Month: July 2012

NEW CAMERA, NEW DAY

I have a new camera, the simplest description is that of the million dollar man, stronger, faster, more powerful. The Tall Ships are still here. I looked at the ones I did not see yesterday. It seems that the “Bounty” is now the belle of the ball. It was only a few years ago, she was considered a second tier tall ship, perhaps because she had been built as a prop for Mutiny on the Bounty the 1962 film. Ted Turner ended up owning her after he bought the MGM archive. He gave her away and she changed hands a few times again. She appeared in Master and Commander the far side of the World, and Pirates of the Caribbean.

Of course I could not leave out a photo of “Cangarda”

TALL SHIPS IN NEWPORT

If you live on the east coast you know there is a heat wave. It may have had an impact on the crowds, but there were still plenty of people. When I made my walk about the vendors were begging for customers. The heat would eventually force people to buy water or del’s lemonade.

Satellite parking with shuttles have been set up surrounding Newport. This morning parking was still available in town.

The elegant “Cangarda” now belonging to Bob McNeil reviewed the fleet. Frankly, she should have been part of the fleet.

I GUESS I AM PUBLISHED

Earlier this year I spent several days photographing Bill Jacklin in his studio. Actually I was photographing his paintings for the Marlborough Gallery. Once the inventory photographs were done, Bill went back to work and I continued to photograph while we talked. Bill can talk and work quite well.

The inventory helped the gallery decide which paintings would be exhibited and how. This show took place in February in New York. I photographed the opening as well.

I had great fun taking all the photographs. Even more pleased that my photograph of Bill ended up in the book Interviews with Artists 1966-2012 written by Michael Peppiatt.

 

FIREWORKS ON THE FOURTH OF JULY

It is impossible to imagine the fourth of july without thinking of fireworks. In 1970 sailing “Carina” back from Bermuda we arrived at Montauk in the morning of the fourth, sailing down Long Island Sound to Greenwich we had a show as there were fireworks on each side of the Sound the entire way down, as each city and town had their own display.

These are photos of the fireworks here in Newport last night.

SO YOU WOULD LIKE YOUR BRIGHTWORK DONE

When I was young, the professionals aboard the various yachts would do the varnish during the winter in the Caribbean. They would go to a deserted island or the back side of an island, in the lee, where there was no dust or pollution in the air. They would never consider doing varnish in New England.

Other boats, it was a winter project in a shed. Over the last 25 years it is the Jamaicans who travel the circuit, coming north in the summer to work and returning home in the winter to work. Now is now completely commonplace. They work steadily with a smile and quick wit.

KRYS OCEAN RACE LEAVES NEWPORT FOR NEW YORK

No sooner than the America’s Cup World Tour was packing up their tents than the MOD 70’s started a short sprint to New York City. They should arrive this morning, having left Newport yesterday evening. Sailing at 16 knots in 12 knots of wind, leaving no trace in the water. These boats are all identical, leaving the results to the ability of the crew.

The boats will leave New York on July 7, racing to Brest, France. After that they continue a circuit around the world.

The press office, which had been set up at Newport Shipyard could not have been more organized, open and welcoming.