BLUEMOMENT

I've been reading Ted Osborn's excellent article, in the the latest Cruising Association magazine, on the shipwreck of St Paul on Malta, in AD58 or 59.

Bearing in mind that this particular vessel was probably well over 1,000 tons, had a cargo of wheat and 276 people on board, I was very disturbed to read that their anchors were shaped stones, possibly bundled into wicker cages.

Were better anchors available at that time? Any recommendations?

A bloody big rock with a hole in it for the cable to be secured to...eh! I think it was called a Rockna...perhaps??

Not big enough? They probably should have had an anchor of biblical proportions

Nah

It was Peter who was the rock

He never got shipwrecked.

St. Paul was bit of a traditionalist AFAIK and probably used the Noah Anchor. However even Noah thought it was rubbish and used to carry twelve of them apparently.

Bet his freeboard shot up when he let that lot go!!

Never rated Noah very much.

Following seagulls as a means of navigation leaves a lot to be desired.

Lets face it if the whole world is flooded and you still manage to run aground its not very good. Bet he didn't have an arcmaster ticket

Silkie wrote:St. Paul was bit of a traditionalist AFAIK and probably used the Noah Anchor. However even Noah thought it was rubbish and used to carry twelve of them apparently.

Well, that site wasted a guid hour or more. (An no a mention of threeha'apence a foot...) Ah dinna think the septics have got much o a sense o humour...

I'm not certain I've correctly picked up all the "facts" (or maybe, better, "factoids"), but quite apart from awkward questions like, "so where did all the flood water go, then?" it would appear that Noah stayed at anchor for several weeks in a depth of > 1000m - with a dozen or so anchor cables! Now, not wanting to start an anchoring debate, but I would have thought that, even at 3:1 scope, accommodating the necessary volume of rope would make keeping a couple of elephants pale into insignificance...

But what do I know? I'm probably one of the "evolutionist scientists" railed against!

Incidentally, I loved the casual inclusion of the sedimentary rock description with its implicit assumption of being laid down millions of years ago!

WTF are you doing making sensible posts whilst sober? You've been warned about this kind of behaviour before. Next time, it's the ultimate sanction.

Well there's an insult... Just because (after numerous corrections) I can manage to type in a straight line...

To be honest I didn't really read the site beyond registering that it was somewhat left-field. I'd been looking, without success, for the pic that Alain Poiraud (I think) used to use regularly.

Oh, I recommend it...

Damned if I see why I should be alone in wasting time.

Some bits are quite interesting and thought provoking, but there's a lot of fundamentalist bullshit.

Alll the same, quite interesting(ish).

As a special treat-

I'll tell you an old-fashioned story That Grandfather used to relate,
Of a Joiner and building contractor; 'Is name, it were Sam Oglethwaite.

In a shop on the banks of the Irwell, Old Sam used to follow 'is trade,
In a place you'll have 'eard of, called Bury ; You know, where black puddings is made.

One day, Sam were filling a knot 'ole Wi' putty, when in thro' the door
Came an old feller fair wreathed i ' whiskers; T'ould chap said "Good morning, I'm Noah."

Sam asked Noah what was 'is business, And t'ould chap went on to remark,
That not liking the look of the weather, 'E were thinking of building an Ark.

'E'd gotten the wood for the bulwarks, And all t'other shipbuilding junk,
And wanted some nice Bird's Eye Maple To panel the side of 'is bunk.

Now Maple were Sam's Mon-o-po-ly ; That means it were all 'is to cut,
And nobody else 'adn't got none ; So 'e asked Noah three ha'pence a foot.

" A ha'penny too much," replied Noah. " Penny a foot's more the mark ;
A penny a foot, and when rain comes, I'll give you a ride in me Ark."

But neither would budge in the bargain ; The whole daft thing were kind of a jam,
So Sam put 'is tongue out at Noah, And Noah made " Long Bacon '' at Sam.

In wrath and ill-feeling they parted, Not knowing when they'd meet again,
And Sam had forgot all about it, 'Til one day it started to rain.

It rained and it rained for a fortni't, And flooded the 'ole countryside.
It rained and it kep' on raining, 'Til the Irwell were fifty miles wide.

The 'ouses were soon under water, And folks to the roof 'ad to climb.
They said 'twas the rottenest summer That Bury 'ad 'ad for some time.

The rain showed no sign of abating, And water rose hour by hour,
'Til the only dry land were at Blackpool. And that were on top of the Tower.

So Sam started swimming to Blackpool; It took 'im best part of a week.
'Is clothes were wet through when 'e got there, And 'is boots were beginning to leak.

'E stood to 'is watch-chain in water, On Tower top, just before dark,
When who should come sailing towards 'im But old Noah, steering 'is Ark.

Noah said "Nay ; I'll make thee an offer, The same as I did t'other day.
A penny a foot and a free ride. Now, come on, lad, what does tha say ? "

" Three ha'pence a foot," came the answer. So Noah 'is sail 'ad to hoist,
And sailed off again in a dudgeon, While Sam stood determined, but moist.

Noah cruised around, flying 'is pigeons, 'Til fortieth day of the wet,
And on 'is way back, passing Blackpool, 'E saw old Sam standing there yet.

'Is chin just stuck out of the water ; A comical figure 'e cut.
Noah said : " Now what's the price of yer Maple ? " Sam answered :" Three ha'pence a foot."

Said Noah : " Ye'd best take my offer ; It's last time I'll be hereabout ;
And if water comes half an inch higher, I'll happen get Maple for nought."

They stared at each other in silence, 'Til Ark were alongside, all but,
Then Noah said: " What price yer Maple ? " Sam answered : " Three ha'pence a foot."

" Three ha'pence a foot it'll cost yer, And as fer me," Sam said, " don't fret.
The sky's took a turn since this morning; I think it'll brighten up yet."

DaveS wrote: Some bits are quite interesting and thought provoking

'specially the bit where they tell us about '...Arz meaning earth or land...' I am sure that we can all therefore agree that they are probably talking through their earth.

Cheers,
Alister.