you believe in the good from your heart then luck will find you ♥

Hallo alle zusammen

Als ich beschloss diese Bilder Serie zu machen habe ich mir viele Gedanken gemacht. Wir alle tragen in uns ganz viel Gutes und Schlechtes und es sind oft die Kämpfe mit sich selbst die einem das Leben schwer machen. Mit dieser Serie möchte ich auch die Dualität die in jedem von uns schlummert darstellen. Nehmt euch so an wie ihr seid im Guten wie im schlechten befreit euch aus eurem eigenen Gefängnis oder sprengt die Ketten die ihr euch selbst auferlegt habt. Verliert nie den Glauben an das gute

denn wen ihr von Herzen an das Gute glaubt dann wird das Glück euch finden ♥

A girl comes from the valley to the village . . . So lovely and so fine . . . The black miller sees her . . . And wants to be her lover . . . Go away, you dark miller, you . . . And let me be at peace . . . The crown that has held you for so long . . . I will not share with you . . . Run, my love, run . . . And take good care of yourself . . . The master of the black mill . . . Wants you for his wife tonight . . . Run, my dear, run . . . And take good care of yourself . . . The master of the black mill . . . Wants you to be his wife tonight . . . Then she became a swallow

Flew away skyward . . . But the miller flew as a hawk

After her already . . . She became a white horse

Jumped through the first grass . . . But he was the saddle that

That sat tight on her back . . . Run, dear, run . . . And take good care of yourself . . . The master of the black mill . . . Wants you for his wife tonight . . . Run, dear, run . . . And take good care of yourself . . . The master of the black mill . . . Wants you to be his wife tonight . . . She became a white rabbit . . . And ran half the night . . . But the miller became a fox . . . And went right after her . . . She became a ship on the high seas . . . And sailed far from land . . . But he became the helmsman . . . Who stood firm at the helm . . . Run, my love, run . . . And take good care of yourself . . . The master of the black mill . . . Wants you for his wife tonight . . . Run, dear, run

And take good care of yourself . . . The master of the black mill . . . Wants you for his wife tonight . . . So this bewitched hunt . . . Has been going on all night . . . So that the miller full of greed . . . Overlooked the Mogen . . . The girl became the morning light . . . Shining through the valley . . . The black miller found an end . . . And was seen no more . . . Run, dear, run . . . In the morning light home . . . You'll never see the miller again . . . And the wild chase is over . . . Run, my dear, run . . . In the morning light home . . . You'll never see the miller again . . . And the wild chase is over

Ein Mädchen kommt vom Tal ins Dorf . . . So lieblich und so fein . . . Da sieht der schwarze Müller sie . . . Und will ihr Liebster sein . . . Geh fort, du dunkler Müller, du . . . Und lass mich friedlich sein . . . Den Kranz, den dich so lange hielt

Will ich mit dir nicht teil'n . . . Lauf, Liebes, lauf . . . Und pass gut auf dich auf . . . Der Herr der schwarzen Mühle . . . Will dich heute Nacht zur Frau . . . Lauf, Liebes, lauf . . . Und pass gut auf dich auf . . . Der Herr der schwarzen Mühle . . . Will dich heute Nacht zur Frau . . . Da ward sie eine Schwalbe

Entflog ihm himmelwärts . . . Der Müller aber flug als Falke

Ihr schon hinterher . . . Sie ward zu einem Ross so weiß

Sprang durch das erste Gras . . . Er aber war der Sattel, der

Ihr fest am Rücken saß . . . Lauf, Liebes, lauf . . . Und pass gut auf dich auf . . . Der Herr der schwarzen Mühle . . . Will dich heute Nacht zur Frau . . . Lauf, Liebes, lauf . . . Und pass gut auf dich auf . . . Der Herr der schwarzen Mühle . . . Will dich heute Nacht zur Frau . . . Sie ward zum weißen Hasen

Und lief die halbe Nacht . . . Der Müller aber ward zum Fuchs

Und setzte ihr gleich nach . . . Sie ward ein Schiff auf hoher See . . . Und fuhr weit fort vom Land . . . Er aber ward der Steuermann . . . Der fest am Ruder stand . . . Lauf, Liebes, lauf

Und pass gut auf dich auf . . . Der Herr der schwarzen Mühle

Will dich heute Nacht zur Frau . . . Lauf, Liebes, lauf

Und pass gut auf dich auf . . . Der Herr der schwarzen Mühle

Will dich heute Nacht zur Frau . . . So ging diese verhexte Jagd . . . Nun schon die lange Nacht . . . So dass der Müller voller Gier . . . Den Mogen übersah . . . Das Mädchen ward zum Morgenlicht . . . Das durch das Tale schien . . . Der schwarze Müller fand ein End . . . Und ward nicht mehr gesehen . . . Lauf, Liebes, lauf . . . Im Morgenlicht nach Haus

Den Müller siehst du nimmermehr . . . Und die wilde Jagd ist aus . . . Lauf, Liebes, lauf . . . Im Morgenlicht nach Haus

Den Müller siehst du nimmermehr . . . Und die wilde Jagd ist aus

"Sven Gustaf Salén (7 November 1890 – 29 October 1969) was a Swedish sailor who competed in the 1936 and 1952 Summer Olympics. In 1936, together with his wife Dagmar Salén, he won a bronze medal in the mixed 6 m class as the helmsman of the boat May Be. Sixteen years later he finished fourth as the helmsman of the boat May Be VII in the same event.[1]

Between 1922 and 1962 Salén ran his company Salén Lines. His sailing career was boosted after his team won the 6 m event at the unofficial world championships in 1927. In 1927 he received the Svenska Dagbladet Gold Medal.[2]

Salén was also a singer-songwriter and a founder, with Ulf Peder Olrog, of the Swedish Song Archive. Two of his songs, "Sången till havet" (Song to the Ocean) and "Visa kring slånbom och månskära" (Song of Blackthorn and Crescent Moon) were recorded by Jussi Björling." (Wikipedia)

Vinst (prize) was the first prize in a lottery that the Swedish Royal Yacht Club organized in 1941. Oscar Botolfsen was the lucky winner of this superb yacht, designed by Knud Reimers and buit by Rotholmens varv. The following two years Vinst was the winner in the SK-trophy race, with Daniel Sundén-Cullberg as helmsman. In 1950 Vinst was sold to US.

My processing and colorization of Oscar Norberg´s photo in the Maritime Museum archive in Stockholm (Fo134017).

PS

Vinst is for sale now in Maine:

se.yachtworld.com/…/Reimers-22-Square-Meter-3596088/

The Helmsman Statue. Moved in 1971 from the Helms Bakery on Venice Blvd in Los Angeles to Burton Chase Park in Marina del Rey, CA. Shot 4-28-12.

Palinuro is a three-masted, iron-hulled barquentine, active as sail training vessel for the Italian Navy.

The Myth of PALINURO

Palinuro was the helmsman of the ship of Aeneas, who on his way to Italy had passed before the current head of Palinuro

Palinuro, betrayed by sleep, fell into the sea, and came to shore after three days of swimming, was killed by the barbarians Lucani

The earliest literary reference to Sounion is in Homer's Odyssey (III. 278–285). The story recounts that as the various Greek commanders sailed back from Troy, the helmsman of the ship of King Menelaus of Sparta died at his post while rounding "Holy Sounion, Cape of Athens."[1] Menelaus landed at Sounion to give his companion full funeral honours (i.e., cremation on a funeral pyre on the beach).

Archaeological finds on the site date from as early as 700 BC. Herodotus (VI.87) mentions that in sixth century BC, the Athenians celebrated a quinquennial festival at Sounion, which involved Athens' leaders sailing to the cape in a sacred boat.

ref: wikipedia

This is Kitty, the 10 mR class gold medal winner for Sweden in the Stockholm Olympic Games in 1912 with Carl Hellström as helmsman.

Kitty, designed by the Scottish yacht designer Alfred Mylne (1872 - 1951) was built at Åbo Båtvarf (Turku, Finland) in 1911 for a Finnish consortium led by Gustav Estlander. However she was soon bought by the Swedish banker N.E.W. Asp, who hired the crew led by Hellström in the Olympics.

After several Swedish owners Kitty returned to her homeland Finland in 1991. After a major renovation she was ready for sailing again in 2000. Kitty´s Finnish owner John Fagerholm has since then participated in several races for veteran boats.

My restoration and colorization of the original 1912 image by Th. Modin in the SCIF.se archive.

1921---1969

When l was a young sailor and sailing the Worlds oceans l discovered that it was inevitable that at some stage of the voyage l would encounter one of these bad storms. At sea storms would not take long to materialize and would often stay with you for a few days. First of all you would notice the wind picking up and waves getting larger.

ln a bad storm not only does the ship keel side to side to nearly 30 degrees but the ships bow would go into such a deep trough that your stern would raise out of the water revealing a spinning propeller which would make the whole ship vibrate.

As your bow hit the wave sea water would cover the whole deck and its spray would cover the wheelhouse and ships funnel. Needless to say that all watertight doors were battened down to prevent seawater from entering the interior of the ship.

l also learnt that steering a ship through a bad storm was also one of the most hardest tasks that could be expected of you. Modern ships these days are mainly computerised including the course a ship steers to its destination. ln days long ago the steering of a ship was manual.

lf you are on helmsman duty in the ships wheelhouse you have both hands on the ships wheel. Just above the wheel is a rudder angle indicator which shows you how your rudder is facing. Above that is the ships compass. On the bulkhead opposite in large figures is the course that you are instructed to steer. As you are in a bad storm your bow is not steering the straight desired course. You have to compensate using the angle of the rudder whether it is to Port or Starboard. You did an hour on the ships wheel until you were relieved of duty for an hour. You would then make your way to the mess room. lt would be impossible to have a meal. The constant roaring of waves hitting the ship was a bit off putting. There was no getting away from what was going on outside no where to go. My memories are still very vivid

Off the coast of Avalonia, a small Elven patrol craft lazily plys the water, whilst the bored Peregrinus scouts stationed on the cliffs above shiver in the damp. "Damn, i wish i was back in Baqua", grumbles one, "This posting is a waste of time - only one black ship sighted so far, and that vanishing in these accursed mists."

Suddenly there is a panicked shout from the ship, and the two scouts jump to thier feet. The water around the Elven boat is now roiling, and white, hideously gleaming creatures are hauling themselves onto the deck. It is the attack they feared would come! The elves seem hopelessly outnumbered, and the situation goes from bad to worse as the helmsman falls wounded. Suddenly, when all seems lost, bolts fly from the cliffs, knocking one ghoul from the stern, and impaling another to the gunwhale. The odds are evening up!

Built for Guilds of Historica, ChII Cat C.