Goat Island, in Stornoway harbour, is the repository of small boats at the end of their useful life. The below pictures, taken on 29 January 2007, give an impression of deconstruction.
It is a passive process, as no human hand is involved beyond leaving the craft on the shore. The black-and-white hulled craft is being renovated, but nature is in the way. Now, 8 months later, it is still in the same condition.
It is sad to watch a boat, a ship die. They do have personalities. Quite a few of the craft on Goat Island today were wrecked in a hurricane, a North Atlantic storm, in January 2005. It also claimed the lives of five members of a family, wiping out three generations. The sadness lies in that in days gone by, these vessels were the pride and joy of their owners, taking them safely across the treacherous waters around these shores. Only to end in ignominy in a forgotten corner of the harbour. The yellow boat, part submerged, has now fallen apart completely.
Those are such sad pictures Guido. those boats really do look forlorn. Jeannette xx
ReplyDeleteWhat a shame Guido. I'm sure Bryan would have been able to make use of those one way or the other. Such a waste of opportunity to salvage them and give them another use. My friend has half a dinghy in her garden as a container for plants. I have seen one displayed in the centre of Heysham Village near Morecambe as a nautical planter. They could be cut into sections and used as arbours in a garden with a seat, .....and so on and so on ad infinitum. How sad they have to rot away slowly.
ReplyDeleteJeanie
Dear Guido...
ReplyDeletethanks for writing, and your photographs.... you will have to add a link back to the contest to be entered:
http://judithheartsong.blogspot.com/2007/09/septembers-artsy-essay.html
my best,
judi
Well, this is quite a poignant picture story. Great photos. I think this is a good entry as was your last one. Gerry
ReplyDeleteVery nice essay.
ReplyDeleteLori
Love your essay and loved the pictures.
ReplyDeleteJulie
A wonderful essay and yes it is very sad... The photo's however are just wonderful.. you really captured the essence of your topic. Well done..
ReplyDeleteKristal
http://apoeticdreamerssoul.blogspot.com/
It's like time travel. Thanks for the journey.
ReplyDeleteVery clever -- you are. The pictures are intriguing -- I want to walk up to the crafts and touch them to get a sense of how they feel. Literally and figuratively.
ReplyDelete