Posted on 01/19/2013 9:25:13 AM PST by Uncle Chip
The history of humanity is filled with stories of tragic naval catastrophes that took a heavy tool in both blood and treasure, leaving behind only wooden or steel carcasses exposed to the elements.
According to a United Nations report, there are more than three million shipwrecks on the ocean floor alone, most of which will forever remain out of view to rust away and be consumed by living organisms.
However, the fate of other remnants of shipwrecks is different. Those ill-fated vessels that ended up grounded or sank close to shore may yet be explored, cataloged and photographed, sharing their ghostly, crumbling beauty with the world as they fade away.
Decommissioned, burned, long-neglected boats, liners and once-proud freighters can be seen rising from the frothy waves like ghost ships the world over, from the Gulf of Mexico to Hawaii, from Alaska to Greece, from Shipwreck Beach in Angola to Rogue River in Oregon, according to Gizmodo.
While no longer serving any obvious purpose, the ships continue to write their tragic narrative in rust, fighting a losing battle against nature that will inevitably win in the end.
Lying on their side in the water, or proudly thrusting their decaying, corroded bows in the air, shipwrecks are assaulted by wind and water day and night, their hulls and keels wasting away under the abrasive touch of currents and squalls.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
The America is completely gone now.
I always envisioned what it would be like to swim out to the bow section, climb aboard and do some exploring.
I read recently the the SS United States days are now seriously numbered as well.
Both beautiful ships.
The wreck that I really love seeing pictures of is the schooner “Sweepstakes” up in that cove in Canada. It’s hull is about 25’ down in the crystal clear water of a cove. It’s pretty, and surreal.
The ship on it’s side in front of the barges, listed as being in Lasalle Missouri, is the Admirable class minesweeper ex-USS Inaugural.
Wow funny thing...I just forced my family to listen to “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” at full volume on the way home from pizza tonight. Hubby had never heard it even tho he was born in ‘74. Weird.
It’s not a favorite of mine, to say the least (kazoo-like nasal vocal is a constant of G.L.’s body of work) — but I love the cadence of “the churchbells chimed, they rang 29 times”.
Carefree Highway
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewhM7I9gD4U
Byrds founder Gene Clark did a cover of one of GL’s, but it suffers a bit from GC’s idea of what constituted a good arrangement. I like his songwriting, but Clark was also lucky to be associated with strong-willed talents also in that band, who were better arrangers than composers for the most part.
If You Could Read My Mind
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mj21GwxL0k4
Oh man, I had “the morning after blues, from my head down to my shoes,” all day today. Oy, New Year’s! ;)
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