It is years and years since I visited St James’ Park in London and saw the pelicans there. The Pelican of London I refer to is a tall ship, based in Weymouth. That’s a place I visited recently.
I must be feeling nautical. It was ships yesterday and it is again today.
We had parked at what I’ll call the north end of the prom. But we could see the masts of a tall ship in the harbour area and those masts drew us in. They seemed to exercise a magnetic pull over us. Well, tall ships are wonderful vessels. They are filled with thoughts of times past and of the romance of the sea, although as I approach older age I see them as items to look at rather than to wish to be on. Climbing rigging is not a task I want to actually do.
Anyway, having walked the length of Weymouth’s prom, we found ourselves alongside this tall ship.
The ship was called The Pelican of London.
It featured a fine pelican on the sharp end (you see, I am not at all nautical).
And here’s that rigging I have no desire to climb.
A quick glance at a notice board revealed it was a training ship. The notice invited one and all to apply for a turn learning how to cope.
But it was only back at home that I really took in the history of the boat.
In some ways it may not be as old as expected for this ship was launched in 1948. She was built in Le Havre in France as an Arctic trawler, a job she did for 19 years and in 1968 she re-emerged as a coaster called Kadett. She was like this until 1995 when she was converted into her present form as a tall ship. That was 12 years work so this Pelican has been in this form for less than ten years.
As we walked away and up the harbour, we could see Pelican alongside a fairly modern high speed ferry.
You can take your pick as to which looks more beautiful. I know I did!
Tags: 2015, Pelican of London, Tall ship, Weymouth
Locksands Life 
May 19, 2015 at 6:37 pm |
Lovely post. I would certainly choose a tall ship over a fast ferry. They are certainly a great experience to sail and I would be the complete opposite of you – I want to climb the rigging right to the top of the mast! If only I could. Your pictures are beautiful, thanks for sharing.
May 19, 2015 at 7:07 pm |
Thankyou for lovely comments. You have a lovely blog and I do hope it is inspirational for others. I’m so sorry your accident led to permanent pain for you. Pain can be so very debilitating.
At one time I’d have been ‘up the rigging’ like any ordinary monkey but I know that now I am older I am nothing like as agile as I was. Life seems too precious for some risky antics. I love my life too much for that. I think we have to accept the changes that come with getting older. But don’t worry, I still find ways to challenge myself and I can’t imagine stopping learning things ever.
I’ve never produced a bucket list. I like to take the challenges that come along and I am 100% happy to be part of my local community. Travel is great but a local community base is more important to me. I’d encourage anyone to enjoy life to the full in their own way, as long as it doesn’t create negativity in others.
I’m lucky enough to have seen an Auraura Borealis from my home in the south of England. It was a feeble affair by comparison with thoswe seen in the real north, but still magical. I’d love to see a better one but have not as yet. I can thoroughly commend the West Coast of Scotland including Inner and Outer Hebrides. Don’t forget Orkneys and Shetlands and further afield the Faroes are just stunning. There are lots of Whales in the water around these northern isles. Eire is a great country as well. Love the west coast.
Enough! I can rabbit on for ever!
May 19, 2015 at 8:02 pm
Thanks for taking a look at my blog and your kind words. My bucket list is kind of a wish list more than a definite to do list. It gives me something to aim for and isn’t something I hold myself too as I have a couple of bold ones on there. I haven’t done much traveling as we always seem to go home to family and friends. The tall ships race in July is the first proper holiday my hubby and I have had since 2001 apart from visiting family and a couple of weekends away both of which happened in 2014!
I really want to visit the Islands and Highlands of Scotland and I am pleased that I will experience seeing them from the sea during the tall ships race. I hope, with my fingers crossed that we are blessed with the odd whale sighting or two!
And there’s me rabbiting on! LOL. Have a good evening.